R & R in Hong Kong

Tom (my best friend in Nam and Hootch mate) decided to go on R&R together. After some discussion we chose Hong Kong. He told me he heard that hotels picks were given by highest rank first. He got me the name of a hotel and asked me to write to them and get reservations. Really sounds strange doing that now but I did and got reservations. The night before we left Nam we traveled by bus from Long Binh to Ton Son Nhut airbase where we spend the night. The following day we flew from Vietnam to Hong Kong on Pan Am. Once we were at cruising altitude the Captain made an announcement stating the cockpit door would be open and for us to come and say hi to them. They also served a really nice meal. I also remember gum hanging in the lavatory which looked much like individual Chiclet gum. There was lots of looking out the windows as we flew over Vietnam and was just a relaxed and enjoyable flight. Why not? Once we landed and went through customs we had to get in line to get a hotel. Since we could show we had reserved rooms we were released and on our way to the hotel. I was literally shocked when we arrived. it was simply beautiful and right on the Harbor. I walked in and told Tom I can't stay here. I think he had stayed at places like this but I was from a very poor family and basically just in shock. Before checking in he suggested that we change our rooms and share on as we could get a nicer Harbor view and after all, we shared a Hootch. So we changed our rooms. And yes, we were just a few floors from the top and had this wonderful view of the Harbor, the Star Ferry going back and forth and in the distance you could see the Queen Elizabeth anchored. This hotel had a beautiful dining room with a huge dance floor and orchestra, or at least what I thought was an Orchestra. They cooked flaming meals at your table and was just so unbelievable to me. At the bar the in the hotel I seem to remember they served hamburgers on freshly made buns and home made chips. We had a waitress named Lily at the bar and she was great and funny. We kept buying drinks for the English piano player and he'd keep raising his glass to us with each new drink. We thought it would be funny to try to get him drunk. Even though they had a push button elevator, they had a man dressed in black pants and white jacket who would push the button for you. It was almost immediate that they knew us and called us Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Hamilton. Well, it's late and I'll get some Zzzzz's and then enter more over the next few days on Hong Kong, the people and my wonderful stay.

Chicken Unlimited and Fortune Cookies

I was eating a Fortune Cookie after some Chinese tonight and it brought back a very nice memory I had from Ft. Carson. There was a young GI stationed with me. He was from Hong Kong and Chinese. I believe most of his family was here in the States. He would fly down the hall of the barracks like Bruce Lee. He was such a funny guy. He went to Chicago to see his brother a couple times and always returned with some coupons for Chicken Unlimited and a huge bag of Fortune Cookies. We'd have a nice chicken dinner off base thanks to him. And of course we chowed down on those damn Chinese Cookies. It was so strange. It's not something one would think of eating except for having one after your Chinese meal. But there we were almost getting sick on these Cookies and reading all those fortunes. He made a couple trips while I was stationed there and it was always the same. He was one funny guy.

Martin Luther King Day 2016

Today I was thinking about different Black GI's I served with and have certain fond memories of our paths crossing. In Basic Training I drank all my water from my canteen way too quickly and really needed a drink. A GI in my platoon was drinking from his canteen and handed it over to me for a drink and gave me some good advice on not guzzling my water. Sure glad he was there and willing to share. A Sargent I worked under at the 24th talked to me about busing as they started busing either close to his town or in his town. He asked if it started where I lived. I told him I went to school with all different races including Blacks. He was surprised by that. At one time he needed around $200 (possibly more)and asked me to loan it and he would pay me in the following next months pay. (I'm always broke and never ever seem to have money except when I was in Nam. I guess there was no way I could really spend it.) I really didn't think anything about it and lent him the money. Next pay he just came and paid me back. He was a good guy and even though I don't have many pictures from Nam, I have a few with him in them and it brings a smile to my face knowing things we went through together and just what a good guy he was. I also used to play cards at night with an older Sargent if we found the time. He too was a good guy and I gave him my deck of cards when I left. (They were actually kind of expensive back then and I realized why when I got them back to the hootch as they were some type of plastic and really held their shape, didn't bend, etc.) I was fortunate in many ways to have crossed paths with these and others so I think of you even more so on this day.

