I’m a retired military officer, 20-years flying helicopters. When I was in Vietnam, missions and flying seemed like “the” most important thing ever. Now, nearly…god, can it really be?...40-years later, it seems insignificant, almost hard to recall. You wonder if all those lives were spent in vain. I mean, if not a person had died there, would the world be a different place today?
At first when I read your comment I thought you were asking me if I was wondering with my why if people had died in vain. I answered that with "no - I don't think that - I think action is important and I don't believe any of the soldiers, sailors and fliers of the multitude of wars could do much except what they did." The leaders I'm not so sure about. Especially the first world war which was one where the poor died in droves and the upper class made free with them as easy fodder. I am not convinced that going to war is the only way to stop cruelty to those who cannot chose their govts. or their leaders AND I am well aware that I don't have a different answer. It is one of the conundrums of our age - why an evolved species still struggles with how to make peace. Now I see your "You" is a universal one. Or perhaps, you mean to say - "I wonder..." Oh Galen - I think, you did your best - you off in Vietnam with your comrades and I did my best with my hippy comrades marching on Parliament Hill for peace. Weren't we both really after the same thing? Can you tell I'm the confused flower child of a lifer Armed Forces Dad? He was a bomber pilot in WW2 and his three brothers served as well - one of whom did not come home.
I lost many shipmates in the Canadian Navy during WW2.It was the price of freedom. Had we not resisted Hitler's aggression the world would be different today and a scarier place than it is.I mourn the loss but have no regrets.
3 comments:
I’m a retired military officer, 20-years flying helicopters. When I was in Vietnam, missions and flying seemed like “the” most important thing ever. Now, nearly…god, can it really be?...40-years later, it seems insignificant, almost hard to recall. You wonder if all those lives were spent in vain. I mean, if not a person had died there, would the world be a different place today?
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
At first when I read your comment I thought you were asking me if I was wondering with my why if people had died in vain. I answered that with "no - I don't think that - I think action is important and I don't believe any of the soldiers, sailors and fliers of the multitude of wars could do much except what they did." The leaders I'm not so sure about. Especially the first world war which was one where the poor died in droves and the upper class made free with them as easy fodder. I am not convinced that going to war is the only way to stop cruelty to those who cannot chose their govts. or their leaders AND I am well aware that I don't have a different answer. It is one of the conundrums of our age - why an evolved species still struggles with how to make peace.
Now I see your "You" is a universal one. Or perhaps, you mean to say - "I wonder..." Oh Galen - I think, you did your best - you off in Vietnam with your comrades and I did my best with my hippy comrades marching on Parliament Hill for peace. Weren't we both really after the same thing? Can you tell I'm the confused flower child of a lifer Armed Forces Dad? He was a bomber pilot in WW2 and his three brothers served as well - one of whom did not come home.
I lost many shipmates in the Canadian Navy during WW2.It was the price of freedom. Had we not resisted Hitler's aggression the world would be different today and a scarier place than it is.I mourn the loss but have no regrets.
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