Old Photo Negatives of U.S. Soldiers in Vietnam War ~ 1960s
83Vietnam War
This collection from old photo negatives was taken in the late 1960's by my brother Jim when he was serving one of his two tours of duty in Vietnam. Obviously he had some of his war buddies snap some photos of him in that setting also.
I never saw these photos in an album and until recently these negatives sat in an old shoebox on one of my mother's closet shelves in our home.
My brother died when he was only 35 years of age and his massive injuries which impaired the balance of his life occurred while he was still in the military...but not Vietnam.
He was injured in a helicopter crash at Fort Hood, Texas and was one of few survivors with most of the young men in that collision being killed at that site. So called war games were being conducted and the Secretary of Defense was there according to my memory. Despite the fact of it being horrendous weather with tornadoes being sighted in the area...the exercise commenced.
At 200 feet up in the air with just about zero visibility, two helicopters collided and fell like rocks to the earth.
My brother was hospitalized for a full nine months before ever being able to get a weekend pass outside of the hospital. He was not even expected to live at first but survived that accident only to have multiple surgeries on various parts of his body during the rest of his short lived life.
These old negatives while faded and scratched up are a part of history.
My youngest brother Jim in Vietnam
Old photo negatives
Thanks to a friend of mine who purchased a machine that can turn old negatives and old slides into a JPEG format, these negatives can now be viewed. When my brother was alive, he never showed me a photo album containing these photos. So I have no idea if they were developed...or if so...whatever happened to them.
The photo below shows the holders of these negatives from the Vietnam theatre of war.
Vietnam Exchange Photo Service
My brother Jim in Viet Nam
Vietnam photos
Most of these photos derived from the old negatives dating back to the Vietnam era are faded and most of them are scratched up in many places.
With photo editing I could only do so much. I eliminated some but not all of the scratches.
I debated about just presenting them in black and white due to the fading, but decided to present them as they were taken in color.
So while these might not be the best photos in the world...especially as they are viewed today...I am presenting them for all those people who may have served in Vietnam at or around the time when my brother was there.
My other brother John was in Vietnam at the same time...but he was stationed on the flagship of the fleet while in the Navy. The action he saw, while important, was much less intense than what Jim experienced.
My brother Jim in Vietnam
Click thumbnail to view full-size
High School days...
My brother was a difficult kid to get through school. My parents tried every which way to get him to comply with what was expected...simple things like doing his homework and turning in his papers on time. They tried being strict. They tried backing off and being more lenient.
When they finally had him tested, it turned out that he rated a genius level in many subjects and areas. He was bored in school!
They checked into possibly utilizing private schools (although it would have been a financial hardship at the time) and even went so far as to check out some of them. Fortunately the people at the schools admitted that while they would have been happy to have accepted Jim ...most of their students were there for disciplinary reasons and they did not think that they could have presented a curriculum that would have kept Jim interested and engaged.
Today there are undoubtedly more options regarding schooling for kids with genius level IQ's but that was back in the 1960's.
Helicopter photos taken in Vietnam
Let a Soldier Die
No Amazon products foundHelicopters
When my brother Jim voluntarily joined the army, he found his niche in life. Not only did he excel but was one of the youngest instructors teaching most people above his rank the mechanics of helicopters.
My brother always was a tinkerer taking things apart and putting them back together even as a young kid. He once fixed an old antique radio of my grandfathers that had not worked in years. He was less than 10 years old when he did that!
As a tiny kid, once he took the faucet handles off during the middle of the night! Our family only had one bathroom at the time! Nice surprise for the rest of us in the morning. Ha! I have no idea what he was thinking or planning when he did that.
He was a good kid...just curious about so many things...and as we all found out ...highly intelligent.
My brother became a crew chief aboard helicopters during the two tours of duty that he saw in Vietnam.
That was extremely dangerous work with a high mortality rate.
A book that he read and which he recommended that we read to see a bit of what that experience was like was the following: Let a Soldier Die written by Gary Holland.
My mother and I both read that sobering book and came away with a bit of a numb feeling.
So many of the young men that my brother would have served with in Vietnam never came back home to their families. Those were buddies of his at the time.
War is horrible for all concerned. The reading of that book gave me some sense of the daily horrors that would have been his at the time he served.
- Marine Corps Enlisted Job Descriptions -- 6173 -- Helicopter Crew Chief, CH-53
Marine Corps Enlisted Job Descriptions, MOS details, and qualification factors. MOS 6173 -- Helicopter Crew Chief, CH-53
Vietnam era sign for U.S. fighting forces
Many Die Vietnam War Footage
U.S. Vietnam soldier serving with my brother
Vietnam soldier photos
Here are some of the people that would have been sharing similar war-time experiences with my brother Jim. Hopefully they all made it home to their loved ones...but undoubtedly some of them did not. The majority of them were merely patriotic kids following orders and doing their duty as was my brother.
