How this Geezer did it in the beginning
- Thread starter Paul B
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Quick question Paul before I probably derail this again. I believe maybe it was a few pages back or maybe in another one of your threads but you are holding up a rather large crab. Was that food after one of your boating trips for your tank or was that fella actually in your tank? Just curious.
On the vet topic real quick. It is of my opinion that not vets or not having served don't really understand it or the bond. It doesn't matter if you deployed or when but it does matter about the same generic theme of training we all started under regardless of branch. There is a bond that is somewhat hard to describe. I've tried to explain it to some of my friends and in the end just say to heck with it and move on. I also think while I'm on the subject that one of my biggest issues with some Vets today is that they feel the need to glorify what they have done.
They write books or star in movies raising awareness to their actions. Seems karma has a way of doing bad things because we later read again in the papers or news feeds that happen to said people. Now flip back to earlier campaigns and a lot of the military people upon return didn't speak about what they did. Why? Probably because it was horrible what they had to do in order to get back home. Wolf Packs in WWII, etc. In the end you may go throughout your whole life talking to your neighbor, having BBQ's, your daughter babysitting etc, never knowing that person was a decorated WWII vet...
Hell, I didn't know my Uncle whom recently passed was credited with shooting down 2 planes in WWII during pearl harbor attacks. Upon further reading it was the story of how he and his friend did it that was amazing and why they said they did it. Point being he was my father figured for so many years yet he never spoke of it or their accomplishments. Today, however, some movie company would own rights and make something out of it.
And don't get me started on the poor men and women who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Media made them animals and horrible people to which many this day haven't recovered. Heck, I walk my dogs daily and pass by this one house which has a grandmother for peace sign on her garage. She has a body count on it. Not sure what she is protesting, it is her right. Yet every time I pass by guess where I let my dogs go potty...
She can protest, so can I. I guess my point is in today's time a little part of me dies when vets talk or brag about their accomplishments compared to the earlier generations. And it bugs me for some reason...
On the vet topic real quick. It is of my opinion that not vets or not having served don't really understand it or the bond. It doesn't matter if you deployed or when but it does matter about the same generic theme of training we all started under regardless of branch. There is a bond that is somewhat hard to describe. I've tried to explain it to some of my friends and in the end just say to heck with it and move on. I also think while I'm on the subject that one of my biggest issues with some Vets today is that they feel the need to glorify what they have done.
They write books or star in movies raising awareness to their actions. Seems karma has a way of doing bad things because we later read again in the papers or news feeds that happen to said people. Now flip back to earlier campaigns and a lot of the military people upon return didn't speak about what they did. Why? Probably because it was horrible what they had to do in order to get back home. Wolf Packs in WWII, etc. In the end you may go throughout your whole life talking to your neighbor, having BBQ's, your daughter babysitting etc, never knowing that person was a decorated WWII vet...
Hell, I didn't know my Uncle whom recently passed was credited with shooting down 2 planes in WWII during pearl harbor attacks. Upon further reading it was the story of how he and his friend did it that was amazing and why they said they did it. Point being he was my father figured for so many years yet he never spoke of it or their accomplishments. Today, however, some movie company would own rights and make something out of it.
And don't get me started on the poor men and women who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Media made them animals and horrible people to which many this day haven't recovered. Heck, I walk my dogs daily and pass by this one house which has a grandmother for peace sign on her garage. She has a body count on it. Not sure what she is protesting, it is her right. Yet every time I pass by guess where I let my dogs go potty...
She can protest, so can I. I guess my point is in today's time a little part of me dies when vets talk or brag about their accomplishments compared to the earlier generations. And it bugs me for some reason...
