Viet Nam Vets

[Abbey Marie]

My oldest brother is a Viet Nam vet. I just wanted to take a moment to thank anyone on this board who served there. You suffered greatly, and were given a slap in the face as thanks.
And that bothers me- a lot- to this day.


http://www.carlswebgraphics.com/veterans/2-veterans-vietnam-1.jpg


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c2/09/0a/c2090a733faa72a5f4d234fc1008041a.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/19/7b/d1/197bd1b34310f76824e358e1be270310.jpg


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/df/ea/79/dfea79fed6be79998aeb1ffb9610c2ce.jpg

[aboutime]

http://icansayit.com/images/powflag.png

Thank you for remembering. I served during Vietnam, closest I got was aboard ship in South China Sea.

[Gunny]

My oldest brother is a Viet Nam vet. I just wanted to take a moment to thank anyone on this board who served there. You suffered greatly, and were given a slap in the face as thanks.
And that bothers me- a lot- to this day.


http://www.carlswebgraphics.com/veterans/2-veterans-vietnam-1.jpg


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c2/09/0a/c2090a733faa72a5f4d234fc1008041a.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/19/7b/d1/197bd1b34310f76824e358e1be270310.jpg


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/df/ea/79/dfea79fed6be79998aeb1ffb9610c2ce.jpg

My dad is a Vietnam vet. Two tours. I hated the way he got treated and I hated the people treating him that way.

I can't stand the way they get treated by the VA, and I can't stand the politicians that talk a lot of smack and do nothing.

[Elessar]

My Dad was there...

A WW II and Korean Era Vet. Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

He was a contracted Fire Chief out of Soc Trang in 'Nam.

He led a fire brigade into a flaming ammo dump
and got filled with flaming phosphorous.

He contracted melanoma from the deepest of the
burns and died from cancer that literally ate his body up.

But he never complained or whimpered.

Bravest man I have ever seen. I miss him.

[Gunny]

My Dad was there...

A WW II and Korean Era Vet. Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

He was a contracted Fire Chief out of Soc Trang in 'Nam.

He led a fire brigade into a flaming ammo dump
and got filled with flaming phosphorous.

He contracted melanoma from the deepest of the
burns and died from cancer that literally ate his body up.

But he never complained or whimpered.

Bravest man I have ever seen. I miss him.

Hard-fucking-corps. We need people like that back.

[CSM]

Thanks, Abbey. While for some, the Vietnam era is ancient history, in my head, it was only yesterday. The men and women I served with deserve all the thanks they can get.

[NightTrain]

It was absolutely shameful how our guys were not supported while over there, let alone how they were treated upon finally returning home. My loathing for hippies stems directly from that.

[Gunny]

Thanks, Abbey. While for some, the Vietnam era is ancient history, in my head, it was only yesterday. The men and women I served with deserve all the thanks they can get.

Vietnam war story just for CSM. 1967. I'm playing rat-tat-tat with my gun in the yard. My dad comes out, eyes all bloodshot, takes the toy rifle and busts it in half. He says "NEVER do that again." Bet your ass I didn't. :laugh:

[Kathianne]

Hard-fucking-corps. We need people like that back.

No disrespect meant to any, past or present. I think we have 'the people,' it's the leadership that failed. Whenever our military has had a loss, look at the leadership, you'll find the problem.

[Gunny]

No disrespect meant to any, past or present. I think we have 'the people,' it's the leadership that failed. Whenever our military has had a loss, look at the leadership, you'll find the problem.

But those people are the leaders, Kath. The ones that serve a higher cause. We just know our role. The media's created what we have now. It;s all about the rock stars not the leaders.

[CSM]

No disrespect meant to any, past or present. I think we have 'the people,' it's the leadership that failed. Whenever our military has had a loss, look at the leadership, you'll find the problem.

I pretty much agree. What is worse now is that our civilian leadership is willfully ignorant and is more focused on political correctness than doing what is right for the nation. That spilled over to our current military leadership.... sad really.

