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All veterans deserve thanks, but give a special thanks to those who served in Vietnam | Opinion

A recent Wall Street Journal opinion by Jerry C. Davis, “Vietnam Veterans Deserve an Apology,” alerted me to National Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29. The Paris Peace Accords were expected to end hostilities on this date in 1973, but war continued until Saigon fell in April 1975.

Dave Player
Dave Player

It may not be widely known that Russia was involved, primarily through finance and material supply for North Vietnam. The former USSR supplied thousands of tanks, artillery guns and surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). The pilots of the North flew Soviet MiG airplanes, and the Kalashnikov rifle (AK-47) was then made famous.

Our country was being torn apart during this time. There was considerable civil unrest as we watched metal coffins unloaded from cargo airplanes on the nightly news. Universities had sit-ins and other protests. Then, in 1970 at Kent State, the Ohio National Guard fired on unarmed students, killing four and wounding nine.

In December 1971 we were walking through the San Diego airport in our uniforms. As we passed by protesters, they called us “baby killers.” That was laughable because we had just completed basic training. After they shaved our heads and issued us uniforms, they took our civilian clothes and sent them back home. I am ashamed to admit this but I never again wore my uniform to travel.

After moving here, I observed the veterans’ license plates issued by the state of Idaho. So, as an act of defiance and for my own personal protest, I paid the fee to get a Vietnam War-era plate. It was a symbolic middle finger to those earlier protestors and an attempt to reconcile my cowardice of not wearing my unform in airports. In the wake of the events of Sept. 11, while I was in my car stopped at a light, a pedestrian stopped and saluted me. The paradigm had changed.

I had good duty station and was safe, save for the risks associated with sea duty, but we did lose the first American war. As kids we watched John Wayne movies that taught us that the U.S. was always victorious. But we failed in Vietnam, which was a difficult reality for military people at that time. The miliary seemed broken and morale was very low. Now think of the 58,000, mostly, brothers we lost there, which is fertile soil for survivor guilt among this cohort.

Although we lost the war in Vietnam, I like to think of it in another way. We lost the battle of Vietnam, but we won the war against Communism. Fourteen years after that terrible loss in Southeast Asia, that wall came down in Germany and the so-called USSR satellite states, controlled by Russia, became free.

Our investment in lives and treasure gave the leaders in Russia pause about another proxy war with Americans. Until now.

When I see vets my age wearing their hats from that war, I try to acknowledge these folks by thanking them. Regardless of your politics, if you see an old guy wearing a hat that signifies service during the Vietnam period, please say “Thank you for your service” to them. In fact, if they will allow you, give them a fist bump.

There are 17 military personnel and or veterans, young and old alike, who take their own lives every day. Imagine someone who served in-country in Vietnam, or Iraq, or Afghanistan, who — in addition to the weight of leaving comrades behind — may very well suffer from post-traumatic stress. We should acknowledge all our veterans, but the guys signaling their Vietnam service warrant your special attention please.

Dave Player is banker who lives in Boise.