When they were not flying helicopters providing cover for our soldiers on the ground and providing quick transit to medical care for those wounded and picking up the war dead for preparation to be shipped home, they did as all soldiers do during that and other wars.
They joked with one another; wrote letters home; had their pin-up girl posters; did a little drinking and card playing; read books and magazines; and would have learned about each other as only soldiers in the heat of battle do.
These young men would have laid down their lives to protect one another and often did.
U.S. Soldiers in Vietnam serving with my brother
Click thumbnail to view full-size
helicopters
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Base Camp
I am assuming that most of the pictures which follow this text revolve around the base camp or nearby places.
There are photos of a dog which was probably much beloved by the soldiers who thought of their pets back home.
The whir of helicopters coming and going would have been a constant factor. It is obvious that camouflage was used to disguise some of the equipment. Cattle are being herded in several of the photos. There are coils of barbed wire meant to protect our soldiers from enemies.
Judging from all the shirt-less young soldiers in these and other photos, it was undoubtedly hot and humid much of the time.
Base camp photos in Vietnam
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Vietnam photos
I wish I could ask my brother about the location of these photos obviously snapped while riding in a helicopter. Like so many war veterans, other than recommending that book to read, he did not talk much about his experiences while in Vietnam and of course he died at so young an age.
Perhaps some readers of this hub will recognize some of these places?
Photos taken from the air during the Vietnam War
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the hell of vietnam
Jan Daley on Bob Hope USO Tour - Vietnam
USO
I have no idea if the USO which so often entertains our troops during wartime was responsible for this show or if another group arranged it. The only thing of which I am certain is that there were probably loads of appreciative smiles, laughter, whistles, cat calls and applause when this troupe of shapely entertainers hit the stage and did their singing and displayed their talents to our young soldiers in the audience.
Did they remind our soldiers of girlfriends and wives back home? Perhaps!
In any case it would have relieved the stress of what they saw on a daily basis and was probably relished and talked about long after these entertainers left. It takes special people to put themselves in potential danger to go out and entertain troops in the middle of a war.
Bob Hope and many other celebrity entertainers as well as others have done this for many years and whoever these young girls were...they are to be thanked for their service to our country as well.
USO Christmas Show - Long Binh Vietnam 1971
Entertainment for the troops ( USO?)
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Some pictures of my youngest brother Jim...
Click thumbnail to view full-size
As stated at the top of this hub, while the photos derived from old and scratched up negatives dating back to the Vietnam War as experienced by my brother in the late 1960's are not the best by way of clarity and definition, I thought that their historical value was worth sharing.
My brother and other soldiers like him came back to a country that pretty much disdained their service to country or at the least, did not thank them. Draft dodging was rampant back in those days. Vietnam particularly towards the end of the war was not seen as a popular war and many of the soldiers were called names like "baby killers."
Of course after the accident at Fort Hood, his life was forever changed. He was deemed 100 percent disabled and had years of pain and suffering until his death. My brother went to a Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting only once and the other vets there did not welcome him. I know that it hurt his feelings.
My brother was one of the kindest, smartest and most gentle of human beings ever to inhabit this planet. He loved singing and was a self taught guitar player. While he could no longer smile after the accident which caused facial nerve paralysis (and so much more!) I could see the sparkle in his one eye (the other being sewn shut to protect the cornea). Those were the least of his injuries but ones that affected his appearance upon which strangers judged him.
Those smiley faces were all the rage when he could no longer smile.
This is a tribute to my brother Jim and all the soldiers who have served our country during wars...declared ones or others such as Vietnam. May they be long remembered and revered.
Vietnam War - House of the Rising Sun
Vietnam war
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Vietnam
All of the people living in what was (at the time) North and South Vietnam as well as the many soldiers from different countries suffered through the Vietnam War. For those still living there remain scars and memories.
Was it worth the long drawn out battle? Depending upon where one lives, the answers I am sure would be different.
The United States as well as other countries are still involved in wars in different places. The outcomes are still to be determined in the cases of Iraq and Afghanistan. I truly wish that there would be no need for wars to ever take place. Everybody ultimately loses. Lives as well as money that could be put to better purposes are expended.
Will we as human beings sharing one small planet ever learn to live in peace?
Vietnam - My brother Jim and I used to strum a few chords on a guitar...he was much better a player than I was...and we used to sing together. The video below shows Peter, Paul and Mary singing one of the songs we regularly sang together.
I miss my brother Jim!
