A TIME OF HEALING
I am writing short stories about our service men, who
fought in Viet Nam and what they had to go through, returning to the USA and
to their families (I will attempt to express their feelings). I have not
compiled all of my notes yet from talking to these men. Please note that I
am not forgetting the women who served in the military, as well.
My first story is about my brother, Anthony L. Gould.
Tony served two terms in Viet Nam as a Marine from
1963-1967. In returning home to the USA and arriving at Seattle Tacoma
Airport (SeaTac) in 1967, he departed from the airplane and had to
be hit with sneers and yelling (baby killers) and spitting on him from
protesters. He had fought as every military person did (and many giving
their lives) to give these same people the right to protest. THEN AND NOW.
In returning home Tony went to a family reunion, one of
the family members told him that he had no reason to be in Viet Nam. Tony
told him �I was following orders from my Commander in Chief, the
President.� (Webmaster’s note: Who was Commander-in-Chief at that time?)
The first time that Tony drove his own car on the
Interstate 5, the speed limit was 70mph. He drove in the slow lane doing
20-30 mph. I asked him why so slow and Tony said, �I was looking for land
mines.� He continued, �When you�re in a fox hole and you can hear bullets
zinging all around you don�t know if one of them has your name on it. There
are no atheist�s in any fox hole they all were saying, OH, MY GOD, HELP ME.�
I told Tony why I wanted to get this
information from him. The biggest reason was I believed Tony needed for his
brother or someone to take the time to ask questions and write down what he
and all of the military personally went through. After talking to Tony, I could see from the beginning of our talk to the end the
big difference in him, he looked relieved of a big burden (A time of
Healing), I said, �Tony I don�t know (I think I did) if I
ever thanked you for serving our country in the Viet Nam war. I am thanking
you now, and I have always been proud of you, especially in serving in Viet
Nam.
To the men and women who served in the Viet Nam war, I thank
you.. You are loved and respected for protecting our freedoms and rights
as citizens of the greatest country on earth. All VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND I MEAN EVERYTHING that you have given to us, our
freedoms and so very much more. Father in Heaven, I thank you for these
honorable men and women. Bless them all in a MIGHTY WAY, and heal their
hurting hearts.
PS: Tony is among many of our military personal that
have Agent Orange illness from Vietnam. America, �SUPPORT OUR TROOPS� now
and those who have served in the past.