A Real Bed !
Other then the 1st Hospital this is the only real bed I saw in our Battalion area. It belonged to Cpl. "Shorty" Whitaker. It was his 2nd tour in Vietnam. I have no idea how he came about getting it, so don't ask. That little TV atop the hotlocker was real, I guess , I never saw it on. Armed Forces Radio is the only entertainment we had and yes, every morning there was a voice that started the broadcasting day with Gooooooooood morning, Vietnam ! Then played the song "It's a beautiful morning !" You felt like throwing something at it. (Robin Williams played in that movie about Nam where he played the part of the DJ that actually said those words.....Goooood morning, Vietnam.
posted by jacko492 at 1:07 AM
3 Comments:
Dear sir,
I may have sounded like a war fanatic in my previous message, but I am not. It is just that I am mystified, if not enthralled, with men, and women, who could still fight in spite of mortal wounds, or who show no fear in the face of certain death. maybe it is just a product of watching too many war movies and listening to my grandfather narrate his experience as a Filipino(yes, I am a Filipino) guerilla during the Second World War.
I have the highest regard for men of uncommon valor, men who could still retain their decency amidst the madness of war.
i have mentioned that I have read a number of books about war, particularly memoirs and i have read that grunts returning from Iraq are cashing on their experience in the frontline by writing books.
one of the most poignant novels that I have read about a Vietnam war veteran was Born on the Fourth of July, which was later adapted into a film starring tom cruise(some of the scenes were shot in a province here in the philippines) as the lead character, Ron Kovic.
Maybe they just want to earn a decent living, or maybe these soldeirs-turned-writers want to pitch in to anti-war campaigns by bringing war's ugly face to a wide audience. would it be possible for you to write your memoirs about your time in vietnam, focusing not on the battles, but on its impact on the individual soldier, how it changed him, how it seared and scarred him for life since you already have the material in your blog?
thank you.
respecfully yours,
jobarhor
Dear sir,
I may have sounded like a war fanatic in my previous message, but I am not. It is just that I am mystified, if not enthralled, with men, and women, who could still fight in spite of mortal wounds, or who show no fear in the face of certain death. maybe it is just a product of watching too many war movies and listening to my grandfather narrate his experience as a Filipino(yes, I am a Filipino) guerilla during the Second World War.
I have the highest regard for men of uncommon valor, men who could still retain their decency amidst the madness of war.
i have mentioned that I have read a number of books about war, particularly memoirs and i have read that grunts returning from Iraq are cashing on their experience in the frontline by writing books.
one of the most poignant novels that I have read about a Vietnam war veteran was Born on the Fourth of July, which was later adapted into a film starring tom cruise(some of the scenes were shot in a province here in the philippines) as the lead character, Ron Kovic.
Maybe they just want to earn a decent living, or maybe these soldeirs-turned-writers want to pitch in to anti-war campaigns by bringing war's ugly face to a wide audience. would it be possible for you to write your memoirs about your time in vietnam, focusing not on the battles, but on its impact on the individual soldier, how it changed him, how it seared and scarred him for life since you already have the material in your blog?
thank you.
respecfully yours,
jobarhor
Jobarhar,
The word fanatic never entered my head. It's a normal question making you wonder what you would have done if you were in the same situation. Fight or Flee ? All through Boot Camp and the rest of the training were signs that said, "The more you sweat in Peace, the less you'll Bleed in War !" and it's true. When combat actually came it was the memory of my muscles and the training in my head that took over, It was as if it wasn't really me. I had trained for almost a year before I landed in Vietnam. No, not every day, but quite a bit. Circumstances happened so fast that fear didn't grab a hold of you right at that moment, yes I was scared, but not as much as when it was over. That's when there was time to think and time to worry and tremble.Some people couldn't take too much of the constant danger and broke down mentally. Others had a different disposition and made it without too much of a problem.
Let me leave you with this remark. In most serious circumstances after the smoke clears they have what's know as a ( De-briefing ) . Taking in each person that was involved in that fire-fight or operation or whatever combat action had taken place and asked them to explain in their own words what they saw. Why ? 'Cuz each person had something different stick in their mind of the action that had just taken place. By putting together all the scenerios, will tend to give a better picture of what had just happened. Maybe I didn't explain the actual procedures the way they should have been and I hope the picture is a little more vivid then before I started. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. Sincerely, Jack
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