since 2/28/03
My father was a Southern Baptist Minister, so I was raised as a pastor's kid. Most of my childhood was spent in Texas. I was asked once if I was going to be a pastor like my Dad when I grew up and I said, "No Way!"
When I was 14 we moved to California and I started rebelling. Between the ages of 15 & 16 I was pretty much on my own. I was working full time, dropped out of school, got into racing cars and got alot of speeding tickets. This lifestyle went on for a couple of years until I turned 18 and joined the army; the date was Nov. '65.
In May of 66' I was sent to the Dominican Republic for 6 months, on a police action. In June of '67 I was sent to Viet Nam (supposedly another police action). I thought it couldn't be too bad, for my training was in carpentry, and the Dominican Republic hadn't been all that bad.
After I arrived in-country, I was assigned to the 1st Cav. Air Mobile Division, 8th Engineers. I was also assigned as a heavy equipment operator, combat engineer, (O J T). The 1st assignment was LZ English in the Bong Son area; this lasted for 6 months. We built LZ's and Fire Bases. I saw very little action for the first six months. I also did a lot of heavy drinking at this time.
In Jan. of '68 our whole battalion packed up and went North by ship to Da Nang. Most of the unit went by land, headed for Camp Evans. I, along with my squad and equipment, were sent by boat to Hue. We waited there for the rest of our unit. Hue was being heavily attacked. I found out later that this was part of the beginning of the Tet Offensive. This was the first heavy combat that I took part in.
We finally arrived at Camp Evans and got our base camp set up. We were getting incoming nightly. I saw casualties and wounded on a daily basis. We were sent out regularly to secure fire bases that had been overrun. We received regular sniper fire. I thought to myself, this is NOT a Police Action, this IS WAR!!!!
On April 1st of '68, part of our unit was sent into Khe Sanh. The fighting was so intense that for the first time in many years, my mind went back to my childhood and my strong faith in the Lord. I realized that He was the only one who could help me survive this nightmare and I started praying regularly for Him to strengthen me.
We made it back to Camp Evans the first part of May. I only had 4-5 weeks left before I was going home. There were new troops arriving daily to replace us, and I thought I had it made, But I didn't. With only three weeks left to go, I was sent to Ashau Valley. Because of my experience in leadership I was appointed to lead my squad. This was the biggest mission I had ever experienced. I was supposed to be on the last chopper going in because I was a short timer, (This was promised by my 1st Sgt.) but, you guessed it, I was on the first one! We came into a hot LZ and our chopper was taking continuous fire. The choppers would not land, they just hovered about 10 ft. above the ground and we all jumped.
We built 3 LZ's and an airstrip. At the airstrip we ran out of food & supplies. The planes to restock us were being shot down; we could hear the screams of the men on the planes over our radios as they were going down. There were so many casualties and wounded, it was like being in Hell. I had about a week to go and got really sick from the water. I was able to get a medivac out that evening. I found out later that my unit was hit very hard later that night and the pup tent where I would have been sleeping received a direct hit. I also found out when I got home, that on the day I got sick, the Lord had awakened my Father to pray for me at the very same time I was being flown out. In fact a lieutenant was bumped for me to get out and I was only a sergeant. I believe the Lord saved my life that night, as well as protected me throughout the war.
I was finally headed home, with all my body parts intact and I thought everything would be OK now. Little did I know that another kind of Hell was waiting for me at my homecoming. For thirty four years I refused to talk about Vietnam because of the rejection of my country for my service in Hell for them. Also the total disregard from my family, freinds, and church members for what I had just been through, which I believed as a young man was for their freedom.
I have been married three times, and I have four children that I never see. I have had numerous jobs and moved constantly until about six years ago. This seemed normal to me, for I have been restless my whole adult life. In '82 I met my third wife, a beautiful lady that the Lord sent to me. We have been married for 20 years now. I tried many times to go back to church, but was told over and over that because of my multiple marriages the Lord could not use me.
In '95 we moved to Oregon, and I attended a few Point Man meetings, which my wife encouraged me to do. Through these meetings we started going to church yet once again . This time I was prayed for and told that the Lord has now enlisted me in "HIS ARMY", and HE WOULD BE "MY COMMANDER IN CHIEF" for the rest of my life.
This prayer encouraged me to stay in church and pray for the Lord to reveal His plan for my life. He has been faithful to do this and we have stopped moving around so much. One reason is illness; I have been a diabetic for years, which was caused by Agent Orange from Vietnam. A larger part of why I have been able to settle down is because I now have a relationship with the Lord, and He has given me purpose and stability that I had never experienced before. I have also received help through the VA for medical treatment. This past year I have gone to counseling (both individual & group), through the Vet Center in Grants Pass, OR. Being able to talk about the experiences I went through, with other vets, has helped me tremendously. My silence has finally been broken after all these years. I have carried the Vietnam war with me every day in many ways. In my younger years, it affected my life in one way and now it affects me in other ways. The good news is, I have found help.
Now the Lord is using me to reach out to other vets through the Point Man International Ministries. I have received help and I want them to know that there is help out there for them. I know how they feel, how hard it to trust anyone; after our early experience of Vietnam. Through Jesus Christ our Savior & Lord, and with the VA finally coming to the aid of the Vietnam Vet, as well as other vets, there is now help & hope for us all.
Welcome Home
Thank You Jesus
Mike
Joel 2: 11,19
Point Man International Ministries
since 2/28/03