Welcoming the Soldiers

James Taranto--prompted by a Superbowl commercial thanking American troops--has a collection of emails in the Opinion Journal in response to an item about the cheers American soldiers get returning from overseas now as compared to the jeers they received in the Vietnam era. Here's the section,

Then They Spat, Now We Cheer

Yesterday's item on the divergent reactions to Vietnam and Iraq veterans brought many responses from readers eager to tell their stories, and we thought we'd publish a sampling. This one is from David Kruger:

I travel for business. In the past two weeks I have witnessed American Airlines giving empty first-class seats to soldiers and an entire terminal (in Denver) giving a plane full of disembarking soldiers a standing ovation on a busy Friday night. I pity those both here and abroad who don't understand that this public, spontaneous, unrehearsed and heartfelt honoring of our men and women in uniform is a privilege enjoyed only by the proponents of a just cause.

Chris Mallow tells a similar story:

This past summer, I was traveling on business to Atlanta. As I was walking through the terminal in preparation for my departing flight, I passed a large group of soldiers, at least 100, all in battle dress, holding their gear, waiting patiently in line. Seeing that they were checking in for a domestic flight, I assumed they were on their way home, so I asked where they were headed. All responded with the same answer: "Afghanistan."

I don't know any active soldiers personally. All of the military people I know have long since retired. However, all I could do was marvel at these men. While the group was somewhat subdued, all were very pleasant, none somber or sad. Most were talking pleasantly with each other as they killed time in the line. They were a true slice of America--many different colors of hair and skin, many different accents (I heard at least four as I passed by), all standing together. They knew where they were going and why, and they did it willingly, for all of us.
All I could do was shake as many hands as possible, smile, and thank them for going. I felt prouder to be an American at that moment than at any other moment in my life.

Steven Liston, a physician, recounts his Vietnam-era experience:

I, too, was spit upon and called "baby killer" in September 1971, in the San Diego airport, while wearing my Navy uniform. That was ironic, in that I was on pediatrics as a medical intern at the San Diego Naval Hospital at that time, hopefully helping save babies' lives.
The airport Super Bowl ad brought me to tears, not of pain remembering my experience, but from pride in today's American patriots.

Kenneth Millspaugh had a bad experience with beer nearly four decades ago:

Anheuser-Busch's Super Bowl ad spoke loud and clear to me. As a 19-year-old Army private training at Fort Belvoir, Va., in 1966, I visited the nation's capital. Walking down the sidewalk, I approached three of the city's young citizens. As I passed, I felt beer running down my back. The "youth" challenged me, "Hey, soldier boy." Not a welcome sign.

With a beer-soaked back, I walked away, and thankfully they did not follow. They had me surrounded, the poor bastards. Now, 39 years later, I get a vicarious welcome from Anheuser-Busch. God bless America, and thank God I lived to see it.

And Tom Reynolds sums up the differences between then and now:

My son is a Marine reservist who was called up to serve in Kuwait and Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein and liberate his millions of victims. Upon his return, we took a family vacation in December 2003, which found us having dinner one night at the Hollywood and Vine restaurant in Disney-MGM Studios. Being myself a veteran and proud father, I asked the staff if they had something special I might arrange to commemorate his return.

To my surprise, they made a very extravagant presentation and involved the rest of the restaurant's guests. They gave my son a standing ovation.

Later, as he chided me for causing him embarrassment, I told him I didn't do it for just him. I did it for the other guests too. Despite what some foolish pacifists or the head-in-the-sand media think, many people need and want to acknowledge our servicemen. Soldiers are applauded entering JFK or disembarking a plane in Portland by a citizenry both thanking the individual and making a public statement of support for the values for which this country stands.

To me, the Anheuser-Busch ad is successful because it reflects a current attitude and practice the media won't report. The war in Iraq isn't Vietnam; it's not a quagmire, and it's not something the media are going to spin as dishonorable or as a failure.

To every American soldier out there fighting terrorists on our behalf, Mr. and Mrs. Base10 thank you from the bottom of our heart. The amazing thing was that some people felt the original commercial was jingoistic.
- posted by Base10 @ 9:19 PM