I wish I lived in the 60's!

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

I seem to remember something about that. I remember a recent story about a soldier's remains being found in Laos. There's so many MIAs to this day and I think it was the search for them that led to a thawing of relations. Do you remember Ross Perot financing missions in the 70's to find POWs still being held?

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I do remember Ross Perot. He worked for GM when we bought EDS and I met him a number of times. He was a very interesting man with a lot of integrity.

[Woogie Man]

I voted for him. Funny thing is, I've never voted for the winner. I cast my first ballot for John Anderson in '76 and it's been one losing candidate after another since then. If you want to know who the next loser is, just ask me who I'm supporting .

[livingdustmops]

Chuckle...I could make a few comments here but we can't talk politics..which is a good idea...

[Woogie Man]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

Chuckle...I could make a few comments here but we can't talk politics..which is a good idea...

LOL....yeah, we'll leave it at that.

Cindy, you mentioned earlier about your Dad being buried at Arlington. My Dad was buried in our local Veterans' cemetery with full military honors, much like your Dad. It was a very moving ceremony.

I'm attaching something my Dad kept all those years and I found it in his papers. It was read at his funeral.

[Woogie Man]

Photo of Dad and crew and B-17s in flight.

[manolos mom]

It's so eye-opening to hear all of your stories as children of a military father. My parents met on the Island of Vieques, PR he was stationed there so when he fought 2 terms in Nam we lived with my Grandmother. He also fought in Korea. I guess I was sheltered from what was really going on in the States. My father was a DI in the Marines and retired a MasterSargeant. I have the most respect for our Vets. It's so hard to believe the way they were treated when returning home. My father did say he wished they could have finished what they started. I think not finishing the war was devasting to some. We moved back to the states I think around 1969. It was hard enough to witness the "Who cares that you fought for our country" attitude but reality hit when we moved to Richmond Va and I was shocked by the Civil Rights Movement. I had no idea this was going on. I was a 10 yr old. My grandfather was dark and my grandmother was very light skin, so I grew up in a mixed family in PR. Never knowing or looking at people different because of skin color. I could not understand why the Blacks lived on one side and the Whites on the other. I was very naive. My daughter graduates from Medical School in 2012 and will be a Capt/MD in the AirForce. My father started to cry when he found out she was accepted into MS. He was in her Commision Ceremony and Saluted her as an Officer. Very Very emotional.

[BaxtersMommy]

My Dad was a first recon Marine in 1963. The stories he has told me are horrific. They ran out of ammo and had to fight with knives, all of his friends were killed, eating rice for a year. To this day he feels guilty that he lived.

Last Month, a Marine called my Dad and thanked him for his service. My Dad was in tears. After all this time, someone actually said thank you. My Dad was diagnosed diabetic just a year after he got out of there at the age of 27. They have proven all these health issues are caused by agent orange. Finally after filing years ago, they are starting to pay him 3,000 a month for his service. He is losing his sight, has heart problems, etc. And all because of agent orange in Vietnam.

That is one part of those years, I am glad that I didnt see. I have seen enough in my Dads photos.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

LOL....yeah, we'll leave it at that.

Cindy, you mentioned earlier about your Dad being buried at Arlington. My Dad was buried in our local Veterans' cemetery with full military honors, much like your Dad. It was a very moving ceremony.

I'm attaching something my Dad kept all those years and I found it in his papers. It was read at his funeral.

My Dad would have really liked this..

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by manolos mom

It's so eye-opening to hear all of your stories as children of a military father. My parents met on the Island of Vieques, PR he was stationed there so when he fought 2 terms in Nam we lived with my Grandmother. He also fought in Korea. I guess I was sheltered from what was really going on in the States. My father was a DI in the Marines and retired a MasterSargeant. I have the most respect for our Vets. It's so hard to believe the way they were treated when returning home. My father did say he wished they could have finished what they started. I think not finishing the war was devasting to some. We moved back to the states I think around 1969. It was hard enough to witness the "Who cares that you fought for our country" attitude but reality hit when we moved to Richmond Va and I was shocked by the Civil Rights Movement. I had no idea this was going on. I was a 10 yr old. My grandfather was dark and my grandmother was very light skin, so I grew up in a mixed family in PR. Never knowing or looking at people different because of skin color. I could not understand why the Blacks lived on one side and the Whites on the other. I was very naive. My daughter graduates from Medical School in 2012 and will be a Capt/MD in the AirForce. My father started to cry when he found out she was accepted into MS. He was in her Commision Ceremony and Saluted her as an Officer. Very Very emotional.