SpartaReef
New member
:thumbsup:Saf
steamer51
New member
saf1 - I strongly believe "vets (that) talk or brag about their accomplishments" never did anything that really affected them. If they had experienced the true horrors of war they would not want to remember it or talk about it as you pointed out. I speak not from experience since my service was at the time of Vietnam but not performed anywhere close to the war. I just know Vets, as you mentioned, that won't talk about it. I commend Paul B. for sharing some of his experience. It must be difficult to relive those times but the stories must be told or they will be lost. My father at 87 is just now starting to open up about some of his WWII experiences and I'm spending as much time as I can with him to hear him out. Sometimes true heroes, not braggarts, will speak about it and we need to listen when they do. I was outside of a frag swap a few years ago and a gentleman saw my USS Little Rock cap and started talking about the service. He was trapped inside the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing for a couple of days before they were able to dig the survivors out. He didn't say much about it but I was honored that he chose me to share it with when the time came he needed to talk.
Paul B
Premium Member
That is a blue claw crab and I collected about 40 of them and they are in my freezer and are destined for crab sauce. I went crabbing today with my boat in that tide pool where I collect amphipods. I didn't get any crabs but saw the largest blue claw crab I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of crabs.
I also had a mis hap today. I went to take the tiny 50 year old 1 3/4 hp outboard off my dinghy, and the bottom part of the engine fell into the water. prop, shaft, exhaust pipe and all. It was high tide so I couldn't get it although I snorkeled for 30 minutes looking. I will go back tomorrow at low tide and see if I can fine it. I pushed the "Man Overboard button" so I can anchor in the same exact place. If I can't find it, I will try to buy a used one.
On the Veteran thing, usually Veterans talk to each other about what they did as to tel other people will be like bragging and they probably would not understand anyway.
I talk about it with two of my friends who were there the same time as me, but we were not in the same place. My one friend was infantry and about 3 years ago they awarded him a purple heart. After 42 years. My other friend was a dog handler there and that was a tough job as no one went near the guy with the killer dog. Now he runs a dog training company that he started.
One guy I was with got the Medal of honor, and he deserved it. His name is Peter Lemon.
I talk about the living conditions, helocopters and stuff like that but I don't think I ever posted combat stories as this is a fish forum and I also don't want to remember that stuff, but the conditions, rain, bugs, C-rations and all that is no big deal to discuss. We are also friends now with the Vietnamese, people go there on vacation and it just would not be proper.
This is Peter Lemon's story, I was there with him but he deserved the medal of Honor for his actions.
There were also quite of few other people there that probably would have gotten that award if someone would have seen and recorded what they did. I am sure today there are plenty of extreamly brave people but someone has to see what you did, then live to tell someone. No, not me. I certainly didn't deserve anything like that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_C._Lemon
SpartaReef
New member
You're a hero to us Paul, both as a veteran and as one of the first reeftank keepers! :beachbum:
WOW! I am almost speechless. This comes off as just typical of this generation of self centered, entitled, weak, underachieving whiners that want everything handed to them without some effort and hard work!
Paul worked his *** off for what he has! This man has been to war and you have the gall to say this to him. WOW!
Paul B
Premium Member
Glennf. I see you are from the Netherlands. Yesterday I was on my boat and we had friends tied up next to us with their much larger boat. Anyway, a couple of years ago my friend gave me a small outboard motor for my Dinghy (small boat)
It was his Father N Laws motor and it was fifty years old. His Father N Law was also from the Netherlands. I lifted the motor off the transom of the boat, and the entire lower part of the motor fell into the sea, I was just holding the motor part but the propeller, shaft and bracket fell off. I never heard of half a motor falling off. I snorkeled for half an hour but I couldn't find it as the tide was coming in. I am going back there today at low tide to see if I could locate it. I love that tiny little motor but It also have sentimental value because it belonged to my old Dutch friend.
He is long dead but I could hear him now yelling at me. I miss that old Dutchman
See what I mean? I just read a few posts up, and I told that same story last night. Boy, am I getting old!
It was his Father N Laws motor and it was fifty years old. His Father N Law was also from the Netherlands. I lifted the motor off the transom of the boat, and the entire lower part of the motor fell into the sea, I was just holding the motor part but the propeller, shaft and bracket fell off. I never heard of half a motor falling off. I snorkeled for half an hour but I couldn't find it as the tide was coming in. I am going back there today at low tide to see if I could locate it. I love that tiny little motor but It also have sentimental value because it belonged to my old Dutch friend.