Where have all the flowers gone? Live
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I couldn’t help but tear up at this wonderful tribute to your brother. I wish things could have turned out different for him. It so saddens me to read of these fine men and women and what they went through. Every day, I am reminded of the things these wonderful veterans went through because my husband is a Vietnam-era veteran, blind in one eye and experiencing PTSD. He told me that upon his arrival in this country, he was spit upon and called “baby killer”, so there’s no doubt that our own citizens stooped so low as to do this. He was stationed in Japan but made undocumented TDYs to Cameron Bay to transport out wounded and dead soldiers. He was an aircraft mechanic at the time, and actually crawled into Agent Orange tanks and cleaned them out. As a result, he suffers from ischemic heart disease, including a major heart attack in 1985. The VA refuses to acknowledge that he was exposed to Agent Orange at all, although his exposure was greater than soldiers in the field. He was hospitalized and diagnosed with PTSD by the VA in 1999, and he has been trying to get his 100% disability since then. He has not been able to work since 1985 because of the heart attack and the PTSD. Because the TDYs were undocumented during wartime, various VA boards that his application and appeals have gone through have accused him of lying about his service. He has even submitted photos that he took in Vietnam, but they said it couldn’t be proved that they were taken there. And he is just one of many still going through this ordeal.
Our Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans are now facing the same thing. Unlike the Vietnam vets, they are coming home to parades and accolades, but far too many are still facing the same hurdles when they try to get their benefits.
It appears that in both wars, only the veterans who are shipped out wounded from the battlefield are deemed worthy of proper veterans’ medical care. On one positive note, a purple heart recipient automatically qualifies for PTSD disability. At least that’s what his lawyer said.
Hi Vinaya,
Yes...these are unvarnished real photos taken in Vietnam during the 1960's. Appreciate your comment.
I have watched movies on Vietnam war, but never seen the real photos. These pictures ushers us into the history.
Hi Terry,
Are you saying that your Grandpa who was serving in Vietnam is a MIA (missing in action)? I'm afraid as a civilian I cannot be of much help except to encourage you to contact your local representatives (congressional and senate) to maybe point you in the right direction. So sorry to know of your personal loss. We owe so much to the people who served in our armed services no matter what the cause or declared or undeclared war in which they served.
My grandpa died in vietnam Feb 17 1960, how come I cant find out what really happened to him, or the guys that that he was serving with at the time?
Hello KatyWhoWaited,
Thank you for your positive comment about these old photos taken back in the 1960's during the Vietnam War. Will look forward to reading "Tim's letters" that you are posting. One would think that we could learn from past wars and avoid future ones. Sadly, we seem to be slow learners!
Peggy, I am most certain your brother would be quite amazed and honored by all the work you have done in the re-creation and publication of these historical and personal photos. History and the lessons it teaches are taught best by the stories it tells. If your brother ever flew into Quang Tri in 1969 or 70, he was brought in by the radios in the control tower, the beacon, and the runway lights repaired by "Tim" who wrote the letters from Vietnam that I'm positng. I kept looking at your pictures to see if I could recognize anything familiar matching Tim's because looking at the pictures keeps begging the questions "why war" and "what did it all mean." Yesterday I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bought a lovely candle. When I turned it over to read the fragrance, it said "made in Vietnam" and I was happy because in some small way, it meant peace. And then I thought about war, and to be quite honest, I really expected that Vietnam, the protests, songs the one you posted, and the entire movement during the 60s would have made us more enlightened and less militaristic. Thank you for this hub which will become your legacy and your brother's of seeing war for what it is.
Hi tsmog,
Nice to know that you appreciated this hub about the soldiers who took part in the Vietnam War during the 1960's, which included both of my brothers. This hub was focused on my brother Jim's part in it using his old photo negatives. Thanks for your comment.
Thank you Peggy! :)
Hello 50 Caliber,
Your ending words really touched me..."This is an excellent contribution toward all who served as we have never been officially welcomed by any group."
No doubt about it...the Vietnam vets were probably treated with more disrespect (that is putting it mildly!) than almost any other group of vets before or after. It is a disgrace!
I know that there are others who would join with me in saying THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart for the service you gave to your country. God bless you all the remaining days of your life. Small lump in my throat at the moment and a tear being wiped from my eye.
Appreciate your comment.
Ms. Peggy, what a striking picture and essay that hit me hard and heavy. It is an excellent tribute to your brother Jim, and all of us that were there, I'm sure it would have some how made him smile.
I can talk and smile about it but it seems that I have to be in the company of the only support group of those that know, and sometimes that doesn't work out either.
I can relate to the story, I read at the 12th grade level on a reading/comprehension test. I found school boring and completed the 8th grade and part of the ninth, and took to working on the equipment at a golf-course and fooled my way into it by the books at the library combined with a knack for mechanics and worked into washing machines and dryers the same way as well as small engine repair. Pops was none too happy but he was an 8th grade schooled/GED Marine in WWII and served in the Pacific Island battles. So he caved in the argument of me working. At 16 I passed the GED and Enlisted in the Marine Corps with a higher score than most on their entrance/placement tests. I went to Parris Island boot camp and AIT as squad machine gunners mos 0311 was my first tour. I was a corporal and re upped for Sgt and a change to helicopter gunner mos change to 6320 if memory serves. I'm piecing together a writing on 10 years and what has followed. I wish I had taken more photos, these are great.
