Many are still suffering from the consequences of Vietnam
letter to the editor
To the Editor:
On Nov. 11, Claggett Middle School honored our veterans and invited those vets who are related to the students to attend a respectful ceremony. I think this is a wonderful way to help young people appreciate those who have served and continue to serve our country with distinction to preserve the freedoms they enjoy. Without veterans, we would not have a country. That is the unfortunate truth and sad commentary civilization has chosen to exist in. The amount of time, resources and human life sacrificed on the altar of war is staggering with no end in sight. But this is not the subject I wish to explore in this letter.
I, as a Vietnam-era veteran, experienced firsthand arguably the worst years this great nation has suffered through, which the current generation does not understand. I greatly appreciate being honored by events as this, but you must understand not all Vietnam vets feel the pride from what they did at the direction of our government, as vets from other conflicts feel. Not all of us feel like heroes. Not all of us feel the same sense of accomplishment other veterans enjoy. I know I don’t. How can we when the government we served abandoned us and the public vilified us? I was ashamed of my country at that time and mourned those unfortunate wounded that got caught up in a deplorable VA system.
So, with 58,000 American soldiers dead, many more wounded and some maimed for life, many who are suffering the cancerous effects of Agent Orange, what did we Vietnam vets accomplish? Nothing. Nothing but bringing mass death and destruction to a faraway land. We then pulled out and gave away the farm. A very expensive farm stained with the blood of our finest young men. We went in with the lofty ideals of stopping the spread of Communism and thought we could improve the lives of the South Vietnamese people. We failed completely. The people couldn’t wait till we would leave so they could get their lives back to some kind of normalcy. They just wanted to be left alone.
Our government couldn’t even honor our dead by declaring this conflict a war. It was officially deemed a police action. It was a war we could not win and were not given the chance to. Politics ruled. Our soldiers fought with one hand tied behind their backs with brave and gallant resolve. Little did they know they were being lied to and deceived and did not have the backing of the American people. Our soldiers now had to fight on two fronts and would have to live with the effects of their actions for the rest of their lives forever wondering if what they did was morally right.
So thank you, Claggett, for your heartfelt appreciation and for teaching our children the value of freedom and its steep cost. But please teach them the truth. We made a grave error by going to Vietnam. Many are still suffering from its consequences and will for life. Please excuse me for not attending the ceremony, I just didn’t feel like a hero. Maybe next year. Honor to all my fellow veterans. You deserve it. God Bless.
James Scott
Medina
On Nov. 11, Claggett Middle School honored our veterans and invited those vets who are related to the students to attend a respectful ceremony. I think this is a wonderful way to help young people appreciate those who have served and continue to serve our country with distinction to preserve the freedoms they enjoy. Without veterans, we would not have a country. That is the unfortunate truth and sad commentary civilization has chosen to exist in. The amount of time, resources and human life sacrificed on the altar of war is staggering with no end in sight. But this is not the subject I wish to explore in this letter.
I, as a Vietnam-era veteran, experienced firsthand arguably the worst years this great nation has suffered through, which the current generation does not understand. I greatly appreciate being honored by events as this, but you must understand not all Vietnam vets feel the pride from what they did at the direction of our government, as vets from other conflicts feel. Not all of us feel like heroes. Not all of us feel the same sense of accomplishment other veterans enjoy. I know I don’t. How can we when the government we served abandoned us and the public vilified us? I was ashamed of my country at that time and mourned those unfortunate wounded that got caught up in a deplorable VA system.
So, with 58,000 American soldiers dead, many more wounded and some maimed for life, many who are suffering the cancerous effects of Agent Orange, what did we Vietnam vets accomplish? Nothing. Nothing but bringing mass death and destruction to a faraway land. We then pulled out and gave away the farm. A very expensive farm stained with the blood of our finest young men. We went in with the lofty ideals of stopping the spread of Communism and thought we could improve the lives of the South Vietnamese people. We failed completely. The people couldn’t wait till we would leave so they could get their lives back to some kind of normalcy. They just wanted to be left alone.
Our government couldn’t even honor our dead by declaring this conflict a war. It was officially deemed a police action. It was a war we could not win and were not given the chance to. Politics ruled. Our soldiers fought with one hand tied behind their backs with brave and gallant resolve. Little did they know they were being lied to and deceived and did not have the backing of the American people. Our soldiers now had to fight on two fronts and would have to live with the effects of their actions for the rest of their lives forever wondering if what they did was morally right.
So thank you, Claggett, for your heartfelt appreciation and for teaching our children the value of freedom and its steep cost. But please teach them the truth. We made a grave error by going to Vietnam. Many are still suffering from its consequences and will for life. Please excuse me for not attending the ceremony, I just didn’t feel like a hero. Maybe next year. Honor to all my fellow veterans. You deserve it. God Bless.
James Scott
Medina
