Vietnam Voices: 'You're going to a place where the lucky guys get shot, picked up and taken out'
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- Опубликовано: 17 сен 2015
- Vietnam War veteran Tom Lowry talks about his experiences. Lowry served in the U.S. Marine Corps and grew up in Absarokee, Montana. His father owned an electronics store, but he couldn’t make a decision on what to do after high school.
To all Vietnam veterans, regardless how people think about that war, they did the job asked of them and for that I thank them for their service
Exactly can’t blame the men who fight to better the world blame the men in suits who got them there. If there wasn’t a military out there to keep the peace the world would be a scarier place
What a load of bullshit. It was a dirty war and only mercenaries went there. Killing off millions of innocent Vietnamese was the job at hand, nothing to be proud of. They should all be convicted for war crimes.
@@adbogo Hey Ad you ever hear of the draft
@@adbogo they were forced, could be jailed for dodging. These men were boys going in, with minimal training. They were lied to until they got in to Vietnam and then they had to do what they did to survive. At that time you really couldn’t disobey orders, and in this war, it was survival, and only survival.
The ones who should be convicted are the ones who started this war, the ones who sent these boys out with minimal, inadequate training.
@@Erika-vd9qw oh my God what an uneducated dummy response. Them boys wanted to go
As a draftee in 1967 I was apprehensive of dying or being seriously wounded. But I felt it was my duty to serve as my Dad, Uncles and an Aunt did during WWII and Korea. I joined the Army Reserves a few years after coming home from Vietnam and eventually went to Desert Storm with a medical company. From my Vietnam experience I knew that most soldiers/sailors/airmen were not in daily harm's way and felt I was trained well and could help. Thank you for your service Marine!
We must not let their stories fade away. Keep these stories alive. Thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice.
what exactly are you thanking him for?
Damn egg can't you read he's thanking him for their service and their sacrifice evidently you can't be thanked for that
What a genuine, great guy. I could've listened to his story for hours and hours.
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I was living out in Montana a couple years ago. I became disabled and filed for my disability. I'm also a marine corps veteran. Billings has one of the best veteran outpatient medical center I've ever been to. Great program thank you.
My father once said, the only people who are for going to war are those who've never seen war themselves. RIP Pop...
Unless your part of the commy deep state satanic NWO/GREAT RESET......... ONLY SATANIC PEOPLE
Or those that can be corraled into it by the draft. I was 30 seconds away from being hired by the Phone company until they asked my age and draft status, 18, and 1A. THEY literally told me, "Oh, we're sorry, we can't risk training you and then you being drafted and we lose our training investment''. I did my 2 year enlistment and returned and got the job, two years delayed by the draft. "later that day'' they abolished the draft. 2 years too late for my taste.
These series of videos agree priceless, no matter what anyone's thoughts on war, or the event that started Vietnam off, these people's experiences are real and it showcases what humans can be molded, talked and trained into. I hope RUclips never deletes this stuff, they're very heavy handed with truth lately
Yep. RUclips doesn’t like reality at times
Censoring Freedom!
I'm strongly anti war and these videos fascinate me
My uncle served in Vietnam and was a medic, he came back home a wreck from what he had seen and had to do, the ones he couldn't save are the ones that haunted him until he passed away, to all of the people who served in Vietnam and other conflicts much respect and honour for you always, you have no idea how appreciated you are
My father is a Vietnam veteran and I'm very proud of him
That letter almost brought tears to my eyes. I leave for boot camp in San Diego September 13th. God bless all the men who fought and died in Nam, Afghanistan and Iraq
I hope you made it. I went to the Island in 2006. It was 3x worse than I ever dreamed it would be lol 😂
God bless all the men in every battle especially the men who went to battle died even before taking a shot . Just for us Americans to be free ... God bless America 🌎
@Normando. Great! Where are you invading?
this guy looks so happy that he gets to talk about his experiences it's really nice to watch and his face when people want to know what happened
These interviews with the Vietnam Vets are really moving.Good for these guys to finally have their say.Heroes everyone 👍
What an kind, gentle, humble gentleman. Thank u and God bless u Tom.
I wish my Dad had told his story. He was Marine Artillery in Vietnam. 1st Battle of Khe Sahn and various other battles. He never would talk about it and I never pressed him on it. Whatever happened he never got over it. I think talking about it may have been a big help but he just wasn’t interested. Unfortunately he passed away 3 months ago at 76.
Hugs
Welcome home Mr. Lowry. Thank you for your service and for sharing your story with us.
Thanks for your service Mr Tom Lowry, was a honor listening to your story about Vietnam.
One of my favorites. I admire his principles and resilience. 🇺🇸
These men went through the ultimate human experience....All aspects of their being was tested....I envy them and I salute them
My brother went overseas in ‘68 , coming home in Spring of 1970 . He was your typical high school grad , wide eyed , naive , his whole future ahead of him . He came back a lot more serious , a little depressed , a lot more respective . Took him about 2 years to ‘ come around ‘ . He eventually talked about his experience , but didn’t go into detail as it brought up bad memories . He married , had children , and I believe a happy life . He didn’t brag about his service , but sure was proud of being a Marine . Semper Fi
From a French Canadian from Ottawa, Canada.... Semper Fi dear Sir, you have my full and humbled respects.. welcome home.
As an American, thank you. You show more respect than a lot of Americans themselves do today.
One of the greatest Americans that ever tied his own shoes is French a Canadian, John Garrand💪
God bless this man, it was a pleasure to hear his story. Thank you, Tom!
This guy and so many more deserve thanks and appreciation, not criticism. He did his job as a professional and makes me proud.
I saw Marble Mountain during my tour which began in November 1965 to December 1966. We spent quite a bit of time on hill 41. I believe it was on the outskirts of the Da Nang airstrip? I was in the USMC by the way.
Respect
9:20 Damn, after him talking about the wedding and getting so emotional, I was so happy to hear they are still together. It’s so refreshing.
I am a 58-year-old Canadian (so was a child in late 60'/early '70s) To think of being sent to the other end of the world to fight an unwinnable battle at 19 is something hard to even comprehend. I wonder if I would have a %1 chance of being as together as this hero is. To return home and have to deal with people resenting you for being drafted or even volunteering is awful! I get it people were against the war but to want to torment young men and women that were not coming home from a f*$king picnic is mean-hearted and a useless act (the soldiers are home already where 'killing babies" is punishable by death). I wish health and joy for Mr. Lowry (I never took any pride that my grandmas maiden name was Lowry, I do now)
Love that letter! Our father was in the Navy in Korea, did hazardous work in the Pacific, came out in 1966, then worked for the Navy on a civilian contract. Nothing of the hippie or anti-war culture was allowed in our home. Fortunately, I was spared the worst of it because I attended an all-girls Catholic school, and went to high school when we lived at Subic Bay. After you’ve seen street kids in Manila, people with dreadful deformities and diseases, and US wounded, the only emotion evoked by privileged, spoilt young adults was raw anger.
Really enjoy these interviews. I grew up watching the Vietnam War on the news, knew a few guys that served there. His letter brought out a few tears. Glad he made it back home.
Appreciate your service.
Thank you for your service in Vietnam Tom. Honorable man right there.
I’m so interested in Vietnam because of these voices
👍
Welcome home Marine. God bless you & thank you for your service. You are an honorable man.
My first night as an Air Force security guard I was assigned to a tower in your old ammo "Dump". A spooky place, indeed, my friend. I fired all six of my slap flares in four hours. Never was out there again. Geeze, the Zips sole 30 ft of perimeter chain-link fence in daytime. ....Not on me.............. I worked nights.
Also took over your hooches when the Marines pulled out of DaNang.
DaNang/Hue 1971.
Welcome home Marine
@@josephkrier4472 No Marine, Sir. USAF perimeter security.
Thank you for the welcome home.
@@richhowify Oh, I do not pretend...That's why I joined the AF. Thanks for keeping the REMFs safe, while we protected the Phantoms and Jolly Greens.
Interviewing troops really is helpful in understanding the era.
The Tet offensive was January 30 1968.
Taw
@@larryjean4480 His math was off, you could do the math for him and arrive at 68, but he missed it. He's on camera and 70 years old. I'm spellbound by a tour so parallel my own and likely crossing many times unknowingly. IF he went to the Bob Hope show he had a ticket my unit printed for the event. We also accidentally had about 3000 tickets ''fall off the truck'' near the long line hoping to get into the show. Merry Christmas 1969.
Tom, Ralph Stenger, don't know if you remember me but I remember you talking about Big Sky Country. I was on the USS America with you. I talked to Randy Long today and he sent me the link to this video. Good to see you. God bless you and yours.
“Mr. Fredrickson, what’s a snipe?”
Thank You for your service, sir.
Thanks for your service, sir!
You should add pictures of them when they were in the service
Or at least you might consider considering it.
We need more grunts to do interviews. Im not knocking anyone, but the war from the ground, for infantrymen was a lot different.
This veteran was in a very dangerous work area and you can tell that he is suffering from PTSD because of his experience
I know all about what he went thru as I was stationed about two miles from the ammo dump in a army heavy lift chopper unit. I remember the rocket attacks in Tet of 69 and 70 and how the NVA was aiming for the air base and ammo dump. They almost got us with six rockets but they fell short. The ammo dump explosion went on for a couple days but I heard that it was started by an accident of burning overgrown grass. Never the less I enjoyed this brave Marine's story and the danger he saw everyday amazed me. Thanks for your memories. Vet 68-70 101st Airborne Division 478th Aviation Co. 382nd Maint Det.
These vets represents themselves and Montana well. After having watched a dozen of these videos, I have a great desire visit Montana and meet the great people of this state.
I hear people like this are in the minority due to city slickers moving in and bringing their unamerican views with them.
50 footers. Is one derisive term I've heard. Never get more than 50 feet off a road.
Glad you made it back . 30,000 canadians went down to the states and volunteered. To go to this war, a. ilttle known fact..
HEY, you use a capital "C" for Canada! Show us respect and capitalize names of people and countries!
canada
The Aussies too never get a mention,
@@ronniesutton1652 don't forget the the Thai army. On my 2 time there at BearCat it was the headquarters for the Thai army.
@@paulwells2417 quite right, but all I was trying to point out was,So many countries get forgotten for what they did.I live in London,all I have ever heard is the Americans this ,the British were this.No one else was mentioned.And so many young men gave their lives ( even the enemies) Which I just have to respect them.oh my cousin was a captain in the Australian army.Thats why I used them as an example.
I really enjoyed this guys interview. He seems like such a well grounded, strong but sensitive man. Welcome home marine and take care.
Tom, as another Nam Vet and Marine…Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW MAG 12…WELCOME HOME Brother. Glad you made it back.
Great interviews! Real stories are so interesting than fiction...
I was in the ARMY 78-81. I thank all who went to Vietnam and fought. I’m honored to have served and because of you all my ARMY Time was safer. I’m proud to be a Veteran. and I know you all are also proud. God bless all who have fought on foreign soil. For our freedom… Don WV
How did the interviewer manage to get so many vets, great series
Moose Lounge most likely.
Well I know some of the vets have mentioned Facebook groups. I’m sure they put out some type of adds, maybe a Facebook page, and I’ve never heard of the Billings gazette before these interviews, but isn’t this a newspaper or radio? Also maybe some word of mouth once one or two vets told their story and it spread to other vets.
Every vet I’ve seen on this series has been from Montana so I assume it’s a local thing
Fantastic interview. Thanks so much.
Glad you made it home sir! Thank you for your service! My dad was a Marine in Vietnam and he volunteered too. That letter choked me up!
Thank you for your service; what a humble AMERICAN. Thank you for taking the time for this interview. Your interview educates us to question the authorities making decisions to go to war to support the military industrial complex.
May God bless you for your service. Many respect you and your views. You hit the nail on the head when you said that our troops had their hands tied and weren't able to do what was necessary to win. We only live free due to the fear our enemies have of us. And that fear comes from our military. Thanks.
Excellent interview, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series.
Thank you for your service
Thank you sir and all Vietnam veterans. And veterans from all wars. Thank you for your service.
Thank you, Sir. Thanks for sharing your experience in Vietnam. Thanks especially for your service to our Country. I hope you’re having a good Memorial Day.
Love these real life stories. These men are heroes! Fallen ones too!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
It hurt me so so much to hear him read that article he wrote back in the day. It pains me he had to feel that anger and possibly the feeling that he didn’t matter or that what he was doing was wrong or not appreciated. America made asses of themselves back then and it was a disgusting time. I have tears in my eyes typing this, and I’m 29 years old and wasn’t born anywhere near the Nam era. It still hurts me tho, for him. 😪. Tom, you are a freaking HERO. Never let anyone make you think differently.