This is an excellent contribution toward all who served as we have never been officially welcomed by any group.
Thank you,
50
Hi alocsin,
When I saw that Vietnam wall many years ago it brought me to tears even though I did not personally know a single name on it. My brothers undoubtedly would have since they both served in Vietnam. Thanks for your comment on this hub and the photos my brother would have taken or had taken while he was there.
I think this hub takes the prize for most photos, at least that I've encountered. This is particularly poignant because we just viewed the traveling Vietnam Wall not three days ago at a local park. Voting this Up and Interesting.
Hi moonlake,
Glad to hear that your brother came back safely from Vietnam. I know what you mean about Jane Fonda's actions during that time. Hanoi Jane...good name. She certainly did not act in the best interests of our soldiers! Wonder if she ever looks back and wishes that she had done things different? Thanks for your comment.
My brother was also in Viet Nam but came home safe. A boy I went to school with didn't make it home. I have never forgotten or forgiven what Jane Fonda did against our soldiers. She helped fuel the hate for our soldiers at that time. It's shameful and any Americans who were involved in that hate should be ashamed. Jane Fonda (Hanoi Jane) her words........ Jane Fonda tells the world press that the American Prisoners of War were being well treated and not tortured........
Your brothers were brave men. I'm so sorry about your brother Jim.
Looked at all your pictures. Voted UP.
Hi Angie,
Did you know someone that was involved in the Vietnam War? Thank you for leaving a comment.
Hi! Thank you for writing this Hub. Angie
Hi Brett,
So very sorry to hear that you lost your brother at such a young age and because of a house fire. How tragic!
Thank you for commenting on these old images dating back to the Vietnam War in the 1960's and for reading about my brother Jim. From what you say, your brother must have also been inquisitive and very intelligent. I would enjoy hearing about him if you care to share your memories.
Bless you too, Brett.
Peggy, I enjoyed this hub, and I am so sorry for your loss. I had a brother who sounds VERY much like yours, especially in the early years. Mine was younger than yours, and missed the Vietnam war. He died in a house fire when he was 19.
Bless you for keeping the memory of your brother alive, and for sharing those memories with others!
Brett
Hi tlpoague,
As you correctly pointed out, during the Vietnam era, the draft was in effect. Whether drafted or voluntary (as they are today), all of our soldiers serve our country and follow orders that come from decisions made by politicians...be they good or bad. History often tells us the results long after the fact and the ramifications.
These photos are a part of that Vietnam war history. So nice to hear that you still have your dad with you. I thank him and all soldiers everywhere who heeded the call to serve our country whether the war was "popular" or not. They and their families pay a high price and should always be honored.
Thanks for your comment.
I am sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. This took me back to the talks I have had over the years with my dad. He was a Vietnam Vet also. It was terrible how they were treated when they came back home. I see the treatment no better now than then. I agree with James, this hub is extraordinary. I think more people need to adress the fact that they men and women gave up their lives and family to serve their country like they were told to. Unlike most wars, they didn't ask to serve, but were drafted. Why should they feel shamed for doing what they were expected? I thought the photos were terrific. They are a raw piece of history that not many want to talk about. Thanks for sharing this personal bit of your life.
Hi James,
Thanks for your comment on this hub regarding my brother and these old negatives turned into photos taken during the Vietnam war back in the late 1960's.
Some people like my brother and your son have not only curiosity about things but have the hands-on talents to dissemble and rebuild things with seeming ease.
Thanks for stating that you think "This Hub is extraordinary." Appreciate it!
Thank you for this loving tribute to your brother Jim. He was surely a handsome lad.
I enjoyed seeing the photographs too. Your words spoke volumes about what kind of boy and man he was and what he endured. Truly a tragic tale.
I can relate to being bored in school. I had the same boredom Jim had and I rebelled some too.
When you wrote "My brother always was a tinkerer taking things apart and putting them back together even as a young kid" it reminded me of my own son. He is that same way—the opposite of me, who can hardly change a lightbulb handily.
This Hub is extraordinary.
Hi Dim,
Obviously we must be around the same age if you also have memories of the boys going off to fight in the Vietnam war. That song instantly transports me to that day and time. My brother had a beautiful singing voice and I loved singing that song and others with him. The deeper meaning of the song still rings true. Our soldiers still shed their lives in wars that go in and out of political fashion. Tragic! Thanks for your comment.
Wonderful hub. The way you put it all together was so impressive.
Poignant, though it was(and ´´where have all the flowers gone? just about finished me off.) l still enjoyed reading it. It may not have been my country but it WAS my age group and l have clear memories of how sorry we felt for the boys our age having to go so far away to fight a most horrible war.
