March 29, 1971…Lieutenant William Calley was convicted of murder for his role in the March 1968 My Lai massacre, which left hundreds of Vietnamese civilians dead. Calley ordered the men of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, American Division to shoot everyone in the village. He himself rounded up a group of villagers, ordered them into a ditch, and then mowed them down with machine gun fire. Sentenced to life in prison, Calley was seen as a scapegoat for the Army's failure to instill morale and discipline in its troops. Upon appeal, his sentence was reduced. He was eventually released from prison in 1974. He later found work in the insurance business.
----------------------------------
Note: I remember having a conversation with Dad about this part of the war one day. I remember thinking how could someone do what Lt. Calley had been convicted for. Dad told me it's very easy to pass judgment on someone like that when you are not in that situation of war. There were times when Dad had to stand guard duty outside the hotel that he lived in while in Saigon. It was a circular bunkard made up of sand bags up to a certain height that was supposed to protect the guard from gunfire. However, it could also be a deathtrap if someone road by on a motorcycle. That motorcycle could be driven by a woman and have a small child on the back. You wouldn't think that could be a bad combination until the child dropped a grenade into the safety bunkard and killed someone like my dad while on guard duty.
In the insanity of war how can we judge how someone might react out of fear for their life or the lives of others who serve with them. Yes, killing is wrong. Yes, killing of women and children and unarmed people is wrong. However, in the split seconds of war, who actually gets the change to interrogate civilians to make sure they are "friendlies"?
----------------------------------
March 29, 1973…The last American troops left South Vietnam.
Showing posts with label Vietnam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vietnam. Show all posts
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
On This Day in History...
March 17, 1973…In North Vietnam, the first American prisoners of war were released from the "Hanoi Hilton."
------------------------------------------------
I remember all this very well. I was 20 years old and living in Jacksonville, Florida. I remember sitting in Aunt Ruth's living room and us watching the arrival of the Vietnam POW's on television. I sat there watching these men return over the period of over a couple of months to their families who had not seen them for many years. It still brings tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat when I read about their return or see news clips of those homecomings. I guess in the back of my mind I realize that it could have been my dad in their situation, but fortunately he came home when he was supposed to.
I was very fortunate to be working at a Ford dealership at this particular time. Ford Motor Company was giving the returning POW's the use of a new car for a year following their return. My boss, Ray Curry, was in charge of the program for those returning to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station area. One day he was having a lunch meeting with some of the returning men and invited me to come along. What an exciting opportunity for me. I do remember meeting John McCain that day and also think that Jeremiah Denton was there also.
abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/feb-12-1973-pows-return-vietnam-9366650#.T26aV51hXxZ.blogger
------------------------------------------------
I remember all this very well. I was 20 years old and living in Jacksonville, Florida. I remember sitting in Aunt Ruth's living room and us watching the arrival of the Vietnam POW's on television. I sat there watching these men return over the period of over a couple of months to their families who had not seen them for many years. It still brings tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat when I read about their return or see news clips of those homecomings. I guess in the back of my mind I realize that it could have been my dad in their situation, but fortunately he came home when he was supposed to.
I was very fortunate to be working at a Ford dealership at this particular time. Ford Motor Company was giving the returning POW's the use of a new car for a year following their return. My boss, Ray Curry, was in charge of the program for those returning to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station area. One day he was having a lunch meeting with some of the returning men and invited me to come along. What an exciting opportunity for me. I do remember meeting John McCain that day and also think that Jeremiah Denton was there also.
 |
| John McCain on his return back to Jacksonville. |
Monday, July 25, 2011
Diary Diddle - July 23
We went to grandmother's house this afternoon and visited for awhile. On the way home we picked up bottles and got an ice cream cone in Nashville. On the way home we saw a double rainbow and rode right in the middle of it once.
-----------------------------------------------------
Note: Picking up bottles along side the road became a tradition while Dad was in Vietnam. We always did it either coming or going to Grandmother's house and always stopped in Nashville for some ice cream.
-----------------------------------------------------
Note: Picking up bottles along side the road became a tradition while Dad was in Vietnam. We always did it either coming or going to Grandmother's house and always stopped in Nashville for some ice cream.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Diary Diddle - July 15
1969 - Tomorrow the astronauts go to the moon.
1970 - Dad finally called last night. We each got to talk to him. My brakes kept almost failing and so mom took my car to Moultrie to get fixed. We had family night tonight and I gave the lesson on honoring your name.
 |
| This is a newspaper clipped I saved about the moon launch. |
1970 - Dad finally called last night. We each got to talk to him. My brakes kept almost failing and so mom took my car to Moultrie to get fixed. We had family night tonight and I gave the lesson on honoring your name.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Diary Diddle - July 14
Tuesday - 1970
Dad is leaving for Vietnam tonight and is supposed to call. He hasn't yet.
Dad is leaving for Vietnam tonight and is supposed to call. He hasn't yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)