He is long dead but I could hear him now yelling at me. I miss that old Dutchman
See what I mean? I just read a few posts up, and I told that same story last night. Boy, am I getting old!
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SpartaReef
New member
We love you Paul, like a grandfather, which you are a great one. Keep telling us stories, we're enthralled.
Paul B
Premium Member
No stories that I can think of just now. But at low tide today I will be in the water looking for the lower half of my outboard. Otherwize I will try to buy a small used one.
While I am there I will also stock up on amphipods, mud (for the bacteria) and maybe some more blue claw crabs.
I want to get another underwater camera because my old one uses film. This year we will do some diving in Hawaii but besides that I need it just for this tide pool. If I bring my Granddaughter there I don't want to carry a land camera.
While I am there I will also stock up on amphipods, mud (for the bacteria) and maybe some more blue claw crabs.
I want to get another underwater camera because my old one uses film. This year we will do some diving in Hawaii but besides that I need it just for this tide pool. If I bring my Granddaughter there I don't want to carry a land camera.
Paul B
Premium Member
I thought it was low tide at 1:00 but it is later.
Speaking about being resourceful and being able to make money, I just thought of something appropriate. A couple of years ago my wife and I went to Sicily. My Grandparents were born in this tiny fishing village there. Anyway we toured the entire island and the town my family comes from is not a tourist spot so it is hard to get to. We tried for 3 days to get someone to drive us there and translate as I only know a couple of words in Italian (one of them is Dean Martin)
There was just nobody who was willing to drive us there and like 50% of the people are standing around because there is no work there. Everyone is dressed like they are going to the Oscars, but they have no job so we figured it would be easy to find someone willing to make one or two hundred Euro's. Eventually we found this beautiful 18 year old college girl who said she would take us. She showed up in a 9 person van with a driver. The town was 2 hours away and gas cost about as much as olive oil there.
The morning she picked us up we were the only ones in that van and we went to the town. All the time she had her cell phone at her ear and she was smoking a cigarette. We get to the town and she takes us into this ruin. We thought it was a ruin but it was the town hall. It must have been from the early Roman Empire, but beautiful. She tells the ancient lady there our name and immediately the woman says, Aah Baldassano and opens to the page of this 100lb book that looked like it was from a Harry Potter movie.
She gives us this address and we head off to look for my Grandfather's house.
On the way through the tiny cobblestone roads (actually donkey paths) she stops to ask this guy directions. They are talking back and forth and occasionally she would ask me something and translate to this guy.
Then the man says something in perfect English. I said, wait a minute, you speak English? He says, Yes, I spent 40 years in Bayone New Jersey.
I don't know, maybe it's me:facepalm: So he directs us to my GrandFather's house and on the way we hear these old ladies in dark hallways whispering, Baldassano, Americana. We finally arrive at the house and it was in surprisingly good condition for something built probably 200 years ago. It looked like the Flintstone house, made of large stones overlooking the seaport filled with wooden boats. If my GrandFather came back today, he would fit right in as that town has not aged since Columbus jet skiid there.
