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Today is the anniversary of the death of my brother Johnny. He came home from Vietnam in 1969 and spent the next 20 years committing slow suicide by alcoholism, dying at the age of 46. It makes me sick to think of all the beautiful young men and women who were killed or completely ruined by that war. By any war really. I detest the right-wing soapbox of Charlie Daniels, but I think this song says it all about the guys who served in and survived Vietnam.

ProudMary 8 Dec 16
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Just came across this post. Very sorry for your loss. Have many friends still trying to cope with their experiences. I was fortunate enough to have been stationed in Germany in 68 and 69 and can't even imagine the horror those guys experienced. Long story but was active in anti war activities before and after my military time.. A great documentary about that time is " Vietnam An American Apocalypse." It's on youtube

ugly Level 7 Dec 24, 2018

@ProudMary Haven't watched that either. The documentary I mentioned gives a pretty honest account.

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I am sorry for your loss. Your tale is one shared by many of our men and women who served and their families. Hope your memories of him will soon be better ones...

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Warfare- where Generals and Politicians plan best how to kill off the younger, stronger people to make more profits for their Big Money Mates.
My sympathies are with you Mary.

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Sorry to hear it.

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What bothers me the most is that this pattern of behavior is repeated over and over and is still being repeated by the idiots in Washington, and so many people still do not get it . . . . they just keep on supporting it, over and over again, they fall for everything the silver screen tells them, and never wise up.

THHA Level 7 Dec 16, 2018
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Condolences on your loss.

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I'm so so sorry for your loss...and for everything he lost too.

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It's sad to hear of those tragedies. My heart is wrenched by those veterans' plights and their families' losses.

As to Charlie Daniels, I'm torn between liking that song and detesting him as well. I think the song really details some of the effects of PTSD well but exploits it at the same time.

JimG Level 8 Dec 16, 2018
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I just wanted to express my sympathy for you and your brother and the terrible suffering that both of you had to endure. It's very sad that so many have had to suffer so greatly as a result of that war. I hope the government and military will do a better job of helping men and women coming home from war to cope better after those experiences.

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I feel your pain I have seen many react this way. The debriefing on returning home needs to include coping skills training when returning home.

1

He is alive in your memories . Coffee cheers and a song to his memory today from me too .

5

I honor the men and women who serve, but detest the machine that sends them. My heart will be with you today, Mary. Many, many hugs.

I agree. Please Please Please, to all Americans...don't think voting in a popularity contest every two years is being involved. KNOW what legislation is on the docket. WRITE your elected representatives (city, county, state, federal). FIGHT for your freedoms as hard as these service personnel do. Maybe then we can curtail the blood for money/oil war machine that is running this country.

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Sorry that you lost your brother in such a sad way, over so many years. Yes the legacy of that war and others since, are thousands of broken and damaged young, and no longer young men. Too many stories like yours Mary, sadly. Hugs from me. ?

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I'm sorry for your loss. Hugs to you. The Vietnam War is by far the one that makes me the angriest.

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