How many of 4 legged soldiers returned home (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Harris]

How Many Dogs Returned Home?

Only 204 dogs exited Vietnam during the 10-year period. Some
remained in the Pacific, and some returned to the United States. None returned to civilian life. So what happened to the dogs that remained? Most where euthanized and the others where turned over to the ARVN (South Vietnamese (Army). About 7000 of these soldiers euthanized because it was cheaper than sending them home. The Vietnamese more than likely ate them.

I know some of you may think I'm a nut. There was nothing better having a good dog and handler working point. If that dog stopped. You stopped and got down

www.uswardogs.org

 

[Eazy]

There's something just not right about eating dogs. It's nearly as bad as the way horsemeat is a French delicacy.

 

[boot51]

Easy, you're absolutely right, the thought of eating dog makes me sick, although, having spent over $4000 on my wife's two mini poodles in the last couple of months I might have to reconsider. As for horse meat, won't go there either, but then again the steak I had for dinner last night tasted like it came from the business end of one.

Fred

 

[CannonFodder1971]

There's something just not right about eating dogs. It's nearly as bad as the way horsemeat is a French delicacy.

I lived in Brussels for a short while in the late 1990s: the Belgians didn't seem to regard horse meat as a delicacy. It isn't graded in the way beef etc is but some of the cuts appear to be similar. The only time I tried it I found it tough, and I suppose it needs to be cut thinly like venison. (My hosts assured me that it's more tender than beef but I didn't buy that at all).

On the dog issue I suppose that I would have a cultural hang up on eating one but can obviously see why they'd be edible given that they can transfer food unfit for human consumption into protein. However, is a dog's liver poisonous?

On the general issue of man's best friend I'd have to say that I prefer to see dogs discharging a role in human everyday life (guide dogs, guard dogs, sniffer dogs) rather than being part of the food chain. From earliest times a symbotic relationship developed between their species and ours: they guarded us and in turn scavenged from our kills. Although in some Muslim countries they are regarded as evil, by and large every culture throughout the centuries and across the continents has found a human-canine partnership of some sorts. It's a shame that the US military couldn't have found a more appropriate end to the Vietnam contingent, but clearly humans were and remain the priority of any operation.

 

[sceic2]

What is so surprising about the military leaving our four-legged vets behind? They do it to the two-legged ones all the time. Our governments treatment of vets is more than shameful, its disgraceful and just plain not nice. The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the current administrations lowest priorities, even though they seem to be making more disabled vets every day. We owe so much to many of them and have not treated them right. Michael

 

[boot51]

Very well said Michael, not saying I'm for or against what's going on right now and have no desire for political debate, but I do appreciate those who wear the uniform of our military branches and their sacrifices and for those who wish to find a way to help the men and women who have been disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan take look at www.fallenheroesfund.org

Fred

 

[Chuck Harris]

I believe that I did not made my point, but I'm not good at putting things to paper. I've seen a dog crawl forward and pull a wound man to safety with anyone directing him to so. In 1966 on a Intel Patrol we got ambushed. The Dog handler went down so did two others. Brat had warned us. I was out of ammo yell at Brat AMMO. Not know what he would do, he we to dead and pulled to me so I could get the ammo. He charged the NVD and was killed.
I have a personal attachment to them.

Please visit the web site.

The Vietnamese ate rats.

 

[jazzeum]

Very well said Michael, not saying I'm for or against what's going on right now and have no desire for political debate, but I do appreciate those who wear the uniform of our military branches and their sacrifices and for those who wish to find a way to help the men and women who have been disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan take look at www.fallenheroesfund.org

Fred

It's funny you should mention this organization. One of the movers of this organization was on Imus today and I was impressed by their ability to get things done. Sounds like a very worth place. The sad thing is they don't get a lot of help from the big corporations. You'd think they could donate something to our fighting men and women, whether or not you agree with our being in Iraq.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Dear Chuck,

One of my good friends, James Soto Meyor, was a dog handler in Vietnam. What he saw and did there permanently changed him. He has channeled these emotions into painting - he is an amazing artist, literally like Velasquez reborn - and he still trains dogs. He learned to train dogs using German command words, and to this day when training dogs he commands them in German, and believe me, the dogs listen. I've seen him break up a fight between two big dogs just with his tone of voice. I am lucky enough to have a courageous, tenacious little hunting dog (the size, shape and color of a fox), and I saw this 35 pound dog face down a 100+ pound rotweiller to protect my then pregnant wife. Dogs really are mans best friends, and I am sorry to here that so many of these brave and loyal animals were euthanized in Vietnam.

