Fragments

I have watched this program since it first started, being a former Marine this is the first one that I have watched that for some reason really hit me. When it was over I had the "watery eyes". I guess when you've been in a war it never really leaves you mentally. It's been now, 50 years since I've been back. As much as I hated it I would do it again, for this country. I can't really explain why it hit me so hard, all I know is that war was the worse for us Baby Boomers. We had no real leadership and to this day still have no idea why we were there. I would alway fight for what we have in this country and I guess that is why I volunteered. Besides the fact that I came from a family that always volunteered. Fathers, grandfathers etc. I hope that in this country we alway have people that are willing to sacrifice. I did lose my best friend from High School over there and to that I regret, along with the other nearly 60,000 that were true heroes. This particular one was really done well.

NCIS is a great show all around and they've done some incredibly moving episodes but this episode may be the most poignant. A toss up with the one with Charles Durning guest starred as a Medal of Honor recipient. A very similar storyline as well.

As the widow of a Vietnam vet, this episode really hit hard. So many of my generation share the pain of the Vietnam War. Even those that returned home "safely" continued to be at war-with the memories, with the government, with the "welcome home" they didn't receive (except from those that loved them), with Agent Orange related illnesses/diseases. NCIS again did a touching and respectful episode on the effects of war, even 50 years later.

"Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" was originally by Credence Clearwater Revival, but this version was sung by Jonathan Clark. This episode got to me the same way the ep with Charles Durning got me. My father is a vet of both Vietnam and Korea, but he never saw combat. And despite not seeing combat, he refuses to talk about what he heard from other soldiers. It was that bad. I can't even begin to imagine. As a Gen Xer, I want all the Vietnam vets who are still with us to know how much you are loved and supported.

I watched this with two Vietnam era Veterans who nodded a lot, quietly. The Baby Boomers here were saddened and exhilerated at the footage of war, simultaneously. The song at the end, a remake of "Have you Ever Seen the Rain" was great and poignant. Who was that? We thought Richie Havens.