Zippo lighters captured a wide range of feelings and opinions about the war in Vietnam, from the obscenity-laden anti-army mottoes of the unwilling draftees, to the simple love notes of the homesick, to the eight Special Forces emblazoned lighters, conspicuously absent of any further embellishment. These lighters were used for lighting cigarettes, heating food, illuminating letters from home, or setting…
What the U.S. Government states: The VA states: Veterans, including activated Reservists and members of the National Guard, are [Combat Veterans] if they served on active duty in a theater of combat operations…and have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. [The above definition is for eligibility for VA benefits] The American War Library states: What is a Veteran? –…
My Thoughts While Walking Point in the Arizona Territory Many Vietnam veterans struggled upon returning to the United States. They wrestled with the psychic trauma of the war and felt isolated and out of place, rejected by their country. As point man, the greater danger wasn’t from an ambush or getting shot from a sniper, it was from the booby…
For all of you smokers back in the day, which brand did you prefer and which brand did you smoke while living in the rice patties, mountains, and jungles of Vietnam? It appeared that many (about 60%) of the soldiers in my platoon smoked. Every C-Ration meal contained a single four-pack of cigarettes; ten different brands were primarily offered, but…