[Kathianne]

I pretty much agree. What is worse now is that our civilian leadership is willfully ignorant and is more focused on political correctness than doing what is right for the nation. That spilled over to our current military leadership.... sad really.

Maybe it's political correctness, but it's more than that which wasn't much of a problem for Johnson, perhaps the most politically incorrect president since Jackson.

The media is part of the problem-from Walter Cronkite's influence over LBJ to covering body counts in 'real time.' Obama's problems go beyond PC too, it's an ideological, as well as hubris problem.

This country has always had a problem with the military under civilian leadership by design. There are good reasons for setting it up that way, the framer's were no dummies. I'd say there is some argument to be made for generals in particular to find a way to communicate with the people, always a risk of career path, but sometimes very much a selfless act.

[CSM]

Maybe it's political correctness, but it's more than that which wasn't much of a problem for Johnson, perhaps the most politically incorrect president since Jackson.

The media is part of the problem-from Walter Cronkite's influence over LBJ to covering body counts in 'real time.' Obama's problems go beyond PC too, it's an ideological, as well as hubris problem.

This country has always had a problem with the military under civilian leadership by design. There are good reasons for setting it up that way, the framer's were no dummies. I'd say there is some argument to be made for generals in particular to find a way to communicate with the people, always a risk of career path, but sometimes very much a selfless act.

Spot on!

[Gunny]

Maybe it's political correctness, but it's more than that which wasn't much of a problem for Johnson, perhaps the most politically incorrect president since Jackson.

The media is part of the problem-from Walter Cronkite's influence over LBJ to covering body counts in 'real time.' Obama's problems go beyond PC too, it's an ideological, as well as hubris problem.

This country has always had a problem with the military under civilian leadership by design. There are good reasons for setting it up that way, the framer's were no dummies. I'd say there is some argument to be made for generals in particular to find a way to communicate with the people, always a risk of career path, but sometimes very much a selfless act.

Cronkite's influence wasn't over LBJ specifically. I remember the 60s. Cronkite was the word of God. His pronouncement that we couldn't win in Vietnam cost us that war because everyone believed anything that came out of his mouth. Militarily, we had N Vietnam on their heels and sucking wind. Politics cost that war. Just as it's cost us the rest. It's all about playing political games. But they use REAL lives to do it.

[pete311]

Watched the Ken Burns documentary last year. Pretty amazing stories. Big time solider heroes. Big time military strategy screw ups. I got to visit vietnam a few years ago. Crawled through the tunnels. Crazy stuff.

[Gunny]

Watched the Ken Burns documentary last year. Pretty amazing stories. Big time solider heroes. Big time military strategy screw ups. I got to visit vietnam a few years ago. Crawled through the tunnels. Crazy stuff.

The weren't military screw ups. They were decisions made by politicians ... namely LBJ listening to his talking head McNamara. Once Truman made war a political thing instead of letting military people run them, we started losing. When we got to run the sh*t, Nazi Germany went down. When politicians and the media started running crap, we supposedly lost and never even knew it.

[pete311]

The weren't military screw ups. They were decisions made by politicians ... namely LBJ listening to his talking head McNamara. Once Truman made war a political thing instead of letting military people run them, we started losing. When we got to run the sh*t, Nazi Germany went down. When politicians and the media started running crap, we supposedly lost and never even knew it.

Did the nazis use guerrilla tactics and build their infrastructure completely underground? We went for body count instead of controlling land. We'd spend weeks capturing a hill with hundreds of soldiers dead. Then leave and the viet cong would take it right back. That is not military stupidity?

[Abbey Marie]

Watched the Ken Burns documentary last year. Pretty amazing stories. Big time solider heroes. Big time military strategy screw ups. I got to visit vietnam a few years ago. Crawled through the tunnels. Crazy stuff.


You should read the book, Platoon. Even if you've seen the movie.

[CSM]

Did the nazis use guerrilla tactics and build their infrastructure completely underground? We went for body count instead of controlling land. We'd spend weeks capturing a hill with hundreds of soldiers dead. Then leave and the viet cong would take it right back. That is not military stupidity?

