Never overlook value of healthy conversation

The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 established “The National Vietnam Veterans Day to be celebrated each year on March 29.
On Monday, the Missouri National Veterans Memorial welcomed veterans to the replica wall on the grounds of the war museum on Highway AC. Due to the pandemic, it was the first event hosted there since a Wreaths Across America activity in early December.
Visitors from across the Midwest came to tour the grounds, find loved ones names on the wall and reflect on events that occurred decades ago. Many have not been there before. Others have been to the nation’s Capitol in Washington, D.C. to view the Vietnam Memorial.
More than 3.4 million service members traveled to Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s, with a high of 543,000 serving at one time there in the late 1960s. A total of 58,220 died, with nearly 41,000 of those deaths in the “killed in action” category.
Regardless of when they served, for every individual that was a part of the military, starting a conversation can be a simple way of recognizing the sacrifice these individuals made.
Often, a brief, open-ended question can lead to a friendly conversation. It’s a nice gesture, and, at times, a wonderful opportunity to learn.
What was it like in basic training? When did you go to Vietnam? What branch of the military were you in? What makes the U.S. Marines different than other branches of the armed forces?
Asking someone about their time spent in the military, whether it was in active duty in Vietnam or elsewhere, is an opportunity to learn.

It’s impossible to imagine the pain and suffering many soldiers experienced during their time spent in Southeast Asia.
There were casualties in and out of combat situations. There were friends suffering horrific injuries. Every person who served in the military, either in Vietnam or near that area decades ago, has a unique journey.
What remains? The memories, which are often too difficult to process. Perhaps they know exactly what happened, or, the memory remains hazy and they must resort to putting the pieces together years later, from conversations with those who were there and came back to tell about it.
Those who survived are left to deal with those haunting, complicated memories. Morter attacks, surprise artillery launches. Walks through the jungle at all hours of the night. The list goes on and on…
Much of what is remembered about the Vietnam War era is now gleamed from movies about that time. Are those portrayals accurate? Possibly. A better answer is that they partially show the experience of serving in a combat situation.
But isn’t it better to get the real answers from someone who was there?
Ask. Ask and listen. Be engaging. An encounter with a veteran, no matter how short or long it is, provides a chance to learn more about the past.
The conversations will eventually come to an end. Unfortunately, not much can be learned in silence.
Daniel Winningham is the managing editor of the Republic-Monitor. He may be reached by email at editor@perryvillenews.com or by phone at 573-547-4567.