How many Vets? [Archive] - Motorcyclist Café

Blackdog

11-10-2009, 10:46 PM

Veterans day is tomorrow of course. Just wondering, how many of you are vets?

I spent 2 years in Nam myself. I started off in the Navy. I stayed there for 4 years, got out for a year than went back in (this time the Air Force) for 20. I was a flight engineer for most of the time.

BobFV1

11-11-2009, 04:47 AM

Here here. Navy surface warfare - Cold War.

Dirty Doug

11-11-2009, 05:43 AM

To Dog and all my frllow vets. Enjoy our day. When it was time to stand up we did........ Like I tell those that always seems to belittle our troups. " If you can't stand behind them then try standing in front of them "

Dirty Doug

isiahstites

11-11-2009, 07:29 AM

Marine Corps 95-99

Next to my daughter its the best thing I have ever done.

Bill

11-11-2009, 07:33 AM

US Army '62-'68- Head & Head - Scouts, 4.2 mortor

GPM

11-11-2009, 09:04 AM

USN CT2 1964 - 1968

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g199/harryparker/USNSG.jpg

DarthRider

11-11-2009, 09:14 AM

Rchop

11-11-2009, 12:11 PM

Navy Airborne Anti-Submarine warfare. Active duty 72-76 Left active reserve in 88.

1MPH

11-11-2009, 12:34 PM

USN 59-63 RM3

USS Moctobi ATF 105

USS Arikara ATF 98

Still miss getting under weigh.

panthercity

11-11-2009, 03:06 PM

What a wonderful Veterans’ Day! I (USAF Cam Ranh Air Base 69~70) was privileged to be joined at breakfast by John, a Vietnam-Era Navy Vet, Orvis, a Korean War Vet and our good old friend Lloyd, a WWII Vet!

After breakfast we saddled up our various mounts, Lloyd on his PiagioMP3 500, John on his Buell XB12x and me on my Triumph Scrambler for a ride out to The National Vietnam War Museum (http://www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org/exhibits.htm) in Mineral Wells, TX, about 45 miles West of Fort Worth. (Orvis had injured his back fiddlin’ with his chipper shredder on Tuesday and couldn’t ride with us.)

This new museum currently has an UH-1H and a duce-and-a-half on display. There is a replica of the Camp Holloway Memorial Wall in one area and a half-size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall from DC. Plans are ongoing for more displays.

It was a sobering and contemplative trip for us all.

A few pics from the Memorial (http://www.panthercity.net/VetDay_09/)

Donson

11-11-2009, 03:13 PM

Thanks to all who served,and those who will! Thanks,Dad! OOH-RAH!

Tassie Devil

11-11-2009, 03:16 PM

Royal Australian Navy '62 - '73.
Chief Petty Officer Mechanician.
Active Service Malaysia, Borneo, Vietnam.

"Lest we forget".

Cheers,

JQ.

vintagemxr

11-11-2009, 03:54 PM

I'm afraid I'm only a "semi-vet".
Light Weapons, Infantry MOS, Army National Guard 1961-67. Six months active duty, 1961.
This has always been more a source of embarrassment than pride & honor, since so many of my friends and others went to Viet Nam during that time. But it has also served to even heighten my admiration & respect for the "real Vets", especially the ones who saw combat.
Thanks guys, I think about you every day...:eusa_clap:

Darth, I don't think you or I need to be embarrassed for being a "semi-vet." Not every full time military guy went to Viet Nam or other "police action", most didn't.

Like tens of thousand of others you and I joined the armed forces, wore the uniform, and had we been called up to active duty we'd have gone then just like the NG and AR forces who are going to the Middle East now. You have the right to be proud of your military service even if it was comparatively easy and far away from the shooting.

Mind you, I absolutely believe that those guys who have served in a combat theater and especially those who faced real enemies shooting at them deserve a huge extra measure of respect and thanks for taking the big risks and sometimes, sadly, paying a heavy price. The people in my life that I've met who I've been most proud to shake hands with were not celebrities or captains of industry but our combat veterans.

the other Doug

1971- 1977, CA ANG, Co. B, 2nd BN, 185th Armor Division (motor pool)

DarthRider

11-11-2009, 04:05 PM

That really seems to be a trend now...new Veterans Memorials of various types. I think maybe we still have a bit of national guilty-conscience from the way so many of our returning Vets were treated after Viet Nam.

I know some of you have seen the soul-stirring Vietnam War Memorial at Angel Fire, NM. In some way, it grabbed me harder than even The Wall in DC.

Amarillo has a nice All Wars Memorial now, and some of the high schools do too...for the boys from those schools who lost their lives to war.

I had not heard of the new one in Mineral Wells. Night before last I was talking with a WWII Vet who got his fighter training there, Camp Wolters I think?
And I guess most if not all Viet Nam era Army chopper plots goth their primary training there.
I wonder what the mortality rate was for those boys?

ROUNDEL

11-11-2009, 04:31 PM

Just returned from a Veteran's Day ride. To all who have served....THANK YOU!

DarthRider

11-11-2009, 04:32 PM

Darth, I don't think you or I need to be embarrassed for being a "semi-vet." Not every full time military guy went to Viet Nam or other "police action", most didn't.

Like tens of thousand of others you and I joined the armed forces, wore the uniform, and had we been called up to active duty we'd have gone then just like the NG and AR forces who are going to the Middle East now. You have the right to be proud of your military service even if it was comparatively easy and far away from the shooting.

the other Doug

1971- 1977, CA ANG, Co. B, 2nd BN, 185th Armor Division (motor pool)

Thanks Doug.
I know you are right but I still can't shake those feelings, even all these years later.

