Original disdain for Vietnam vets leads to 'thanks' for today's troops
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
From time to time, we receive thank you notes from our readers. We might receive cards to thank us for covering a fundraising benefit, or from a person we featured in one article or another. Hearing the words "thank you" never grows old, but sometimes, it makes you go all misty.
Last week, News-Item reporter Rachel Carta wrote a touching article about Marine Staff Sgt. Paul Choclis, of Marion Heights, for our Veterans Day special section. Choclis served 86 horrendous days with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Regiment, 5th Division, Marine Corps in the jungle of Vietnam in 1966. For nearly three months, these men sat in leech-infested mud with limited supplies and no showers or hot meals, watching their buddies get shot searching for a clear sight on "Charlie." They lost many men on that mission. For their efforts, "The Filthy Few" were awarded three presidential citations and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and gained a hard-earned appreciation for the simple joys in life, like dry feet and hot running water.
For Rachel's efforts, Paul brought her a thank you card. And a box of chocolates. And a small stuffed dog and gift set. He told her to share them with everyone in the newsroom who helped her with the article.
When I arrived at work that afternoon, Rachel was smiling from ear to ear while she showed me all of the kind gifts Paul had brought her. She told me she felt personally honored to hear his story and to have the opportunity to share it with our readers; learning about Paul's friends and their time in Vietnam was all the thanks she needed.
But how thoughtful of him to think of her and to thank her for simply doing her job.
Then it hit me. When Paul and his Marine buddies returned home after their harrowing ordeal, no one said thank you to them. In fact, if they were lucky, no one said anything. Most troops from that war were met by booing crowds who spat on them and called them terrible names. Back then, men were drafted, so serving in the military during Vietnam wasn't always a choice. Instead of being treated with compassion, these men were demonized for fulfilling an obligation, a responsibility.
Perhaps Rachel's story is one of the few times a civilian has shown appreciation for what these men had endured.
What I don't understand is why they were demonized in the first place. Is there any other group of troops who were treated with such disdain? Even Civil War soldiers, who were often pitted against members of their own families, were welcomed home with some dignity, so history tells us.
I guess there is no rationale, no excuse for how Paul and his fellow servicemembers were treated, but as the crew that welcomes today's troops home, his generation is making damned sure no one else is treated with such disrespect.
As a veteran of the war in Iraq, I owe Paul Choclis a huge thank you. If it wasn't for what he and the troops of his generation had experienced returning from war, my generation wouldn't have received the overwhelming rush of support and love when we came home. Every time I stepped off a plane, there was someone there holding a "Welcome home" sign, ready to give me a hug and a cell phone so I could call my folks. It wasn't just my family and friends standing there, either. Sometimes, it was complete strangers, and thanks to my Aunt Jill, three news crews (I still owe you for that one Jillywicker). Even today, three full years after I hung up the combat boots, friends and family call me on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and July 4, just to say thank you. Complete strangers who recognize me from the paper shake my hand and say, "Thank you for serving our country."
So, Staff Sgt. Paul Choclis, thank you for everything you and your fellow Marines did in the Cobi Thanh Tan Valley, Khe Sanh and other areas in Vietnam. Thank you for everything you and your generation put up with stateside as well. Because of you, people make a point to be appreciative and kind to my generation.
For that, we're grateful.
(Nicolov, an assistant editor at The News-Item, writes "Don't Get Me Started" for each Friday edition.)
Be the first to comment on this article!