When we got back to Palermo where we started I noticed that that girl still had that phone on her ear and she never stopped smoking. I paid her and wanted to give her a tip but all I had was a Fifty Euro and I wanted to give her forty. I asked her for change of a fifty. She looked in her pockets, bag, glove compartment and asked the driver if he had any money. Now she smoked about $30.00 worth of cigarettes and used probably another $50.00 in phone minutes along with at least $150.00 in gas. Her boots were probably $400.00 along with the rest of her very expensive outfit, but she didn't have a nickel, or whatever the Italian equivalent is. She was with us for maybe 9 hours. So I went into the 4 star hotel we were staying in. I walked up to Gina Lollabrigita behind the counter and asked for change. She asked the girl next to her, Sofia Lauren, who reached under the counter and produced a coffee can. The can had some paper clips, bobby pins, pretzels and some lint. This was a four star hotel in the largest city in Sicily. Again, maybe it's me. :wildone:
Then I told the girl who guided us that she could make a lot of money driving people to see their ancestors as most of the people in our hotel wanted to hire someone. She looked at me like I had two heads, the thought of making easy money, or any money was so foreign to her. It went right over her head. I don't know who paid for all those cigarettes, cell phones, gas, boots and dynamite clothes. I must be doing something wrong. :sad2:
Speaking about being resourceful and being able to make money, I just thought of something appropriate. A couple of years ago my wife and I went to Sicily. My Grandparents were born in this tiny fishing village there. Anyway we toured the entire island and the town my family comes from is not a tourist spot so it is hard to get to. We tried for 3 days to get someone to drive us there and translate as I only know a couple of words in Italian (one of them is Dean Martin)
There was just nobody who was willing to drive us there and like 50% of the people are standing around because there is no work there. Everyone is dressed like they are going to the Oscars, but they have no job so we figured it would be easy to find someone willing to make one or two hundred Euro's. Eventually we found this beautiful 18 year old college girl who said she would take us. She showed up in a 9 person van with a driver. The town was 2 hours away and gas cost about as much as olive oil there.
The morning she picked us up we were the only ones in that van and we went to the town. All the time she had her cell phone at her ear and she was smoking a cigarette. We get to the town and she takes us into this ruin. We thought it was a ruin but it was the town hall. It must have been from the early Roman Empire, but beautiful. She tells the ancient lady there our name and immediately the woman says, Aah Baldassano and opens to the page of this 100lb book that looked like it was from a Harry Potter movie.
She gives us this address and we head off to look for my Grandfather's house.
On the way through the tiny cobblestone roads (actually donkey paths) she stops to ask this guy directions. They are talking back and forth and occasionally she would ask me something and translate to this guy.
Then the man says something in perfect English. I said, wait a minute, you speak English? He says, Yes, I spent 40 years in Bayone New Jersey.
I don't know, maybe it's me:facepalm: So he directs us to my GrandFather's house and on the way we hear these old ladies in dark hallways whispering, Baldassano, Americana. We finally arrive at the house and it was in surprisingly good condition for something built probably 200 years ago. It looked like the Flintstone house, made of large stones overlooking the seaport filled with wooden boats. If my GrandFather came back today, he would fit right in as that town has not aged since Columbus jet skiid there.
When we got back to Palermo where we started I noticed that that girl still had that phone on her ear and she never stopped smoking. I paid her and wanted to give her a tip but all I had was a Fifty Euro and I wanted to give her forty. I asked her for change of a fifty. She looked in her pockets, bag, glove compartment and asked the driver if he had any money. Now she smoked about $30.00 worth of cigarettes and used probably another $50.00 in phone minutes along with at least $150.00 in gas. Her boots were probably $400.00 along with the rest of her very expensive outfit, but she didn't have a nickel, or whatever the Italian equivalent is. She was with us for maybe 9 hours. So I went into the 4 star hotel we were staying in. I walked up to Gina Lollabrigita behind the counter and asked for change. She asked the girl next to her, Sofia Lauren, who reached under the counter and produced a coffee can. The can had some paper clips, bobby pins, pretzels and some lint. This was a four star hotel in the largest city in Sicily. Again, maybe it's me. :wildone:
Then I told the girl who guided us that she could make a lot of money driving people to see their ancestors as most of the people in our hotel wanted to hire someone. She looked at me like I had two heads, the thought of making easy money, or any money was so foreign to her. It went right over her head. I don't know who paid for all those cigarettes, cell phones, gas, boots and dynamite clothes. I must be doing something wrong. :sad2:
I'm in California otherwise I'd be there in a heart beat. In fact, my dive gear is all ready to go in case we need it. Speaking of, just got back from vacation about 2 weeks ago and snuck in 3 days of warm water diving. I'm usually in 49 to 54 degree f water so when I entered the water and my watch was reading 89 degrees f I was like oh wow, this is too hot!
