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Letter 1
Hello Veterans and
Friends I am so happy that I could dedicate this site to all United States Veterans and the people who support those Veterans. I want to do what I can for all Vets and the POW-MIAs. Sometimes I feel bad when I hear of all the soldiers that died and are missing in Vietnam and other wars.. I served there, but not in the jungles. I worked on radios in CH-47(Chinooks) helicopters. I guess it is the same of all wars, there is someone to do different jobs. I was a part of the war, but not as bad as the ones in the jungles. We took mortar, rockets, and even our own artillery fire. I was even shot at on guard duty by a sniper, but still it isn't the same as being out in the jungle. I look at movies of World War II and wonder how they did it. The D-Day invasion, the dogfights in the air, the battles at sea. They are horrors of war. Let us not forget about those that were disabled fighting for the freedom that we still enjoy. They were brave souls. What they had and have to go through for the rest of their life. The Civil War is the war which most interests me. Of the 2.3 million enlisted in the Union Army, seventy per cent were under 23 years of age. Three hundred lads were 13 or less, and the records show that there were 25 no older than 10 years. The average infantry regiment of 10 companies consisted of 30 line officers and 1300 men. However, by the time a new regiment reached the battlefield, it would often have less than 800 men available for combat duty. Actually, in many of the large battles the regimental fighting strength averaged no more than 480 men. The heaviest numerical loss during the any single battle was at Gettysburg, where 40,322 Americans were killed or wounded. At the Battle of the First Bull Run or Manassas, it has been estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 bullets were fired for every man killed or wounded. This is a fact that most people don't know. In his mid-teens Jesse James joined the Confederate raiders led by William Quantrill. The famous "Dead or alive" reward for Jesse in 1882 was issued by an ex-Confederate officer, Governor Thomas T. Crittenden of Missouri. Knowing I would be drafted, I joined to serve our country. A soldier doesn't always believe in what he is told to do, but is trained to follow orders. You go and do what you are told. I believe in fighting for the freedom of this great country of ours. I think being in the service prepares you better for the outside world . It gives you discipline, and lets you see some of the country and world which some people may never see. You get to meet new friends. It is a time to grow up and see what life is really about. And last but not least, the brave women who served throughout the years. They are a important part of it all. Without them, things wouldn't be the same. And also to those that supported our troops while away overseas, fighting for our freedom. Thank you all for what you have done and are doing now. My hat is off to you.......... Jim Benner |
| Letter 2
Hello My Dear Veteran Friend, |
| Letter 3
Dear Jim: |
| Letter 4
Dear Jim: I just wanted to write about my feelings of September 11th, 2001. What a tragic event that was for our country. I really feel it has brought the patriotism out in our country and also brought us closer together. But as the year went on, I saw less flags displayed. We cannot forget, we will not forget, that tragic day. The enemy will not forget either, as he waits until we least expect it. I look back on the days of the Vietnam War. I guess you can call it a war as they are calling it today. But did Congress declare it such in either case? Whether Vietnam was right or wrong, our country did not welcome home the soldiers then as they do now. What a difference when war comes to our own soil as it did in World War II. We weren't prepared for that one either. We need to be ready all the time, for the enemy lies in waiting. Here we are, a few of our people, trying to take God out of our lives when we most need him. Not only to we have to worry about the enemy, but some of our own people. Anonymous Author |
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Letter 5
Welcome Home Soldier:
I was unable
to say or even think that during the Vietnam era, for I was one of those
who took to the road and lived what I call the 'free life' of not much
worry. Knowing I kept losing good friends or
friends would come home changed, never taking the time to talk, or
listen. For I was wrong.
For the past 11 years I have been working at the Veterans Hospital, each day I ask myself when will this war end? For my brothers I am still fighting for health care, mental health, addiction and mostly their lives within the 30 years passing the affects of the Agent Orange are running rapid with our Vietnam Vets.
I
watch a strong teddy bear of a guy, walk through recovery really hard at
being the husband and father he wasn't able to when he returned to the
US. He begins to lose weight, headaches, color fade from his face, he
knows something is wrong but they don't listen, until it is too late,
The cancer has gone from his lung to his brain. I stand at his bedside,
his eyes open and sees the person who reached out to him, when he first
came to the VA, he allowed me into his life one who listened to his
stories, the one who tears we shared. He is so weak, he is dying but
there it is the old Wally smile. I lean down and kiss his head and tell
him thank you, as I walk from his bedside I turn and he gives me a
salute, which was his good-bye.
I attend his service, the flag drapes his casket, his wife and children who stood with this kind soul through it all now morn another loss. For he won't be forgotten for he taught me so much about his life experience fighting the war. For I never said "I UNDERSTAND" I never walked in those shoes for this I was given his trust and so many other veterans.. I still like to know when this war will end. My fear is.....NEVER.
So Welcome home from a sister who
is fighting for you all,
Karen Dean |
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Letter 6 This is so true Karen. Now, Really, I laugh a lot and still crack jokes as
usual but letters like this are so
needed and the tears are good stuff.
"They are really pain coming out a
little at a time"....Vietnam was like "jumping into the pool into the pool"
and on the way down realizing no one filled it with water. Its great
springing up but that cement bottom wrecks the fall and the government is out of
Band-Aids, sorry... Now, truly My hat is off to Jim Benner. I would
love to visit the Garden. I was at 21 firebases throughout the Central highlands of Vietnam (67-68). I was in the cross-hairs of the biggest "spraying"
campaign that took place in that "police action". When I go to the
Agent Orange office at the Long Beach VA, they are vague at best as to what a
symptom could be. That is sad...
