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Welcome Home to War-Stories PointMaNewsletter Public Archives |
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ONLINE SPECIAL EDITION 2, 1 July 1, 2008 |
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A major part of War-Stories.com's Mission is to preserve, compile, and post online a War-Stories.com Library archive of factual and true accounts of the Vietnam War, through veterans' personal stories, photos, poems, and official and historical documents, casualty databases, and articles, studies, as written or submitted by veterans awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, regardless of their branch of service or combat status. Letters to the Editor / Emails from the Front: From: Kim Bayes, Hi Don, I have been reading the stories on the War Stories website and they are absolutely amazing. I've enjoyed your writings, especially your poem "Forget Me Not." I'm not sure if you know but I am the daughter of a Vietnam veteran (My dad was an Army helicopter pilot for most of his career) and I am also a clinical social worker. I have a passion for helping Vietnam veterans and their families, both formally and informally. I am also a closet poet! I have written several poems, one about Vietnam veterans and two that I wrote for a dear friend who suffers from PTSD. I would like to share them, if you feel they are worthy and appropriate to the site. I think writing is therapeutic and perhaps if just one person feels good after reading them, I would feel like I helped communicate that other people really do care. Best regards, Kim Bayes, From: Donald Dinubilo Don: I gave my Zippo to a shoe shine boy who I had befriended for most of the year I was at Phan Rang. His name was Kim. About 11 or 12 years old. He was so proud to show it off to the rest of his buddies. Haven't thought of Kim in a long time. |
From: Daniel Cantelope, USMC '69-'70 SVN You guys have developed the War Stories site well. I have from time to time visited it over the years. I have a site called freefire-zone.com on it I provide music of the Vietnam era and weekly do a featured artists section. Am myself a Marine, Vietnam Veteran (incountry ‘69-’70). Wondered if you might like to link my music via your site. Your members can listen to music in one window as they browse War Stories. Kind of helps add to the recall process. Here is the link, check it out and see if it meets your approval: https://www.freefire-zone.com/ Music includes: Jukebox Central - Various Genres/Multiple Playlists ; Rock 'n Roll War - Music from 1955 -1975 (approximately 100 songs for each year); Featured Artists - Three Albums or Artists, Changes Weekly ; and PTSD Resources - extensive links to documents and information . Thanks for any consideration you might give me. Daniel Cantelope, FEATURED STORIES: An Open Letter to Anyone Who Served in Vietnamby Julie Weaver Dear Hero, I was in my twenties during the Vietnam era. I was a single mother and, I'm sad to say, I was probably one of the most self-centered people on the planet. To be perfectly honest. I didn't care one way or the other about the war. All I cared about was me-how I looked, what I wore, and where I was going. I worked and I played. I was never politically involved in anything, but I allowed my opinions to be formed by the media. happened without my ever being aware. I listened to the protest songs and I watch the six o'clock news and I listened to all the people who were talking. After awhile, I began to repeat their words and, if you were to ask me, I'd have told you I was against the war. It was very popular. Everyone was doing it, and we never saw what it was doing to our men. All we were shown was what they were doing to the people of Vietnam. My brother joined the Navy and then he was sent to Vietnam. When he came home, I repeated the words to him. It surprised me at how angry he became. I hurt him very deeply and there were years of separation-not only of miles, but also of character. I didn't understand. In fact, I didn't understand anything until one day I opened my newspaper and saw the anguished face of a Vietnam veteran. The picture was taken at the opening of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. His countenance revealed the terrible burden of his soul. As I looked at his picture and his tears, I finally understood a tiny portion of what you had given for us and what we had done to you. I understood that I had been manipulated, but I also knew that I had failed to think for myself. It was like waking up out of a nightmare, except that the nightmare was real. I didn't know what to do. (Cont. Page-2) |
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