Hello Judio,
Of course I do not mind if you share this hub with others. We grew up during the same time era when the Vietnam war was raging and was so divisive in our country politically. The 1960's were very tumultuous times! Bay of Pigs; cold war was still raging; assassination of President Kennedy; Vietnam war; draft dodging; burning of flags; burning of bras, Woodstock...and more.
Now we have terrorists who threaten civilian populations everywhere. Guess those were the good old days in comparison to today? Hmmmm...
What a wonderful hub. Very meaningful to me since the 1960s and Viet Nam was my era. Hope you don't mind, but I email the link to this hub to several long time friends that served during that time.
Hello princesswithapen,
Thanks for taking the time to read and look at these old photos from the Vietnam war era of the late 1960's. Appreciate your comment.
Peggy
The pictures are amazing. For the time I spent reading this hub and looking at the pictures, it felt as if I had traveled back in time. This tribute to your brothers is heartwarming. Thanks for sharing!
Prinesswithapen
Hi again Springboard,
Your heart is certainly in the right place. As to getting address labels, etc., many charities do that and once you are on their list, it is difficult to get removed. The computers just spit the stuff out and it would probably cost more for a real person to go in and alter the program than it is worth. Using the labels actually is a subtle way of showing your support and getting the word out there a bit more regarding the charity so that others may take notice. That is why they do that. As to other little trinkets, just donate them. That's what we do. Someone will find use for that kind of thing.
A Ronald McDonald type of house for soldiers...sounds interesting! Ronald McDonald House is an excellent charity!
Disabled American Vets is an organization that I preferred and used to donate more to. I just didn't like getting all of those address labels and other things for donating. I called them and told them I didn't donate to get free stuff, so please stop sending it and put my donations to the cause. They continued to send the gobs of free stuff and I eventually stopped sending the money.
There is an organization now, and I am having a heck of time remembering the name all of a sudden, but they run sort of like a Ronald McDonald house for soliders. I am really wanting to send some bucks their way as I think it is a marvelous cause.
Hello thelyricwriter,
Thank you for your kind comments on this hub regarding my brother Jim and the Vietnam War. Appreciate it.
Votes up and across Peggy. This was a very well written and illustrated article. Your articles are very well done with quality content Peggy, always. Congrads for that. This was very touching about Jim Peggy. I feel for anyone that had to fight over there in pure hell like they did. It is easy to see why they would have such flashbacks and other mental issues. It was great to get to know Jim from the article Peggy and you have done a fantastic job. I hope all is well and ok, best wishes and take care.
Hello Just History,
Yes, during all wars it is not always explosive action taking place. These Vietnam photos show the office work and other things. So glad that I could use these old negatives from the 1960's and share the photos with others who are interested in history. Thanks for your comment.
Peggy, thankyou for sharing this hub and the photographs. I found it amazing that during a time of war the everyday stuff had to go on- the office, the typewriter.
Hi Hanna,
Thanks for your comment regarding my brother and these old photo negatives that I found regarding the Vietnam War from the 1960's.
What beautiful young men lost and for what? It's disgusting. I am sorry you had that sad experience.
Hi Patty,
So sorry to hear about your Vietnam veteran friend who recently died and his struggles. In my brother's case even though he was severely injured with head trauma; hearing loss; vision problems; severe headaches; facial nerve paralysis; removed spleen; one leg shortened; abdominal organs so messed up that surgeons literally had to have a map to see how things had been rearranged when doing other surgeries and more...every few years they would cut him off and he would once again have to "prove" that he was disabled! Amazing! I lost count of all the surgeries that he had. One of them was mentioned in this hub written earlier: http://peggy-w.hubpages.com/hub/Some-true-stories-
I feel badly for my brother Jim also and for all the veterans of any war who suffer the consequences in any way.
Hi Prasetio,
I'm glad that you found these photos of the Vietnam War interesting. Thanks for your comment and let us all hope and pray for peace in this world.
I'm thankful for this Hub. My Vietnam-era veteran friend that died this past summer had some similar experiences, including the rejection. After 35 years fighting for his total disability for severe injuries and finally receiving it, he died within a year or two. I feel bad about your brother Jim.
Hello bingskee,
As you pointed out..."war is cruel." I don't think that people have to die to go to hell...it is right here in our midst merely affecting some more than others. But as a part of the human race, we all pay a price.
This was a painful endeavor writing this hub. Thanks for noticing and thanks for your comment.
Hello Springboard,
As you say so aptly, every soldier is an individual with a story to share. Sometimes it is easy to forget that when we hear the numbers of people injured or killed in action. Plus there are the families and loved ones who are also impacted.
Now the VFW halls are probably filled with Vietnam Vets as so many from earlier wars are rapidly dying and they are fewer in number.