McNamara came up with the whole "war of attrition" (i.e., "body count" stuff) as a way to measure progress...and yeah, it was just stupid. The idea of "controlling land" (took more than one objective only to give it back) is just as dumb. Take away the enemies WILL and MEANS TO FIGHT is a better way to go. Bombing Hanoi could have helped militarily but the politicians were too afraid of the Chinese and Russians. Compound that with the corruption in the South Vietnamese government (and yes, it was US politicians and defense contractors that provided the money) and it was a real mess. It is really a travesty that so many young men had to pay for it with life and limb.

As a side note, I think if we do a bit of research, we will find that some Nazi's did indeed use guerrilla tactics even long after the war was declared over. Also, the NVA's and Viet Cong didn't build their entire infrastructure underground ... I should know, I targeted enough of that stuff.

Further, the media and natal liberal movement did much to undermine any military progress that was made. I firmly believe that the Vietnam era is when "reporting the news" turned into "editorial journalism" which grew into the "political activism" the media practices as a matter of course these days.

And yes, I still hate Jane Fonda to this day....

[pete311]

You should read the book, Platoon. Even if you've seen the movie.

Yeah it's a good one! Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now too!

My fav nam book is Matterhorn.

[Gunny]

Did the nazis use guerrilla tactics and build their infrastructure completely underground? We went for body count instead of controlling land. We'd spend weeks capturing a hill with hundreds of soldiers dead. Then leave and the viet cong would take it right back. That is not military stupidity?

Not so nice swerve. Are the Iranians building a bomb using guerilla tactics? Nope. They're doing it right in front of our faces because Delusional Leader is allowing it. You want to argue the Vietnam War with someone, I suggest not me.

I'm well aware of the strategy and tactics used. No one was allowed to do a damned thing without Presidential approval and Johnson was a tomato farmer from just north of where I'm from who hired illegals to pick them.

And I'm a retired Gunnery Sergeant. I don't care about your political BS. You send me in, let me win. I didn't sign up to play all these stupid little games. No vet has. I'd have flipped China off and bombed right up to their border. Our militarily had the NVA defeated. Why do you think it took them 5 years to finally invade S Vietnam? We kicked their asses so bad at Tet 68 it completely destroyed the VC and wiped out half the NVA. Then along comes Walter. "Wah. We can't win". Pussy.

Then there were were all the wimps back here in the world crying like bitches about having to actually do anything. "Oh, I might have to risk my life for my country". Whiny fucks. We wouldn't have a damned country if people hadn't fought for it.

Then you bring these people home, dump them in WWII barracks and call them cared for by the VA? These people served YOU. And you throw them in the trash when they are no longer useful? I got two words for ya' bubba ....

[aboutime]

Truth is. Obama's Pentagon YES MEN-WOMEN have seen to getting rid of over 500 FLAG OFFICERS (experienced men, and women) from the Defense Department.

All by design of the COWARD, so-called Leaders who fear more for their pensions in uniform, than the safety of this nation. Obama has all but Destroyed most of our military might, and capabilities by keeping the WUSSIES who kiss-ass where Obama wants them...with the blessings of the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD...sponsored by groups like ISIS, TALIBAN, HAMAS....just familiar names.

[namvet]

I came home with a whole new attitude about war and politicians. when I heard the final body count I wanted to beat the living shit out of someone. 58,000 young men systematically murdered

[Gunny]

Truth is. Obama's Pentagon YES MEN-WOMEN have seen to getting rid of over 500 FLAG OFFICERS (experienced men, and women) from the Defense Department.

All by design of the COWARD, so-called Leaders who fear more for their pensions in uniform, than the safety of this nation. Obama has all but Destroyed most of our military might, and capabilities by keeping the WUSSIES who kiss-ass where Obama wants them...with the blessings of the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD...sponsored by groups like ISIS, TALIBAN, HAMAS....just familiar names.


