Memorial Day With Vietnam Veterans

Sgt. Brown, left and LT Shell, right are saluted by Pack 405 Cub Scouts

My two sons, who are six and eight years old know the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. They'd be happy to educate anyone who doesn't know the difference.  The Saturday before Memorial Day, my boys and I participate in honoring the service of our Country's Military by placing American Flags on the graves of men and women who served in the Civil War spanning to present day Wars. Pack 405 take great pride in placing the flags. They even clean head stones of debris.

This year LT Shell and Sgt. Brown from the local VFW, who sponsor Pack 405 accompanied the Cub Scouts to the three cemeteries. They provided the flags for the kids to place on the graves.  At the final cemetery, which is the oldest cemetery Sgt. Brown gave me and my boys a tour educating us about local history. My eight year old has been studying local history, he had a plethora of questions for Sgt Brown. Sgt. Brown answered every one of my son's questions with pride. When my son started asking questions about Sgt. Brown's service his voice turned quite.

Sgt. Brown survived three tours in Vietnam as a Flight Engineer on a Chinook helicopter for the Army.  Sgt. Brown's Chinook crashed after he was shot down. He was rescued, but by the look in his eyes, I'm not sure if everyone in his crew survived.

Sgt. Brown was eighteen years old when he was called to serve his Country. He proudly served in the Army for eleven years. My boys aren't old enough to really understand Vietnam, but they do know our Veteran's were treated horribly upon returning home. We talked about that a little bit with Sgt. Brown, who confirmed he had been spit on.

For the most part I let my boys carry the conversation with Sgt. Brown seeing he enjoyed having young people who were sincerely interested in what he had seen and done. My oldest told me in the car later, "It was pretty neat talking to Sgt. Brown today. He's a living History book. That's pretty cool."

Sgt. Brown made a few comments that revealed his time in Vietnam, the memories of what he saw, and those he lost are still with him 50 years later. My boys and I are honored he shared some of those memories with us today.

There are several Military Friends and Gold Star Families on my mind this weekend, Sgt. Brown included. He and LT Shell helped the Vietnam War become more than just a story to my boys, for that I thank him. For all those who have lost their lives serving this great country, and those who have loved them, Your Sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Washington D.C., 2011

Veterans History Project

I love history, and not just the kind in the books. I love "his-story." Whenever I am around someone's grandparents I love to get them talking about their younger years. I have heard many stories about The Great Depression, World War I, World War II, and I treasure each one.  The stories of Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan are more difficult to get Veterans to share, for many reasons.  Pain, shame, and time frame being a few.  Some of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans haven't processed their own experiences, so how can they tell them? And do they want to?
I believe personal stories are a much bigger learning tool than any book. When you have someone who experienced a time first hand they give a unique story tailored to their circumstances.
Recently I had one of the most wonderful ladies in my life die. She would have been 85 in October. Almost five years ago in November there were two weeks this wonderful lady stayed with me as we waited for the birth of my second child.  During that time she shared stories with me of her childhood. Stories I will always cherish.  Speaking with her friends and family I heard more stories, not just of her life, but of her husband's life, (a man I missed the privilege of meeting) and their life together. It was then I realized their "his-stories" and the lessons in them live on in us, the people they loved.
History is important.  It is important to write it down so it may be shared with current and future generations with accuracy.  Which is why I think the Veterans History Project is important.
The Veterans History Project has been funded by Congress to collect first hand stories, correspondence, and documentation about World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, The Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq. There is even a program for High School students to use the Veterans History Project as a Senior project before they graduate.
I think the Veterans History Project is important to us as a Nation. It can help inform the masses with first hand knowledge about what a our Veterans experienced. It can bring younger generations closer, helping to dissolve the disconnect between themselves and Veterans around them. It can be a living monument to those who came home, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It can help ensure that no one is forgotten. 
To those family members who have their parents and grandparents war memorabilia and don't know what to do with it, look into this project.
To you Veteran's out there, I encourage you to look into this project so you may tell your "his-story" your way, instead of letting someone else tell it for you. Being a Veteran automatically makes you a part of history.
Tell your story.

To learn more about the Veterans History Project please click here.

If you are interested in this project and want help, contact me. I will gladly help anyone.