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Why no hero's welcome for Vietnam vets?

I would like to think we have learned from Vietnam. It's disgraceful how the Vietnam vets were treated, and the reason for the hero's welcome is we know we did wrong during the Vietnam era. I think many people want to make sure that we don't repeat the mistakes. It's sad that so many vets were spit upon for doing their duty. I appreciate each of you for serving. Yes, it's sad that no one was there with the band and all to welcome home the hero's from the Vietnam era. Perhaps we owe them a parade, lets not tarnish the lessons that I hope we have learned.

When I have come back from the middle east I am thanked profusely and treated like a hero. It is a giant sacrifice to be away from family, but I feel that I have just done my job. I'm not looking for praise, but I appreciate the comments and thanks.

I am certain that one of the reasons people go to such measures is guilt for the deplorable way we treated our boys 40 years ago. People who, in my opinion, don't deserve to live in America, treated our troops with contempt and welcomed them home with their foul spit.

I am SO deeply sorry for the way our troops were treated during the Vietnam era. They deserved every bit of kindness and honor we get now.

A returning soldiers family should be at the airport welcoming their serving son home regardless of sentiment. Yes times were different in the 60's and 70's, but a family/friends/neighbors that don't show up at the airport to welcome home soldier should be ashamed. I don't agree with the war but if my brother or relative was serving I would throw a huge welcome home at the airport so they feel loved, not allow them to come home a midnight bus.

When the Idaho Army Guard combat engineer unit returned from Vietnam in 1968, the returning vets were welcomed with much fanfare, including a big parade in Rexburg.

Yes, Americans have learned our lessons from the miserable way the Vietnam vets were treated. There was understandable horror and frustration among many Americans about the way the Vietnam war was waged, and that anger was misdirected toward the troops. We have learned.

Today, my generation has learned from the mistakes of our parents, and our frustration with the way the Iraq war was sold to us and has been handled has almost entirely been directed where it belongs - at the administration. It's one more way that the brave Vietnam vets have contributed to our nation: By enduring such mistreatment, they have informed the way later generations will always look at our veterans. Never again will we conflate a bad war with good warriors. This is why it's so frustrating when people still caught up in the culture wars of the '60s and '70s try to equate today's anti-Iraq-war sentiment with the hippies of the Vietnam era. The way we are making our discontent known today is in direct contrast with the way Vietnam was protested, something the whole nation should celebrate. We've learned!

Now that everyone has recognized this situation what are we going to do for all of the Vietnam Vet's whose lifes are a mess? I still can't get over the disrespect that was shown to them, I don't think that I will ever forget!

It don't mean nothin.

My husband, who obeyed the call of his country (the draft, for those of you who aren't old enough to remember, was what happened to many young men who weren't financially able to attend college) came home from Vietnam through San Francisco to be met with bunches of Jane Fonda-type protestors.
The only welcome home he received other than us meeting him at the Phoenix airport, was MANY years later when he was buying something at an Ace Hardware store. The clerk was wearing a Vietnam Vet cap. My husband mentioned that he, too was a Vietnam veteran. The clerk came around the cash register and gave him a hug and said, "Welcome home, buddy!" THE ONLY WELCOME HOME he ever got.

We've re-written history about Vietnam, but those who served there can tell you that the atrocities perpetrated on that poor nation by the communists far, far outweighed whatever mistakes a few of our soldiers may have made. War is Hell, as the man said, and, just as in Iraq today, you never knew who your enemy might be--most of them don't wear pretty uniforms.

I joined the Navy in 1968. I was never in Vietnam in hostile actions until 1971-1972. By then the anti-war sentiments in the United States were strong. After I returned home on leave in 1972, I had many good people ask me about my service in the combat zone with just a few negative reactions from some guilt-ridden draft dodgers (mission and school deferements).

Later through a set of unique circumstances I was on a ship of escaping South Vietnamese in May 1975 when the democratic government of South Vietnam collapsed. I learned through this traumatic experience that freedom is never "free".

I am so happy to see the welcome homes we exhibit in Utah for returning Iraq vets. Let's keep this spirit alive even as the mainsteam press turns against America as they work to elect a Democrat President.

it don't mean a thing.

I am grateful that so many people fully support the men and women returning from the current middle east conflict.
My service was July 1969-July 1970 supporting River Divisions 521 and 543 at Tan My and Cua Viet. The Navy had over 100,000 men and women in-country patrolling rivers and canals in riverine craft like PBR's, Monitors, Zippo boats, etc. or providing combat support on LCM's, LCT's, YFU's and various other water craft. LST's used to go up the Cua Viet river in full battle gear and at General Quarters headed for Dong Ha ramp. It was serious business.
What I came home to was a quiet visit with immediate family. Didn't talk about it very much later on, only to other vets on occasion and that was a simple "I was at....." and they said "Yeah, I was at....." and then we'd talk of other things. Once in a while, it's "do you remember...?" We do. The memories never fade.

