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Vietnam 1968

Copyright 2019 John F. McMullen

I was at a dedication
of a Memorial at
the Parish Church
of my youth
last week

A Memorial to
honor those from
the neighborhood
who gave their lives
during that awful war

A priest who not only
grew up in the
neighborhood but
also served there
for many years was
one of the speakers

He was well qualified
to speak on Vietnam;
He won a Silver Star
and two Bronze ones

The day brought back
terrible memories of
that awful war
not only the dead
brothers of friends
being commemorated
but of a nation that
behaved very badly
We had construction
workers beating up
anti-war protestors
on Wall Street and
a country torn apart
by the war turning
its back on those
who did their
country’s bidding
and then returned
home injured, with
what we now call
PTSD, or a victim
of Agent Orange.

Some were upset
that we were even
in Vietnam and
pointed at the lies
told to us by two
presidents while
others were aghast
that we pulled out
of a war that we
did not win

However the
American soldier
had no responsibility
for any of that
He or she only did
what they were ordered
to do – and at great
peril to themselves.


The country grew up a lot
after that – when we came
to another war of dubious
cause in Iraq, we did not
turn our backs of those
veterans no matter what
our positions were on
the conflict.

It’s a pity that 55,000
had to give their lives
to teach us how
to behave.

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