November 20, 1997

 

Dear Guys,

 

It was so good to see everyone again.  I never dreamed that it would happen.  I spent the first 20 years after returning from Vietnam trying to forget what happened.  I have spent the last 8 to 10 months trying to remember what happened.  When I saw each one of you I thought it was a miracle that any one of us made it out.  My heart goes out to those we left behind.  I have thought many times how I would like to visit with their families to tell them about their son, brother, uncle, friend or husband.  I have spent many hours trying to find some of the families of the guys we left behind.  I haven’t had any luck finding anyone.  That is part of life I will have to accept.

 

When I am at a football game or a public function and they play The Star Spangled Banner my heart starts beating faster.  I get a little teary eyed during the song when I think of all the guys that didn’t make it home.  I also think about each one of you and how courageous you were day after day.  I always ask myself the question how people here may really know the real price of freedom.  Each one of you gave it all you had every day.  I consider it an honor to fight beside each one of you. 

 

I know that each one of you had a choice about serving their country.  In the time of the draft there were many tricks to avoid the draft but you choose to serve your country.  Your willingness to leave your family, friends, girlfriends, and wives to risk your life, for a year is unbelievable.  The conditions of the war were so cruel.  As young men we experienced so many situations that tore our hearts.  There were so many things about the war that we didn’t understand.  Each one of you will always have a special place in my heart because of your eagerness to fight every fight with every ounce of energy you had.  You had every reason in the world to quit (seeing your best friend killed, having to kill other people, going 40 to 50 days without a bath, living in a jungle with everything there trying to kill you, sleeping in mud holes, staying soaking and wet for days, crossing rivers hand over hand with a rope, walking with leeches on your face, never knowing what was going to happen next, wondering if you were going to be next, jumping off of choppers in hot landing zones, going days and nights without sleep, going on missions that you knew that everyone wasn’t going to make it back,  not knowing what to believe about our on government) but you decided to overcome every element that was against you.  These are the qualities seldom seen on a resume but you are the greatest people I have ever known.  You are my heroes.

 

It was so rewarding to me to see that each one of you had made it all the way out of Vietnam.  You found a way to conquer the scars of the past and found ways to be productive. It was a thrill of a life time to look each one of you in the eyes and know that you were all right.  I have so much to be thankful for just to be in the company of such honorable men. 

 

You will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Keep the Faith,

 

 

Jim Alexander (Tex)