Please Google Jerry Lembcke to get the real story on the alleged spitting "hippies". It's a myth. It didn't happen. Not a single documented case. 96-percent of the Vietnam vets said they were welcomed home with open arms. Vietnam vets were a big part of the anti-war movement. Would that be the case if their first foot back onto US soil they got a gob of spit in the face. Please research this before accepting the preposterous implications. I tried to quote from Lembcke's writing, but the D-News censors wouldn't sign off. I also called Lee Benson a "sucker", and perhaps that's why it wasn't posted. I don't know. But I find it frustrating to have to re-draft comments two or three times to get past the D-News information ministry. Now that I've mentioned that, I wonder if they'll allow this post.

To Be critical consumers:

I wanted to post the same thing. There are no documented events of "spitting" If anyone has some that can be verified post it!

The day following my wedding, my new wife and I went with my parents to a Memorial Day broadcast of the Music and the Spoken Word. They had a military band visiting and during the performance, they had all the veterans stand and be recognized. My father had served in Vietnam in the Navy. He was brought to tears by the gesture and I was shocked to learn that in the 30+ years since his return, he had never been recognized for his service until that moment in the Tabernacle. Upon his return home to the Bay Area, he was treated has described in the article. Ridiculed, belittled and yes, spit upon. It is probably true most Vietnam vets were welcomed home with open arms by those they knew and cared about. But it was the vocal minority led by the "hippies" who belittled them and ultimately caused our failure in Southeast Asia and are leading to our failure in the Middle East. Each time someone protests the war, they are crushing the morale of the soldiers. You cannot say "I support the troops, but not the war" like they are mutually exclusive.

continued from above. My father would tell me stories about how he and his shipmate's morale would plummet as they heard stories about the protests at home. The same is true now. Supporting the troops means bolstering their morale, lifting them up. Those who have not served in war have no idea of the sacrifice they are making for our freedom. So if you are against the war, make it known by voting for and electing officials who will change that particular policy. That is how our republic works (note I did not say democracy). Don't condemn the soldiers by condemning their actions. The post titled "Be critical consumers" asks us to research this before accepting the preposterous implications. Well, I have heard the "implications" from someone who experience them, I don't think any other research is necessary.

crmeatball implies that our failure in war is not because of poor management at the highest levels, or because of misanticipated realities on the ground, or cultural or religious or tribal or ethnic factors that weren't properly considered; instead, s/he suggests, our failure in Vietnam and in Iraq was because morale-deficient soldiers underperformed their duties. That, to me, is the more outrageous statement. It implies our soldiers aren't capable of recognizing a difference between disagreement over policy and disappointment in our troops.

Please, crmeatball, correct your statement. It is NOT our troops who are losing the war; it is the Bush administration. In your effort to paint anti-war protesters as to blame for a failed war, you by default put blame on soldiers who you seem to think are too thin-skinned to handle skepticism and dissent.

And if the people aren't speaking out against war policies through protest, debate, letters to the editor, etc., it is irresponsible to assume our salvation will come in the form of politicians we can vote for who hold the anti-war views we keep quiet about. The people ARE the government here; active involvement in the discussion is our key role.

It's great that so many non-soldiers can sit around and hypothesize about how protesters actions affect soldiers morale. Here's how this soldier feels about it (and my feelings have been confirmed with every soldier I have ever discussed it with):

We are disappointed in our fellow citizens. But, it's not their fault since all they do is listen to the propaganda (yes propaganda, not "news") that the media puts out. The running body count coverage is offensive and is treated as some sort of score in a sick game against Bush (most of us aren't big fans of his either BTW). The cowardly reporters we have now must have the reporters from WWII, Korea and even VN disgusted. They sit in 4 star hotel rooms in the Green Zone and pay Iraqis to go out and collect stories for them. Then they put on their armor and helmet to do a story from the rooftop before stripping off the armor to head down the street for a coffee. If you want to know what a veteran soldier thinks... ask him, no the media.

For those of you who think the anti war protesters have changed that much since Viet Nam, don't kid yourselves. Take a look at Code Pink. They have programs like "No Military PREDATORS in our Town". Yep they dont hate the troops, just the war. Right. They don't hold "die-ins" and witch craft curses in front of recruiting stations. They don't attempt to vote in council members and force other council members to declare whole communities "Military-Free" zones.

Lets not forget the imbeciles who show up to protest funerals for our fallen soldiers with signs stating how they deserved to die.

Yep, our anti war protestors have sure changed since Viet Nam. (Heavy sarcasm intended)

To Jane Fondas etc....

"the imbeciles who show up to protest funerals for our fallen soldiers with signs stating how they deserved to die"

I think you are referring to the Westboro Baptist church which also protests gay funerals.

Just to clarify, I did not say, nor mean, that the troops lost the war. I said the schism caused by the protesters led to our failure. Our failure in Southeast Asia is not limited to the collapse of democracy there and the millions of lives extinguished following our pull-out. The failure includes how our Vietnam Veterans were treated once home.

I also did not mention the effects on the current war. I don't believe it is a failure. It is a resounding success. Why? Because a people have been freed from a tyrant. Sure, some of the other "justifications" may be somewhat ambiguous, but on the merit of freeing a people from tyrannical oppression is justification enough. Nor did I say that the soldiers were thin skinned to handle skepticism. However, as mentioned in another post, the soldiers are disappointed with their fellow citizens. Those soldiers need to be proud of who the represent, not disappointed in them.