Written by my Beloved.
How do you describe the impact war has on the human psyche? The problem arises because there are so many different emotions to deal with. When your 18, 19, or 20 years old and you should be chasing your life’s dreams, instead you are dealing with the realities of war…life and death.
How do you describe the impact war has on the human psyche? The problem arises because there are so many different emotions to deal with. When your 18, 19, or 20 years old and you should be chasing your life’s dreams, instead you are dealing with the realities of war…life and death.
When one is put in this situation one of the first things that happens is the bond one develops with your commrades. This is born out of the reality that you’re trying to survive and return home alive, not in a body bag. This bond lasts throughout your lifetime and nothing or no one can break it. It’s very much like the bond between husband and wife and in some ways stronger. Thirty-five years have passed since I was in Vietnam yet I can look into the eyes of the friends I served with today and know that we shared a unique experience together, one of life and death and each of us understands and remember what happened.
I don’t know of one veteran who came home who in some way doesn't feel guilty because they survived. I often think of the loved one’s whose son, or husband, didn’t make it back. I think of a friend whose baby was born after we left and received a picture of her the day before he died. I remember how proud he was of her and how he spoke of his wife and how much he loved her. To explain this is above and beyond the scope of my comprehension and I’ll never really understand why. One of the responsibilities I feel is that during my lifetime not to forget these men and to honor their memory. I do regret not having the opportunity to visit any of their families and getting the chance to tell them they were brave soldiers who loved their families and their country.
Coming home was not an easy task. Everywhere you looked there were people of my age protesting and calling us “baby killers.” Not an easy thing to hear from people your own age, especially when you are sacrificing life and limb for them. I remember thinking of how immature they seemed and they were unable to understand or hear the real truth of what was really happening. I think most of us just wanted a hug and someone to tell us we did a good job, but we never received that.
Gene Greenberg, Sgt.
April 2004
D-Company
First Battalion
Eleventh Infantry
5th Division
Viet Nam 1967-1968
I don’t know of one veteran who came home who in some way doesn't feel guilty because they survived. I often think of the loved one’s whose son, or husband, didn’t make it back. I think of a friend whose baby was born after we left and received a picture of her the day before he died. I remember how proud he was of her and how he spoke of his wife and how much he loved her. To explain this is above and beyond the scope of my comprehension and I’ll never really understand why. One of the responsibilities I feel is that during my lifetime not to forget these men and to honor their memory. I do regret not having the opportunity to visit any of their families and getting the chance to tell them they were brave soldiers who loved their families and their country.
Coming home was not an easy task. Everywhere you looked there were people of my age protesting and calling us “baby killers.” Not an easy thing to hear from people your own age, especially when you are sacrificing life and limb for them. I remember thinking of how immature they seemed and they were unable to understand or hear the real truth of what was really happening. I think most of us just wanted a hug and someone to tell us we did a good job, but we never received that.
Gene Greenberg, Sgt.
April 2004
D-Company
First Battalion
Eleventh Infantry
5th Division
Viet Nam 1967-1968
When one is put in this situation one of the first things that happens is the bond you develop with each other. This is born out of the reality that you’re trying to survive and return home alive, not in a body bag. This bond lasts throughout your lifetime and nothing or no one can break it. It’s almost like the bond between husband and wife and in some ways stronger. Thirty-five years have passed since I was in Vietnam yet I can look into the eyes of the friends I served with today and know that we shared a unique experience together, one of life and death and each of us understands and remember what happened.
I don’t know of one veteran who came home who doesn’t in some way feel guilty because they survived. I often think of the loved one’s whose son, or husband, didn’t make it back. I think of a friend whose baby was born after we left and received a picture of her the day before he died. I remember how proud he was of her and how he spoke of his wife and how much he loved her. To explain this is above and beyond the scope of my comprehension and I’ll never really understand why. One of the responsibilities I feel is that during my lifetime not to forget these men and to honor their memory. I do regret not having the opportunity to visit any of their families and getting the chance to tell them they were brave soldiers who loved their families and their country.
Coming home was not an easy task. Everywhere you looked there were people of my age protesting and calling us “baby killers.” Not an easy thing to hear from people your own age, especially when you are sacrificing life and limb for them. I remember thinking of how immature they seemed and they were unable to understand or hear the real truth of what was really happening. I think most of us just wanted a hug and someone to tell us we did a good job, but we never received that.
April, 2004
Gene Greenberg, Sgt.
D-Company
First Battalion
Eleventh Infantry
5th Division
Viet Nam 1967-1968
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