Thanksgiving Day for the on duty Military

Thanksgiving Day for the on duty Military
I read in the paper today of the memory different military veterans have of Thanksgiving Day while “in country”. I cannot even remember the bases, camps or the personal above my grade or below, by name. It is amazing to me that like every story that I read or a veteran tell me they remember the base, unit, squad and even the Vietnam towns specific. I remember the faces of the people and the sad lonely feelings of hopelessness to the blood and pride of each second of convoy and mission but not the names or units. I traveled many dirt roads deep into the bush of Cambodia to deliver surplus supplies to friendly camps time and again. No one but I spoke American on the convoys and the time during a Vietnam offensive catching birds seemed the same as all the other days. The names of the countries changed even though my base camp stayed the same. The base camp is where my empty cot laid in the hooch with my personal belongings, as I was TAD time and again. The reality of being there is so real but names of people and places are camouflaged by the memory of what we did in reaction to the day.
Partly hearing what others say limits my ability to converse as the result of being blown off the runway. Responses and others taking what I say out of context deeply lowers people from believing the truth. VA doctors respond to me with negative or deep mistrust as a result of my having no ability to distinguish times of year or decade that it happen. The missions seem like today as reliving them come and go daily. The memory is so real and the reality of the hopelessness and defying death to cover the back of those around you never ends. The emotionless ability to take life is deeply condemned by this civilized society with the same voice that praises your time serving the USA. Thanksgiving Day is a memory of extra crap if near a tent serving chow at the time passing. The PTSD and TBI limit or just takes my seeing the “world” back here in the USA above the citizens back here not wanting to see wasting what we did it for. I read in the paper of memory people have of which mine is taken and filled with facts of what we did in the Marine Corps.
My broken back encountered during one of many Vietnam offensives is a painful reminder of the many that will never come home as this civilized society refuse to communicate with the likes of us that did. I am thankful for coming back alive but deeply regret that those far better than I cannot. Thanksgiving is a reminder that the memory of Christmas is only a short time away. The worst time is the most joyful as the many around me fill the silent void of memory my disabilities refuse to allow me to express.
Censoring the letters of US Military Veterans is this civilized societies solution to the memory we cannot leave behind. Thanksgiving Day is a joyous times for many that what we did make possible. Thankful for freedom of press and freedom of speech allows a private business like the newspaper to protect the public from hearing the memory of people like we.
Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper fi
465 Packers falls rd Lee NH 03824 603-659-6217