My Thoughts: N. Barry Carver

Barry Carver

I have two brothers that 'enjoyed' a mandatory visit to Vietnam. One is a true John Wayne style Marine/hero with three purple hearts and bronze star. He has only started to talk about it in the last few years. He was the only survivor of his group.

I couldn't get through the dense abbreviations and place names of his endeavors in the only history I could find (and I would love to see a re-write of it). The information I did find was here: The Magnificent Bastards

The other brother served in the Army and drove a beer truck in the 'suburbs' of Saigon. The worst thing that happened to him was signaling for a turn (since the drive was on the 'wrong' side of the road) and someone took the opportunity to steal his watch.

I served ten years later in the run up to Desert Shield. I was injured in a classified operation which, in spite of the severity of my injury, was totally pointless and now completely forgotten. It is a little difficult sometimes to see the praise and programs (which were certainly earned) aimed only at Vietnam vets and post 9-11 vets. So I feel a bit like the lost tribe in that too.

Having served during the Reagan and Bush years, I certainly have no love of that world view, but I actually was in Berlin when the wall fell -- and even took a hammer and chisel to it myself (yes, there are pictures).

Twelve years in green clothing gave me a deep respect for what the majority of them do and a desire to see the idiots (as in Abu Ghraib, or the Lackland sex scandal) strung up by the small bits. It also made me pretty seriously anti-gun ownership.

... I'm a mixed bag of nuts no matter how you slice it.

 If I can be of any service, I'll usually find a way to get a job done and, God help me, I do love to talk in public. You always know where you can find one disabled vet with a story (or two) to tell.

N. Barry Carver
Actor, Entertainment Consultant, Filmmaker & Author
U.S. Army Broadcast Journalism

N. Barry Carver at LinkedIn 

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

A Letter From Home ...

CJ --

My daughter sent me this website. I was married to Barbara Salvage (Coshocton, Ohio), who would have been in Doug's class in high school. I went to Three Rivers High School and played football against Doug, or his cousin, Kenny Kempf.

I, too, was in Viet Nam in 1968-1969. I lost a friend in Nam that I played football with at our high school, Chester A. Wright.

It doesn't seem possible that it has been that long ago. I also knew Jerry Heskett from dating Barb. I was not out in the boonies like Doug or Chester. They will always be missed. 

It was a war that should never have been fought. I didn't mind giving up a year of my life for my country, but just to turn around and give it back -- that makes me mad.  Plus, all of our soldiers who were wounded and will never be the same again. 

I'm sorry that this might bring up old memories, but I just wanted to say thank you.  Your husband made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Have a blessed day and a good weekend.

 
Timothy Stubbs 

Coshocton OH Memorial

********

Hello Tim,

Thank you so much for writing to me. For your service, may I also say, "Thank you" and "Welcome Home". Please don't worry about bringing up old memories. It's good for me to reconnect with those who knew Doug, the friends we had in common, and others from Coshocton or the surrounding towns.

Sharing our memories and talking about them are all such a big part of healing. The Vietnam era left a profound footprint on all of us. Sadly, it was a time that was cloaked in shame and, at times, outrage for those who served, those who never returned, and for the whole country.

I started my blog, Memoirs From Nam, in Doug's memory. I wanted to provide a healing place where veterans could come and share their thoughts, stories, and memories by writing about them.  In creating the blog and reading their stories, I have also begun to heal.

I'm so happy you wrote to me. I would love to post your letter on Memoirs From Nam, if you wouldn't mind. Anytime you would like to write about an experience, or share your thoughts, please know it would be an honor to post it.

Again, Welcome Home, Tim.
My warmest regards and respect,
CJ

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

New Book: Unlikely Warriors

by Lonnie M. Long and Gary B. Blackburn 

Published May 13, 2013 by IUniverse - 488 pages

In early May 1961, a U.S. military aircraft taxied toward a well-guarded terminal building. The plane slowed to a halt; steps were maneuvered up to its side, and the door was pulled open. The tropical night air was heavy and dank, and the moon shone dimly through high thin clouds. 

On board the aircraft were ninety-two members of a specially selected team. The men were dressed in indistinguishable dark suits with white shirts and dark ties, and each man carried a new red U.S. diplomatic passport inside his breast pocket. The men held copies of their orders and records in identical brown Manila envelopes, and each man’s medical records were stamped “If injured or killed in combat, report as training accident in the Philippines.”

In such clandestine fashion, the first fully operational U.S. military unit arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam. The unit was so highly classified even its name was top-secret. It was given a codename, a cover identity to hide the true nature of its mission. The unit’s operation was housed in a heavily-guarded compound near Saigon, and within two days of its arrival, Phase I was implemented. Its operatives were intercepting Viet Cong manual Morse communications, analyzing it for the intelligence it contained and passing the information to the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group-Vietnam. The Army Security Agency was on duty.

Where to Buy Unlikely Warriors:

Amazon: Unlikely Warriors: Hardcover

Amazon: Unlikely Warriors: Paperback and Kindle

Amazon Reviews:

Thanks for a Great Account ... 5 Stars
"A great attempt to cover a long, heroic effort by ASA in Vietnam. As a ASA Vietnam lingy safely working at Bien Hoa and Phu Bai from 1969 to 1971, I have nothing but admiration and respect for the guys who lived the war daily in the frontline Direct Support units throughout Vietnam. My sincere thanks to all who helped shine a bit of light on their their many achievements and valor." ~A Respectful Compatriot

An Army of Eagles ... 5 Stars

Exciting, this is an eye witness true story of the secret war fought by the Army's under cover warriors, Lonnie Long shares how he, and his covert warriors, beginning in 1961, kept our forces in the war game, using unusual strategies.  Hard to put down, authentic with photos, actual and factual.


