Thank you. I would also like to express my thanks for all you have accomplished in the time you have been on the net. I started a personal collection several years ago and since I was the Historian for my unit I asked them to look into all the features you had. This led to my unit submitting the beginning of our history of our unit.

I came up to visit and was given the Red Carpet treatment which my wife and I really enjoyed. Several months later I was working as a Wall Coordinator at the Moving Wall when it was in LBJ Park and I met some of the staff up there. By the end of the week they convinced me to do an Oral History which was really interesting.

It wasn’t long after that when you got your new property and I have only seen pictures, however, it looks amazing. I did 2 tours in Vietnam back to back and was trying for a third tour but the Army sent me back to the States with 100 days left, so I got out and the next few years was like being on another planet, it was hard to fit in, however, with the help of some other Veterans we decided to live our lives as the past Veterans had so we stopped trying to hide what we did since we were proud of our service. The government lost that war not the troops.

I decided after being out for 8 years that I wanted to be a soldier and I went back in and had a great 20 years more and I did two tours in the Gulf and I was happy. The Vietnam Vets have done more for the POW/MIA issues and really pushed for the respect and fair treatment of all today’s returning vets and this has helped improve the VA system compared to what we had…. People don’t realize this but it’s true and now our time is almost over but I would not change a thing and I’m glad I lived during the time I did.

We seen it all from the Beatles to Baghdad, can’t get much better than that.

“WE CAN NEVER FORGET OR GIVE UP”

Rangers Lead the Way

Comment by 1SG Joseph Welsh USA (Ret) — Friday, November 11, 2011 @ 7:55 am