Nebraska Veterans Honor License Plates

I lived in Denver for 13 years and moved back to Nebraska in 2003. Colorado had many different License Plates for Veterans and I had Vietnam Veterans Plates that had a helicopter in the middle of it. Nebraska had no plates for veterans except for Disabled Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Ex POW and Purple Heart. I was really upset about this so I kept my Colorado Vietnam Veterans Plates on my car and even for some time after they expired. I sent an E-mail to all Nebraska Senators and basically was told by one who actually responded that they didn't want too many plates in NE. Well, finally, they are issuing Veterans Honor Plates in Nebraska for U S Army, U S Air Force, U S Coast Guard, U S Marines, U S National Guard and U S Navy. Each plate will have the United States Flag waving at the top of the plate and state the Branch of Service and have the Service Emblem. Each plate will have five numbers/alpha characters or cone can personalize it with five numbers/alpha characters. It will cost $5 a year for the next number number plates and $40 a year for the personalized plates. I ordered mine as soon as possible and received them and had them on my care the 8th of January. I am so glad NE got on board with other states to issue Veterans Plates but do wish they would have released plates for specific wars a veteran may have served in but, again, just happy to finally have veterans plates on my car.

High School Presentation Response

A week or so after my presentation I was called by the teacher and we arranged for me to pick-up items I brought to the class. We also spoke of me coming back the second semester for the new class as well as how much her class appreciated me my talking with her class. There was an envelope with my name on it when I picked up the items after Christmas. This envelope contained many hand written cards from her students. I was amazed that many had very long notes and all of them thanked me for many reasons for coming to their class. I cannot express how touched I was in reading these cards and realizing just how much effort and thought these young people gave into what they wrote. It gave me much hope for the future and those who will eventually lead us and be a part of us in the direction this Country will go. I only wish we had more people like these young students who seemed very wise for their age.

The High School Presentatlion

A week ago I was at Home Depot. As I was checking out the young man at the register saw my wallet that said "Vietnam Veteran" and asked if I was a Vietnam Veteran. I replied yes. He then reached out and shook my hand and said "Thank you for your service." I was speechless. I usually don't have my wallet where one can see this and I was so touched by this young man and his actions. It was not busy at all and we chatted. He said they were learning about Vietnam and he had a few questions that I answered. He them asked if I would be willing to come to his school to talk to his Social Studies class. I said yes and he asked for and took my number. He then reached out and shook my hand with both of his thanking me again. I left and on the way home was overcome with emotion. I was so touched by him that I got home and got a book for him to keep regarding the "Wall" as well as four Life Magazines from the Vietnam that covered different aspect of the war. I took them to his work and told him the book was his along with a Vietnamese Coin and that he could use the magazines for his class. I then left not thinking I'd get the magazines back or hear from his teacher but was ok with that. Well a day or so later I received a call from his teacher and we talked about my service in Vietnam, how I got there, the return, etc. She then asked if I would come to the high school and talk to two classes, each lasting one hour and forty minutes. I agreed and we talked about what I'd present and how. I was so nervous for the next several days as memories flooded my mind, not that I'm not always thinking of Vietnam daily. On the day we agreed I did go to school, met the teacher and then went into the classroom. The young man came up to me and shook my hand thanking me. Once the bell rang I began to talk about how I got to the point of being drafted, my service, Vietnam and my return and how I am today. It was an overwhelming experience. The kids were great and I somehow managed to struggle through the classes. Several students came up to speak with me and thank me after the class. After the second class a young woman came up to me and asked if I was nervous and I said yes. She said "You did great" and wanted to know how I was doing today. We we talked a little about it and about my struggles. Tears were now rolling down her face as she spoke of her fathers tours in Afghanistan and how he has changed and is so different. She talked about things he does do for himself which made her happy that she wishes things would be the same as they were before his tours. I tried to give some encouraging words to her and she then left for the next class. The following week the teacher called me stating that the kids in her class really like my coming and speaking to them and how much they learned and how having someone who served in Vietnam made it real for them. We then talked about me coming for the next semester and getting together in advance to really put it together and have more time for questions, etc. I agreed and we'll meet in March. One of the things I'm working on during their Christmas break it to answer their 90 or so questions they had turned into the teacher so she can give them out after break. Some of those were addressed in the talk and many other were not. In looking at the list I thought how great those questions were and that I wished I'd have been asked some of them many years ago. It's difficult to explain that those questions made me feel better, as if someone really cared and cared for how I felt. I found myself very touched by those questions and by this young group of 16-17 year old's. I am so thankful that I had that opportunity and will have an opportunity to do it again and hopefully even better. And I am really thankful to that young man I met who was not afraid to ask and the respect he showed me. As he left class he thanked me again and said basically he'd see me again and I know where he works. I do hope we get the chance to meet and talk again.