Agree completely. Kiss-ass staff officers are useless and more politician than military and they just want that retirement check and a political afterlife. My "reward" for a successful tour on the drill field was HQMC. Should have just sent me to Hell instead. I'd rather be deployed. I never have seen more fraud, waste and abuse in my life as goes on inside the Ring Around the Congo.


I came home with a whole new attitude about war and politicians. when I heard the final body count I wanted to beat the living shit out of someone. 58,000 young men systematically murdered

I feel the same now. Should see Brooke Army Medical Center on Ft Sam in San Antonio. It's appalling. All those boys shot to shit so O-bigmouth can give it away. What a fucking waste.

[Gunny]

Did the nazis use guerrilla tactics and build their infrastructure completely underground? We went for body count instead of controlling land. We'd spend weeks capturing a hill with hundreds of soldiers dead. Then leave and the viet cong would take it right back. That is not military stupidity?

Body count was McNamara. That's what he used to justify we were "winning". You can call it military stupidity if you want to, but we aren't the stupid ones. It's the politicians YOU put in office. We don't make policy. We carry it out. And you have just zero idea the creativity we have to come up with to make the dumbest civilian shit work.

We aren't the stupid ones. You leave this up to us? Your ass is going down and in a rapid fashion.

[namvet]

Body count was McNamara. That's what he used to justify we were "winning". You can call it military stupidity if you want to, but we aren't the stupid ones. It's the politicians YOU put in office. We don't make policy. We carry it out. And you have just zero idea the creativity we have to come up with to make the dumbest civilian shit work.

We aren't the stupid ones. You leave this up to us? Your ass is going down and in a rapid fashion.

libtards even today call me a baby killer and claim i have PSTD ah PDST well shit you know

they still think im a reeeeeeal dangerous man :laugh:

[Gunny]

libtards even today call me a baby killer and claim i have PSTD ah PDST well shit you know

they still think im a reeeeeeal dangerous man :laugh:

Oh brother. Do I EVER know THAT one. You've got PTSD. Ever occur to you I might just be an a-hole? I realize I have some issues but do you got wave a damned flag in my face about it? Why don't you feel free to remind my ass at every turn because I'm not doing WTF you want?

"You're too violent and you're waking me up." Well, fuck, let me put on my Mr Happy outfit and I'll just drop right to sleep. Fuck, I sleep with one of my eyes half open.

And if you don't see the military/drill instructor sarcasm in THAT, you ain't been in. :laugh:

[namvet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVeBtnfAxP8&feature=youtu.be

[Gunny]

I find it amazing how inconvenient we become once broken. And fastroping from a 46 onto a moving carrier deck? Gee, wonder how his knees got broken? :rolleyes:

Running in those Vietnam era boots with a pack, flak and rifle? Might as well let us run barefoot.

BTW ... I might not be a Vietnam era vet, but I got all y'all's damned hand me downs. Shitty everything. :laugh:

[namvet]

I find it amazing how inconvenient we become once broken. And fastroping from a 46 onto a moving carrier deck? Gee, wonder how his knees got broken? :rolleyes:

Running in those Vietnam era boots with a pack, flak and rifle? Might as well let us run barefoot.

BTW ... I might not be a Vietnam era vet, but I got all y'all's damned hand me downs. Shitty everything. :laugh:

http://i63.tinypic.com/sg3llc.jpg
The guide for this trip asked the Marines to rush this dune to get an idea of what the Marines who took Iwo Jima faced upon landing. Every step you take up, you slide down and into the dune. You have to work hard to get to the top. Imagine doing that with 100 lbs on your back while being shot at and artillery raining down on you.
Photo courtesy of Col Warren Wiedhahn USMC(Ret)

[Gunny]

http://i63.tinypic.com/sg3llc.jpg
The guide for this trip asked the Marines to rush this dune to get an idea of what the Marines who took Iwo Jima faced upon landing. Every step you take up, you slide down and into the dune. You have to work hard to get to the top. Imagine doing that with 100 lbs on your back while being shot at and artillery raining down on you.
Photo courtesy of Col Warren Wiedhahn USMC(Ret)

Thanks for the refresher course. I've done everything they think they can throw at you. The Corps is ALWAYS trying to prove we are better and they put your ass through the ringer doing it. I couldn't even tell you how I survived some of that shit. Probably because I just refused to quit. I'd rather have died. You can kill me, but you ain't gonna break me.

