It was around 1995...... I know it’s really not that long ago…… Anyway, I was younger and ready for anything. A friend of mine introduced me to a Marine Recon Vietnam Veteran. He was a good man and a great American. He was full of knowledge and life experiences. I was eager to listen. He shared with me his heartfelt stories of the burning of Hue City and his battles on Purple Hill. The stories left me forever changed and gave me a different outlook on life. I can think back even today to his tales of Hue City and what he had to do. It puts life into perspective and helps me appreciate what I have and how precious and fragile life is. He passed away around 1997. Rest In Peace my old friend. He had offered to sell me his M-16 that he brought home. My first instinct was to say “Hell Yea”; however, I knew that I would not be able to keep it to myself. What would you have done? Share a would have or could have story?

I thank God everyday I'm not sitting in some steamy jungle swatting bugs, or trying to keep warm in a frozen foxhole in Europe, or eating sand in a horrid desert somewhere.

I've experienced being in miserable cold with absolutely nothing you could do to get warm and it's one of the worst memories I have, being in that situation with pissed off people shooting at you would be unimaginable. There's no way to express my appreciation and gratitude to those that did.

RH

Thank you for your post Blackhawk. I too was lucky enough to have a few older veterans take an interest in mentoring me and it did have an impression on me. All were in Vietnam and worked at the same place where I worked after I got out. The stories they shared were nothing short of amazing. Sam was a Navy Corpsman, and an alcoholic who sadly passed away in the mid 2000s. Sometimes he would show up to work inebriated and the boss would have me drive him home. Later I would understand why. Sam was my friend, and supervisor for a time, and I know he and the Marines we worked with would not mind me sharing some of their stories here with so many other vets. Sam was in a connex box being used as a field hospital with at least two or three other people inside when a VC rocket entered and went off. Sam believed he survived because when the rocket attack was over and they were pulled out, the wounded man they were working on was on top of the gurney and the gurney was on top of Sam. He was the only one who survived. Another time Sam said he was standing in line for Thanksgiving chow and a VC sniper chose him to shoot, hitting him in the knee. Another time Sam told me he was in a sandbagged fighting position and they had been overrun by the VC, and were shooting at each other within two to three feet. One of the Marines in Sam's hole was hit and knocked almost out of the hole so Sam grabbed him by the web belt and pulled him back, as he is doing this the Marine is still firing his 12 ga. at the enemy and one of the flechette darts ricochets somehow and hits Sam in the bottom rib on his left side and went all the way around his torso opening him up like a can opener (I saw the scar). Another story I will share I honestly did not believe when Sam first told me. One of the Marines who worked with us had an almost Manson like scar between his eyes. Sam told me he got that scar from an AK-47 bullet at extremely close range. Bullshit right? No, I later asked the guy (Mark) what happened and he told me it was close in fighting and he didn't know what had happened at first because he shot the VC who shot him and then he had to shoot several others. When the smoke cleared he realized the round had been a squib and had not penetrated but instead hit him between the eyes and fallen at his feet. Never forget the way he told me in a matter of fact tone that was the only reason why he was there tellin the story and the VC was not. Two other stories I vividly remember were told to me by one of the other Marines who we worked with and I became close friends with. Awesome guy named Mac. Mac said he was riding in a convoy in Vietnam behind one of the big deuce and a half dump trucks. The truck hit a mine and disappeared. Mac said the big tailgate of the truck was all that was left intact and it was blown almost 500 yards. My face must have registered disbelief, because Mac then explained in a pained way that his friend had been on that truck, and that a regular mine wasn't good enough so the VC would dig a hole, bury a 155mm Howitzer shell, then place a mine on top of it. Another story Mac told me also had me in disbelief but I have since confirmed it with several vets who were in country. Mac was on patrol somewhere close to Phu Bai(?), with a group of RoK Marines. Anyway, Mac says they were settling in for the night and set up their perimeter security with claymores and he looked over and the RoK Marines took a white piece of string or twine, strung it on the trees around them and proceeded to go to sleep. All of them. Snoring! So Mac goes over to their interpreter and says excuse me WTF R U DOING? To which the ROK Marine answered, every one in Vietnam knows who we are and what that string means, if anyone messes with us, we will ensure they are killed, and their children, and their pets, and their entire community. Now I was stationed in Korea and I know the ROK troops I had interaction with were some hard individuals, but I had never heard just how badass they were! It is hard for me to see what is happening to our once great Republic. It helps me to remember there are some who understand what honor, valor, courage, and commitment actually mean. They have sadly become only buzzwords to the new generation.