7 foot green moray was probably the highlight of the trip although the huge eagle ray that swam overhead was a close second. I'd probably give the moray the nod though because he actually left his rock wall or home and swam right at me and my dive buddy (thus me knowing about how large he actually was). The eagle ray was actually very large and blocked out the sun has he passed overhead. However, I was at about 101 feet so couldn't get closer but he or she did make a couple passes. Very majestic. And how that animal even came close is still a mystery because a couple other divers in the area had some major issues causing the dive master some serious issues surrounding all of their safety
7 foot green moray was probably the highlight of the trip although the huge eagle ray that swam overhead was a close second. I'd probably give the moray the nod though because he actually left his rock wall or home and swam right at me and my dive buddy (thus me knowing about how large he actually was). The eagle ray was actually very large and blocked out the sun has he passed overhead. However, I was at about 101 feet so couldn't get closer but he or she did make a couple passes. Very majestic. And how that animal even came close is still a mystery because a couple other divers in the area had some major issues causing the dive master some serious issues surrounding all of their safety
Paul B
Premium Member
I like warm water diving but here in NY now the water is 70 degrees which is perfect. My tanks are empty and out of inspection so I had to snorkel to look for my outboard. All I found was horseshoe crabs. I may have better luck tomorow as the water will be shallow enough to walk.
reeftanknewbie
New member
I agree with this.
I also agree with most things regarding the veteran discussion. I am a vet myself and miss the banter and bond with other vets especially those who have served when I did. I also treat war vets now for PTSD and addiction and feel that everyone's experience is there own and that all war is a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences. Sharing the stories of war has become popular in the treatment of PTSD and other healing of war. Intercept in manhattan is one example that gives war vets a chance to share their experiences with civilians to reduce the feelings of being different and isolation. It took me close to 20 yrs before I shared some of my stories with some close friends and family after they asked.
Glorifying stories to me however for profit is in poor taste and happens a lot less then you think given the numbers of men and women who have served in over the decade of war: OIF, OEF, OND. This not include the campaigns since desert storm 1991-2004.
Stolen valor is and has been such a big problem. I can't tell you how many I have come across that claim there are a war or combat vet only to find out they are not. And it's done usually for profit or popularity. I had a guy once sit next to me at a bar telling me a story about his war experience. What he did not know was that I served during that same time and proceeded to punch holes in his story and he quickly was made and the crowd that gathered left once they saw him as a fraud. This stuff chaps my @ss more then the story telling. At least those that have severed have earned the right to talk about it.
Just my opinions......thanks for listening.
Paul B
Premium Member
I know there are many Vets with PTSD as I see so many Vets from Viet Nam on drugs, unemployed or just miserable. It did that to some people. Other people, like me I think, came back better. (My wife doesn't think so) I can see it in people today who didn't serve, even in people my age. I have a close friend who did not serve, he is a good American but was a little young for the draft. Anyway, we go out to restaurants a lot and when he orders anything he has to specify what type of lettuce and how it is to be cut, a specific type of pepper, olives, onions and especially wine. It must be the correct vintage from the right region of where ever. The desert is never what is in the menu, he will pick some obscure thing for them to make.
Then he picks all the stuff he doesn't like out of his plate.
I, on the other hand, order whatever is on the menu, and eat everything on my plate. The type of lettuce, onions, pickles, olives or wine doesn't concern me. I ate C rations for a year and there are 12 different C Rations, none very good but it was food and it kept you alive. If you didn't like it, you didn't eat as that was all you had. There was also no snacking, unless you were a panda bear and liked bamboo, so you got all that food snobbery out of you.
I also don't care if air conditioning was ever invented as heat and cold do not bother me and rain means nothing as the monsoons had more rain in one day than I experience in New York in 10 years. I don't own an umbrella as that is for Sissies:artist:
These are not things I want to do again, but they made my life much easier.
I don't complain and I really hate it when someone does. I know it is a fact of life and we all have pain and things go wrong but we have to get over it.
Even on this site how many people go on if a fish dies? It's a fish. I eat fish almost every day and if you have leather shoes on, you killed a cow, or for the wealthy people, an alligator or Emu, snake, whatever :smokin:.