If you wish to donate to a really good cause...the Disabled American Veterans is an organization that my brother personally chose to support with his meager income that he got after being disabled. These soldiers not only served their country but bear ongoing scars of all types for doing so. Sometimes they are visible and sometimes not.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi, Peggy. How are you today? I hope you always fine and healthy. Wow...you have done a great job by collecting old photos of Vietnam wars. I really enjoy all detail by enlarging the thumbnails pictures one by one. Thanks for share with us. Rated up and useful. God bless you!
Love and peace,
hi, Peggy. thank you for sharing this hub. i can only imagine the pain while you were writing this hub.
war is cruel. i will never ever understand the need for it.
Wow, this was an amazingly fun hub to read. You know, it's one thing to read about the tale of the many who served. But I like the personal vignettes. Every solider is a person who has a story to tell. Your brother's story apparently sat, collecting dust for years. What a find. A golden trough of a life he lived that he is able to share post-mortem. I am very glad that you decided to share this little slice of your brother with us.
BTW, terrible thing about the VFW not accepting Jim. Makes me rethink donating any money to them in future.
Thanks Cheryl,
I know that you never met my brother Jim, but appreciate your comment. Thanks!
I salute your brother for serving in the military, representing our country. It is indeed a tribute of the highest honor. I am proud of all that your dear brother achieved in such a short life and take comfort knowing that he was a giant hero in protecting our country and doing what he loved. There will never be anyone else like your brother, Jim. A very inspring and great hub.
Hi Minnetonka Twin,
Thanks for your father's service to our country. My dad was also a WW11 vet and both of my grandfathers also served their country as soldiers. My brothers were both in Vietnam at the same time.
I guess from your comment and others, I will no longer try and eliminate the scratches and imperfections in the pictures that I have not already tackled. It was a true labor of love and my heart was in my throat the entire time, if you know what I mean.
Thanks for sharing this story. While it is personal it also shares a time and place in history. God bless you also.
Hi Genna,
This was difficult for all the reasons you mentioned. Thanks for your most understanding comment and bless you also.
Thank you so much Peggy for sharing this personal story with us. Your brother was a Hero as was all who served that war. It truly pains me deep in my soul how these soldiers were treated after the war. I am so sorry for all the heart ache and pain your brother had to withstand. I too think your pictures are Perfect and I am so glad you chose not to make them into black and whites. This hub is one of the most bittersweet reads I have ever experienced. My father was a WW11 vet and I know it changed him too. God bless all our brave soldiers for their sacrifices and courage and thanks for sharing your story with us Peggy. If it's ok, I'd like to share this all over as I feel it is important for people to read. God Bless :-)
Hi oceansnsunsets,
Thanks for your wonderful comment. All of our soldiers everywhere should be appreciated for what they do and sacrifice for the rest of us. Not to be forgotten are their families back home who miss them, worry about them and often suffer financial hardships because of their exercising their duty to their country when called upon to serve.
It certainly was not the soldier's fault that the Vietnam war was not popular at home but they got the brunt of the bad treatment upon their return...those who DID return home. Thanks for your understanding and comment.
Peggy, it must have been so difficult to create this heart rending and truly amazing tribute. I think of the friends I lost in that war…so many years ago. And those who returned, having lost a part of themselves they never regained. With tears, I thank you, Peggy for this extraordinary hub! Bless you!
Oh Peggy, I am touched to tears upon reading this and seeing all the photos. I love these pictures, and this this tribute to your brother and so many others is just wonderful. What a wonderful hub to do and share.
Something I never understood that you touch on, is the poor treatment upon coming home. I will NEVER get that, and think it shameful. I think it was part of the messages society was sending in those days, and lack of appreciation. It sure is so easy to talk big, isn't it, especially when you aren't the one going overseas to fight.
A super wonderful tribute, I love it. Voted up and the rest. What a joy to see them having some fun and smiling where they were. So sorry what you brother went through, what he suffered and my heart and thanks goes to him and to all the others.
Hi Sally's Trove,
I was telling a friend just yesterday how hard this hub was to create because of all the memories and emotions that it raised. I have tears in my eyes right now knowing from your response that you also feel some of this and share in the grief that came from the Vietnam war era on a personal level. Those songs as well as others instantly transport me back to those times. Thank you so very much for your comment. With hugs and appreciation to you.
Two scotches later, I am beside myself with grief but also with joy at the beauty of your brother. I see so much in him that was my father, who served in the Philippines in WWII, a young man then, brilliant like your brother but also misunderstood, and also in the young men, my friends and classmates, whose lives were ended or forever altered by Vietnam.
Your work here has led me into my own journey of loss, loss of those young men, loss of innocence in the time I came of age. Listening to Barry McGuire and Peter Paul and Mary left me in tears.
If there's a hub of the century, this is it, the one that touches the heart and soul of anyone who is capable of compassion. I've never spent two hours on one hub in this place.
The negatives that you turned into photos are priceless. The scratches ought to remain, signs that we still have not given Nam vets their due, something that you begin to do here in a most incredible, personal way.