Rain on a muddy hill is just as bad. Crap. You make a mistake you slide all the f*cking way back down.

And for info purposes, I spent my 39th birthday on Iwo Jima. I was like "yea". :laugh: They forgot to bring a f*cking cake. :laugh:

[namvet]

Thanks for the refresher course. I've done everything they think they can throw at you. The Corps is ALWAYS trying to prove we are better and they put your ass through the ringer doing it. I couldn't even tell you how I survived some of that shit. Probably because I just refused to quit. I'd rather have died. You can kill me, but you ain't gonna break me.

Rain on a muddy hill is just as bad. Crap. You make a mistake you slide all the f*cking way back down.

And for info purposes, I spent my 39th birthday on Iwo Jima. I was like "yea". :laugh: They forgot to bring a f*cking cake. :laugh:

just curious but what were you doing on Jima??

[Abbey Marie]

libtards even today call me a baby killer and claim i have PSTD ah PDST well shit you know

they still think im a reeeeeeal dangerous man :laugh:

Oh the irony of liberals calling anyone else a baby killer.

[namvet]

Oh the irony of liberals calling anyone else a baby killer.

i play up to it. yes im a baby killer i belonged to the 176 bat 137 platoon 241 engineers 101st airborne etc and our job was to tie those lil bastard to trees if they didn't give us what we want we whacked of their little pecker

know what they bought it !!!!:laugh:

[Gunny]

just curious but what were you doing on Jima??

Are you kidding? They thought it was cool thing to do while we were meandering around the ocean on warships. "Hey, let's stop here." Sure. Can we hit Mt Vesuvius too? Hell it might erupt and we wouldn't want to miss THAT. :rolleyes:

You're asking ME why dumbass officers do dumbass shit? :slap:

Crap. We're going to have PME. In PA in February because the weather's so good. If you like a 40 degree cold drizzle. SO what do you think SSgt? Looks like a cow pasture to me. And Lee was stupid and should have listened to Longstreet. Otherwise, I'm cold, wet and hungry and it STILL looks like a cow pasture. And I hate riding for hours on a bus with you dumbass jarheads to look at a freakin cow pasture.

[namvet]

Are you kidding? They thought it was cool thing to do while we were meandering around the ocean on warships. "Hey, let's stop here." Sure. Can we hit Mt Vesuvius too? Hell it might erupt and we wouldn't want to miss THAT. :rolleyes:

You're asking ME why dumbass officers do dumbass shit? :slap:

Crap. We're going to have PME. In PA in February because the weather's so good. If you like a 40 degree cold drizzle. SO what do you think SSgt? Looks like a cow pasture to me. And Lee was stupid and should have listened to Longstreet. Otherwise, I'm cold, wet and hungry and it STILL looks like a cow pasture. And I hate riding for hours on a bus with you dumbass jarheads to look at a freakin cow pasture.

just wondering because you can't land there without permission from the Jap Gov no exceptions. yeah today's USN might drop you off at Capt Nemo's island volcania :laugh:

[Gunny]

Oh the irony of liberals calling anyone else a baby killer.

Too much Oliver Stone and John Kerry propaganda.. I was in more trouble for protecting babies. I still am. And anyone that calls me, or any vet around me a babykiller can stand the fuck by. You're going to get hit, and hard. I remember them calling my dad that. Then me. I don't know of, and have never seen a vet that would harm a child. There's always that one idiot, but he's the exception, not the rule. And if you want to set me off? You just go right the fuck ahead.

