Memorial Day

I write this blog as therapy, I guess. I guess that's why anyone writes, because "The writer has something to say." Sartre

I really could care less that anyone else might read it. This blog is a form of commitment to myself to use my mind, to place my 60 years experience, skills, abilities, and knowledge into one of several places. Plus, God bless'm, Google makes it available for free!

I usually do not write or talk about Memorial Day, but since I've been pontificating on Iraq, 9/11, handguns, philosophy, and such, I suppose that I need to say something. From Wikipedia: Following the end of the Civil War, many communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war or as a memorial to those who had died.

My wife puts the American Flag out on memorial day. I usually ignore it. I also usually work on Memorial Day, and oddly enough, I usually work on Veterans' Day. I suppose this is because I am a Vietnam Veteran, 173rd Airborne Infantry, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 65-66, "Death from Above," the Southeast Asian Strike-force for the USA and for the Chinese, "Rockasons" - - A mere infantry brigade with a big job back then. Anyway, it seems that this Vietnam Veteran has somehow managed to work more Memorial Days and Veterans Days than not in the last 40 years. (Gee, I like being 60 because it does lend one to a rather monumental picture of being human.)

I cleaned my first trauma scene in a place called "War Zone D," a cluster of mountains in which the "Hoe Chi Men Trail" emptied out into South Vietnam, not really so far from Saigon, not far at all from the Song nong di river. This was in November, 1965 following a rather large engagement at that period of time. I cleaned a few bloody ponchos. Later I would clean M-16's, claymore mines, more ponchos, web gear, helmets, bayonets, canteens, and more soldier stuff. I didn't give a second thought to cleaning the blood off then. I suppose that is why this form of "cleaning" is easy for me. Who knows?

Today I see that the 173rd is in Afghanistan. I regret being too old, too fat, and too weak to join them -- really. I feel bad and guilty that strong young men are "humping" mountains in Afghanistan for a somewhat dutiful cause and I cannot return to their unit. Not to clean trauma, but to work as a sergeant among learning soldiers. I'd share the risk, the labor, the out-and-out drudgery of being a foot soldier. These soldiers are big on words like "honor," by the way. They have to be big on honor. Really. It is a big word to them for big reasons.

That great Army Airborne Ranger and football star Pat Tillman went down to "friendly fire" in Afghanistan, I've heard. He was REALLY big on "honor." I heard too that the Army and U.S. Government have persistently lied to his parents. Odd, isn't it, that US Army officers are trained to tell the truth, to honor their integrity. I hope that they lied for some good reason and not for simple career advancement.

Then there's Iraq. The 101st is in Iraq and I am glad that I am not there with them. When I gave up on the Army, or better yet, when the Army gave up on me a few years ago, I would have promptly joined the 101st in Iraq as a fellow soldier, not with any belief that it was an "honorable" thing to do, because it would not have been an honorable thing for me to do, knowing what I know about the Iraq issues. I knew Bush and party were lying, just like the Army lied to Tillman's family.

I knew from experience that soon the "enemy" would integrate itself into the general population, especially in places like Baghdad. I think that the general population is the "enemy" in many cases. I would not want to take part in figuring out how to survive in a terrorist driven urban environment. I'll stick to the woods, the wild. Still, if I could, I would soldier with the 101st in Iraq, if I could.

I think that there's an emotional thing inside of me about being a survivor and young soldiers are dying and maybe I might help them. Maybe I might help anyone. It is such a mess there. We are so helpless in these matters and I don't like it. I want to help end it all and I would if I could join the 101st. Sadly, there is no fountain of youth for this old, fat man.

Yesterday I heard that fat TV lady Roseann making the point that to the Iraqis, in many cases, the US must be a terrorist organization, considering the numerous deaths created since our arrival. I could hardly believe that I was watching this woman and agreeing with her so much.

Check these figures out, and as of today's date (05/24/07):

Every 10 minutes an Iraqi in Iraq dies from war related causes.

Every 10 hours a US Soldier/Marine dies from war related causes.
(This does not count those who die in-flight out of the country for their wounds.)

For every KIA (Killed in action soldier), there are 15 wounded in Iraq, many with life-long head trauma requiring 100 percent care for the rest of their lives.

Every 10 days the US spends 2 billion dollars on its Iraq war efforts.

The total cost of the Iraq war will probably reach 2 trillion dollars if not stopped soon.

So stand up, hook-up, shuffle to the door, and Go! Here comes another memorial day, more than one hundred have preceded it, and the richest, most powerful nation in history chooses to destroy innocent civilians while tapping their natural resources. Now what does that say for honor?
Airborne!
Eddie Evans