SwiftVets.com

Stevie · Last edited by Stevie on Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:13 am; edited 3 times in total

if your willing to answer a few questions about Vietnam, check below.

the first set of questions is for a 5th grade assignment.
the questions listed after that are from woman 20 to about 45 ranging anywhere from low to high on the financial scale (if that matters - they're all Americans).

thanks,
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

Stevie · Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:25 pm Post subject:

Thanks to all of you who have responded with your 'interviews'.

If you want to do the interview, go ahead and send it to me.
Lauren's mom told me earlier that she can hand them in late.

I've also had another idea.... of maybe posting them on a
blog and making it available to teachers all across the country
to use. OF COURSE, no one's interview would be posted
without their permission!
Thanks again! You guys and gals are all sooo great!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

Essayons · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:14 pm Post subject:

Stevie,

I belive you should post the response to Lauren's assignment on a blog - or miniably here. i would be VERY interested in viewing others resposes.

There is always the problem of hate mail but that can be amelieorated by not posting our e-mail or presonal information unless approved by the author.

The Internet has provided us with a forum to counter biased teaching and we need to provide information to the world.

Let the bell toll and our voices be heard.

Regards,
Dick
_________________
Essayons - Let us try - the code of the Army Engineer. Sappers First, the code of the Combat Engineer.

Stevie · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:03 am Post subject:

I'd be glad to do that.
IF all those who sent them on to me agree! I won't post any without permission. I just strange that way- I think those who answered the questions for one purpose shouldn't have their 'interview' pop up somewhere unexpected ..... and would I post them here? or on Geedunk? I know we do have a member here who has a blog.... if everyone oks it, maybe he'd put them up.

Actually, I wish tons more of you would answer the questions.... I'd love to put them together into a book.... and make it available for our young people.

I 'd also like to post on another (lots of young liberal females) board I lurk and post on.... and ask if they have any questions they'd like to
ask Veterans of the Vietnam War..... and see what questions I get from them! Alot of them are very ah ???? what's the word I need here.... what we would have called 'preppy' ??? spoiled ??? materialistic ??? all of those.
very liberal!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

LewWaters · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:06 am Post subject:

Stevie, you have my permission to use the one I sent if you wish.
_________________
Clark County Conservative

Stevie · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:09 am Post subject:

dang, Lew, you were so quick to respond, you scared me! Laughing

and I thought I was on the other forum.... swiftvet side.... then I 'thought' I switched over to here .... and POOF there was your resonse!

to post here? on a blog? into a 'book' ?

Ok, I figured it out, admin moved the other post over here too - I posted on swiftvet/pow side 'cause I wasn't sure who all came over here; admin moved it and I've been going in circles.... Rolling Eyes

haven't gotten any quacks yet, but you never know....tho, I 'spect they don't troll us much anymore....

you know guys (and gals).... I've missed this place; haven't been around here much lately.... but I've taken about all I can with the young liberal females elsewhere....

I'll post the 2 I have approval for on here shortly....
is it possible to change the topic line? If so, I'd just change this one and and add the interviews on (w/o personal info).... I haven't even read them yet - I think it will be very interesting and educational to read what the 'answers' were.
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

LewWaters · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:25 am Post subject:

Me#1You#10 · Site Admin Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503

Navy wife · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:14 pm Post subject:

Stevie,
I do not know if SBD has seen your posting, but we wanted to have a section of interviews on the www.swiftboatarchives.com site that was suggested by FROTTLES. Unfortunately, no one had the time to develop it!! I had thought it would be interesting to the folks studying Swiftboats to actually link to the afteraction reports that they describe.

All of you can check out the web site and see if you are interested in posting them there.

Navy Wife

Stevie · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 4:52 am Post subject:

ME#1 - no problem ! I thought it might be moved when I posted there - just wanted to be sure the majority got a stab at it! Then when I came back, I forgot! Dizzy me! Thought I was going in circles!!! Laughing

Thanks for info on topic line - I didn't know that.

