Wednesday, September 05, 2007

To Never Forget Those Left Behind ing Vietnam

Well, I am a 58yo USMC 68-72/jarhead prc-25 humping grunt who served in Vietnam I Corps 69-70. I was one of six Congressman sons to have served in country RVN. Both my step-father and mother were U.S. Senators. I have been wearing several different POW/MIA bracelets and also one Montenegro's (Bru) bracelet dug out of the attic since 11/82 when involved with VVA 134 out of Dayton Beach, Fl., and went to the original Wall Dedication/5th & 10th yrs as well.

The VVA comradeships and I think subsequent involvement with the National League of Families in the 80's and early 90's probably kept me from going over the edge to personal self-destruction. This bracelet replaces my last broken one. I never knew Major. Henry Allen-USAF, but I was in/out of northern I Corps and Laos (where he was shot down) on Uncle Ho's trail when he became MIA. I was blessed to meet his surviving brother several times who lives/or lived in the greater Dayton area and he was kind enough way back when to speak publicly on September-National POW-MIA Day functions.

There is no description of the pain that would suffice to describe what he and many of the brave surviving family members felt and still feel. So many with no welcome home. No one has the corner on the market for pain! So I wear this bracelet to Never Forget Those Left Behind nor the values of humility and long suffering of those American MIA Familes.

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