That is why a Vet, especially a combat Vet can tell another Vet even in a crowd. I don't know exactly what it is but a Vet can tell.
With me it is easy because I have Viet Nam Vet license plates on my car :beer:
So many hero's come back missing parts or have real problems. I feel for those people.
I realize people watch war movies and they glorify war and also make some of it more violent than it is. Of course war is violent, more violent than movies could depict, but not every second like in movies, no one would be here if that was so. Most of the time it was boredom with nothing to do. If you are in a clearing in the jungle, or the desert I guess, and there are no enemy around, it is pouring, you have nothing to read and no light, bed, roof, walls, clean water, electricity or Babes, just rats, you can get very bored and depressed. When it Is dark, you can't see your hand in front of you and you certainly don't want to light a fire. So boredom is sometimes worse than combat which at least is exciting. Maybe not the kind of excitement you want to do, but it keeps you alert.
Another thing is death. I am not going to talk about that as it pertains to war but if someone sees a dead person that may have died in an accident, it is a huge thing and they remember it and it may affect someone for a long time. But if you see a hundred dead bodies at the same time, and you see that a few times, the next time you see a poor soul who died in an accident, it doesn't affect you much. Sort of why some doctors don't have much of a bedside manner, they see sick and dying people in pain every day so it changes you. Maybe not for the better, but it definitely changes you.
I don't think I am a cold person but my wife tells me that is one way the war changed me. She thinks I don't have enough empathy and she may be right. She even tells me she wishes she went to war so she would not be as affected as me when these things happen.
It just changes people. That is also probably why occasionally people on here yell at me for saying something that doesn't come out correctly.
Then he picks all the stuff he doesn't like out of his plate.
I, on the other hand, order whatever is on the menu, and eat everything on my plate. The type of lettuce, onions, pickles, olives or wine doesn't concern me. I ate C rations for a year and there are 12 different C Rations, none very good but it was food and it kept you alive. If you didn't like it, you didn't eat as that was all you had. There was also no snacking, unless you were a panda bear and liked bamboo, so you got all that food snobbery out of you.
I also don't care if air conditioning was ever invented as heat and cold do not bother me and rain means nothing as the monsoons had more rain in one day than I experience in New York in 10 years. I don't own an umbrella as that is for Sissies:artist:
These are not things I want to do again, but they made my life much easier.
I don't complain and I really hate it when someone does. I know it is a fact of life and we all have pain and things go wrong but we have to get over it.
Even on this site how many people go on if a fish dies? It's a fish. I eat fish almost every day and if you have leather shoes on, you killed a cow, or for the wealthy people, an alligator or Emu, snake, whatever :smokin:.
That is why a Vet, especially a combat Vet can tell another Vet even in a crowd. I don't know exactly what it is but a Vet can tell.
With me it is easy because I have Viet Nam Vet license plates on my car :beer:
So many hero's come back missing parts or have real problems. I feel for those people.
I realize people watch war movies and they glorify war and also make some of it more violent than it is. Of course war is violent, more violent than movies could depict, but not every second like in movies, no one would be here if that was so. Most of the time it was boredom with nothing to do. If you are in a clearing in the jungle, or the desert I guess, and there are no enemy around, it is pouring, you have nothing to read and no light, bed, roof, walls, clean water, electricity or Babes, just rats, you can get very bored and depressed. When it Is dark, you can't see your hand in front of you and you certainly don't want to light a fire. So boredom is sometimes worse than combat which at least is exciting. Maybe not the kind of excitement you want to do, but it keeps you alert.
Another thing is death. I am not going to talk about that as it pertains to war but if someone sees a dead person that may have died in an accident, it is a huge thing and they remember it and it may affect someone for a long time. But if you see a hundred dead bodies at the same time, and you see that a few times, the next time you see a poor soul who died in an accident, it doesn't affect you much. Sort of why some doctors don't have much of a bedside manner, they see sick and dying people in pain every day so it changes you. Maybe not for the better, but it definitely changes you.