Navy Wife,
I'd like something like that also - a view from the veterans. Guess we need to come up with some more questions tho.... think I will post on the non veteran (young liberal females most of 'em) site - and see what they ask. These people mostly sound like they have foam rubber in their heads - I bet if I asked, the highlight of their week would be Desperate Housewives. How do people get that way? liberal parents.... liberal teachers....
I don't know how to contact SBD unless I run into a post and can do a 'pm' from the post. I'm not very 'board'' literate. - oh, maybe I can
do a search for posts? yep, I'll do that.

Do any of you have questions people ask you the most when they find out you are a Veitnam Veteran?
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

LewWaters · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 4:57 am Post subject:

Stevie · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 4:58 am Post subject:

ok, here's the first 2 'interviews' - God bless you guys!

Responses to questions on Vietnam (for a school project):

Veteran #1:

1. What do you know about the Vietnam War?
I know history has misrepresented what it was about. It was a noble effort to try to keep a country free from Communism.

2. What were you doing during the Vietnam War?
It escalated while I was still in school. After school, I worked up to the time I entered the US Army and was sent over there.

3. Did you or anyone else you know serve in Vietnam? What do you know about their service.
I served there as a Helicopter Crew Chief/Mechanic from 1969 to 1971. The main job was to keep the helicopters flying safe as well as flying missions seeking the enemy.

4. If you did not serve in Vietnam, how did you feel about those who did?
I did serve, so I look favorably upon the rest of my brothers in arms.

5. Did you know anyone who evaded the draft?
No.

6. How did you feel about the draft evaders?
I deeply resented them receiving amnesty. It was a slap in the face to me, as if they were the heroes and those of us who served were the bad guys.

7. Did you ever protest against the war in Vietnam? Why or why not?
No, I believed in what was being fought for.

8. Do you think the United States should have become involved in Vietnam? Yes and they should have fought it to a finish. Millions of refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975, show me that deserting it the way we did was wrong.

9. Have your views changed since the war ended? If so, how?
No.

10. How do you feel about the United States reinstating the draft?
Only if it becomes absolutely necessary.

11. Can you remember any war protest songs? (name of few if you can) We’re All Gonna Die Rag, Country Joe and The Fish; Alice’s Restaurant, Arlo Guthrie; Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire;

12. Do you have any stories you would like to share?
My main stories are after I arrived early on, a helicopter I worked on crashed, killing two pilots the day after I worked on it. Even though an investigation cleared me of doing anything wrong, I’ve always felt that maybe I held some responsibility for it. Only last year did I learn it really crashed due to hitting a tree on take-off. Another is my best buddy being shot down, his helicopter crashing in two separate balls of flame. The guy in the back seat was killed and my buddy barely got out alive. I was unable to visit him in the hospital before he medivaced out. But, we reconnected a couple years ago and I was amazed to hear he was worried all these years if I came back okay.

13. What do you want young people to know that are learning about the Vietnam war?
That it wasn’t lost due to lack of effort of the soldiers. It was lost in streets of the US due to Communist backed protestors and incompetent politicians. It was also a betrayal of men like John Kerry who lied to the US to gain popularity with the anti-war left hoping to get elected to political office.

VETERAN #2:

1. What do you know about the Vietnam War?
I served in Vietnam (15th Combat Engineer Battalion, 9th Infantry Division,
Mekong Delta, 1968/1969) and I have studied the Vietnam War in great detail.
I was enlisted (rank of E5) and later an officer. For approximately three
months while in Vietnam I briefed Gen. Fredrick E. Davison ((Commanding
Officer of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade (Light)) daily about 9th
Infantry Division operations in the Mekong Delta (south of Saigon).

2. What were you doing during the Vietnam War?
See the answer above and I also worked as a digital/computer engineer -
weapons design for military ships and aircraft - prior to and after my
military service.

