The Stereotyping of Vietnam Combat Veterans

[usmcstinger]

The unfounded depiction of Vietnam Combat Veterans is contained in the testimony below.
We have spent decades disproving the stereotype that was cast upon us.

..I am not here as John Kerry. I am here as one member of the group of 1,000 which is a small representation of a very much larger group of veterans in this country, and were it possible for all of them to sit at this table they would be here and have the same kind of testimony....
WINTER SOLDIER INVESTIGATION

I would like to talk, representing all those veterans, and say that several months ago in Detroit, we had an investigation at which over 150 honorably discharged and many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command....
They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country.
https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html


The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened a case for each witness who claimed to have knowledge of criminal actions by the Army. These cases are described below, with links to the actual Army summary reports.

WinterSoldier.com - Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
The above link addresses every Statement made at the Winter Soldier Investigation

 

[Oldguy]

The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened a case for each witness who claimed to have knowledge of criminal actions by the Army. These cases are described below, with links to the actual Army summary reports.

WinterSoldier.com - Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
The above link addresses every Statement made at the Winter Soldier Investigation

Talk about a white wash! Duh! Would YOU prove all that if YOU would then become subject to Courts Martial or a war crimes charge and perhaps a lengthy stay in prison?

Look...let's be honest. The Winter Soldier Hearings were political theater and not much more. They were just a sign of the times and not an indication of anything else. The war was deeply unpopular by then and passions were aroused.

However...it must be noted that there IS a kernel of truth in that testimony, whether or not any particular claim can be irrefutably proven. Those kind of things DID happen and they did sometimes happen with the knowledge and consent of commanders. Anybody who served outside the wire in Vietnam knows it, whether they'll admit it or not, and particularly those who served late in the war. It's just warfare at its ugliest and is nothing new, nor is it an indictment of anyone.

It just is what it is.

 

[Sallow]

The unfounded depiction of Vietnam Combat Veterans is contained in the testimony below.
We have spent decades disproving the stereotype that was cast upon us.

..I am not here as John Kerry. I am here as one member of the group of 1,000 which is a small representation of a very much larger group of veterans in this country, and were it possible for all of them to sit at this table they would be here and have the same kind of testimony....
WINTER SOLDIER INVESTIGATION

I would like to talk, representing all those veterans, and say that several months ago in Detroit, we had an investigation at which over 150 honorably discharged and many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command....
They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country. https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html


The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened a case for each witness who claimed to have knowledge of criminal actions by the Army. These cases are described below, with links to the actual Army summary reports.

WinterSoldier.com - Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
The above link addresses every Statement made at the Winter Soldier Investigation

You're saying what?

These things didn't happen? Or we shouldn't talk about them?

American actions killed 2 million people in Southeast Asia.

And they didn't die of old age.

 

[JenT]

So we sent our men over there, dropped them off in a maelstorn, and then criticize the few that were able to fight their way out? WHAT A BUNCH OF GARBAGE.

Just like all of humankind there are the good and the bad, just like every good work there are those that would twist it. To demonize those who sacrificed so much...I think that's one of the biggest evils of all.

 

[Staidhup]

Garbage it is! Pure bull shit, great to hear people have such insight into what they know nothing about, not one grain of truth. Crap nothing but crap.
Merry Christmas

 

[Oldguy]

Garbage it is! Pure bull shit, great to hear people have such insight into what they know nothing about, not one grain of truth. Crap nothing but crap.
Merry Christmas

Pure bullshit? How much time did you spend outside the wire? Heck, were you even there at all?

 

[Sallow]

So we sent our men over there, dropped them off in a maelstorn, and then criticize the few that were able to fight their way out? WHAT A BUNCH OF GARBAGE.

Just like all of humankind there are the good and the bad, just like every good work there are those that would twist it. To demonize those who sacrificed so much...I think that's one of the biggest evils of all.

No one demonized them at all.