This coming from idiots as you say will murder unborn humans. We didn't do that shit and no one would allow it. We're combatants and we fought combatants. And kicked their asses. I ain't fighting some 2 years old. That's just bullshit.

[Elessar]

Oh the irony of liberals calling anyone else a baby killer.

I have heard Coasties called baby killers by flaming liberals.
Just because we wore a uniform.

That is a "WTF is your problem" moment when I hear that crap!
26 of my 37 years were in Search and Rescue and Maritime Law
Enforcement, with over 4 years as a beach lifeguard.

I never counted my number of cases with lives saved - perhaps well
over 750....Lives assisted, another 2500.

Baby Killer? Deserves three sharp smacks over both ears
for the one uttering it.

[Gunny]

just wondering because you can't land there without permission from the Jap Gov no exceptions. yeah today's USN might drop you off at Capt Nemo's island volcania :laugh:

Same in Hong Kong. I guess I just got lucky. We had permission to go both places last float. I have no idea about the politics that got us either place. They both sucked to me. We're on a pump? Just beeline to Thailand or Bali for liberty where the beer's cheap. I do NOT appreciate sightseeing. Maybe because my mother wanted to do it every weekend to "give the boys some culture." I wanted to play football with my friends. Not look at some dead guy's house. Which was always made WAY happier because my dad had a captive audience and would lecture us all the way there and back. :laugh:

I'd have preferred Capt Nemo to that crap.

[Gunny]

I have heard Coasties called baby killers by flaming liberals.
Just because we wore a uniform.

That is a "WTF is your problem" moment when I hear that crap!
26 of my 37 years were in Search and Rescue and Maritime Law
Enforcement, with over 4 years as a beach lifeguard.

I never counted my number of cases with lives saved - perhaps well
over 750....Lives assisted, another 2500.

Baby Killer? Deserves three sharp smacks over both ears
for the one uttering it.

Y'all run that cutter right up to shore and hit daycares with 3" guns? You bastards. :laugh2: I won't tolerate the crap. As I said, I started hearing that crap leveled at my dad when I was kid. He was a freakin' linguist. What? Think he talked some baby to death in a foreign language? He only got his ass shot up because he was on guard.

The other one I hate is "we support the troops, just not the war" from stupid lefties. It's like give me a break. Lesson learned from the backlash y'all got from the way you treated Vietnam vets? You're not fooling ME one bit with your hollow words.

And btw, I have more Humanitarian assist medals than combat ones. People are just flat stupid sometimes.

[aboutime]

just curious but what were you doing on Jima??



Yes Gunny. I'd like to know the answer to that one too! What ship was taking you there, and what year? If you don't mind sharing with us curious ones here.

[Gunny]

Yes Gunny. I'd like to know the answer to that one too! What ship was taking you there, and what year? If you don't mind sharing with us curious ones here.

USS Boxer. *deleted*.

I choose to not explain myself to you. You have consistently questioned me for no reason. And I'm kind of sick of it.

[aboutime]

USS Boxer. *deleted*.

I choose to not explain myself to you. You have consistently questioned me for no reason. And I'm kind of sick of it.


WTF are you talking about? I only asked you two questions..because I am a navy vet. Nothing more, nothing less. Damn man. That's what someone gets for trying to be a reasonable person? That chip on your shoulder is making you a really angry kind of guy. My apologies for asking.

[Gunny]

WTF are you talking about? I only asked you two questions..because I am a navy vet. Nothing more, nothing less. Damn man. That's what someone gets for trying to be a reasonable person? That chip on your shoulder is making you a really angry kind of guy. My apologies for asking.

I will clarify my statement upon further review of it.

I made two statements that can be construed as together, but are actually two separate statements. We went to Iwo Jima because I guess someone thought it was cool. You know as well as I do no one comes and asks the Gunny if he wants to go.

We did not do any training there. We were tourists basically. The statement about training was separate. I was in the 13th MEU deployed on the USS Boxer. I remember it only because it was my birthday and I'm looking at this stupid rock and supposed to be impressed. As mentioned in another thread or somewhere, I've never appreciated sightseeing. I was totally uninterested and didn't bother getting off the ship. I got some pics from the deck. That's about it. If I ever see my photo albums again I'll see about posting a couple.

