Vietnam Veteran News with Mack Payne

In this episode, Jim Sparks, another outstanding representative of the Great Vietnam Veteran Generation will be featured. He was the subject of an article in The News of Brunswick, Georgia titled: Army veteran a platoon commander in Vietnam submitted by Gordon Jackson of The Brunswick News. Contact him at [email protected], or at 912-464-7655.

Sparks explained in the story how he was attending college but received a draft notice due the fact in semester he did not take enough classes to prevent becoming eligible for the dreaded call from his local draft board. He had previously suffered a knee injury that he figured would keep him out of the Army. Much to his surprise they took him anyway. After his entry into the Service two events occurred that showed he was a cut above the rest. The first was that he was offered a chance to go to officer’s candidate school. The other indicator was the fact that upon graduation from OCS he was retained as an instructor teaching tactics and discipline. Both those things indicate Sparks was an outstanding soldier.

According to the article, since Sparks knew it was inevitable he would eventually end up in Vietnam he volunteered to go if he could serve with his favorite unit the 101st Airborne Division. The writer of this piece also was happy to serve with the 101st in country but it was more happenstance for him since he went to Vietnam unassigned. There just happened to be a pressing need at the 101st for Cobra gunship pilots the day he arrived and the rest is history.

Sparks outstanding qualities as a soldier were solidly verified by his achievements in Vietnam. He served honorably as a platoon leader with the 101st in I Corps for six months and never lost a man. Once while on patrol he was blown in the air by and explosion and reported as being KIA but he survived. Unlike John Kerry who weaseled a Purple Heart for a paper cut on his finger, Sparks' DD-214 does not show any Purple hearts. Hope you enjoy his story on this podcast episode.

Many Vietnam Veterans became familiar with a variety of weapons used by both sides in that war. Some were a little "nasty." Most would agree there weren't many things worse than stepping on a Punji (or bungi as we referred to them) stake that had been marinated in human waste products. These stakes would either kill you with an immediate death caused by puncture wounds or kill you later with infections caused by the despicable coatings on the stakes.

Another weapon most Vietnam Veterans were familiar with was napalm bombs. Those are classified as incendiary weapons. I am sure a large number of NVA and Vietcong surviving veterans plus a huge number of Vietnamese civilians are equally familiar with that particular weapon. It was the one that delighted Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall) in the movie Apocalypse Now who really liked the smell of napalm in the morning.

All those weapons used in Vietnam were terrible tools of war that both sides used in their efforts to prevail in the conflict. They caused much death and destruction. Just to let you know you can now heave a sigh of relief. Many of those deadly weapons will no longer be of any concern to warring armies and individuals because the Geneva Convention has outlawed their use in future hostilities.

A story in taskandpurpose.com titled: 5 Crazy Weapons That Are Banned From War by Sarah Sicard is featured in this episode of the podcast Vietnam Veteran News. It tells about five of the weapons that have been outlawed by the Geneva Convention. Sadly, I think the probability of those rules being obeyed by combatants in future wars is about the same as the probability of Hillary Clinton will obey rules for emailing highly classified documents.

No matter what the Geneva Convention says, when nations decide it is absolutely necessary to go to war this old adage is true: "War means fighting and fighting means killing." By Nathan Bedford Forrest. The other guy will do anything to kill you first regardless of what they say at The Hague.

Banned Weapons

In this episode something very important relating to Vietnam Veterans and the Fourth of July Celebrations is featured. One of the more popular traditions of Fourth of July Celebrations are large and noisy fireworks displays. While they can be patriotic displays to show love of one's country they can cause big problems for Vietnam Veterans suffering from PTSD.

This hazard was described in a story from WCMH-TV of Columbus, Georgia title:

Fourth of July fireworks can be challenge for some veterans. In the article it states: " Fourth of July can be a challenging holiday for veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome because of the loud fireworks, mental health experts say. It’s an ironic situation, since citizens wouldn’t be celebrating the freedom that’s so much a part of the Fourth of July holiday without the contributions made by veterans."

This puts many Vietnam Veterans in a dilemma. They want to participate in the celebrations because they fought to help keep the country free yet those very celebrations could trigger all sorts of problems for the veteran and their families.

The writer of this piece experienced something a few years back while he was living in Naples, Florida. Even though he did not exhibit any symptoms of PTSD the reality of the condition was demonstrated one day while he was sitting at his desk in that city when some blasting was being done nearby to break through the prevalent limestone. When the blasting suddenly began he instantly was taken back to Vietnam where he had seen and experienced much incoming hostile fire including mortars, rockets, and artillery fire. The memories of those time engulfed his mind and cold chills ran up and down his spine.

The warnings about this situation are twofold. One veterans should be careful about attending fireworks displays and citizens who live near veterans should be careful when setting off fireworks in their back yard.

The Fourth of July is one of America's favorite celebration. To many, it is a summer holiday filled with picnics featuring lots of barbecue, hot dogs and hamburgers. A day of eating and swimming is followed up with fireworks displays across the nation. Each one trying to outdo all the others in jaw dropping beauty and intensity.

