1. We, as
a country, sent our service people into harm's way, expecting and resulting in
their deaths.
2. I was stationed on two Navy carriers during
that period and could as easily have been sent there as any place else, but I
don't regard that service as a cause for either honor or discrimination. It's
just a fact and was a choice--I could have waited for my number to come up in
the draft.
Also, we,
as a country, are not always straightforward about our intentions and actions.
Therefore my use of the term "advisors"; I believe that's how we started out in
Vietnam before it escalated into a full-fledged non-war. I prefer Donald
Rumsfeld's approach to many others--he just says, "I could tell you, but I
won't."
I also use
"we" because we shouldn't take credit for the good parts if we're not willing to
accept accountability for the rest.
Jack Earley
Radiological
Engineer
In a message dated 8/8/2002 5:27:07 PM Central Daylight Time,
Jack_Earley@RL.GOV writes:
I guess technically
that wasn't even a war--we just killed
50,000 U.S. soldiers--or were they
just "advisors"?
To
answer your question: They were American soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines,
and coast guardsmen.
"We"?
Bob Cherry
COL, USA
(ret.)
Vietnam Veteran