November 1970 & Veterans Day 2015

45 years ago in November of 1970 I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA, waiting for orders. Almost everyone in my MOS who finished school when I did had received their orders and many were for civilian status in Germany, Italy and Belgium. Since I didn't get mine I pulled duty as KP, barracks clean up, etc. I knew in my heart they would be for Vietnam and remember telling my mom at a young age I was going to be in a war. When they did come in they were for Nam and I began out-processing. At that time they said I flunked the vision test at my induction physical and that I was to have glasses. So I walked to get my eyes examined and was told I needed glasses and would not go on leave until I got them. I told them I failed the test at the induction physical and that they then sent me to see a civilian eye doctor who said the could not be corrected enough to enter the service and that I would not have the vision required. Regardless, I was inducted and even though they said I'd get glasses it never happened and that is was too late for that and I was going to to on leave as scheduled the following day. I went back to the out-processing center and told them the same and they signed off on my paperwork. I slept on a mattress cover on my bunk that night and was sick from the flu shot. They forgot to wake me so I missed an early flight. Thankfully, Delta Airlines got me on a plane and I was able to make my next flight. Today it's Veterans Day 2015 and it has been cold and rainy. Some Veterans day activities moved indoors. There were also the many different businesses offering free coffee, breakfast, dinners, donuts, etc. for Veterans and active military. Since we are raising my eight year old grandson I didn't get to a breakfast as he had a doctors appointment, then needed medications picked up, etc. To be honest, I have only went to one breakfast a couple years ago. Three years ago I went to mass on Veterans day morning. I was a mess and tears were hard to hold back once I got in the church. Once mass started I really began to lose it and tears were really flowing and all I could say to myself was "I am sorry" over and over. Sorry for those Nam vets who were wounded and sorry for those killed and that I was still alive. At this mass the grade school students were there and veterans had to stand up and the children gave each one a small American flag and hand made card. There were about 20 veterans attending mass that day. These were the only time that I have ever done anything on Veterans day. Usually I am away by myself thinking, reading, praying and watching a sad movie such as "The Best Years of Our Lives" and just cry the day away and keep apologizing. I have this guilt that at times is very overwhelming. It is somewhat better thanks to getting help from the Nut Dr. I am now seeing. I know I served well and in a capacity I had now training and knowledge for a hospital/ER, getting GI's off choppers, etc. And I always remember on night at the 24th ER after a Mass Casualty that a young GI from the field walked up to me and said "I don't know how you do this every day and I'm glad I'm in the field". You know I don't wear the flag pin, Army or Vietnam T shirts or caps as I still cannot bring myself to do that and I still feel so much guilt. I did wear a couple shirts at the NE Vietnam reunion a couple years ago and for the first time my life felt I belonged. I feel it does not matter what I wear or what event I attend but what is in my heart and mind and it is always with those I served with, those wounded and killed. To all Veterans and Active Duty Military I want to say thank you for what you have done, are doing and will be doing. You are what makes our Country great and free.