I don't think I am a cold person but my wife tells me that is one way the war changed me. She thinks I don't have enough empathy and she may be right. She even tells me she wishes she went to war so she would not be as affected as me when these things happen.
It just changes people. That is also probably why occasionally people on here yell at me for saying something that doesn't come out correctly.
SpartaReef
New member
:thumbsup
aul:thumbsup:
aul:thumbsup:
reeftanknewbie
New member
I know there are many Vets with PTSD as I see so many Vets from Viet Nam on drugs, unemployed or just miserable. It did that to some people. Other people, like me I think, came back better. (My wife doesn't think so) I can see it in people today who didn't serve, even in people my age. I have a close friend who did not serve, he is a good American but was a little young for the draft. Anyway, we go out to restaurants a lot and when he orders anything he has to specify what type of lettuce and how it is to be cut, a specific type of pepper, olives, onions and especially wine. It must be the correct vintage from the right region of where ever. The desert is never what is in the menu, he will pick some obscure thing for them to make.
Then he picks all the stuff he doesn't like out of his plate.
I, on the other hand, order whatever is on the menu, and eat everything on my plate. The type of lettuce, onions, pickles, olives or wine doesn't concern me. I ate C rations for a year and there are 12 different C Rations, none very good but it was food and it kept you alive. If you didn't like it, you didn't eat as that was all you had. There was also no snacking, unless you were a panda bear and liked bamboo, so you got all that food snobbery out of you.
I also don't care if air conditioning was ever invented as heat and cold do not bother me and rain means nothing as the monsoons had more rain in one day than I experience in New York in 10 years. I don't own an umbrella as that is for Sissies:artist:
These are not things I want to do again, but they made my life much easier.
I don't complain and I really hate it when someone does. I know it is a fact of life and we all have pain and things go wrong but we have to get over it.
Even on this site how many people go on if a fish dies? It's a fish. I eat fish almost every day and if you have leather shoes on, you killed a cow, or for the wealthy people, an alligator or Emu, snake, whatever :smokin:.
That is why a Vet, especially a combat Vet can tell another Vet even in a crowd. I don't know exactly what it is but a Vet can tell.
With me it is easy because I have Viet Nam Vet license plates on my car :beer:
So many hero's come back missing parts or have real problems. I feel for those people.
I realize people watch war movies and they glorify war and also make some of it more violent than it is. Of course war is violent, more violent than movies could depict, but not every second like in movies, no one would be here if that was so. Most of the time it was boredom with nothing to do. If you are in a clearing in the jungle, or the desert I guess, and there are no enemy around, it is pouring, you have nothing to read and no light, bed, roof, walls, clean water, electricity or Babes, just rats, you can get very bored and depressed. When it Is dark, you can't see your hand in front of you and you certainly don't want to light a fire. So boredom is sometimes worse than combat which at least is exciting. Maybe not the kind of excitement you want to do, but it keeps you alert.
Another thing is death. I am not going to talk about that as it pertains to war but if someone sees a dead person that may have died in an accident, it is a huge thing and they remember it and it may affect someone for a long time. But if you see a hundred dead bodies at the same time, and you see that a few times, the next time you see a poor soul who died in an accident, it doesn't affect you much. Sort of why some doctors don't have much of a bedside manner, they see sick and dying people in pain every day so it changes you. Maybe not for the better, but it definitely changes you.
I don't think I am a cold person but my wife tells me that is one way the war changed me. She thinks I don't have enough empathy and she may be right. She even tells me she wishes she went to war so she would not be as affected as me when these things happen.
It just changes people. That is also probably why occasionally people on here yell at me for saying something that doesn't come out correctly.
Paul. I agree. I eat everything and complain about nothing. I ask for nothing and expect the same. I believe in earning what you need and hate handouts. I believe war changes us all in different ways. I am more great full for life having survived my experiences and am know to be good under pressure. While war is not like a movie my memories of it seem that way.
It was sad to be at the VA the other day seeing some many guys younger then I without legs and arms.
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