by Ted Zefer

Created on: November 11, 2008   Last Updated: September 28, 2010

Why did we do it? For me it was all I knew had to be done. My whole life was stories of the wars. My father was a WWI veteran. It was the thing to do to honor being an American. His father came to the US in 1850 and homesteaded and raise 12 children. When one brother died in the war my father enlisted and left to fight for his country. Stories of his six months in the trenches always came up when we got together. Never changing socks for six months. Never a word against what he did.

My uncle was a WWII vet. A poor result of the war being an alcoholic always drinking and a kinda of a migrant worker for years riding the rails and not settling down. Always drinking and reliving what happened to him. Now he would get treatment for the effects of war on a young man. In later live he was called and told he was to receive the Medal of Honor. I always heard this was a great honor. But for him it returned him to the Pacific war and I saw him on the phone start to shake and I heard him turn it down. After over twenty years they say he did something that he should be honored for. He died unnoticed and alone. Buried as he lived simple and alone. I only wish now he could receive that honor he was awarded by refused.

My oldest brother served also in WWII in the Navy as so did my other brother in the Korean war. That left me all I wanted was to be like my brothers. Viet Nam chose me to honor my family. I joined the Navy and was proud the serve. But war was different than theirs. At least for me. I saw a land of green turned brown with agent Orange. I left the states with a kind of thoughts of the 50's and came back to topless women, anti war hippies, dope and hatred for all of us who went to fight for those who protested. I saw young men die not knowing why. We felt we were doing right to stop the Commies. I never met one. I took up a weapon when the guy next to me was shot from a snipers bullet. From being taught how to hunt with my father I was a good shot. I took out the sniper and others. Being in communications I help provide fire that killed many. For all this I never felt I was just doing my job. Now a vet of 60 the past still haunts me. We grew up with the movies of war. Honor the country with no questions asked. I saw and did a lot as did many many others. We all felt it was our duty to do what we did. And I still do.

I have seen what a war does to the young men we send to war. It is not an honor to feel you are killing someone you never knew that only wants to kill

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