Jim,
I personally want to thank you for your service in that stinking hell hole, that for no god damned reason cost so many innocent young lives, including 2 of my best friends.
One died in combat and the other committed suicide shortly after he got back home.
I was enjoying Woodstock, while you and so many others were likely fighting for their lives, just to survive and come home safely and be with their friends and loved ones. Woodstock may never have happened if it weren't for the highly charged political atmosphere that rallied us all together, to fight the insane assholes that brought the curse of Vietnam to us all.
I will tell you, that in my humble way I fought bloody hard literally, in the streets, against the cops and national guard to bring you all home. I'm just sorry that the forces arrayed against us, the "America, Love it or leave it" morons, kept that disaster going on for so many bloody years, only to end with absolutely NO gain, and such horrific losses.
Thanks Man, I hope you are doing well, and that you make it to Bethel this August for the 40th, although it will pale in comparison to the original

Thanks for what ALL you men and women in Nam did for us, for what you all had to give up, for all that you lost there.

Artful_Dodger

Jimmy.. I could say thank you.. I will say thank you but mostly I will say. I am so sorry you had to endure that horror. I lost over a dozen friends to that horrible war. Two of my three brothers fought in it and as hard as I have tried to go to the mobil memorial. I just can't do it. It is far too painful and I don't see that pain ever healing. When I attend parades and the VN Vet match I always stand up , even if I was sitting I stand and always cry brokenhearted tears.I am crying now. I was writing 2 guys who were over there. No not boyfriends , just friends who had nobody to write them. well of course I wrote my brothers too.. I still have the letters and still remember the exact moment I learned of my friends deaths. I wish you could have been at Woodstock too. I wish every young man in that horrible war could have been there on Max Yasgurs farm enjoying the music,peace,love and happiness, you had the rain I know. I have a friend now who is still so haunted by the memories and is so passive as he says he saw enough agression to last him a lifetime while in Viet Nam.. There are no words to express my heartfelt sorrow for you all. My youngest brother had never talked of it.. he was a army foot soldier.. he had to have some brain surgery 4 years ago.. All of the sudden right after the surgery he started talking about Viet Nam.. we were all so shocked.. we all looked at each other.. My daughter said.. "Uncle Bo.. are you talking about Viet Nam?. He said . "yes I am". it was so strange.. but I was glad he could finally talk about it. Thank you Jim..
Charlotte>> putting arms around Jim and holding him close and tight until he lets go. God Bless you and keep you safe always.
sincerely,
Charlotte in Oregon..where the hippies still live in the woods..LOL.. only now they look like old forest gnomes!

You're not alone in your grief Charlotte. A lot of good people were wasted for no good reason. I was drafted in '69 and can say this. 80% of the guys I met didn't want to be there, but didn't want prison or Canada either.

Artful_Dodger, I couldn't say it any better. I remember being home on leave and my father (world war II vet), and brother (army reserves to stay out of Nam) and I are in a bar, and both of them saying that they were glad about what the National Guard did at Kent State. I stood up, and in front of everybody, told them both this is where we part ways. I said to my brother, what if it had been you, trying to get a coffee before your next class. I turned to my father and said. Would you still be singing the same song and dance if it had been him, and walked out and left. They were both dumbfounded, and didn't argue back or say a word.