I can’t help but reflect on this day, Veterans’ Day. Like so many people my age, our fathers and sometimes mothers served in World War II. That generation became known as the Greatest Generation. Contrast that to the people of my generation many of whom were drafted and served in the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War which lasted much longer than World War II was very unpopular for so many reasons. Unfortunately, the unpopularity carried over into how our veterans were received when they returned to the United States. Dispicable things were said to and done to some of our Vietnam veterans for no other reason than them having served their country. Vietnam vets were not welcomed and honored as the World War I, World War II and Korean War vets were honored. Not only were they not treated with honor as they returned home, they were also not treated well by our government, specifically the Veterans Affairs office. The affects of agent orange killed many Vietnam vets long after they served while government barely recognized the problems it caused, let along provide proper medical treatment. PTSD as a term didn’t even exist at the time. However, we know it had a major impact on our Vietnam vets who mostly were left on their own to deal with its problems. It is still a problem today for many of the Vietnam Vets.
It wasn’t until the Vietnam War Memorial opened in 1982 that things started to change in how we recognized our Vietnam Vets. Anyone who has ever been to the memorial has been moved to tears and emotions. Seeing over 56,000 names carved into a granite wall will do that to you, especially when some of those names are friends and classmates. Gradually after the opening of the memorial, things started to change. It wasn’t untill 9/11 that things really started to change. In the last 20 years Vietnam vets have been marching in Memorial Day and Fourth of July parades and gettting the well deserved ovation they were denied when they first returned from Vietnam.
The Vietnam Vets will never replace the Greatest Generation, however, the Vietnam Vets are my generation. To me they are the greatest veterans for they endured so much emotional and physical pain long after returning from Vietnam and to this day have never been given the credit they deserve.
Thanx to all those Vietnam vets who are still with us and to those who died in Vietnam and to those who have died since returning from Vietnam.