3. Did you or anyone else you know serve in Vietnam? What do you know about their service?
Obviously I knew many people who served in Vietnam. Not sure how to answer the second question as I knew everything about their service. If the
question is about them being against the war, no one ever voiced that
opinion to me. I have seen bravery and cowardice in combat and everything
in-between. One thing to remember is that anyone who tells (regales) you
about their bravery in combat THEY ARE LIARS and fakes. Barstool bravado
voiced by non-combatants is rampant but easily recognized by a combat
veteran. Read Stolen Valor for the details.

4. If you did not serve in Vietnam, how did you feel about those who did?
Not Applicable.

5. Did you know anyone who evaded the draft?
Not that I am aware of. I did know many who quickly joined the National
Guard since it was known at the time that the National Guard would not be
called to serve in Vietnam. Should there be a belief that Draft Dodgers were
unique to the Vietnam War go check the number of Draft Dodgers during World War II and you will be amazed at the number that were not willing to serve their country. There will always be Draft Dodgers when there is a Draft.
Most serve and some slither away.

6. How did you feel about the draft evaders?
The correct term is Draft Dodger. Very negative and should I state anything
more I would have to use some very nasty language which would not be
appropriate.

7. Did you ever protest against the war in Vietnam? Why or why not?
No to the first question. See the answer to questions #5 and #6 above
regarding "why not."

8. Do you think the United States should have become involved in Vietnam?
Yes. It was a proxy war between the United States and China and the Soviet
Union. There were many instances of this type of war, Korea for example,
where the USA and its allies fight in a third world country and the Soviet
Union and/or China supplied the enemy we are fighting with weapons and
manpower. During the Vietnam War both China and the Soviet Union supplied the North Vietnamese with weapons and some manpower. Proxy wars were a policy during the 1960s that the Soviet Union openly advocated and was voiced at the time by Premier Krushev.

9. Have your views changed since the war ended? If so, how?
My view(s) have changed somewhat as I have studied and learned more detail
about the Vietnam War. How? By understanding that the push and shove of
Democracy and Communism during the period of 1950 through 1990 was a much more complicated "dance of death" than a few words can explain. I also became more aware of the power of the press (reporters) had – specifically Howard Cronkite who reported that the North Vietnamese 1968 Tet offensive was a catastrophic defeat for the USA. Tet 1968 was a catastrophic defeat for the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese (between 40,000 and 80,000 killed) but America did not know this at the time and as a result the anti-war demonstrators had bogus information to further fuel their rhetoric (protest speeches).

10. How do you feel about the United States reinstating the draft?
Should it ever become obvious that we need to reinstate the Draft then that
is what should be done. I do not see a need for the Draft today or in the
foreseeable future.

11. Can you remember any war protest songs? (name of few if you can)
No.

12. Do you have any stories you would like to share?
Yes. I run a web site for the 15th Combat Engineers -
http://15thengineer.50megs.com/ that may be of interest. The Personal
Stories page, http://15thengineer.50megs.com/personal_stories.htm may be of more direct interest.

13. What do you want young people to know that are learning about the
Vietnam War?
The last High School history book I looked at (2004) had two paragraphs
about the Vietnam War so I gather they are learning very little about the
Vietnam War. With that said, one very important item to remember is to
support our troops (military). The military does not start wars -
politicians start wars and the military serves at the call of our
government. It is the soldier who gives us freedom of the press, not the
reporter.

I wish to leave the following poem written by one of my friends who served
in the 15th Combat Engineers:

I Remember
By Joseph Kolodziejksi: 6 May 2000
All Rights Reserved
edited by RTC
I remember
Coming home in '68: after the Tet offensive

I remember
Going to a peace rally: not as a participant

I remember
Hearing chants of Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh!