 

[sceic2]

It is really sad that Don Imus has to take the lead to fund support for our wounded vets. I watch Imus everyday on MSNBC and found him to be the motivating factor behind fallenheros. He and Senator McCann visited a rehab unit at Walter Reed and found that the government was failing to support those who literally gave parts of themselves for our country. Why isn't our country giving back at least the ability to function after service connected disabilities are encoured for us all. Just an example of what I was talking about. Everyone should go to a VA hospital and tour the spinal injuries ward and see what these heros have to deal with every day.

Enough said. I am just angry at my government for failing to live up to its heritage and this forum thread just got me going, sorry Chuck to take away from your intended discussion about our four-legged friends and their handlers. You are correct. They too served and with great distinction and honor. Michael

 

[wellington]

It's not just your government its all government...they don't give a S@#T, all of us are expendable, in their eyes. It's no different than 400 years ago when you worked and paid the King his taxes. If you failed your land was taken and you were thrown in jail (you really don't own anything), same as the army you were there for their benefit it didn't matter about an individual's rights or sacrafice. Don't kid yourself it's no different then today the presentation is just a little bit different, it just looks more appealing when it's just sugar coated. Don't worry though.... for average hard working people like US they will always be heroes and if it wasn't for them NO ONE would enjoy the lives we have today. When you look at heroes and people of yester year it wasn't the rich or politicians that made change and remembered in history it was those who sacraficed that made everlasting change...for that they can hold their head up high and we all can be proud!!!!!

WELLINGTON

 

[jazzeum]

I don't know who the person from fallenheroes who was on but he said that this will be open to vets from all wars.

Mike Wallace was on Imus today and they're having a piece on Sunday about a few vets who have suffered some traumatic injuries.

Whatever you say about Don, he has done a lot. He has helped bring SIDS to the fore, raised money to build a pediatric wing at Hackensack Hospital and started a ranch out in New Mexico for kids with cancer from all over the world to spend time at.

I've been listening to him on WFAN in New York for almost 20 years and love the guy. I just wish he was more acerbic than he used to be.

 

[Joey]

I lived in Brussels for a short while in the late 1990s: the Belgians didn't seem to regard horse meat as a delicacy. It isn't graded in the way beef etc is but some of the cuts appear to be similar. The only time I tried it I found it tough, and I suppose it needs to be cut thinly like venison. (My hosts assured me that it's more tender than beef but I didn't buy that at all).

Cannonfodder,

You're right. I don't regard horse meat as a delicacy. But I enjoy some of the meat on a slice of bread. I don't know why, but I'm quite fond of it. A lot of people just eat it like ham or cheese ( including me). It's nice for a while.

Regarding dog meat, I've heard it's very dry meat. Some Chinese say they prefer rat over dog... So Chuck's right.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Sad but true Wellington. Government is a (barely) necessary evil, and the adage power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely is the honest truth. The funniest part of it is the way that in "democracies" (I use this term loosely, there has never been a democracy, merely oligarchies where the populace gets to pick which of two utterly corrupt political hacks put before them will get to accept the lobbiest's (professional briber's) money, goods and services) the military is sent to die in foreign lands to protect the interests of the corporations which the government values so much more than human citizens.

 

[sceic2]

Sad but true Wellington. Government is a (barely) necessary evil, and the adage power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely is the honest truth. The funniest part of it is the way that in "democracies" (I use this term loosely, there has never been a democracy, merely oligarchies where the populace gets to pick which of two utterly corrupt political hacks put before them will get to accept the lobbiest's (professional briber's) money, goods and services) the military is sent to die in foreign lands to protect the interests of the corporations which the government values so much more than human citizens.

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes. Total agreement.

"Democracy is the worst form of government, but its better than all the others." Not sure who said that, may have been Ben Franklin. Michael