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Show Really Like Thefirst chaplain to win the Medal of Honor in Vietnam says Americans have much to be proud of this Fourth of July— especially of our young menserving bravely in a seemingly endless war express their gripes out loud, and this can affect someofthe less knowl- the White House while the President of the United States hung the Medal way, I'd have felt the same way the kids do today. edgable of their companions. One of of Honor around my neck, the more sophisticated would lead But, even as I stood there, I could remember those few moments in “But after Pearl Harbor, I could hardly wait to get in. That’s the tragedy of this war. These kids don’t have a Pearl Harborto inspire them.” So, as we approach another Fourth of July, and once more renew our patriotism in America, don't wring your hands and ask me what's to becomeof this country in the hands of the next generation. I think it will be as safe with them as it has ever been with any generation, and perhaps lengthy discussions during the lulls, expounding the theme that the only reason we were in Vietnam was to Vietnam when I didn’t feel very heroic, when myfirst thoughts were of keep the economy going back home. You can imagine the effect this might my own death, and my impulse was have on some of the uneducated This is my major point. I had motivation; a humanitarian commit- to use a weapon to preventit. among them. The question I was most often asked usually occurred after a battle when someonelost a friend. “What did he die for?” My usual answer was a variation of the Biblical theme, “Greater love than this hath ment. I had something to inspire me i * A village shower was built by Gis. girl friend or his wife or his family, then what he planned to do when he got back to the States—complete his no man, that he lay downhislife for another.” Without taking sides in the Vietnam controversy, I tried to ex- education or get a job. There was plain,“He died trying to create freedom for another people.” I'd often get blank stares. It’s a hardly any thought about the overall philosophy of the U.S. getting in or out of Vietnam. hard argument to document in a con- He knew he had a year-long tour to serve, and he geared his life accordingly. It was something to look flict of protracted warfare, in which progress is slow and the end never immediately in sight. By far, the largest group of all— I'd guess about 90 percent—are what I would call the typical GI. This is the average American youth, the kid next door or the boy down the block. This is the next generation. And, based on my experience with him in Vietnam,I have no qualms about the future. In the most complex of all wars, he is the least complicated element in it. He is quick to smile, eager to laugh, unfailingly friendly, and very open abouthis life and his plans. WhenI'd sit down and share chow~ or coffee with him, which I did as often as I could, his favorite topics— in just about this order—were his nary GI in Vietnam does not have as much motivation to inspire him. The confusion surrounding this strange war, and the endless arguments for and against it, have diminished his motivation or distorted it so that he doesn’t recognize the right or wrong of it. So his motivation is personal, and he thinks mainly of saving his own hide or that of a buddy—and of going home. forward to, so that no matter how And yet,behold this young Ameri- bad a situation got he knew there can. He serves anyway, and he serves honorably, and he serves bravely. was a day ahead when hecould get outofit. It got to be something of a running joke. Any time a man got “in country,” as we called it, he could alwaystell to the day when he was going to get out. I often used this to Soldier teaches in his off hours. to overcome my ordinary mortalinstincts that cried out for survival. And I am suggesting that the ordi- This is what I admire most about him, that he can act so well with so little to inspire him. I am convinced that if this same Bie young American’s family, home, or If you need inspiration yourself, as a priest I can offer you the three his own country were under attack, nn a We Medic gives aid to Montagnard boy. better than with most. strike up a conversation with some of them. “How manydaysleft?” you would see a highly spirited fighting man, This basic truth was con- cardinalvirtues, One of them didn’t even stop to firmed for me by a man I know who fought in combat in World WarII. “Father,” he told me, “I can remember what is was like in the U.S. before Pearl Harbor. The war had The great majority of them have demonstrated their faith in us and in our country in a war and on a battleground that would test the patience of Job. Have hope that, with God’s help, think, but snapped back, “Five months, two weeks, three days.” Then he laughed and looked at his watch. “And seven hours.” In combat, his motives are not freedom or demecracy or anything that noble. It’s sheer survival. I witnessed that. On one occasion, I saw three men blown up in front of me. My first thought was, this may be my time to go. By instinct, I picked up a gun dropped by one ofthefall- been going on in Kurope for more than two years then, and I couldn’t care less about it. But if I had been forced to go to Europe andfight any- Keep fzith in our American youth. menof reason can find a way to re- lieve them of their dilemma, this burden they never caused but accepted with unbelievable patience. Finally, show charity toward all men, especially the less fortunate and the misguided few who seek reform en men intending to defend myseli through i:wiess rebellion and vio- with it. But, after a few moments, I put it down again, thinking—If I’m lence. I believe we still have a long way to go toward developing a hu- going to die, this is no way for a mansensitivity toward suffering people right here in our own land. God bless the peaceful reformer, such as Martin Luther King, who risks his reputation and very life to cast light on our faults and to inspire us to seek out the beauty that priest to go. So I went back to ministering to the wounded anddying. Theytell me I carried 20 wounded men from the battlefield to an evacuation area that day, and I know I gave the last rites to nearly 30. So they called me a hero, and I stoud in GIs help supply a Vietnam village. resides in every human being. @ Family Weekly, June 29, 1969 5 |