Author Topic: Vietnam Vet, Great Uncle of mine. (Read 333 times)

Hawklore · « **on:** April 08, 2006, 05:25:13 PM »

He had part of his lung biopsied and family is thinking it's cancer due to the fact he was a heavy smoker.

He was a vietnam vet and when asked what he did over in vietnam, he was a Supply person/officer etc.

Well, the truth is coming out.

He was a door gunner, (This is through several mouths, but he was a gunner of some sort)

I've talked to him before, over the phone, great guy, but I've never asked him about his service.

Hopefully, if I can't get to him soon, I would like all of you, to knowingly thank a Vietnam vet, and please include your real name and city/state and any other information you wish to devulge.

It's unkown at the time what branch of service he was in.

His name is, Jim Hisle.

I want him to be able to talk about what he saw and what he did in Vietnam, I want to know the truth.

Jackal1 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2006, 05:52:28 PM »

Bud, I`m gonna give you a piece of advise. You can choose to take it or not. Your decision.
I`d be very carefull about pressuring someone into discussing their time in the Nam. If he wishs to talk about his time there, he will of his own accord. If he does not it would be wise to let it be. A lot of folks, I`d say a high percentange do not like to nor will discuss things having to do with their time in that tropical paradise.

Hawklore · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2006, 06:03:17 PM »

Didn't say anything about pressure..

I know ways to make people talk..

Knowing your supported is one way..

Jackal1 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2006, 06:08:43 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hawklore
Didn't say anything about pressure..

I know ways to make people talk..

Knowing your supported is one way..

Yea, I get you, but I don`t think you are understanding me. If people wish to talk about their time there , they do it willingly of their own decision.

Quote

I know ways to make people talk

This is what I am referring to. Bringing all that back, especialy at a critical time, can really have a negative effect. Quite the opposite from what your intentions are.
Like I said, I`m just laying a little something out here for you to chew on. The decison is yours.

LePaul · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2006, 07:53:21 PM »

More evidence that Hawklore is a tard

Sure, "pressure" your Great Uncle...get the post traumatic stress rolling.

Whatta punk

Hawklore · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2006, 08:07:01 PM »

Ok Skuzzy, delete since noone cares.

J_A_B · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2006, 08:11:37 PM »

"More evidence that Hawklore is a tard"

Youth and wisdom seldom coexist.

My old man or his brothers didn't talk about their WW2 service very often (all of them were sent to the Pacific), but every now and then they'd let something out, like mentioning the necklaces made of the ears of captured Japanese or spending three days in battle on Guadalcanal only to discover they were fighting another American unit.

As I get older and had bad experiences of my own, I've gone from asking "what was it like" to being glad I didn't have to live through those times.

J_A_B

nirvana · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2006, 08:30:06 PM »

My great uncle was a military photographer in Nam. I've never aksed him about it as I am a little shy, maybe some other time. My mom says he has pictures (illegally obtained:aok ) from Vietnam so i would say his story is pretty true. He doesn't outwardly suffer from any type of post traumatic stress or anything that i've seen, nice guy, likes to garden and take pictures now. I'll see if i can get him to e mail me some of his pictures.

Jim Hisle, from Kris in Colorado.

~~To any and all veterans as well.~~

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2006, 01:37:10 AM »

Just curious, I'm not bashing on you or anything Hawklore, but ............

Is it his illness that sparks this interest in hearing his stories, or finding out he did something "exciting"? I mean, before when you thought he was a store clerk you werent trying to get stories out of him. Now you think he was a door gunner and you want to "know the truth". It's human nature to be more interested in exciting things than boring ones.

I think if I were you I'd express interest, then back off and let him make the decision to talk or not. I'll gladly give him a big for his service over there, but I dont think its right for you to use our well wishes to try to unlock that door for you. Either he wants to talk or he doesnt.