Will Vietnam ever end? Every
time I walk the halls of the VA, I
stop and speak to our vets and let
them know I appreciate their effort,
their duty despite how that Action
was run and those who made Millions of $'s off of it, at what cost?. There
are several that are still so angry and I listen. They need to be heard,
truly...End? I just don't have that answer. We all respond differently..
Jim Pilkenton |
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Letter 7
Yesterday I saw something that hit me
very hard. I wish that everybody could have seen what I did and felt
what I did then and still do now. There has been a lot of controversy over
the war in Iraq and fewer people supporting it and our president each
day. I have to admit that I was also starting to question the entire war
situation, largely due to the media coverage. I think a lot of people are
criticizing anything related to the war due to the media stories on TV
and on the radio. The average person has no idea what is going on in Iraq.
Even the media, no matter what they say or think, they have no idea what's
going on in Iraq. They are not fighting the war. They don't care about getting
the facts, they just care about ratings and how many viewers they can get to
tune in. The average person will never be apart of the war. Yesterday, that
changed for me. As I was driving, I had to wait for a caravan of police,
government cars and vans of Marines to go by that were escorting a hearse
carrying the body of a Marine that had died in Iraq. I saw inside the
hearse as it went by and saw the coffin that held the Soldier. It had
just been flown in and was leaving the airport. It touched me so much
and hit me so hard when I realized that that was a brave Marine that
gave his life for me, my freedom and all of the citizens of the US. We
are all free thanks to him and his fellow soldiers. We are free to hate
the President, free to hate each other, free to choose a religion and
free to say whatever we want.
This man was not forced to join the
Marines. He signed up out of his own free will. He gave his life for his
country like so many men and women have over the years and
throughout many wars. Seeing that sight in front of me yesterday brought a
piece of the war and the reality of the war home to me. It
wasn't the media trying to persuade us or get ratings. What I learned from
seeing this fallen soldier is it doesn't matter if you are republican or
democrat or you are for or against the war or you love or hate President
Bush. We are all one country. We need to remember to work together, stop
dividing into groups and fighting against each other. We need to ban together
as one to support our troops. Whatever is decided in Washington regarding
the troops and the war is going to be done no matter what we want done and
all the negative press is not going to help. We need to support the troops
no matter how long or short of a time they are over there. I know this is
going to people who have been in some branch of the service in their
lives. Some of you saw action and some didn't. Either way, I am thankful
that all of you are here today to receive this. You can understand how
important it is to support the troops and can understand what they are going
through in Iraq. Some of you may also understand what I saw and what an
impact it can have. I wrote this from my heart for all of you. I felt it was
important enough to share with everybody possible especially since
my Dad humbly served and received all of his medals 36 years after he was home
from the war in Viet Nam. This soldier and many others along with my Dad,
these are my heroes. So many do their job not asking for anything but a thanks.
They keep freedom alive and well within our Nation.
So If you want to pass this letter on,
that is fine.
You are free to not do so. If you
let other people know of this letter, I hope that it had an impact on you in
some way just like seeing that fallen Marine soldier had on me. God bless
his family.
Sincerely, Jennifer
Pilkenton-Townsend (Jim Pilkenton's daughter)
March 19, 2007 |
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Over the memorial weekend my family
once again gathered at the living memorial garden, right out of Weed,
California. The
Living Memorial Sculpture Garden, Weed, California We have done this
for the past 7 or so yrs, family comes from all over Oregon, Utah,
California, this year we added another friends name to the living wall.
Jim Pilkington he joins so many others, including several of our relatives
one being my father a proud WWII combat veteran, he is 84 and still he
stands when the flag is raised or when they ask for all Veterans to stand
so we may honor each one, this year it took my sister and I to help him up
but he stood on his own, what a man, my father.
Jim emailed me (pilk) and said you
were there this year, did we meet? We spent some time with Dennis Smith
and all who gathered at his cabin. Many veterans ask me how I do the work
I do and not get burned out, its because each year I get to be surrounded
in nature with some incredible veterans, who feed my soul with
appreciation, that is what keeps me going, that is why I do the work I
do.
I work with homeless veterans on the
streets of Portland, visiting shelters, camps, wherever. I am so blessed
to be doing this work. When I hear some people say "oh they choose to be
on the streets", that is not true, many have lost jobs, family, health,
and are unable to get just a little ahead to have a home. I know I can
only do so much one veteran at a time, for I want to do it right, and keep
my promise.....
I went on one of my visit to the
hospice unit and found one of my veterans, his wife was there at his
bedside, next to him was another veteran, no family stood at his bedside,
his breathing was labored, but who pulled himself out of his bed, to sit
next to this fragile man, the veteran I came to visit. The 3 of us
surrounded this Vietnam veterans bed we all held his hands, then mark says
"we are here for you, buddy go in peace" Al then took his last breath.
Mark then turned to his wife and said "honey I want to go home I cant die
here, I want to be home". I helped his wife gather his belongings, and
out the door we went hauling 5 oxygen tanks......
combat veterans have that special
connection. If anyone out there hears of a veteran who is alone and dying
go hold a hand or just be a presence of care.
I hope our paths do cross, so I can
say "I am honored". Keep writing, we need you.
Karen Dean
June 3, 2007 |