Bri85

a short video of a man returning a photo to the daughter of the man he killed, and from he removed the photo during the vietnam war. Very emotional vid, i shed a few tears-Im sure this man has closure from this ordeal... (as I keep watching this video it reminded me of my father who passed away a few years ago, and was a combat wounded vietnam veteran)

great vid, except for the narrator and music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWMM7fclV9k

TonyC

"Please forgive me."

"I'm sorry"

These are things one says when he believes he was wrong.


Do you think your father was wrong to fight in Vietnam?


Returning the photo was a nice thing to do, but I think he could have done it without apologizing. It appeared to have less to do with the child in the picture and more to do with atoning for his feelings of guilt. One has to wonder why the photo couldn't have been mailed to the woman, or why it had to be witnessed by a TV crew.






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III Corps

Nice.

What's missing and obvious is if they were that close, had he not shot the NVA soldier, he would not have been around 33yrs later to return the photo. Would the NVA soldier have done the same?

For a different read of combatants and the years after, read Coram's American Patriot, the story of Col. Bud Day and his encounters with the "Bug". Not all wind up wanting to forgive and forget.

Bri85

No, I dont think he was wrong to fight in Vietnam, It was his choice since he volunteer instead of being drafted. But I believe he wouldve been a different man had he not gotten to Vietnam. He really didnt talk much about his role in there, but I always felt he had no closure from that war, he lost his real self there. Just like a part of this man on the vid is missing.

USMCFLYR

It is nice that he returned the photo and had closure with the daughter; but I wouldn't have said I was sorry.

USMCFLYR

forumname

My father was too, combat wounded multiple times over three consecutive tours.

I believe that too. But when you say different, do you think his experience there didn't help to shape him into a better man?

It seemed to take my dad a while, and I know it wasn't easy for him, and probably still isnt at times, PTSD, etc. But if your dad is like mine, he probably FOUND a lot of himself there as well, and there's probably A LOT of good things about your dad he might not have without that experience.
I don't think my dad would have either.

toourparents

atpwannabe

I watched the Vietnam War on "The NBC Nightly News" with Chet Huntly, David Brinkley and later, John Chancellor. Vietnam was a war like no other for those who fought in it. The average age of the American soldier in WWII was 26, in Vietnam, he was 19.

I can't even begin to imagine being 19, and having the air calv dropping me and the rest of my platoon in some LZ out in the middle of nowhere. I just can't fathom it.

Vietnam vets have my utmost respect. Not that WWII, Korea, Afghanistan, or Iraq was and is some cakewalk. It's just that given the politics behind the Vietnam War, the type of warfare, environment, frickin booby traps and all kinds of wild animals and diseases.....no....I don't think I would have made it out alive.

I remember the first time I saw "The Wall" in DC. As I approached it, I couldn't keep the tears from welling up in my eyes and running down my face. To see so many names, at one time, was overwhelming.

Good video. I'm glad both he and she had some form of closure.


atp

forumname

I guess it depends on how information is compiled, as well as what possible spins are put on it to portray things in different ways. Just like a lot of other things, Viet Nam has plenty.

Depends on what people choose to believe;

Statistics about the Vietnam War

http://www.aliennationreport.com/VIE...pup/facts.html

Bri85

Oh without a doubt, the military made him into a better man. But I believe he couldve have skipped all that war experience. After Vietnam and a long time before I was born, he spend a lot of time rehabilitating mentally, and physically from the war. What got him out of Vietnam after a year there was because, He was shot in the arm and leg, ended up with a metal plate in his femur. At the same time he fell from a pole he was tapping wires from, and broke both legs during the fall, And on top of that was exposed to Agent Orange... So overall Im lucky to be here and be healthy to Fly. But Im sure this experience he had made him stronger overall. He ended getting a degree and a great career, But when he was in his 50s was diagnosed with Loug Gherigs Disease which theres a correlation to the disease and being exposed to Agent Orange from what Ive been told. Also a good amount of Vets have ended up with that Rare Disease. ---

forumname

I won't argue that. But just reading what you wrote it seemed as if you're mentality was that your father may be a better person today had he not had that experience. I was just trying to point out that I'm sure that through the bad things of it, I'm sure came out of it VERY strong person because of it. As well as having a better perspective on life than some other people of his generation. Like I mentioned, some of the bouts my dad had with PTSD were pretty extreme when it fully started to hit him. I believe that he did get a little closure after he got past the worst of it, but he's never really been the same since then either.

Sorry to hear that's what happened to him. When my dad tells me some of the things that happened to him in Vietnam and some of the close calls he had I feel lucky to be here also.

Like I said, sorry to hear that. My dad was "lucky" enough I guess to be there before Agent Orange was being used on a wide scale.