WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE.....AND YOUNG: This photo of American dead wrapped in their ponchos on the Ia Drang battlefield in Vietnams Central Highlands brings back a flood of sorrowful memories even after fifty years. I doubt if Ill ever get over the pain and grief of seeing so many of my buddies fall in some of the fiercest fighting in the war at Landing Zone Albany and X-Ray as we battled toe to toe with Hanois finest, many who only recently made the long trek down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These scrappy North Vietnamese soldiers appeared to be no more then 19 or 20 themselves. Sadly, its the politicians who get us into wars (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan) but its the young men, the flower of the nation, who fight and die and for what? All we have to do is look at Vietnam and Iraq and see the results. Was it worth 58,000 dead in Vietnam and 4000 in Iraq? All told, 220 of Americas finest young men lost their lives with hundreds more seriously wounded in the four day battle from November 14-17, 1965 during Operation Silver Bayonet. Rarely does a day pass when I do not think of my fallen comrades (Kenny, Fred, James, Charlie) and what they missed out on in life by dying so young. Their lives were just beginning with many just out of high school and to die so tragically 10,000 miles from home in some remote jungle is so sad. The memory of these brave lads wrapped in their ponchos scattered across the battlefield and lining the airstrip at Pleiku awaiting their long journey home will haunt me the rest of my life. To this day Ill never understand how I came away unscathed while so many fell all around me during that day of mayhem at Landing Zone Albany. One thing you learn quickly in combat - once the shooting starts there is no rhyme or reason once the bullets begin to fly and mortar rounds explode - its terrifying and chaotic with bullets striking anyone in there path. With the thousands of bullets in the air that day not one had my name on it. There is no other way to explain it. While my buddies lives were cut down in their prime, I somehow survived the hell of the Ia Drang to live a long and fruitful life. Im enjoying retirement, have two beautiful grandchildren, travel, enjoy the beauty of winter snowfalls, colorful autumn foliage, summers at the beach, formed life long friendships that I will forever cherish, and hopefully have many years ahead of me in retirement. Because my friends lives ended so abruptly at such an early age they were never able to experience all the joys in life I have and it saddens me. With all the killing and dying at Landing Zone Albany maybe there was a reason I was spared while so many died. Having been spared the agony of death in the Ia Drang, I hope I have led a decent and honorable life all these years in remembrance of those who never came home. To those who are not with us today, you are not forgotten and are always in my thoughts....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The broken soldier, kindly bade to stay, Sat by his fire, and talkd the night away; Wept oer his wounds, or, tales of sorrow done, Shoulderd his crutch, and showd how fields were won. Oliver Goldsmith The Deserted Village (1770) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:06:14 +0000
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