The year was 1995 and Post 7 of the American Legion, here in Gainesville, was having a series of receptions to honor the people who had served in the various wars. When we got to the Vietnam War we realized there were a lot of veterans from that war who really did not want to attend that meeting, mostly because - they said - memories of their treatment during that war were something they wanted to put behind them.
While they had been in Vietnam a lot of the news they got from home was about so-called peace rallies, and street riots against what they were doing. One, who had been a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton, said he got "sick and tired" of listening to Jane Fonda and watching TV about anti-Vietnam war rallies in the U. S. The American antiwar rallies were some of the best propaganda the North Vietnamese had.
The night the Vietnam vets came to the Legion, and a large number of them did, we asked those with Purple Hearts to come to the stage. There were eight of them, and as the program went along I turned and looked at one of those Purple Heart veterans. He was a big bear of a man, with an attractive wife, and there were tears in his eyes. Tears. "This is the first time since I came home 20 years ago," he said, "that any group has publicly said 'thank you'."
And I swore then and there that I would never again let Americans ... no matter how well-meaning they might be ... provide our enemies with propaganda material that could be used against our troops without speaking up. No, not just without speaking up, but also fighting if need be for our troops. There is time for debate, but once our troops are in combat the time for debate is over with. Today, our troops are in combat, and in my book you and I are either for them or against them. I am for them. I am for America.
This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.
Tuesday
August 5th, 2025
4:52AM