With all the activities going on during this summer day it might be understandable that many of the celebrants may pay scant attention to the purpose of the big day. They may forget or not appreciate the full significance of why we celebrate this day.

The purpose of the Fourth of July celebration is to honor that great document written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 55 other brave Americans. That document was The Declaration of Independence. It was Drafted by Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument.  He laid out the justification before the world for the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.

It took a great deal of bravery to sign that document. The 56 signers immediately became enemies of the State for this implied act of treason against the Crown of Great Britain.

All Americans should get down on their knees and thank their God above for the bravery of those Americans in 1776 who were willing to risk all they had including their lives to create this great country and the freedom its citizens enjoy.

All Vietnam Veterans should be proud of their service to their country in that war fought so far away. Even there in Vietnam we were fighting for our freedoms and those of others. So remember that fact as you enjoy the ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs and fireworks.

We will soon be celebrating another Fourth of July in this country to remember the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That act began the process of the creation of the United States of America which led to its citizens living in a land of the free and the brave. It is also important to keep in mind that freedom is not free. It must be actively maintained even if that requires some of its citizens to shed their blood for the cause.

In this episode the story of a Vietnam Veteran who understands the truth of  that reality and who was willing to fight for it is featured. The Vietnam Veteran is former U.S. Marine John Griffith of Gallatin, Tennessee and his story comes out in an article in The Tennessean titled: Vietnam veteran: 'Freedom's not free' submitted by Tena Lee, [email protected].

In the article, Griffith tells the remarkable story of how he was captured during a secret Reconnaissance mission. His helicopter was shot down and as a result he and one other survivor were captured by the North Vietnamese. Even though the two Americans had their hands tightly bound behind their backs and were being led through the jungle with a rope around their necks they were about to escape and fight another day.

After serving a year in Vietnam in deadly challenging combat Griffith, as so many did, encountered a negative reaction from antiwar protestors upon their return home. He is still bothered by that situation to this very day and does whatever he can to insure veterans returning home today receive more fittings homecomings.

Also noted in this episode is a personal memory. Gallatin, Tennessee is not far from Nashville. That brought back memories of my listening, as a child, to WLAC radio of Nashville. A small piece of a tribute program to a favorite WLAC on air personality, Mr. John Richbourg better known as "John R." is provided for your entertainment.

Many Vietnam Veterans face challenges as a result of their service in that war even to this day. In this episode one of those challenged veterans will be featured. William Alvarez lost both his legs in Vietnam while serving with the 101st Airborne Division in 1972. His story comes from a story in The New York Times titled: After Bitter Decades, a Wounded Vietnam Veteran Hand cycles Back to Hope submitted by Robin Lindsay And Noah Remnick on Publish Date July 1, 2016.

The story tells us that Alvarez, now 71, joined the Army in 1969 rather than slinking off to Canada as many did to avoid service to their country. It took him 13 months in the hospital to recover from his injuries that took his legs. When he returned home he was dismayed to see what had happen with the public attitude toward Vietnam and the veterans who participated in that war.

Like many Vietnam Veterans he suffered symptoms of PTSD before anyone know what it was. His PTSD conditions caused his marriage to breakup and his inability to hold a job. He fell into a descending spiral of hopeless and despair shadowed by constant suicidal tendencies.

But today he is turning the corner beyond the perils of PTSD. He is happier and healthier today after taking the advice of fellow veterans who for years urged him to try cycling, insisting on the sport’s therapeutic virtues. Alvarez finally relented at an event in Central Park co-hosted by Achilles International, an organization that runs athletic programs for people with disabilities, and the V.A. Adaptive Sports Program, which is run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He climbed onto the seat of a cycle and set off.

The mission of Achilles International is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream running events in order to promote personal achievement. CLICK HERE for more information about Achilles International.

CLICK HERE for more information about the V.A. Adaptive Sports Program

If you are a Vietnam Veteran with PTSD challenges why don't you follow the lead of William Alvarez and check out these programs.

In this episode we will highlight another tremendous representative of that great Vietnam Veteran Generation. This time it is Huntsville, Alabama native Robert Gill. His service to his country was chronicle in a story found in the Redstone Rocket titled: Navy patrol boat crewman keeps memories of war. The story was submitted by our buddy Skip Vaughn who is composing a series of articles about Vietnam veterans as the United States commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Vaughn tells about Gill serving on a fast patrol craft, PCF 17, which patrolled the rivers and coastal areas in Vietnam searching for the enemy. He was the senior petty officer in a five-man crew on a fast boat. He spent two months in Danang, moved to Chu Lai and then to Cat Lo with the Coastal Squadron One, Coastal Division 13.

His fast boat would go out on three and four day patrols then return for a break in action for few days and then repeat the process. He experienced periods of boredom that would be broken by brief periods of combat action or other emergencies. When he came home to the States he encountered the hostility toward Vietnam returnees faced by many. That distastefulness has stayed with him to this very day.

