Photo By Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel | SAN DIEGO – Raul Romero salutes the national colors during a Vietnam War 50th...... read more read more
Subscribe
SAN DIEGO – During the Vietnam War, service members on the ground in Vietnam experienced an average of 240 days in combat, six times that of World War II. More than 58,000 Americans were killed and another 75,000 were severely disabled. For the first time in American history, cameramen imbedded with the units allowed the violence and horror of war to be broadcast directly into people’s living rooms where families watched their loved ones fight more than 10,000 miles away.
Across the United States, people spoke out vehemently about the war. Some protested and called for an end to the violence while others demanded that the military push even harder and accept nothing less than total victory. While the brutality of the conflict divided the country, it created a special bond between those who served.
After years of being buried under the anger that rocked the country, history is beginning to recognize these veterans for their courage and sacrifices. A presidential proclamation issued on May 25, 2012, announced a national commemoration of the Vietnam War, to extend from Memorial Day 2012, to Veterans Day 2025.
As part of this commemoration, the Scottish Rite Event Center in San Diego held a ceremony to recognize the 50th anniversary of the war on March 29, 2016.
During the event, several Vietnam veterans spoke about their memories of the war and their experiences when they came home.
“The intensity of feelings made the Vietnam War very difficult to talk about,” said Karen Shoenfeld-Smith, the team lead for the San Diego Vet Center. “The common theme among veterans I’ve met is a desire to be known and accepted. They are unique as are their experiences, and they are an important part of world history.”
She explained that it is important for veterans to share their experiences, as it helps their healing process and teaches others about the lasting effects and lessons learned in war.
Joan Craigwell served as a flight nurse with the U.S. Air Force during the war. She said that despite the horror and devastation, she remembers the relief of the wounded as they were evacuated and her joy at being able to send them home.
“We were bargaining with death because there were so many who just didn’t fit on the plane, but we wanted them to get back to the United States,” said Craigwell. “My proudest moment was standing there and Marines who didn’t even have an arm to salute us, [gestured a salute] and said thank you.”
The experiences of war, from combat and medical care, to coming home, changed and inspired many service members, including some who helped shape the future for other veterans.
Jack Lyon, the founder of Veterans Village of San Diego, served two tours in Vietnam, including one as an infantry officer with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. During that time he earned the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, The Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V” and an individual Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star.
When he stepped up to the podium he said that it felt good to be among “his people,” knowing they understood him. He began his speech at the ceremony by recounting the day he was wounded. He said that he and 87 Marines and corpsmen inserted inadvertently into a hot landing zone. They were in an open series of rice patties surrounded on three sides by tree line and he was shot as soon as he hit the ground after exiting the helicopter.
Lyon explained that he and his unit held hundreds of enemies at bay until air support answered their calls. Many of the strikes were within 100 meters and continued for hours while the wounded were huddled under a string of ponchos to protect them from the cold rain. An incoming storm made medical evacuations impossible.
Lyon said that their battalion was finally able to relieve them after six hours, but he will never forget the events of that day.
“At this very moment, if I conjure it up, I can see, hear, and most of all smell those endless, agonizing hours,” said Lyon. “It permeated and bruised our souls.”
Lyon said that day was when he got the first taste of the unconditional love that war evokes. The first, but certainly not the last. The commemoration ceremony brought together veterans from throughout the community and reminded them that while they have been changed, they are not alone.
“When you go to war you cross a river and you get wet. The key question is how quickly you dry out,” said Lyon. “My experience is that you dry out best the same way you got wet: with each other.”
After the war, Lyon helped found the Veterans Village of San Diego which hosted support groups to help veterans deal with combat stress, trauma, and substance abuse. VVSD is only one of the resources available to these veterans. The national Vet Center program was developed by Vietnam veterans and now has hundreds of locations.
Representatives of several organizations, including the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, the San Diego Veterans Affairs Regional Office, and Courage to Call – San Diego 211, also attended the event to provide information about services available to Vietnam veterans.
Lyon encouraged his fellow veterans to not only take advantage of the resources available to them, but to also be a resource for veterans returning from recent wars struggling to understand how the experiences of combat have changed them.
“The true life of significance is a life of service,” said Lyon. Every combat veteran answered the call of the United States and will be remembered for their courage and sacrifice.
As the global climate changes and conflict emerges around the world, Americans step forward to fill the shoes of those who went before them. With the skills learned in their training and the courage learned from the examples of veterans, they will be ready to face any threat with the knowledge that they are not alone.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2016 16:56 |
| Story ID: | 194024 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ceremony commemorates Vietnam veterans after 50 years, by LCpl Caitlin Bevel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