I remember
Seeing Viet Cong flags
Being waved enthusiastically
I remember
They were anti-war: like cheerleaders are anti-football
They were cheerleaders for the other side
The side that was killing Americans
I remember
They were anti-violent as they threw rocks at police
And set fire to campus buildings
I remember
They were for freedom of speech
Unless you disagreed with their party line even slightly
Then they shouted you down
I remember
Thinking the only things missing
Were brown shirts and Swastikas
I remember
They were for the workers
But sneered when they saw one with an American flag
On his hard hat
I remember
They hated capitalism
But stampeded back to college to get their MBAs and BMWs
And become tax accountants and stockbrokers
As soon as the draft was over

I remember
The deafening silence when the fighting was over
And the many South Vietnamese people who were then killed
In the name of peace
I remember
The thousands who risked starvation and drowning
On flimsy and overloaded boats and rafts
Who risked robbery, rape and murder at the hands of pirates
To escape the glorious People's Republic
And the heroic forces of the People's army
And, I remember
No one protested for them
And now for the question that was Not in Lauren's assignment:

Why, AFTER the war was over in 1975, did so many Vietnamese risk death, as
indicated in Joe's poem above, to immigrate to the USA?

ANSWER: Because they knew the truth about the coming communist North
Vietnamese repression, that the My Lai massacre was not the norm and that US soldiers had fought honorably in Vietnam (as opposed to John Kerry's 1971 "baby killer" speech to the US Senate) and that getting to the USA was worth risking their lives for - something that a Draft Dodger or war protester
would not understand. The Vietnamese "boat people" fully understood that
freedom is not free and many paid with their lives trying to get their
families to the United States..

Navy wife · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 3:49 pm Post subject:

Stevie,
These interviews are excellent. Have you checked out the interviews posted on the Vietnam Archives web site at Texas Tech?

http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/index.htm

Click on Oral History Project. Then you can search for the interviews. I put in Swiftboats and did not receive any hits; however, when I entered PCF, there were two oral interviews. I do not care for those because it is difficult to get to the section about their service.

Navy Wife

Stevie · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:10 am Post subject:

below are 3 comments by the women on a msg board (craft) that I post on and several questions below the comments.

All Veterans jump in to answer the questions!!!

Just post them here, I guess, if you don't mind anyone knowing it's 'you'.
Otherwise, PM me and I'll post it without your identity.

Comments:
You might encourage each of them to make a recording for the Veterans History Project for the Library of Congress.

Also it might be interesting to video tape a group of them talking about their experiences.

From the daughter of a VV:
i dont have any questions for them. i just hope that each & every one of them have someone
that loves them as much as i love my daddy.

I think these are very good questions!

1. I know something that a lot of people wonder, or want to comment
on, is how they were treated when they came home.

2. What do they think of "The Wall" in Wash, DC?

3. Did you ever see atrocities when you were serving in VN?

4. Do you think that we should have been involved there?

5. Why do you think we didn't win that war?

6. How did the anti-war/anti-military movement make you feel as you
served?

7. I don't know that I would ask them if they thought we should have
been there, because I think you'll get as many answers as there
are soldiers. (I'm posting the question anyway)

8. I'd probably ask them if they see any parallels between the Vietnam
War and the War in Iraq,

9. what they think about how the current situation is being handled.
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

Navy wife · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 6:33 pm Post subject:

Dr. Louis Letson--remember him?

The Dems said he was lying when he said he was the doctor who "treated" Kerry's first purple heart because his name was not on the record!!

I have had the honor of meeting him and his lovely wife, and you couldn't meet two nicer people who have been through an incredible struggle this past year with all the name-calling and ugliness that the Swift Boat vets had to put up with. Anyway, Dr. Letson sent me one of his memories from his time in Vietnam with a picture of him (I told him the press should've seen it although they probably still wouldn't have believed him!). He gave me permission to upload it to the www.Swiftboatarchives.com web site. Just click on PDF files/ Swift Boat Veterans/ "Louis Letson, M.D....".

His memoir is a human interest story and I am sure many of the Viet Nam vets can share similiar ones.

Navy Wife