Thank you for expressing this time as a reflection to enter into (I can hardly comprehend the emotions you faced while turning the negatives into positives and writing this hub) not only for those whose lives were entwined then, but also for those who came later.
Hi Robin,
Yes...wars are terrible things. Former enemies become friends and vice versa all the while our young soldiers sacrifice their lives while the politicians try to get it right. Why oh why can't people just learn to get along with one another!
Hi Paul,
I know...that is so often who loses their lives in wars...our young men (and now, women) who serve in the armed forces. In recent times, since so many reservists have been called into action, the ages (when reporting those who lost their lives) is going up some. Thanks for your comment.
Thanks for the response, Peggy. Your tribute to all war veterans and those fighting today is wonderful. I'm so sorry for the loss of your brother. Even though it was years ago, I'm sure that pain is never completely gone. There are so many families that have suffered from wars; it's almost inconceivable.
Hi Robin,
The pictures at the end and also the one of my brother in school at an earlier age we already had. The one of my brother Jim in full uniform while in Vietnam as well as one or two others he had developed and I had seen...but all the others were new to me. Thanks for your comment. I truly meant it as a tribute to not only my brother but all who served in Vietnam and all other wars as well.
Crazy how young those boys were. Awesome Hub!
What an amazing Hub and tribute, Peggy. The photos are amazing and I really appreciate all of your commentary. The picture of you and your brother in the 60s is priceless. Was this photo also found or did you already have it? Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hi Alastar,
Thanks for your comment. Sometimes schooling which is targeted for the masses does not fit certain individuals. My brother excelled after he joined the military. Had his life not been shortened due to the results of that accident...who knows what he might have gone on to accomplish. Hope you enjoy the old photos revolving around the Vietnam war. Since you like history...you should like seeing them.
Hi K9,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. Appreciate it!
Hello quester.ltd,
Seven tours of duty in Vietnam! That is insane on the part of our government sending or allowing that many tours of duty in any war zone. So sad for him and also for you! Some people come back from one tour of duty and are scarred for life. Isn't it a shame that we can't find better ways to get along with one another?
Thanks for your comment.
Hello laurathegentleman,
Glad that you liked this glimpse into the past. Hopefully no one you know suffered the pains of the Vietnam war or any of the current ones. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Pamela,
I wonder if he saw any of the same areas in which my brother Jim served? Thanks for the condolances on my brother's death. Happy to hear that your husband survived the experience which assuredly could not have been easy for any of the veterans doing that same job. Wishing him well and you also! Thanks for your comment.
Hello Ercolano,
Your wish is my command. I clicked the box so that the photos can be enlarged. Thanks for appreciating this bit of history and reality captured in these old photo negatives dating back to the Vietnam war era in the late 1960's. It is a slice of life tribute to my brother Jim. Thanks for your comment and suggestion.
Hi Don,
Yes...the options for schooling for those gifted were not as great back when my brother was growing up. He never disrupted a class. He just did things his way quietly. Was a challenge for my parents which I well remember. Glad that your grandchildren are being better served.
You are lucky to have been able to avoid serving in the Vietnam war by finishing your military commitment ahead of time.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi Eddy,
As you imagined, this was not an easy hub to write. Discovering these old photo negatives and then having them formatted into JPEG images brought back many memories for me about my brother Jim and the life he led. Thanks for your comment.
Hello Hillbilly Zen,
You are right. Engaging in any war certainly changes a person. Those kids (soldiers) are no longer innocent babies and carry images of war to their graves. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Brenda,
I agree. The Vietnam vets were not treated well after their service to country. The politicians decide upon engaging in wars (declared ones or otherwise) and our young men and women in the service pay the price for those decisions. Our soldiers should not have to bear the brunt of those decisions (good or bad) upon their shoulders. Thanks for your comment.
Magnificent Peggy. This is honestly one of the very best I've seen anywhere-bar none. It truly saddens and angers me about your brave brother, in what happened with the helicopter, and the different direction his intelligence could have taken him if realized early enough. That's all I'll say about that. Thank you Peggy, your mother, your friend, John, and all the men and women who who served over there. This one gets all the ups. Now, off to look at the photos and vids.
What a wonderful tribute to your brother and soldiers like him. This offers a substantial look at the faces, places, and unfortunate reality of the Vietnam war.
Such young men leaving, such wounded men returning. May God bless each of them for the duty they completed. I thank your brother and all of the Vietnam men and women for their service to our country.
This is a very honorable hub Peggy, thanks for opening up your brothers story to us.
HubHugs~
K9
Peggy - this is a wonderful tribute to your brother. War is a destroyer of souls - those in the war and those at home. My first husband had seven tours in Vietnam and was less of a human every time he came back. The last time was just more than any of us could survive.
Your brother sounds like he was a wonderful person - sorry for your loss.
q
This is a very cool Hub - I really loved this glimpse into the past! Absolutely wonderful!