My Dad brow-beat me into joining the NG in early 1961, well before most people had even heard of Viet Nam, so I didn't do it to be a "legal draft-dodger" or anything. He knew I badly needed the discipline I would get there and man, was he right. And did I get it!

While I was on the 6-mos. active duty, I was 18 and got really serious about the military and was accepted by the Regular Army for Airborne, Rangers & Jungle Warfare Schools, but before the papers came through they found that since I had come from the National Guard (State) rather than Army Reserves (Federal), that I would have to finish the 6 mos., return to my home unit, get a discharge there, and then re-join as Regular Army, then start the bad-ass stuff.

But by the time I got home I had become more interested in motorcycle racing, skydiving, girls & drinking so I didn't. And I didn't feel bad about it since nothing much was really going on, and we still hadn't even heard of Viet Nam.

4 years or so later when we'd all heard plenty about VN is when the guilt started. In 1965 I was 22 and again ready to re-up the next day when I called my Dad to tell him about it. It thought he'd be all gung-ho but instead I got a good ass-chewing, making the point that I had "done my duty", been honorably discharged and should just get on with my life. It surprised me since he was an old B-29er who saw loads of action and was plenty patriotic.
I listened to him, started a good career, met & married a wonderful woman...and I'm virtually certain that his advice saved my life, given the direction I was headed.
But I still felt like I had let my friends down. Mainly the ones who came back in bags, or shot to hell, or crazy. But all of them, really.

I still feel that way...

BobFV1

11-11-2009, 05:31 PM

Wasn't somebody on the board a Naval Aviator???

Nice day to commute here in DC area - all the Federal employees had the day off!

panthercity

11-11-2009, 05:35 PM

Dave if there were words to change the way you feel, I would say them.

Since I have no words, I offer my prayers.

X-Troller

11-11-2009, 05:52 PM

USN 69-79 AC1
NAS Glynco
USS F.D.R. CVA42
NAS Cecil Feld
NAS Cubi pt.
NAVY Brat 1950-1963 hole shit load of places

DarthRider

11-11-2009, 08:27 PM

Wasn't somebody on the board a Naval Aviator???

Nice day to commute here in DC area - all the Federal employees had the day off!

Bob -
That is Moose, aka Ron Musfeldt...a Prince among Naval Aviators.
550 or so trap landings!
And the boy loves to ride...

DarthRider

11-11-2009, 08:28 PM

Dave if there were words to change the way you feel, I would say them.

Since I have no words, I offer my prayers.

Bob, thanks for the kind words.
It's not all that bad, it's just always there...

NakedRider

11-11-2009, 09:33 PM

I was a Marine from '71 - '75.

Arby

11-12-2009, 05:13 AM

Thank you for your service, men. (And women, too)

Those of us who didn't serve can't do anything about it now, except thank, support and respect those of you that did.

RB

BobFV1

11-12-2009, 08:48 AM

Bob -
That is Moose, aka Ron Musfeldt...a Prince among Naval Aviators.
550 or so trap landings!
And the boy loves to ride...Yeah - it's dangerous business being a Naval Aviator. We lost a lot of them during my time in the Navy. Mostly to jealous husbands, though. :eusa_clap:

Moose

11-12-2009, 09:04 AM

As a naval aviator, it was my privilege to have experienced an exciting and fulfilling career while embarked in several aircraft carriers conducting ops around the globe. When reflecting on those times, I'm most appreciative of the dedication and sacrifice given by fellow shipmates and the USA at large in support of our national missions. Veterans Day belongs to all who serve and support.

Moose

11-12-2009, 09:11 AM

BobFV1 is correct. We had good days and bad days.

jamming

11-14-2009, 07:48 AM

2 Vets at my house. I was Air Force and my lovely wife Terrie was a Marine for 8 years.

HiOSilver

11-14-2009, 03:11 PM

ET1, USN 74-80
USS Brumby FF-1044

Rog and I where within shouting distance during the Iranian hostage rescue attempt. Rog was on one of the choppers and I was on the only US Navy ship north of the Straights of Hormuz - about 12 miles off the coast. Do I have that right Rog?

jamming

11-14-2009, 04:57 PM

BobFV1

11-14-2009, 05:42 PM

I was on Diego Garcia during the mission.

Blackdog

11-14-2009, 11:17 PM

Yup, but not of my finest moments in uniform. Probably the main reason I never made it a career.

Rog, I remember that mission, H-53's right? I was an engineer at a rescue squadron at the time, we had a secret debriefing on what happened. Were you flying at the time?

jamming

11-15-2009, 07:24 AM

Rog, I remember that mission, H-53's right? I was an engineer at a rescue squadron at the time, we had a secret debriefing on what happened. Were you flying at the time?

I was PR(ParaRescue)..my job was to triage the hostages. We were sent because of our medical training. It was a ball-buster. We'll have to talk over a beer when your in AZ this winter.

BobFV1

11-15-2009, 07:46 AM

Saltwater based hangar water curtains and CH-53 swash plates don't mix.

Deans BMW

11-15-2009, 08:41 AM

If possible, we would love to hear the details of that mission from those of you that have the true skinny on what transpired.

Roger, anyone.

Blackdog

11-15-2009, 11:32 PM

I was PR(ParaRescue)..my job was to triage the hostages. We were sent because of our medical training. It was a ball-buster. We'll have to talk over a beer when your in AZ this winter.

We will do that. I had 2 H53 engineer friends, Harry Cash and Dennis Bolin, I think one of the were on that mission.