About the Authors:

Lonnie M. Long was born in North Carolina and served with the Army Security Agency from August 1962 to November 1965. 

After completing ASA training at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, Lonnie served with the 76th Special Operations Unit, Shu Lin Kou Air Station, Taiwan. In 1964, he volunteered for duty in Vietnam and began a fifteen-month tour with the 3rd Radio Research Unit, Aviation Section, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon. 

Gary B. Blackburn is a native Iowan and served with the U.S. Air Force Security Service from April 1961 to November 1964. 

Gary studied Mandarin Chinese at the Institute of Far Eastern Languages, Yale University, followed by assignments to the Joint Sobe Processing Center, Torii Station, Okinawa, working for NSA, and the 6987th Security Group, Shu Lin Kou Air Station, Taiwan.


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

Memorial Day: Thomas Chase

My Memorial Day was spent as usual, in a reflective mode. Thoughts once again divert back to the late 60's when boys grew up to be men very quickly. Unfortunately for so many, this transition from boys to men was too short.

Memorial Day is a time of remembrance and for honoring all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in all wars and conflicts. 

The young men and women who served and whose lives were lost as a result of the Vietnam War shall never be forgotten. That is not because of any stone or granite memorials built in DC or many other cities, states, etc., but because they will forever be remembered in the hearts and minds of their loved ones and comrades.

Politicians and other figures make speeches, sporting events, hold flyovers, and all the news channels have programs dealing with the parades and other events of the day. That is simply (in their opinion), something that is mandated, something to be done to honor those on Memorial Day once a year.

I guess Memorial Day, to me, is no different than any other day of the year, because to me every day IS "Memorial Day".  Memories arise every day.  Thoughts of those who did not return home with me linger every day of the year. Thus, every day is one of remembrance and not forgetting the men and women with whom I served with in 1969-1970 in the "Land of the Little People".

May they all  Rest In Peace  forever and ever.
Thomas Chase

Specialist Fifth Class E-5
US ARMY - 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
October 1969 – October 1970 (1 year 1 month)
I Corp - Republic of South Vietnam
Air Crewman (Crew Chief-Gunner) aboard UH-1H (Huey)
Base Camp - Camp Eagle (I Corp - RSVN)
163rd Aviation Company - 101st Airborne Division


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale

MEMORIAL DAY: Lloyd Cates

The Eagle and Our Flag

Memorial Day Stories: 

All mountains are similar, but few bear a vein of gold and the same is true of man. Men look much the same, but not all possess the blood of a warrior and even fewer the strength of character to wager it. 

In order to protect our way of life and allow us to pursue our dreams, American warriors tiptoe along the precipice of Hell and lean over the slippery edge to spit into the Devil’s eye day after day.

They face hardship and adversity that mock the margins of possibility. They knock on Death’s door again and again as they pray he is not home. Any questions about their courage, character, and loyalty have been fully answered. They engage in the unthinkable, see the indescribable, and endure the unendurable and all of it is done for us. They offer no complaints, disclose no regrets, and refuse any retreat.

On occasion, colorful ribbons and shiny medals are “awarded” to these warriors to recognize physical wounds, or some handbook’s definition of bravery. Although appreciated, these adornments and commendations mean very little to a true warrior. They are the Mardi Gras beads of war and hold little value.  

Apart from the love of his family and his God, what he wants more than anything cannot be held in one’s hand, or worn on a uniform, and it will not be inscribed on his gravestone. More important than his own life is the love, loyalty and respect of his fellow warriors and that is never bestowed or awarded, it must be earned and the price is sometimes high. After he earns this perfect trinity, he is assured he will die a rich man whether his final resting place is a golden coffin in God’s acre or wrapped in rags and laid to rest in a potter’s field.

Despite all the wealth our great country possesses, victory in war cannot be purchased. It requires the ultimate investment. War’s only legal tender is a warrior’s blood. Warriors satisfy the cost of war by greasing Death’s palm and the road to peace is paved using cobblestones glazed with their blood. History is altered each time blood is spilled in battle. Epic battles consist of a series of distinct and decisive encounters. It becomes personal and each casualty of war is a story unto itself. 

For the survivors, each of these encounters is laundered through his soul, mitigated by his conscience, reconciled in his heart, and burned into his memory to be summoned time after time in his dreams. For the fallen, this task is left to his family and it is an enormous price to pay and an onerous burden to bear. 

Loyd Cates

God bless these families and those who gave all. They are truly America’s finest and let no one tell you differently. It only takes a brief personal moment for all of us to make each day Memorial Day. It seems the very least we can do.

With Love, Loyalty, and Respect,
SSG Cates
199th Light Infantry Brigade

Also by Loyd Cates:

Maybe Tomorrow

The Sport of Kings
Memorial Day: by Loyd Cates

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


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"Above and Beyond" Dog Tags Exhibit

"Above and Beyond" - National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum

MANY DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS EXISTS

When visitors first enter the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, they will hear a sound like wind chimes coming from above them and their attention will be drawn upward twenty-four feet to the ceiling of the two-story high atrium.

Since November 11, 2010, the dog tags of the more than 58,000 service men and women who died in the Vietnam War hang from the ceiling of the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago on Veterans Day. The 10-by-40-foot sculpture, entitled Above & Beyond, was designed by Ned Broderick and Richard Steinbock.

The tens of thousands of metal dog tags are suspended 24 feet in the air, 1 inch apart, from fine lines that allow them to move and chime with shifting air currents. Museum employees using a kiosk and laser pointer help visitors locate the exact dog tag with the imprinted name of their lost friend or relative.


“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale