First Person Account: WKC at the JFK Library - A Day in Three Acts
Act III: Lessons Learned - The Warriors
by Donna Z
March 11, 2006
The final panel taking the stage after a day of remembering Vietnam, were the warriors. No longer in their twenties, and yet, it was their fates and many like them who were at the heart of the day's matter. For while the previous speakers had talked the talked in DC, or filed the stories from distant rice paddies, these were the people who did not chose the battles, they fought them.
General Clark called Vietnam and Iraq “elective wars” that is was easier to get into than out of. When pressured by Williams about the soldiers on the ground, General Clark admitted that at night they would talk. He said that there were things happening that lacked strategic sense--things that didn’t military sense. As you may have read by now, he would go on to tell some tales: first he told the audience about 911 and going to the Pentagon. I found the story of his anger of the man who shot him particularly interesting (see the story below). I don’t know why, but today driving home I thought about my own anger over the killings at Kent State. I held that anger which blanketed the entire military until I made the leap and decided to support a general. General Clark made the most of his time to educate his audience about the dangers of a one-party state.
The story of General Clark's battlefield injuries have been well documented, and went well beyond a scratch. He said that while blood was found on the ground in the area, the shooter had gotten away. Now that ticked him off. Then General recounted his life after that day starting with the hospital, and moving on to teaching at the Point, and various commands. Nine years had passed bringing another February 19th, and the status of the man who shot him in that far-off jungle remained "got away." Looking in the mirror, shaving, and remembering the anger, he said the moment finally came when he decided to put it aside.
Letting go is the simplest act, and yet, a very difficult thing to do. The nature of today's conference often dug below the surface, and thus, was a vehicle for some new insights. In the General's case, I don't know about you, but I'm glad to hear that his Vietnam haunter was given the boot. Anger is a drag on the soul. May all those who carry the hidden scars of war find the voice of their healing speaking in their souls. White Light.
Chuck Hagel provided the opening for his comments. When Williams asked why a Vietnam Vet had never sat in the Oval Office, Hagel said that one would in 2008. Williams then followed up with the inevitable question about Hagel possible run, but Hagel deflected the question to the General. It was the standard answer of being in business, but he made sure that he got his plug in to change the make-up of government with special attention to the Fighting Dems. “We need checks and balances...our Constitution is not being well protected.”
Senator Hagel was good about pointing out the minor nature of his injuries. He took personal credit for calling Bush out about the NSA spying. One theme (meme) he mentioned several times was how the Congress would be regaining its role for oversight. He mentioned this several times, and while it would seem just to take the Republicans at their word, I don’t trust them. Hagel said that he voted for the IWR because he believes in keeping all of the President’s options opened, and he expected that the WHouse would be making a vigorous diplomatic effort.
Bob Herbert, who writes for the NYT, did not serve in Vietnam but rather spent that period in Korea. Nevertheless, he had plenty to say and much of it poignant. He called Vietnam “a profoundly tragic madness.” Wondering if anyone who did not lose someone close could remember even one name on the wall, he said that when he visited the Wall, he is always struck by the shortness of those soldiers' lives. He asked us to imagine if those young soldiers could walk into the hall today, what would they have to say when asked: was it worth it? When asked by someone in the audience why since he was against the war, he thought we should try to bring Iraq to a something like a stable conclusion. His answer was simple: “I’m an American.”
Pete Peterson survived 6 1/2 years as a POW. When asked how he made it out, he answered because he let hate go, and he wanted to live. With this last panel titled: Lesson’s Learned, Peterson said although we said “No more Vietnam’s” the lessons learned were forgotten. My last quote from the day goes to him and regards the Geneva Conventions: “...the threat of not following them was always there, but the Vietnamese knew that they existed. There are people walking around today because of those conventions. For anyone in the WHouse to suggest they’re quaint brings fire to my eyes.”