I also remember on that deployment we floated around for awhile until they negotiated us a couple of days in Hong Kong. Another craphole. I remember that only because it was New Year's Eve. Tijuana is better than that place. And anyone on here that thinks Chinese people eat what Americans call Chinese food is nuts. I stuck to the beer and when I ate, it was on the damned ship.

The only real reasons I remember that float more than others is the smoke deck was the fantail. I could go look at the stars. On the Tarawa it was in the well deck. I got to look at LCACs and Hummers.

I didn't mean to snap at you and I apologize. This baby is sick and hasn't stopped wailing for 3 days. It gets on your nerves.

[aboutime]

I will clarify my statement upon further review of it.

I made two statements that can be construed as together, but are actually two separate statements. We went to Iwo Jima because I guess someone thought it was cool. You know as well as I do no one comes and asks the Gunny if he wants to go.

We did not do any training there. We were tourists basically. The statement about training was separate. I was in the 13th MEU deployed on the USS Boxer. I remember it only because it was my birthday and I'm looking at this stupid rock and supposed to be impressed. As mentioned in another thread or somewhere, I've never appreciated sightseeing. I was totally uninterested and didn't bother getting off the ship. I got some pics from the deck. That's about it. If I ever see my photo albums again I'll see about posting a couple.

I also remember on that deployment we floated around for awhile until they negotiated us a couple of days in Hong Kong. Another craphole. I remember that only because it was New Year's Eve. Tijuana is better than that place. And anyone on here that thinks Chinese people eat what Americans call Chinese food is nuts. I stuck to the beer and when I ate, it was on the damned ship.

The only real reasons I remember that float more than others is the smoke deck was the fantail. I could go look at the stars. On the Tarawa it was in the well deck. I got to look at LCACs and Hummers.

I didn't mean to snap at you and I apologize. This baby is sick and hasn't stopped wailing for 3 days. It gets on your nerves.



Thanks Gunny. Now, I'll tell you how really old I am. I once visited the First ship named BOXER when it was in the Norfolk Naval base....in 1966. It was also an LHA, but only had the flight deck, and no Well deck then. That's why I asked what I did.
I also was at pier 9 aboard the USS LaSalle when the Damaged USS Forrestal CVA-59 came home after their deadly fire. We stood on deck, and could smell the burnt equipment, and the Forrestal was on pier 11. That was long before the LCAC was invented.

[Gunny]

Thanks Gunny. Now, I'll tell you how really old I am. I once visited the First ship named BOXER when it was in the Norfolk Naval base....in 1966. It was also an LHA, but only had the flight deck, and no Well deck then. That's why I asked what I did.
I also was at pier 9 aboard the USS LaSalle when the Damaged USS Forrestal CVA-59 came home after their deadly fire. We stood on deck, and could smell the burnt equipment, and the Forrestal was on pier 11. That was long before the LCAC was invented.

I loved Norfolk. Lived right off Terminal Blvd. The USS Boxer I was on was an LHD-4. Yhe original USS Boxer was what they called a jeep carrier, wasn't it? I don't know a lot about ship designs. Why do you think they don't let us drive the boats? :laugh: The well deck is how they get the Amtraks, tanks and Hummers out. They flood something that drops the boat and fills the well deck with water. The LCAC's and Amtraks take off from there.

I've never been on a full size carrier. I thought the LHA's - LHD's we were on were big because they dwarfed the LPA/D's. Until a full size carrier pulled up alongside us. I was like holy crap!:laugh: We're freakin' midgets. :laugh:

Like I said, I'm not much on sightseeing. My favorite ship was the USS Texas. It is or at least was moored in Galveston. And I got to get off at the end of the tour. It didn't last 6 months. I hate the USS Peleilu, USS Tarawa, USS Boxer, USS Juneau, and USS Cleveland with a crying passion.