It's the people that sent them there..with inexperienced leaders, no clear cut mission and no real reason for the fight in the first place that were being questioned.

 

[JakeStarkey]

When the vets came back, they were demonized, for a long time.

To deny that is to deny what happened.

 

[Godboy]

This is what happens when you draft your military. They took everyone in ALL walks of life, and this is what happens when you do that. Theres a percentage of humans that will do horrible things if they feel they can get away with it. I imagine when certain people are on the other side of the planet, in the middle of a jungle, with a gun in their hand, law and order is out the window. There are certain people who only behave because of the rule of law, but when it cant be enforced, their true nature comes out. The traumatic effect of constantly seeing death and misery can only intensify their lack of humanity.

 

[Oldguy]

This is what happens when you draft your military. They took everyone in ALL walks of life, and this is what happens when you do that. Theres a percentage of humans that will do horrible things if they feel they can get away with it. I imagine when certain people are on the other side of the planet, in the middle of a jungle, with a gun in their hand, law and order is out the window. There are certain people who only behave because of the rule of law, but when it cant be enforced, their true nature comes out. The traumatic effect of constantly seeing death and misery can only intensify their lack of humanity.

Don't blame just the draftees!

Rule of law? In combat? You don't know much about war, do you?

 

[Sallow]

When the vets came back, they were demonized, for a long time.

To deny that is to deny what happened.

No they weren't.

You folks are something else.

Of course you had a few people that put the blame on the vets.

Just like you have the Westboro church "demonizing" the military. Would it be fair to conflate the Westboro church as "All Christains" demonize the Military?

 

[Sunni Man]

I was separated from the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge late in 1971

Went back to my home town and married my high schol sweetheart.

No one ever asked me where I had been; and I never brought the subject up in conversation.

Enrolled in college on the G.I. Bill and worked several jobs until I graduated.

Started a career, bought a home, and raised 6 children.

Never knew I was supposed to be a drug addicted and homeless psychopathic loner Vietnam Vet with homicidal tendencies until I saw how we were portrayed in movies like Rambo and on TV.

Where did I go wrong??

 

[jillian]

So we sent our men over there, dropped them off in a maelstorn, and then criticize the few that were able to fight their way out? WHAT A BUNCH OF GARBAGE.

Just like all of humankind there are the good and the bad, just like every good work there are those that would twist it. To demonize those who sacrificed so much...I think that's one of the biggest evils of all.

No one demonized them at all.

It's the people that sent them there..with inexperienced leaders, no clear cut mission and no real reason for the fight in the first place that were being questioned.

this is just more of their efforts at revisionism.

 

[Godboy]

This is what happens when you draft your military. They took everyone in ALL walks of life, and this is what happens when you do that. Theres a percentage of humans that will do horrible things if they feel they can get away with it. I imagine when certain people are on the other side of the planet, in the middle of a jungle, with a gun in their hand, law and order is out the window. There are certain people who only behave because of the rule of law, but when it cant be enforced, their true nature comes out. The traumatic effect of constantly seeing death and misery can only intensify their lack of humanity.

Don't blame just the draftees!

Rule of law? In combat? You don't know much about war, do you?

I know things werent NEARLY as bad in iraq as it was in vietnam. Were there horrible crimes that happened in both wars? Surely, but they werent on the same level, so yes, there is such a thing as the rule of law in war and yes a drafted military is different. I served in the military, so dont give me this shit about how law doesnt exist in war. Quit thinking youre the only soldier in the world fuck face.

 

[Godboy]

I was separated from the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge late in 1971

Went back to my home town and married my high schol sweetheart.

No one ever asked me where I had been; and I never brought the subject up in conversation.

Enrolled in college on the G.I. Bill and worked several jobs until I graduated.

Started a career, bought a home, and raised 6 children.

Never knew I was supposed to be a drug addicted and homeless psychopathic loner Vietnam Vet with homicidal tendencies until I saw how we were portrayed in movies like Rambo and on TV.

Where did I go wrong??