The protests should have never aimed their strategies at the returning Vets.
I don't blame him, nor any of the men and women who've served for their bitterness.
The Vets were middle men, and used as pawns in a domestic political stand off, and none of us, and I include myself, did enough for them.
Same 30 next m
@@stn7172 The left was very much against the veteran himself because he had gone off to war. The left definitely was full of hatred for the veteran in every way possible. I still remember the hatred and vitriol aimed against the veterans returning from or going to Vietnam. The left and the liberal democrats cannot change history. They were definitely against the veterans in a very personal way. The hurt and the pain is still there. The left was not very patriotic in those days.
Raul R. Gonzales
I was born about 10 years too late for Vietnam. We didn’t officially leave until 1975. In 1980 I joined the Marines. I think it was Xmas ‘81 or ‘82. I got transfer orders and they gave me leave so I flew home.
I thought I’d surprise my ppl so I bought a set of Dress Blues and when I got to the airport in Detroit I changed into them.
As I walked out to get a ride two guys probably 25-30 YO were walking towards me.
As I came close to them without looking at me one points directly at me and says loudly:
“THAT’s WHY I HATE COMING TO THE AIRPORT!”
“EVERY TIME YOU COME HERE YOU HAVE TO SEE ONE OF THOSE
MOTHER F’n THINGS!”
We were considered big losers at that time. And that’s nothing compared to what the Vietnam veteran went through.
@@raulgonzales1374 And the Conservative Right always starts the wars, puts the wars on the USA credit card, and sends the poor to go fight the war. Many witnesses heard Trump calling the war dead "Losers". In fact, Trump, Ted Nugent, and many other loudmouths were cowards and avoided fighting the war. So save the "Liberal Democrat" BS, Jack, you are just another cowardly gullible loser.
What a great interview. Nice man. Great respect for him.
My brother was a door gunner stationed at Fire Base Kontum. He did two tours. He came to visit me before his first deployment, I was incarcerated as a result of years of violence with my dad, also, a Vietnam Veteran. My Dad was General Thieu's advisor up in I Corp 1961-1962. Because I was a youth offender, I could apply to have my record sealed in order to join the Army. I got off parole on the 29th of Sept. 1971 and enlisted on 8 Oct. I was forced out of the Army when I turned in a DI for selling drugs to troops in my platoon of which I was the Platoon Sgt. My father and my brother, didn't talk to me for years. I was so affected by my discharge and my buddies going to Vietnam without me I descended back into drugs for ten years. My father requested that I not attend his funeral and I have only seen my brother 6 or 8 times over the past fifty years. Not everyone wounded by the war served in country. Thank you for your service. All who served were heroes to me.
Complicated issues. Difficult times. Hope you are doing ok 👍
@@JB-ox7ib I went on to have a quality life, filled with everything that might never be. I never gave up and believed that every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
@@jimijames60 That’s so great to hear. What wonderful philosophy to have. 👍🙏🏽
@@jimijames60 Glad to hear that you are doing well Sir. The military definitely has a dark side to it with servicemen screwing the good guys over for simply being in the right.
Good program GENTLEMEN Thank you. I lived out in laurel MT back a few years ago. Lived out in Edgar MT too. Live in North Carolina now but I miss Montana..........im a marine corps veteran myself & I thank all veterans putting their life on the line.
Thank you for your integrity and service. God bless you and your family. Hoorah!!!
I love this guy. And these old Vietnam and earlier veterans. They don’t obnoxiously self promote like so many of the ones today. No saying the F word in every sentence. Just telling what they did and how it was. True definitions of humble heroes.
Mr Lowry..I hope you and wife have had a good, happy life.
Thank you, THANK YOU for all you did in Vietnam.
We understand WHY the young Vietnamese children were a serious danger to our military and "had to be stopped!"
Sly,
Welcome home Tom. Thanking you for your service is not enough. You and all that served are true Americans.
How Vietnam Vets were treated was pathetic. Hope we have learned our lesson.
God bless you and your family.
Thank you for your service!
Semper Fi
Thank you for your service and your stories.
As usual a great interview, thx Daryl! Thank you for serving our great nation Tom, I appreciate your service. Pretty crazy...you return from a war zone, then they say you’re going on a Med cruise! I served quite a bit out at sea in the Navy, just that fact alone made me decide not to reenlist lol. But it was a great experience, the older we get the more we appreciate our experience in the military. Thx again Tom!
