Sunday, January 27, 2013

Vietnam "Peace" Plus Forty Years January 27, 2013

Every year on this date, I reflect on "Peace" in Vietnam, achieved by a document from the Paris Peace Talks after years of negotiations, and years of war.  Actually, I think about the Vietnam "Conflict" somehow almost daily.  My twenty West Point classmates who died as a result of the war weigh heavy on my heart frequently.  As a veteran of the Conflict, I pray that we, as a nation, learned something that makes the losses and expense worthwhile.  I still can't tell if we did.  What do you think?

I've blogged about this before, including:  peace-in-vietnam-39th-anniversary

38th-anniversary cease fire in Vietnam

Memorial Day, Grief and The Wall ,

 Memorial Day: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Below are some of the images that remind me of various aspects of my year in Vietnam serving as a helicopter pilot, instructor pilot, maintenance officer and other roles in the Aviation Section of the 45th Engineer Group. I took almost all of these, except those with me in the picture.  Included are Vietnam 45th engineer Group venues in I Corps (we flew for our three battalions and Group HQ), Saigon, The Bob Hope USO Show on Christmas Eve 1970, R&R in Sidney, Australia, Khe Sanh during Lam Sanh 719, and a few faces of Vietnam- my favorite of which are the Montagnards with cross-bows).






















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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 28, 2013 at 7:18 AM

    These pictures bring back memories of an era we would all like to forget; however, today reminds me more and more of Viet Nam. Why do we have to kill each other for what? I believe Churchill said it... "It is better to jaw jaw, than to war war." Maybe some day we will learn! mas

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  2. A. Patrick Jonas, MDJanuary 29, 2013 at 12:40 AM

    Thanks for your comments, mas.
    I always liked the reminder about war from Pete Seeger,"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

    "When will they ever learn?" apj

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  3. Josh FreemanFebruary 4, 2013 at 5:46 PM

    They are not learning very fast, and they are making many of the same mistakes. I may not be a great admirer of Chuck Hagel, but I am very distressed at the questioning. The bravest warmakers always seem to be those who never went to war, and won't be fighting this one...

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  4. Jerry NelsonApril 26, 2017 at 4:59 PM

    Just found your blog by accident; we probably crossed paths, I was the 45th Group photographer during Lam Son 719. I volunteered for that position after the previous guy rotated out, I started as quality control on roads, air strips, and fire base construction. I drove to Khe Sanh several times, and flew up there in a helo a few times - you may have been the pilot. I am now a retired college professor, and Vietnam is never far from my thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. A. Patrick Jonas, MDApril 29, 2017 at 1:27 AM

      Hi Jerry and thanks for your comments and your service. Do you still have those photos? It was an interesting time and historical process in Lam Son 719. Peace, Pat

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  5. Jerry NelsonApril 29, 2017 at 3:24 AM

    I have a few photos taken with my personal camera - the ones taken for the Army (slides and B&W) were all turned in. I will dig around and see what I can find and send you some.

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