LZ RGV

How many of you Vietnam veterans remember the UUUU markings placed on their helmets by many of the troops in Nam?  How many remember what the UUUUU stood for?

It was sort of like a coded protest code that many used to voice their disapproval on how things were going on in the war.  This was not limited to the groundpounders, the grunts, the cannoncockers, the MPs, the REMFs, it was a general thing.  It did not hit the USMC early on, but it finally got to the I Corps area when the Army starting deploying there.

It got even worse when the draftees started arriving in Nam.  Not too many of them were gung-ho about being called to serve.  They went because they felt it their duty and of course to avoid any legal problems with the U. S. government.

UUUU stood for "the Unwilling, led by the Unqualified, doing the Unnecessary for the Ungrateful.  And too many of us, it seemed like it was the best way to identify our situation.  For those that made two tours and wound up going back, remember, we had to fight for the same territory, the same vil, in the same area as if we had not done our job before.  The search and destroy efforts were never noted.  We would take a hill, or we would take a vil, or we built large LZs to protect the local population and for the operation of our war machine.  Nevertheless, many felt early on that it was UUUU.

Another writing on the helmets was 'THOUGH I HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I FEAR NO EVIL, CAUSE I AM THE MEANEST SONOFBITCH IN THE VALLEY.  Any many grunts live up to it.  And of course many just wrote it on their helmets because it was an "in thing."

LZ RGV is being organized as a final welcoming home for our South Texas Vietnam Veterans.  This will be held on April 9, 2011 in McAllen and was originally sponsered by the Alfredo Freddy Gonzales American Legion Post of Edinburg, TX.  It has taken a larger form and is being sponsored by other groups.

"On April 9th 2011, all of the communities of South Texas will meet at the McAllen Convention Center to welcome home our Vietnam Veterans. This family event will celebrate our Veterans achievements with fun events, food and live music.  Our Vietnam Veterans of South Texas have not had an official welcome home event to recognize the sacrifices made during Vietnam. This event is intended to recognize all Vietnam Veterans in South Texas and remember the killed in action and missing in action heroes that fought on behalf of our country.  This event will have three main components: Proclamation, Education and Celebration" from their webpage.

There are many veterans in south Texas that were involved in the Vietnam War. Most Vietnam veterans greet each other with the phrase "Welcome Home!".  They have been doing this for a while.  A personal greeting from one Nam Vet to another.