Vietnam Veteran's 9th Infantry Division, 6-31st     |     home

Frozen in Time
2006

May 29, 2006 - Monday evening of the Memorial Day Observance weekend -

Usually an emotionally charged weekend for most of us.  Despite our best attempts to have a weekend of frivolity, we at some point, become reflective of those that have gone before us.  My personal memories of Memorial Day always include the sounds of a 21 gun salute and the resounding echoes of taps... reminiscent of the Memorial Day parades of past and the Veteran's ceremonies at each memorial square in our little town.  

This year as the weekend drew to a close, and I turned on the pc to check my e-mail I found this from George Mauldin with an analysis of his thoughts of a reunion he recently attended.  I am always impressed with George's writings - and this one is no exception.  After reading George's reflection I contacted him and requested permission to share it with you via the website.  His insight is something I have heard over and over again from so many of the men of the 6-31st - the memories of their commanding officers, and the realization that when they hear their brother's voice for the first time in over 35 years they are transported back to that time.  The bonds formed so many years ago are as strong as ever and in that instant they recognize they are...



Dear fellow Vietnam Veterans and Others:

I recently attended a reunion of the unit with which I served in 1966 (Delta Company, 2d Battalion, 1st Cav Div) in Vietnam. Upon departing company with my fellow veterans, the feeling of euphoria prompted me to analyze my thoughts about the event. My conclusions, which also apply to my fellow veterans from my 1968-69 tour with 6-31st Infantry, 9th Inf Div, are written in the attachment.

Some of you, who will receive this e-mail, did not serve in Vietnam, and some of you are not military veterans. You know who you are and you know why you are so special as to receive this special tribute.

After you have read it, if you think that there might be an important message in it for a friend or acquaintance, please forward it to him.

I wish to thank each and every one of you veterans for your service to our country. A special thanks to those of you serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

God bless.
George Mauldin

FROZEN IN TIME

The following analysis applies to all Vietnam veterans, and especially to those men of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 9th Infantry division with whom I served in Vietnam in 1966 and 1968/1969, respectively.  

Before I proceed farther, let me explain that I was a career officer; therefore, my perspective of events of yesteryear is markedly different from the junior enlisted men, non-commissioned officers, and junior commissioned officers who fulfilled their military obligations and separated from the military service immediately following their combat tours.  Besides, persons in positions of authority were insulated from much of the day-to-day routine in the “trenches.”  I am resigned to the fact that in the minds of my fellow veterans of the 1st Cav Div, that I will forever be Lieutenant Mauldin, Company XO.  Our commanding officer, who retired as a major general, will always be remembered as Captain Guest.  To those men, who served under my authority as commander, Company, “C”, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 9th infantry Division, I will always be Captain Mauldin.

I attended a reunion of Delta Company, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), in Orlando, FL, May 18-21, 2006.  Just as I have for previous reunions with my fellow Vietnam Veterans, I came away filled with the usual renewed spirit and euphoria.  However, I am an introspective person, who tends to analyze far too many issues; therefore, I could not escape analyzing the matter of what is so special about these reunions.  I have heard the adage from fellow veterans, “when we speak to each other about events in the war, there is no need to explain anything”; “one never wonders if the listener believes what I am explaining-he was there, he knows and understands”.  After analyzing these explanations, I think that I finally understand at least one of the key factors among the many, which make our present relationships so special.  I alluded to some of these factors in my book “Your Sons-My Soldiers-Our War.”  We are all frozen in time.

The images that we have of each other are fixed in time from the last contact we had with each other until we are reunited in some way many years later.  In many instances, this last contact was either in the combat zone or at a discharge point in the U.S.  Therefore, we have preserved the images of youthful soldiers, with youthful skin, lots of hair, slim waistlines, and sparkling eyes that signal vitality and a propensity for youthful frivolity.  For many of us, however, the last images of our fellow soldiers is of placing them on a MEDEVAC helicopter, all covered with blood, bandages, and mud.  Unfortunately, for many of our fellow soldiers, our last images of them were seeing the plastic body bag zipped shut on a lifeless body.  In many circumstances, we did not know if our wounded comrades even survived the flight to the first level of triage in the evacuation hospital.  Even in instances where we knew that they survived and were evacuated to hospitals for long-term treatment and therapy, we did not hear from them, or about them.  These images, too, were frozen in time.  

Then, for reasons that are all too familiar to each of us, the war became unpopular, and instead of placing the blame where it belonged, which was on the heads of bungling politicians, many of our fellow Americans blamed the military.  The rejection and condemnation heaped upon Vietnam veterans resulted in psychological injury to many thousands of true patriots.  They (we) went into denial; with many of our fellow veterans isolating themselves from society, to include their loved ones, at a time when they were in dire need of help, acceptance and reassurance.  The helping hands and encouraging words were not forthcoming; thus the injurious effects of our wartime experiences were magnified many times.  Each of us dealt with our nightmares and the ghosts in our closets as best we could, but we know now that we needed professional help.  Even a simple “welcome home soldier” or “thank you for your service to our country” would have gone a million miles toward our healing process, but our reception in too many cases was just the opposite.  These images, too, are frozen in time.

So what do we have at this point in our lives?  We have each other-again!  Our fellow soldiers, friends, and comrades saw us in situations and conditions that were unique.  We intimated to our fellow soldiers our dreams, aspirations, and ambitions.  They saw us sweat, cry, bleed and even admit fear.  We shared our food, water, accessory packs from C-rations, lines in our letters from home, contents from care packages, and cigarettes, and probably wore some of our clothes, too.  We showed them photographs from home and told them about our families and the unique things about our hometowns.  When our fellow soldiers were killed in action, no one in this universe knew better the circumstances of their deaths than us.  No one but us saw their brave and selfless acts in combat, so there are no other persons better qualified to discuss or explain these events than us.  

Therefore, my friends and fellow Vietnam veterans, my simple analysis is that the bond that brings us together in fellowship and holds us together as friends and brothers is unique and everlasting.  Circumstances forced us to question our purpose; we were robbed of the honor and dignity that was rightfully ours; and the stigma remains.  However, our bond is strong.  I know of no other force or power that is capable of bolstering our pride and restoring our dignity like I have seen in our reunions.  These are truly therapeutic events and should be continued.  I know from personal observation that there are still many veterans in our communities who still keep their ghosts hidden away and suffer quietly.  I am confident that they would benefit from a reunion with their fellow soldiers in arms.  

This summary was inspired by the recent reunion in Orlando and also by the many memories and images associated with the approaching Memorial Day.  All of us Americans owe the protection of our freedoms and the preservation of our way of life to our military veterans.  I salute each and every one of you!  God bless!
George Mauldin
Colonel, U.S. Army (retired)

Thank you George for sharing this with us, for your reflections, for your insight... for giving the brothers a perspective on the thoughts of their commanding officers... To the brothers of the 6-31st please consider attending the 2006 Syracuse Reunion, for as George said, " I know of no other force or power that is capable of bolstering our pride and restoring our dignity like I have seen in our reunions.  These are truly therapeutic events and should be continued." "I am confident that they would benefit from a reunion with their fellow soldiers in arms."

God Bless the Veteran who gave so much that we might have our freedom.

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