A Carefree young man vs. the reality in pictures--1968

[pinboy3niner]

40. I don't buy the line that if you weren't there, you can't understand

If that were true, we would not have much of the creative arts. Why would vets or others who shared their experiences even bother to write books or screenplays or poetry or paint or sculpt?

People do convey understanding of experience through artistic expression.

Oh, and one more pic...

I turned 21 in the A Shau Valley on a night that I was sure we'd be overrun and I was going to die. That didn't happen, so I was able to celebrate Thanksgiving in Vietnam...

Photo of the Company Commander (CO), Executive Officer (XO), and 3 platoon leaders

Thanksgiving 1969 at LZ Sally, Vietnam



Rear L to R: Russ Shields (KIA), CO
Front, L to R: Mark Rivest (KIA), pinboy3niner, Dan albrecht (XO)

After I was wounded and Medevac'd, of the 4 platoon leaders who succeeded me in the next 3-4 months, one was relieved of command and 3 were KIA.


We have a story, and if we tell it, others will get it.