To this day all I know about my grandfather's service in WWII is that he fought in the Philippines, that he was with the 32nd Infantry, that he served in the Army of Occupation in Japan, that he thought the M1 Garand was the finest rifle ever made (and treasured his like it was made of gold), and that he killed at least one man hand to hand. I have a few stories, which were never completed because as soon as he realized what he was talking about he'd shut up. He was proud of his service, proud of the men he served with, but never proud of what he had to do. His brother in law was in Europe and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Again, he didnt like to talk about it. They could talk to each other, and did, but they couldnt talk to the rest of the family and we never pushed. My uncle was in Vietnam. Same story.

What it boils down to is, some things are just too painful to share. It requires a special bond to talk about those things. As close as I was to my grandfather, it wasnt enough. I respected that, and you should respect your Uncle's choice.

Jackal1 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2006, 02:52:43 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hawklore
Ok Skuzzy, delete since noone cares.

Easy there big fellow. I think, once again, you are getting the wrong take on this. It certainly doesn`t have to do with "noone cares". Quite the opposite. Just don`t want you tripping around in something that you don`t understand.
I , for one, would give him or any other veteran of war a handshake and a big ole Texas thanks for their service. I do this on a regular basis when I see someone with veteran plates on their car or purple heart plates, etc. I believe most here would. It`s just that when someone is having problems such as he seems to be, then it just wouldn`t be the right time to bring something up that he may or may not wish to go into.

Hawklore · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2006, 07:42:30 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
Just curious, I'm not bashing on you or anything Hawklore, but ............

Is it his illness that sparks this interest in hearing his stories, or finding out he did something "exciting"? I mean, before when you thought he was a store clerk you werent trying to get stories out of him. Now you think he was a door gunner and you want to "know the truth". It's human nature to be more interested in exciting things than boring ones.

I think if I were you I'd express interest, then back off and let him make the decision to talk or not. I'll gladly give him a big for his service over there, but I dont think its right for you to use our well wishes to try to unlock that door for you. Either he wants to talk or he doesnt.

To this day all I know about my grandfather's service in WWII is that he fought in the Philippines, that he was with the 32nd Infantry, that he served in the Army of Occupation in Japan, that he thought the M1 Garand was the finest rifle ever made (and treasured his like it was made of gold), and that he killed at least one man hand to hand. I have a few stories, which were never completed because as soon as he realized what he was talking about he'd shut up. He was proud of his service, proud of the men he served with, but never proud of what he had to do. His brother in law was in Europe and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Again, he didnt like to talk about it. They could talk to each other, and did, but they couldnt talk to the rest of the family and we never pushed. My uncle was in Vietnam. Same story.

What it boils down to is, some things are just too painful to share. It requires a special bond to talk about those things. As close as I was to my grandfather, it wasnt enough. I respected that, and you should respect your Uncle's choice.

~~Illness..~~

Maverick · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2006, 10:53:50 AM »

Hawklore,

Your heart is in the right place but you really need to get your head involved as well. This is not a criticism.

If you want to open the door for discussion simply let him know you are interested in hearing about it. Let him know you care for him not just his stories. Just be patient. if he wants to talk, he will. If he doesn't don't bug him about it. He's living with things you don't understand and there are times that it is far far better to leave old memories undisturbed. They are HIS memories and it is HIS choice to dredge them up to the forfront of his mind if he wants. Somethings are much easier to live with if you leave them behind you and don't drag them along. Keep that in mind and you'll be far more comfort to him than you know.

wrag · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2006, 11:37:02 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Maverick
Hawklore,

Your heart is in the right place but you really need to get your head involved as well. This is not a criticism.

If you want to open the door for discussion simply let him know you are interested in hearing about it. Let him know you care for him not just his stories. Just be patient. if he wants to talk, he will. If he doesn't don't bug him about it. He's living with things you don't understand and there are times that it is far far better to leave old memories undisturbed. They are HIS memories and it is HIS choice to dredge them up to the forfront of his mind if he wants. Somethings are much easier to live with if you leave them behind you and don't drag them along. Keep that in mind and you'll be far more comfort to him than you know.

One of the best ways I've ever heard this put ~~SIR!~~

Stringer · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2006, 01:45:15 PM »

You've never met this guy? You say you've only talked to him over the phone.

I've got a better connection with my grocery store clerk. I wouldn't go bugging him about it, period. Especially if you've never met him. You're a relative of his in name only.