Only those who served their country in the Vietnam War will ever really know how awful that conflict was.
One of them, Kerry Chisholm, was the keynote speaker at last week’s Picton-Thirlmere-Bargo RSL Sub Branch Vietnam Veterans Day, which attracted a large number of people.
After mentioning the proud military history of his own family in World War II, Vietnam and Afghanistan, Mr Chisholm said there were still things from Vietnam that he could not talk about.
He said he felt the general public had turned their backs on Vietnam veterans.
After noting that 521 brave souls never came home from Vietnam, he said: “If the fallen could speak it would be to remind us of who they were and what they were.’’
There’s no doubt that even more than 40 years later Vietnam veterans like Mr Chisholm are still hurting with the response they received on returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam.
No wonder there are a lot of people calling on the government to do something about it, to right this wrong.
But what?
After reading my call to bring Vietnam veterans in from the cold, South West Sydney military historian Gary Lucas has one suggestion: how about a real meaningful Sorry Day for Vietnam Veterans on a yearly basis?
Yes, and it could be incorporated into the Vietnam Veterans Day, which itself is a little bit of recognition for those who served in that conflict.
Perhaps the Picton-Thirlmere-Bargo RSL Sub Branch could develop this theme further next year and show the way for other sub-branches.
Incidentally, the Picton-Thirlmere-Bargo sub-branch’s next event is the 2017 commemoration of Remembrance Day on Saturday, November 11 from 10.30am at Thirlmere Memorial Park.
Put it in your diary.
