Sorry - I didn't take the time to reset my cookie.

I'm one of those who continues to have my uniform in the closet. All my ribbons where they should be. Pictures of my Brothers I served with on the walls of my den.

As far as whether or not we, the Vietnam veterans Against the War, believed in our cause or not? Some did and some did it just to get stoned and laid. Some of us did it because we were sick to death of our Brothers coming home in boxes for Johnson's oil.

I still believe I went to Vietnam with the intent of saving our world from Communism and helping a poor country out of its misery. those statements above can be taken many ways today. But back then it was with the purest of intent. I was a Marine and my job was to serve my country.

As far as throwing medals over the fence? It was a form of protest. And no one really cared whose medals they were. At that time they didn't mean much. Only later on in life did the full import of what they represented come to me. I'm proud of my medals. Or ribbons. Whatever you want to call them.

Now to the issue of Senator Kerry's medals. He earned them. And anyone who has not received one of those little Purple hummers has no right to talk about them. Unless you were with a few folks who earned them. There were "Ti-ti hearts" - the ones for little wounds. Then there were the big Hearts for the wounds that sent folks back to hospitals. There were Hearts for trees falling on people. Some folks got them during mortar attacks for tripping on tent stakes and ending up bleeding as a result of it. The REALLY big Hearts were when you got sent home - in a box. See a Heart is a Heart is a Heart. And it didn't, doesn't, matter how big or little it is.

Lots of folks were whining, want some cheese with that?, about whether or not the good Senator earned his Silver Star. Ask some of the folks who chased wounded folks into strange places if they didn't get a bit of a rush from that. Cornered critters have a tendancy to get aggressive when trapped and are scared. Even a mouse will fight to the death if scared enough.

So the question is this - What about his medals?

My response - And your point is . . . .??

Or maybe better yet - I have no issue with the Senator and nor do I have issue with what he has done since his time in the war. The veteran's group that is claiming to speak for all of us who fought there also happen to be the ones who blatantly doctored the picture of the Senator at the Senate hearings on the war with an NVA flag as a backdrop - and sent it around the net as a real picture. Not exactly an unbiased group in my insignificant opinion.

Any way - I agree with Mick - and Art - and the rest of the Veteran's views here for the most part.

Thanks for serving folks - you do America proud.

Semper Fi
Steve