A Minnesota PBS Initiative
Words spoken at a Reunion
We were born... sons of the greatest generation. It influenced everything.
Being raised in the aftermath of World War Two made us the first generation to understand that the entire world depended on us for its liberty. Britain couldn't survive on its own, France couldn't, the Philippines couldn't. We were necessary.
Add to this the spectacular way in which we led the defeat of the axis powers and... there was no doubt we were the most formidable military machine ever created. As kids we were euphoric. We fought heroic battles in our back yards. We carved out epic victories and died magnificent deaths. We watched John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Audie Murphy and many others reenact the greatest battles from that war and we begged our dads to tell us stories.
Confusion and disillusionment crept into our psyches. As years dragged by our sense of invincibility waned we began believing Vietnam was a lost cause.
But there were no stories told. It was as though the stories were so sacred that only those baptized by fire were worthy of hearing. Somehow we understood... confirming the sanctity of the sacrifices and cementing our recognition that being an American meant something very special. It meant we would be prepared to pour out our last full measure of devotion in defense of the poor and helpless around the world.
And... we would be ready. We honed our combative skills through team sports...a phenomenon that exploded onto our generation. Outcome was critical. We had to win. It proved our worth. But it was all prelude to us assuming our fathers' places in the world. And we would be ready. As Sir Lancelot said to King Arthur, "I have the strength of ten men because my heart is pure".
Before we knew it our turn came... and things began falling apart.
1969.
Not immediately. When LtCol Moore carved out a spectacular victory for the 7th Cavalry in the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965 we weren't surprised... it was expected. What surprised us was how they left the valley, won at great cost, allowing the Vietnam Cong to reoccupy it. It happened time and again. Charlie Company knows that.
What was the strategic plan? We were mighty in battle but were making no progress. In 1968 our Marines fought the bloodiest battle of the war, in Hue, and prevailed... and walked away. Confusion and disillusionment crept into our psyches. As years dragged by our sense of invincibility waned we began believing Vietnam was a lost cause. Could we possibly be squandering the sacred trust hand to us by our fathers? Could we possibly lose this war? Or worse... quit?
It was such an affront to our morality that we brought our sacred stories home and told anybody who would listen just to try and explain we weren't the pathetic losers we appeared to be.
Then it happened. It was such an affront to our morality that we brought our sacred stories home and told anybody who would listen just to try and explain we weren't the pathetic losers we appeared to be. But... nobody was interested. And we've been living with that guilt ever since. Is it any wonder we lead demographics in suicide, homelessness and drug abuse?
Why am I telling you all this?
First, Vietnam was not our war. We were raised to believe human life had Divine worth and war always had the grand strategic objective of protecting humanity. We believed war was fought for moral causes and was conducted with honor. Vietnam had none of these. General H.R. McMasters reveals in his book Dereliction of Duty that Vietnam was an ad hoc effort by Robert McNamara to induce Ho Chi Minh to stay above the 17th parallel. In his mind it was not a war. It was a political game of "oneupmanship". It felt a lot like war where we stood. We know combat is not intended to induce political behavior. It is intended to defeat and destroy. This explains how we often were on the precipice of violent decisive victories and were told to disengage.
As it turns out, McNamara was more afraid of losing face on the world stage than he was of losing American lives on the battlefield. He is quoted as saying "if it takes combat deaths to maintain America's standing in the world it will be worth it".
Second, we did not fail. A Vietnam veteran returned from a visit to Vietnam a few years ago and opined to my friend, Chaplain Lee Thompson, "Lee, we actually won that war. I was just in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and the people are capitalists. They love Americans, use American money and own there own little businesses. Isn't that what we fought for?" His premise was that our presence there, for ten years, gave the people time to assimilate western capitalistic values that communism has not been able to defeat.
Third, our participation in a war of somebody else's making... in which we engaged with the purity of Lancelot's heart... cannot be judged by anyone other than the soldier who stood beside you and depended on you for his very life. My heart swells with pride as I look at this band of brothers today. Jesus said "Greater love has no man than he who will give his life for his friend". I know these words were fulfilled in your heart many times during your tour(s). We recall the names of fallen brothers who fulfilled these words with there very flesh and all of a sudden, the stories are too sacred to share beyond this group.
2003.
We have been blessed to live in a nation that is willing to sacrifice its blood and treasure for the sake of those in need. It makes the world a better place. We are blessed to have been given the legacy from our fathers that encouraged us to think of others before ourselves. It makes us a better nation. We have been blessed to have been afforded to opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of that sacred trust. It has made us better people.
In closing, let me encourage you with this. Next time you see someone who appears to be a refugee to our great country... remember these words of our Lord: "when you have done this for the least of these you have done it for me".
God bless you...
Chaplain Lee M. Thompson
Colonel, USAF (retired)
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Pittsburgh, PA
Primary Location During Vietnam: Minneapolis, United States 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Army
Dates of Service: 1968 - 1974
Unit: C Battery, 1/92 Artillery
Specialty: 13E20
Story Themes: American Exceptionalism, C Battery, Charlie Company, Coming Home, Dissent, Patriotism, Reflection, Refugee, Religion
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