Thursday, August 27, 2009

August 27th, 1949

My older brother's birthday today. He'd be 60, except for the inconvenient fact that he volunteered for the 173rd Abn and was killed at Bong Son, Republic of South Vietnam, May 3, 1968.
He was just an 18 year old kid. National Honor Society. D.A.R.E award. Bronze Star with a V and a Purple Heart.
Lotta water under the bridge since that day and government, as good as it was back then, has only gotten better and better.
Kennedy. Lyndon. McNamara. I'm having a drink in honor of the honorable dead. These other folks can kiss my cat.

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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 27, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    Blackfork, I mourn the loss of your brother and my other 58,194 brothers whose names are also on our "Wall." As a Charlie Model gunship pilot in the 129th AHC, I had the privilege of often providing fire support for the "grunts" of the 173rd and was very familiar with the Bon Son area. May they all rest in peace. flurme

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  2. d smith kaich jonesAugust 27, 2009 at 6:42 PM

    I met you after his death, and find it hard to imagine that the man/boy I've heard so much/so little about would be 60. 60. A prayer for you and your mom from me. Namaste, mi compadre.

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  3. tjbbpgobIIIAugust 27, 2009 at 7:06 PM

    Sorry about your brother. I too lost many brothers-in-arms in that war. A little different to be sure, but heartbracking enough anyway.

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  4. catfishAugust 27, 2009 at 8:02 PM

    glass raised in honor

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  5. EarlAugust 27, 2009 at 9:56 PM

    Yeah, I can raise a glass for all those that went, served, died or didn't, it wasn't a nice country to come back to as I recall, but it was the only one I had -- still is and is still going the wrong way inside the beltway. Do all the lovely people live in fly over country? I believe so.

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  6. PaulAugust 28, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    It wasn't nice to come back to if you wore the uniform. I too offer sympathy on the loss of your brother there. Sad part is we left before the job was done and really wasted all those lives. I will never trust a Democrat to do the right thing. Or for that matter anything.

    May you live well and prosper.

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  7. STxARAugust 30, 2009 at 7:46 PM

    I lost my favourite cousin PFC C.S. Bryant, May 1968, several kilometers south west of DaNang. 1 Marine Division as I recall. His funeral was the first I remembered going to. I was 5.

    To this day, I have some brass I policed up from the salute, and I cry like a baby when I hear taps.

    I hope our country will someday see the honour of our warriors, and appreciate their sacrifice for our freedom.

    Good memories, thanks for the reminder.

    Semper Fi Steve....de...StxRynn

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