April 30, 1975. Combat boots litter the road on the outskirts of Saigon, abandoned by ARVN soldiers who shed their uniforms to hide their status. “I’ll never forget the shoes and the loud ‘thump, thump, thump’ sound as we drove over them,” recalled the photographer. “Decades of war were over and we finally had peace.” Image: Duong Thanh Phong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books Special thanks to Michael Mullins for providing this image and text! FOLLOW US: www.facebook.com/ComesASoldiersWhisper www.instagram.com/soldierswhisper24/ twitter.com/SoldiersWhisper www.JennyLasala.com
I am a Vietnam Veteran and first walked through the VA doors for help ten years ago. I was diagnosed with PTSD and the symptoms of AGENT ORANGE. They prescribed pills and therapy but it is hard to talk to someone that has no clue. The worst thing that a therapist or anyone can say who has not lived our experiences is to say, “I know how you feel.” I was drunk for 43 years and finally got straightened out……
Being a veteran it’s good to see a site like the Veteran tribute page, Comes A Soldier’s Whisper. I enjoy this site. It’s good to see that people care about our Vets. I served in Vietnam, 70-71, with the 101st airborne in the 2/320 Artillery, Air Mobil, and proud of my service to our country. I was drafted in 1969. I had a good job with PG.and E, and was engaged to someone, but all of that changed. I received…..
My father, Joseph P. Cascio faithfully served his Country in the Korean War in the 45th Thunderbird Division. His rank was Master Sergeant. He had a platoon of about seven men fighting in trenches on the front line and was pinned down. His men spoke Italian and he instructed his men to speak soft and stay low, so as to throw the enemy off. In the evening, the enemy tried to fight with psychologically by getting my father’s men to…..
“Jenny La Sala thru her book,” Never Forgotten” has managed to pursue the memories of many Vietnam Veterans who otherwise would have gone to their graves with untold stories of their life changing events! Jenny is a writer and interviewer who through her diligence and personal warmth actually captures the interviewees emotional thoughts as critical pieces in our Countries growth and understanding of what it is like to be a participating Veteran of an unpopular war. I challenge the readers…..
My unit I was in after OSUT, the 374th Sapper Company, it was mobilized but called off due to the drawdown. So our unit almost deployed but never did. The two bottom pictures are of my old unit patch (1st Engineer Brigade -Combat-) and the other is my Distinctive Unit Insignia for the battalion. I was in as part of the brigade (31st Engineer Battalion -Combat-). The one that says “Alpha Knights” was my old Company Mural, A Company, 31st…..
“Wars damage the civilian society as much as they damage the enemy. Soldiers never get over it.” ~ Paul Fussell We all have two people inside of us, one that is who we are and one that is who we can be. But what if who we can be gets interrupted, by the call to arms of war or any kind of trauma leaving a long lasting and undetected silent imprint on our souls? Soldiers of yesterday, today and the…..
I was in the US Army the 18th Engineers,937 Combat Group in the Central Highlands in Vietnam. My MOS was 64b20-Heavy Truck Driver. I volunteered for a Security Platoon after 6 months on the truck and served Apr 69 to March 70. The A Co. 815th Engineers was formed to replace security that was lacking with the withdrawal of the 4th ID from Pleiku in September 1969. I volunteered because I was going to go for a door gunner position…..
I was drafted into the United States Army on May 6, 1968 at the ripe old age of 19 years, 6 months and 2 days. Government policy at the time was to draft all men into the military at 19 ½ years of age if they hadn’t already joined or had a deferment of some kind. I almost joined earlier that year, but backed out to take my chances with the draft. I graduated high school in 1966. I was…..
A SOLDIER WITH PTSD FELL IN A HOLE and couldn’t get out. A Senior NCO went by and the Soldier with PTSD called out for help. The Senior NCO yelled at, told him to suck it up dig deep & drive on, then threw him a shovel. But the Soldier with PTSD could not suck it up and drive on so he dug the hole deeper. A Senior Officer went by and the Soldier with PTSD called out for help……