Welcome home my brother !
Awesome interview! Great story! Thank you for your service!
Thanks Tom!
I really enjoy this series and I wish you would continue this series in other states get as many of these stories recorded as you can while these guys are still around I love hearing what they were doing before they went over their experiences while they were over there and what they did when they got back I love your interview style and the stories these guys yell are amazing and I have learned so much from listening to these stories it's so much more than the Vietnam war movies it really humanizes it reminds you most of them were just kids going over there and how different it was coming from America especially from a time where people really didn't know much about the rest of the world most of these kids hadn't been to far from home and with not much media hadn't heard about much outside the area they grew up in so I hope you will continue this series
Welcome Home Tom !!........job well done.......Thank You for your Service , God Bless !!
I’m not gonna lie I thought this was hickok45 from a quick glance.
In all seriousness, Vietnam war vets are some of the toughest mother fuckers in human history that just got the shit hand too often. Much respect to em.
Absolutely my most favorite one ever and I’ve listened to almost every episode. I’ve really been struggling with my patriotism but this person brought me back.
Bless you Tom. Thanks for sharing from a British guy that is listening to all the Billings Gazette videos.
Good stuff, guys. Thanks.
These interviews are priceless.
Thank you
May God bless all of our Vietnam Vets!!!!
You did your job. RESPECT!!!🇺🇸
I think I enjoyed his interview most of all of your interviews
Thanks to this guy and the ones like him. And thanks to the wife. Im sure i was not easy to stick around. Some could argue thats just as tough. Its easy to talk bad about "boomers" but that generation was great in a lot a ways
Great man, good interview. Northern New Hampshire loves and respects all our veterans.
Thanks for sharing bless you and your family
What the Drill Instructors did for me is too hard to describe accurately, but it basically taught me that there isn't a place or situation that I couldn't handle.
Jim Hill Amein!
What’s a “zip”?
@@italadamwest zip is. Short for zipper head. Slang for vc nva .
Welcome Home brother .
THANK YOU TOM ! WELCOME HOME !
GOD BLESS YOU SIR, THANKS FOR YOU, YOUR SUCH AN HONOR TO HAVE ........THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
Love & List-end every Story Available, Military Family since Civil War, my Father 19 drafted Vietnam 🇻🇳. Navy-Army & National GAURD, it’s amazing my Grandfather started his book in 1885-1975’
Love Military Mature Life’
Thanks, All You Guys For the Sagas Memories Devotion & Future Inspiration!!
Glad for a full long form interview. Sorry Greg. Only saw half hour skits.
In late July 1991 I spent 14 days about 1/2 mile *Red Lodge* while camping out Jim Bridger Style in a decent sized pasture. Right behind my lodge was a stand of white Birch I may have supplemented my firewood w/down wood. I fell in Love with Red Lodge. Eureka has a western museum I really liked. Some Real Nice Folks in Montana and Idaho too.
11.23.2019 1635
Thank you 🙏 Mr Tom Lowery
great series great interviews and great interviewer god bless everyone
Ty for your service, God bless America 🇨🇦🇺🇸
And Vietnam!🇻🇳
No...god don`t bless America...because he is not an american, right ?...
God Bless all of our war fighters. One Love🇺🇲
I think God is too busy blessing the other fighters to worry about yours.
I know when I got out I felt invincible for the first time in my life. Life became a cakewalk.
This man's perspective of the war is right on God bless 🙏 you and thank you for your service.
Remember Mr.Lowrys' prediction he is damn right in what he said.
Tet was in early 1968. The big ammo dump was west of the Danang air field. In early 1969 while they were working to clear out some overgrown brush when somebody got the idea of setting on fire, not a good idea. The fire caused the ordnance to cook off.
Wise words!
THANK YOU SIR 🇺🇸🗽
Love hearing real life experiences.
Vietnam was like being on the losing team of a rigged pro sport game
Yep, we all knew it was coming to an end sooner than later with us leaving and the the ARVM getting run over, I was SPS Base Defense at TSN 1971
We had a crate of fighting dogs, that were only allowed to bark!! Had our govt not been such pansies to the opinions of idiots……they would have cleaned that country right up