Vietnam War Past Life Stories

[A. Anderson]

Hi, everyone.
I'm just wondering if any of you have and want to talk about past lives during the Vietnam war. My past life during the war has been a part of who I am for over half a decade now. Sometimes I still have flashbacks and find myself crying like a baby. Some other memories are happier, like living on base and playing guitar nearly every night in the Da Nang Air Base mess hall.
Thank you for your time, everyone

 

[Staycon]

Here goes nothing-

As I am writing this, I am imagining the reader and can't help but think I'm full of ****-- or nuts. I promise that I am not crazy, but I cannot verify anything with times, dates, or names. I read a lot of stories here that have dreams of the war. Not me. Not one. What I do have and always have had since I was a child, is an weird fascination/obsession with the Vietnam war. I could not get enough of stories, footage, movies, history classes, etc. My obsession goes beyond that, though. I have, sometimes more than others, a real desire to go back. I know it's impossible, but I SO wish I could. This feeling was especially prominent as a teenager and through my 20s. Gradually it faded.

Fast Forward to 2011 when I met my future wife's father (My father in law now). He, being a Nam vet in the Army's 1st Cav, came back home with 3 purple hearts and a silver star for valour. When I met him and seen a few picture of his tour in Vietnam, that extremely intense feeling of being connected to that war came flooding back; this time, with a vengeance. I can go some months without thinking of the war at all. Other times, I sit for hours scouring the internet for more photos or videos. I have seen a lot of them several times. I just can't seem to shake this feeling of wanting to go there. I know it sounds crazy, (trust me!), but I have this pull to go back to Vietnam in the late 1960s. Khe Sanh, Heu, herever.

I'll end this post with a disclaimer. I, in no way, mean any disrespect to the men who fought and died in that war. I feel trepidation even posting something like this, thinking I may be upsetting someone who doesn't understand. But I came across this page on a search and I want to just get this off my chest and share it with someone other than my wife. She's is aware of my connection to that place and time, but I never told her of my deep desire to go back. I don't know why I want to go back. I just do. I want to fight and be "in the ****" again. The heat, the smell, the noise, the camaraderie. I want it all.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Emma66]

Here goes nothing-

As I am writing this, I am imagining the reader and can't help but think I'm full of ****-- or nuts. I promise that I am not crazy, but I cannot verify anything with times, dates, or names. I read a lot of stories here that have dreams of the war. Not me. Not one. What I do have and always have had since I was a child, is an weird fascination/obsession with the Vietnam war. I could not get enough of stories, footage, movies, history classes, etc. My obsession goes beyond that, though. I have, sometimes more than others, a real desire to go back. I know it's impossible, but I SO wish I could. This feeling was especially prominent as a teenager and through my 20s. Gradually it faded.

Fast Forward to 2011 when I met my future wife's father (My father in law now). He, being a Nam vet in the Army's 1st Cav, came back home with 3 purple hearts and a silver star for valour. When I met him and seen a few picture of his tour in Vietnam, that extremely intense feeling of being connected to that war came flooding back; this time, with a vengeance. I can go some months without thinking of the war at all. Other times, I sit for hours scouring the internet for more photos or videos. I have seen a lot of them several times. I just can't seem to shake this feeling of wanting to go there. I know it sounds crazy, (trust me!), but I have this pull to go back to Vietnam in the late 1960s. Khe Sanh, Heu, herever.

I'll end this post with a disclaimer. I, in no way, mean any disrespect to the men who fought and died in that war. I feel trepidation even posting something like this, thinking I may be upsetting someone who doesn't understand. But I came across this page on a search and I want to just get this off my chest and share it with someone other than my wife. She's is aware of my connection to that place and time, but I never told her of my deep desire to go back. I don't know why I want to go back. I just do. I want to fight and be "in the ****" again. The heat, the smell, the noise, the camaraderie. I want it all.

Thanks for reading.

Hi Staycon,you are not the only one. I really understand. Since my childhood I have had recurrent dreams, was interested in helicopters ( start to have lessons but too expensive). I am french and no connection to the Vietnam war. I was sure I had been there. After a regression last year I had a lot of details, got a name. This name is on the Wall.

I had to search for documents, videos, pictures and validate several details.

I remember the hot weather, the warm, heavy rain, the noise...I remember Chu Lai, Tam Ky, the hills and rice paddies, writing to my family, children faces...

I don't think I want to go back to that place, all I want is to go home. I missed my family. That's what I was thinking while I was dying in hospital.

Respectfully I would like to talk to veterans but how to explain I know...
The other day I couldn't help but correcting a geographical mistake on a post. A veteran agreed and answered with his unit and "Welcome home!". I would have answered but it was not "me".

The anniversary of my death is a hard time. I'm re-living each day with flashes and feelings. I have hundreds of Marines archives pages about the last operation, my unit to read . I want to understand.
Welcome home brother!

 

[Emma66]

Something that gives me chills. I know I am looking for trouble but I can't help listening to it and I burst into tears...

 

[Cryscat]

I've been reading your past lives in "Nam" with interest. Its not a past life thing for me, but a current life thing. I was born in the mid 1960's when the war was cranking up and it was a part of my childhood until the fall of Saigon in 1975. I've know Nam vets. All of them had some form of damage. One Nam vet, during the 4th of July in the early 1980's bolted and ran when someone on the block let off a M80 (powerful firecracker). He was heading for a main street with traffic and the only guy who could catch him was a classmate of mine who was a running back on my high school football team. That kid tackled him onto a neighbor's lawn. The adult men finally caught up and were able to calm the vet down. Anyways, carry on with your stories.

 

[Emma66]

I've been reading your past lives in "Nam" with interest. Its not a past life thing for me, but a current life thing. I was born in the mid 1960's when the war was cranking up and it was a part of my childhood until the fall of Saigon in 1975. I've know Nam vets. All of them had some form of damage. One Nam vet, during the 4th of July in the early 1980's bolted and ran when someone on the block let off a M80 (powerful firecracker). He was heading for a main street with traffic and the only guy who could catch him was a classmate of mine who was a running back on my high school football team. That kid tackled him onto a neighbor's lawn. The adult men finally caught up and were able to calm the vet down. Anyways, carry on with your stories.

I'm also not comfortable with firecrackers, fireworks and even thunderstorms. Don't like when hunters are in the woods close to the house. However I went to a shooting range with a friend of mine when I was young and liked it.
I was born in the late 60ties, my parents didn't let me watch the news on TV but maybe one day they failed, I still remember a scene with details of soldiers walking on a road with trees and vehicles going in the same direction. Now I wonder if it really was on TV or memories....