What a touching hub. I am sorry that your brother passed away. My husband served in Vietnam also, hanging out of helicopters with a machine gun. I'm going to show him the pictures if he can bear to look. He still doesn't like to talk about it. Thank you so much for presenting all this information in this hub.
I think the photos are great just the way they are, there is something of that latter day world about them (in quality) and I'm really glad you didn't put them in B&W, I really think they capture in age and time the era exactly. Wow, how young those boys were. These photos really are a remarkable find for you and so interesting for someone like me from another culture and another time to see, they seem to encapsulate military life in my mind as it might have been back then in a way that M.A.S.H kind of did, but this shows humour and insight and the tragedy in all it's reality. Your narration was great too, and a very sentimental tribute to your brother. Thanks so much for sharing, I really appreciated this hub. (The only suggestion I have, is that you click the little box in the edit photo option, so that we can enlarge them on clicking; some of them I wanted a closer look of) :D
Your brother had a problem with education that has been pretty common. Mark Twain, I read somewhere, had similar problems. It led to boredom as with your brother. That led to horseplay or class room disruption.So he was in good company in that regard.I have grandchildren who are like that but they are getting better educational opportunities. At least I think so.
The Viet Nam era was indeed strange. I had at least one classmate killed in that war.I had joined the reserves in high school so I was done with military obligations by the time that war was fought.
Your brother seems to have given his life for his country and that is noble even if not in battle.
Hi Gene,
I appreciate your comment. Thanks! I could do more cleaning up (removing scratches, etc.) of the photos and may do that sometime...or just leave them as they are. Obviously they were handled and looked at many times to have gotten in this condition. Maybe he never did get most of them developed?
Hi Ann,
Wish that there could be no more wars EVER! Thanks for your comment.
Hello Julester,
Thanks for your comment regarding these photos from the Vietnam war era and my baby brother.
Hi Peggy,
What a wonderful hub you've created,it couldn't have been easy.
However you have created a gem and I am sure your brother is so proud of this wonderful tribute to him and so many others.
Take care and I wish you a wonderful day.
Eddy.
As I looked at these wonderful photos you've shared, it struck me that even though the rationale for each war is different, the look in the soldiers' eyes is the same; lost innocence and dignified desperation. Thank you for sharing these, Ms. Peggy, and for sharing your memories of your little brother. Voted up and beautiful.
This is a wonderful tribute to your brother and those who served with him. It's sad to think about all those who didn't come home alive, and those who did but never recovered from their experiences there. As a nation we certainly did these young men and women a disservice.
Hello GNelson,
I understand. Had a few lumps in my throat as I was composing this. So many memories of my brother Jim, his tours in Vietnam...and his life...
Hello A.A. Zavala,
So very true! Many soldiers are killed in training accidents. Brings me back to my first love who was killed in a Naval accident state-side. We would have gotten married. I kept in touch with his parents as long as they were still alive even after I married my wonderful husband of (now) 41 years. Thanks for your comment.
Hello davenmidtown,
I appreciate your lovely comment and am sure that all soldiers as well as their families everywhere would also appreciate it. The Vietnam vets were not treated well when they returned home and certainly deserved better. Thanks for the first comment.
Peggy, a very touching look at a very tragic conflict. I want you to know I personally appreciate your Brother's service and that of all those who served with him. Also I viewed all 142 photos and think they are remarkable.
Gene
A wonderful tribute to your brother. The pictures are stark reminders of what a mess this world is in. It surely makes us appreciate our troops, who sacrifice all for us. Enjoyed this hub. As always, you present a complete and interesting story.
A great hub - one of the best.
It is hard to comment on this hub because it really hits home.
Thank you for the walk back in time. I'm sorry for your loss. Training accidents resulting in death occur more frequently than people realize. Being a soldier can be hazardous to your health.
Such a treasure trove you shared with us! A tumultuous time in history. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
What a beautiful and touching hub. It really breaks my heart every time I read a story about these brave young men and women. What a disservice we have done by them. I thank you for your bother's service to our country... I thank him for my freedom. I will share this with my followers and I hope that they share it with theirs. Thank you for writing this.
Peggy W Hub Author 2 days ago
Hello MizBejabbers,
I am so very sorry to hear about the post war problems your husband is having with the VA, etc. Even though my brother was deemed 100% disabled and kept needing more and more surgeries, every few years they would challenge it and put him through all kinds of mental turmoil getting his pay re-established. Crazy!!! He also had the welcome home that your husband got. He once went to a Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting and was told he was unwelcome. Imagine his feelings!!! I'm glad that the current veterans are at least being welcomed home.
My heart goes out to you and your husband and many others who are still battling the after effects of the Vietnam War era...and hoping things are greatly improved for our current veterans. They deserve so much!
Thanks for your comment. I have a lump in my throat reading about your trials. God bless you and your family.