Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
They’re all in uniform
Oh, when will we ever learn?
Oh, when will we ever learn?
– Pete Seeger of Peter, Paul and Mary, 1962
Again, Dear Readers, this week I digress somewhat from my usual on the topic for this column … you might consider it “Part II” of last week’s column sharing my reflections on the “Dry Cleaning Man” and subsequent musings on the importance of recognizing National Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day on March 29 of each year.
And this year we recognize the 50-year anniversary of the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Do you recall that day? I do, and I will also recall for you a special train ride I will never forget.
While I understand that not all Vietnam veterans have experienced the same physical or psychological battles as many have, all returned to a country which was torn, confused, and fearful of acknowledging the cost that was paid. I will add that can be true as well for veterans of other wars and conflicts. During the Vietnam era, protests, campus demonstrations, and often violence was perpetrated against students and protesters as the country seemed to erupt in violence, an underscore of the youth being annihilated in Vietnam. Protests were aimed, not at the soldiers serving there, but at the government that sent them there. The return of our fighting forces was not heralded, but often scorned.
The American public wanted someone to blame for the carnage and the chaos; why not the soldiers? Thrown into the dense jungles of Vietnam to fight an often-unseen enemy and satisfy the demands of far off decision makers – our nightly network news programs permeated my passage from youth to adulthood.
I recall the lists of names here in Hamilton County of the wounded and fallen – our classmates, neighbors, and friends.
I encourage all to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. I was mesmerized by the beauty and simplicity of the structure. Of course, there are thousands of names there, as we lost nearly 60,000 in that terrible conflict, and some are familiar to me from long ago. You will see family members – although not many parents of the soldiers – but children and grandchildren reaching out to touch the name of their loved one and shed silent tears. However, among us are many Vietnam veterans; those who returned often with stories they do not wish to share – as happens with many veterans of conflicts. Physical problems have often followed them from their time spent in Vietnam, exposed to dangerous chemicals and diseases.
Those who did not serve directly in the country of Vietnam but in support capacities throughout the world also deserve our appreciation as well as all veterans who leave their homes, families, and careers to serve our country. If you would like to know more about the military nurses who served and their experiences there, I recommend The Women by Kristin Hannah.
The Vietnam veterans I have known do not ask for much as they face their senior years: decent health care, the recognition and help they deserve from our government, and an occasional “thank you for your service.”
The Soldier Train, 1965
She turned 15 in the summer of ‘65
Looking forward to a family vacation, off to D.C. to see the sites
Leaving Union Station with family that bright summer morning
No thoughts of war, Asia, or young men dying
She did not know that 3,500 U.S. Marines arrived in Da Nang on March 8, 19651
How could she? She was 15; not yet riveted to the nightly news
That would soon change
A stop in Harrisburg, PA; more passengers boarding a train already at capacity
Who were they? What was the rush?
Uniformed soon-to-be soldiers; young, adventurous, apprehensive perhaps
Little room for them on the train, they were forced to sit on suitcases and duffel bags
She was surrounded, what fun!
This young girl was starry eyed; cute boys, chatty, excited as they smiled and laughed
Where are they going?
Of course we now know …
The years passed and she often wondered how many of those young soldiers returned, or
How many were returned in boxes to their families, or
How many might still be there, forever, in those dense jungles, or
How many returned with wounds seen and unseen…
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Many live among us as the decades pass; rarely thanked for their service, they say
When you see the shirts, jackets and hats, say “thank you for your service”
It’s never too late to say “Welcome Home.”
* * *
And thank you for your readership of my column. As one whose ancestor fought in the Revolutionary War as well as many other veterans along the way, this topic is very dear to me. Back to health and fitness next time!
Where have all the flowers gone, picked by young girls everyone, where have all the young girls gone, gone to young men everyone, where have all the young men gone, gone to soldiers everyone, where have all the soldiers gone, gone to graveyards everyone, where have all the graveyards gone, gone to flowers everyone. A beautiful but true sad song. So remembered by the Baby Boomers.