How about the part where you became a racist and a muslim? You suck doubly.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Yes, they were, and we lived through it. I am sure some on the Board endured it and or witnessed it. I saw it in airports, in churches, at work, etc.

Many, many thousands of times more people than "Westboro Church" did it. To make sure a comparison is false analogy and demonizes the vets.

Shame on you shallow.

When the vets came back, they were demonized, for a long time.

To deny that is to deny what happened.

No they weren't.

You folks are something else.

Of course you had a few people that put the blame on the vets.

Just like you have the Westboro church "demonizing" the military. Would it be fair to conflate the Westboro church as "All Christains" demonize the Military?

 

[Sunni Man]

I was separated from the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge late in 1971

Went back to my home town and married my high schol sweetheart.

No one ever asked me where I had been; and I never brought the subject up in conversation.

Enrolled in college on the G.I. Bill and worked several jobs until I graduated.

Started a career, bought a home, and raised 6 children.

Never knew I was supposed to be a drug addicted and homeless psychopathic loner Vietnam Vet with homicidal tendencies until I saw how we were portrayed in movies like Rambo and on TV.

Where did I go wrong??

How about the part where you became a racist and a muslim?

Not a racist; but yes, I am a muslim...........

 

[usmcstinger]

The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened a case for each witness who claimed to have knowledge of criminal actions by the Army. These cases are described below, with links to the actual Army summary reports.

WinterSoldier.com - Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
The above link addresses every Statement made at the Winter Soldier Investigation

Talk about a white wash! Duh! Would YOU prove all that if YOU would then become subject to Courts Martial or a war crimes charge and perhaps a lengthy stay in prison?

Look...let's be honest. The Winter Soldier Hearings were political theater and not much more. They were just a sign of the times and not an indication of anything else. The war was deeply unpopular by then and passions were aroused.

However...it must be noted that there IS a kernel of truth in that testimony, whether or not any particular claim can be irrefutably proven. Those kind of things DID happen and they did sometimes happen with the knowledge and consent of commanders. Anybody who served outside the wire in Vietnam knows it, whether they'll admit it or not, and particularly those who served late in the war. It's just warfare at its ugliest and is nothing new, nor is it an indictment of anyone.

It just is what it is.

And you know all this because you served in Vietnam? A simple Yes or No answers the question?

 

[yidnar]

When the vets came back, they were demonized, for a long time.

To deny that is to deny what happened.

No they weren't.

You folks are something else.

Of course you had a few people that put the blame on the vets.

Just like you have the Westboro church "demonizing" the military. Would it be fair to conflate the Westboro church as "All Christains" demonize the Military?

there was more than just a few leftist that demonized vets in the late 60s and early 70s just as there are more than a few leftist that demonize our vets today !!the left owns this hate against vets !!

 

[Oldguy]

The Army's Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened a case for each witness who claimed to have knowledge of criminal actions by the Army. These cases are described below, with links to the actual Army summary reports.

WinterSoldier.com - Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
The above link addresses every Statement made at the Winter Soldier Investigation

Talk about a white wash! Duh! Would YOU prove all that if YOU would then become subject to Courts Martial or a war crimes charge and perhaps a lengthy stay in prison?

Look...let's be honest. The Winter Soldier Hearings were political theater and not much more. They were just a sign of the times and not an indication of anything else. The war was deeply unpopular by then and passions were aroused.

However...it must be noted that there IS a kernel of truth in that testimony, whether or not any particular claim can be irrefutably proven. Those kind of things DID happen and they did sometimes happen with the knowledge and consent of commanders. Anybody who served outside the wire in Vietnam knows it, whether they'll admit it or not, and particularly those who served late in the war. It's just warfare at its ugliest and is nothing new, nor is it an indictment of anyone.

It just is what it is.

And you know all this because you served in Vietnam? A simple Yes or No answers the question?

Yes. That picture as my avatar is me and it wasn't taken at Ft. Benning.