After Vietnam he stayed in the Navy and retired in 1987 as a master chief petty officer after 23 years of service. His last assignment was assistant director of security at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Gill, 72, worked for a security contractor at Marshall Space Flight Center from 1987 to 2000. Next he worked for a contractor with the Missile Defense Agency before retiring in 2013.

Robert Gill is a great American and has no reason to feel any shame for being a member of the great Vietnam Veteran Generation.

As a Vietnam Veteran I had the opportunity to see many different types of combat aircraft in action against the opposing forces in that war. Next to the impressive B-52 bombers of which I only saw the results of their Arc Light strikes, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was without a doubt my favorite. It was the sexiest aircraft in the airs over that beautiful country - a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor aircraft/fighter-bomber with a top speed of 1,473 miles per hour. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds of weapons on nine external hard points, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs.

The appearance of the aircraft was enhanced by its dihedral wings that were angled up only at the outer portions and its anhedral all-moving tailplane angled down 23 degrees. What that means in laymen's speak is that the wing tips were angled up and the tail fins were angled down and that made it look as good as a Richard Petty race car.

The aircraft with all its warts and accomplishments during the Vietnam War is described in a story in The National Interest Magazine titled: America's F-4 Phantom: Taking On the World's Best Fighters (At Almost 60 Years Old) submitted by Sebastien Roblin. Roblin tells how initially after its introduction to combat flying in Vietnam several glaring problems with the F-4 became readily apparent.

One big problem was that it did not have a built-in cannon. The designers relied on the idea that future aerial warfare would rely solely on air to air missiles and guns would be an anachronism. The North Vietnamese Air Force disproved that theory. Another problem was that Phantom’s J79 engines produced thick black smoke, which combined with the aircraft’s larger size, made it easier to spot and target from a distance.

Most of the shortcomings of the F-4 were corrected by war's end and it became an even better fighter bomber. It's record in Vietnam is as follows, they shot down 150 enemy aircraft, 40 were shot down by enemy fighters and 474 were shot down by ground fire.

In this episode we will take another look at the situation in Afghanistan and how a lesson from the Vietnam War could be helpful in settling the current quagmire we find ourselves in over in central Asia. An article from Modern Diplomacy titled: A Realist Proposal: How the Vietnam War Can Help the US End its Afghan War by Luis Durani is featured. Durani makes a bold proposal for dealing with the War in Afghanistan.

He suggestion is worth looking at if nothing else because of his impressive and varied background. He is currently employed in the oil and gas industry. He previously worked in the nuclear energy industry. He has a M.A. in international affairs with a focus on Chinese foreign policy and the South China Sea, MBA, M.S. in nuclear engineering, B.S. in mechanical engineering and B.A. in political science. He is also author of "Afghanistan: It’s No Nebraska – How to do Deal with a Tribal State" and "China and the South China Sea: The Emergence of the Huaqing Doctrine." Follow him for other articles on Instagram: @Luis_Durani.

In his article he points out that the US is currently in a lose - lose situation in Afghanistan. He maintains our Afghan Doctrine has been mishandled from the start and is still being badly run. President Obama proclaims victory and announces a troop pullout and then proceeds to ramp up US support of a corrupt and inept patched together government that would fall soon after cessation of US dollar support.

This is similar to what happened in Vietnam. Durani describes how the US and Vietnam have become closer in response to the growing influence of China. He claims America's myopic view of Asian politics after the fall of South Vietnam caused it to overlook the historical mistrust of China and Vietnam. This delayed policies that could check Chinese influence in the area.

Durani believes if the US could apply the same logic with the Afghan situation we could actually come out of the quagmire as winners. Listen to this podcast episode and you decide.

In this episode we are going to get political with a story from the Huffington Post titled: Afghanistan War: Obama’s Vietnam submitted by Professor Nake M Kamrany, Lauren Deife, and Dimitri Beshkov. Vietnam Veterans know the horror of war and appreciate the fact that war should be the very last option when dealing with world affairs.

The Vietnam war has been studied, analyzed and discussed for many years and it seems like after a while we should get it right but it looks like we as a country continue to step in it when it comes to putting American lives in harm's way. The featured article was written by Professor Nake M Kamrany who is an Afghan expat. He is an eminent Afghan-American development economist with a great deal of experience in economic development. He is held in high esteem by the international development community, Afghan leaders, scholars, the private sector and intellectuals. He has published more than 20 articles on the political economy of Afghanistan. He is one of the founders of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, Nebraska. The professor knows what he is talking about when he opines on the policies effects in Afghanistan.

He points out that Barack Obama the man who campaigned as the "peace president" when he ran for office in 2008 has have been engaged in seven wars for a longer duration than any other US president. On May 20, 2016 he along with NATO members agreed to extend military occupation for five additional years which will extend the occupation of Afghanistan to 20 Years.

In the words of Stonewall Jackson of Civil War fame, going to war should be the absolute last option to a country but if it is necessary to go to war the sword should be drawn and the scabbard be thrown away. Let's hope the leaders of this great nation will learn to use wisdom and discretion when it comes to asking Americans to shed their blood for their country.