For my Brothers and Sisters who fought in Vietnam - Would you go back on VACATION? If so, why.... and why not?

PO2 Robert M. This is an excellent question Robert. As you can see many people opened up because you posted this. Great share!!!

Yes , I. believe when your country calls , you answer, enough said

HELL NO. Why? Once had a t shirt that said "participate southeast Asia war games. SECOND PLACE. What am I supposed to do look for body parts my own Damn government left behind? Maybe show somebody the way to Hanoi so they could be bombed into oblivion like the entire Ruhr valley was.We were just cannon fodder. My friends are still dying.. can you cure my emphysema?

Never

Yes, just to see if there is any difference there. I think about civilians there that I grew close to.

Not my cup of tea. I tend to avoid areas that have "that smell". So I'm not into the 'Nam, Cambodia, Laos tourist mode. Got a nasty reminder of why I don't like the area in the mid '90s when I was over in Cambodia. Let's also include parts of Africa. Although I don't have a gag over Antarctica, I spent so much time there, the amount of been there done that doesn't need a booster shot.

Vietnam leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Over 58,000 Americans, many being draftees gave their life for a chance to give the Vietnamese people their freedom. The Politicians had to many rules about how we could fight the war. They were afraid The Chinese would enter the war like they did in Korea in 1950. Now the younger Vietnamese want to do business with the Americans so they can have a good economy and a better standard of living. Now they are afraid of the Chinese The Vietnamese want to be our friends. Both countries are communist. They have war museums and war memorials bragging how they beat the Americans. If someone wants to take a vacation in Vietnam it their business. Personally I never want to see that country again. I!m just happy I got back alive. Semper fi.

When I was in Vietnam (68-69, I Corps AOR), I thought the country was beautiful if not for the war. But I've never had any desire to go back - I saw enough of it when I was there. However, I've met USMC Vietnam veterans who felt compelled to go back for closure. The ones I talked to went back to their old op areas and found they couldn't recognize anything because of development and plant growth. The people there had aged/died and the kids had grown up. I know that some former commanders (like LtGen Ernest Cheatham, who commanded 2nd Bn, 5th Marines in the Battle of Hue City) occasionally lead veteran trips back to the 'Nam - I don't know if that counts as vacation. I was told that the local communist community leaders welcomed the vets back ($$$), and if the vets didn't take photos around military installations, they were left alone.

TSgt Joe C. CPT Aaron Kletzing CPT Jack Durish SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL COL Mikel J. Burroughs PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Marty Hogan Lt Col Charlie Brown SGT (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. SPC Douglas Bolton SP5 Mark Kuzinski CW5 Jack Cardwell Sgt Randy Wilber SCPO Morris Ramsey CMSgt (Join to see) LTC (Join to see)

I would and I have, 2005. I went alone, appended to business travel to Japan. Used a recommended agency over there but not a "tour", basically was appointed a driver/interp as I had my own agenda. It was extremely well handled and my visit pleasant. Tourism represents incoming hard currency & I had distinct feeling that this business (generally) is subject to state scrutiny & hospitality is, let us say, in everyone's general interest. Comport yourself appropriately & difficulty is extremely unlikely.