OT ------ Memorial Day ------ OT

It's been years since I've been able to get to DC and pay my respects at the wall, Bill. Please offer a few thoughts of remembrance and thanks on this old Soldier's behalf.

pat bill williams for me.

Bill:

Viet Nam is the one war where my family didn't lose anyone. W.W. II was our bad time, I've got two Cousins buried in that burial ground at Omaha Beach. They were Brothers in the same Maryland National Guard unit, called up when the shooting started to become part of the 29th Division. The landing craft they were on hit a mine on the way to the beach, and neither of them could swim. My Aunt Catherine's first Husband was a navigator-Bombardier in the Pacific, went down on some lousy little island in an anti shipping strike. The Australians found the remains of the crew and some others a couple of years after the war. Apparently the Japanese had captured them and used them for sword exercise. He's buried in Hawaii. Lost another Cousin in Korea, B-29 crewman M.I.A. I now have another Cousin in the Air Force studying to become an Arab Linguist. I know where that will eventually land him, I hope he has sense enough to watch his six!

Bill Shuey

When the traveling wall arrives at Melbourne Florida, It's always a special day. Quite a number of Viet Nam Vets assemble to pay homage to the real heroes. We know who the pretenders, posers and phoneys are...so do they, and those of us who truly care. To them and others who served; no matter what capacity....Semper Fi and God Bless them and their families who have had to bear the unbearable. Bruce Apple USN 6-70 -'76.

I'd be happy to, Al. Consider it done

My great cousin was a Marine in WW-I. He wasn't killed but he was badly wounded.

My mother lost two cousins in WW-II; one Marine on Guadalcanal and one Navy, lost on a submarine.

My father-in-law's brother flew with the 100th BG in WW-II. He was shot down and listed as MIA on the 10 Oct 43 Munster mission (only one 100 BG B-17 came home that day). It was not until the end of the war that my wife's grandmother found out that he had been killed and was buried in the town cemetery at Ostbevern. He went down with the aircraft and, after it crashed, some townspeople braved the fire and exploding ordnance to crawl into the wreckage and pull Wes and another dead crewmember out before their bodies were consumed. They buried them in their cemetery and the German soldiers provided full military honors for them. Shortly after the war, the minister from the local church somehow found my wife's grandmother's address and wrote her, saying he believed her son was buried in their cemetery. She contacted the War Dept and they investigated. In 1946, Wes was brought home and buried in the town cemetery in Lexington MA.

My family also lost no one in Vietnam but I did lose two close childhood chums there, in addition to several Marines from my Recon outfit (who were as brothers to me) and were noted in my "I remember" piece last year.

I have much to think about on Memorial Day.

Thanks, Bill.

Is there a memorial somewhere for civilian contractors and the like who died in Viet Nam?

I would also appreciate it if people would remember those who came home and died of their wounds, illnesses etc. here.

Our local memorials here in Marin were gathered together at the county civic center a few years back. There is always large crowd all weekend.

To all who served, the gratitude of the nation is not always as strong as it should be, but you are our true heroes.

Tom

You bet! Two of my Recon Marine buddies took their own lives after returning home and two others dies of agent orange-related illnesses. They are in my thoughts just as much as the ones who didn't come back at all. Remember them all!

Yes we have ........

...../V

I have a young cousin also doing the same, only as a Marine. God watch over them both and all the others!

They, of course, are remembered as well.