I had tears reading this and how beautiful for your father and daughter. Maybe that helped with closure for your dad...just beautiful. You know all of us were naive during this time. I think it is part of the age and part of what has always been. Change is not easy as the 60's proved but today there are young people that know about it from the history books but do not really have a concept of what it really was like.

[manolos mom]

Originally Posted by manolos mom

It's so eye-opening to hear all of your stories as children of a military father. My parents met on the Island of Vieques, PR he was stationed there so when he fought 2 terms in Nam we lived with my Grandmother. He also fought in Korea. I guess I was sheltered from what was really going on in the States. My father was a DI in the Marines and retired a MasterSargeant. I have the most respect for our Vets. It's so hard to believe the way they were treated when returning home. My father did say he wished they could have finished what they started. I think not finishing the war was devasting to some. We moved back to the states I think around 1969. It was hard enough to witness the "Who cares that you fought for our country" attitude but reality hit when we moved to Richmond Va and I was shocked by the Civil Rights Movement. I had no idea this was going on. I was a 10 yr old. My grandfather was dark and my grandmother was very light skin, so I grew up in a mixed family in PR. Never knowing or looking at people different because of skin color. I could not understand why the Blacks lived on one side and the Whites on the other. I was very naive. My daughter graduates from Medical School in 2012 and will be a Capt/MD in the AirForce. My father started to cry when he found out she was accepted into MS. He was in her Commision Ceremony and Saluted her as an Officer. Very Very emotional.

28391_10150185532730693_841315692_12320283_1635096_s.jpg

28391_10150185532695693_841315692_12320281_4493595_s.jpg

My Father, My Grandmother and My Mother-RIP

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by BaxtersMommy

My Dad was a first recon Marine in 1963. The stories he has told me are horrific. They ran out of ammo and had to fight with knives, all of his friends were killed, eating rice for a year. To this day he feels guilty that he lived.

Last Month, a Marine called my Dad and thanked him for his service. My Dad was in tears. After all this time, someone actually said thank you. My Dad was diagnosed diabetic just a year after he got out of there at the age of 27. They have proven all these health issues are caused by agent orange. Finally after filing years ago, they are starting to pay him 3,000 a month for his service. He is losing his sight, has heart problems, etc. And all because of agent orange in Vietnam.

That is one part of those years, I am glad that I didnt see. I have seen enough in my Dads photos.

Wow, I hope you write some of his history down...I know for a long time I just listened and it wasn't tell Dad was older that I wrote down the names of his commanders, where he was for certain parts of the war etc. So much history has been saved because of film/photo's etc. It has been fascinating for me to watch the HBO special of the Pacific and hear names of people my Dad was involved with.

I went to college in Michigan where Agent Orange (Dow Chemical) was made and I do remember protests going on against them in 1968. The town is very small so you can imagine what an impact it had when busloads of flower children showed up from Ann Arbor.

I am sorry to hear what this has done to your Dad.....

[livingdustmops]

I adore the old pictures...such beauty in the faces especially the ones done in black and white.

[livingdustmops]

I just connected with an old high school friend on Facebook..(which is wonderful) but he had this cause on his wall..thought some of you might be interested to join.

Make It Illegal to Protest at Military Funerals | Facebook

[manolos mom]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I had tears reading this and how beautiful for your father and daughter. Maybe that helped with closure for your dad...just beautiful. You know all of us were naive during this time. I think it is part of the age and part of what has always been. Change is not easy as the 60's proved but today there are young people that know about it from the history books but do not really have a concept of what it really was like.

Agree Cindy. My daughter Blair's graduation will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. My father said he will LIVE to see that...Amazing, for a Vet who loves his country and did his job.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by manolos mom

Agree Cindy. My daughter Blair's graduation will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. My father said he will LIVE to see that...Amazing, for a Vet who loves his country and did his job.

How wonderful and I hope you can take a little time out to take your Dad to Arlington and you have to see the Viet Nam Memorial..oh my God...Once you start walking down the wall you are talking but it doesn't take you long when it becomes complete silence because of all the dead vets names...very emotional..I remember when it went up it was very controversial but I will tell you I think it does more than a statue with a man on a horse.

You will have to take lots of pictures...How proud you must be of your daughter..you will be a crying machine on the whole trip.