WE WERE COMBAT SOLDIERS

What does it all mean? Without sounding almost cavaliar about a sacred subject, at least to me, (I did get in trouble once by saying the following about a purple heart) Being a combat soldier and a dollar and a half will get you a cup of joe in San Francisco, a small one, based on how much of the general population is interested in a combat soldier's war stories. Look at what little fanfare the war movies about Iraq or Afghanistan have gotten. Like none.

I just read where one of my favorite actors, John Cusack, is going to give it another shot in a movie called, War, Inc. He plays a mercenary in a fictional country. It is an antiwar satire. John, I doubt it will be on everybody's "to see" list, based on previous records of war movies. But, who knows! I thought In the Valley of Elah would get people's attentions, along with about a dozen others--most hardly made it out of the movie can. I do like the idea of John's movie, however, since he plays the role of a mercenary. At least it might be vicarious--in the old days of all these dictators who were abusing their people, we at least might have entertained the idea of taking them out. Now, with our morass in Iraq, we only can do it in the movies. Good luck, John.

Now, if you are really interested in reading about combat, I just read a fascinating account on Hamburger Hill. It was only called Hamburger Hill by the movies but an apt name. In actuality, it was called Ap Bia Mountain (in military parlance, Hill 937). And, from my perspective, the movie was pretty accurate, overall the best Vietnam movie made. I have recommended it to those who wanted to see authenticity.

It may have been the epic battle of Vietnam. But, in a sense, other than historical significance, who is interested or why should they be? Well, it is part of the American experience, and we need to acknowledge and hope against hope, that somehow it might make a difference to future leaders. It surely didn't work with our present one as he and his cohorts acted like Vietnam never existed. But, to those who fought, it surely did.

The details of the logistics and the battle itself are unbelievable feats. The battle costs the lives of 60 Americans with 372 GIs wounded. It is estimated that the regular NVA (North Vietnamese Army) lost 2000 in the battle.

The assault on Hamburger Hill signaled the beginning of the end. As a typical example of our many failures in that war, Americans took the hill and then were ordered to give it up. In less than two weeks, the 29th Regiment of the North Vietnamese Army reoccupied Hamburger Hill.(A really great book that details some Hamburger Hill type decisions made in Vietnam, Self Destruction by Cecil Currey)

Combat vet, Max Cleland's comments seem appropriate here: "I have seen this movie before (Iraq), and I know how it ends with thousands dead and tens of thousands more injured, and years later you ask yourself what you were doing there." And, to the troops, Phil Woodall's mantra in his wonderful poetry book, Rhymer in the Sunset, "They may have died in vain but they lived in honor."