FLAK

DON’T FORGET CRONKITE STABBED THE TROOPS IN THE BACK

The following is a copy of an email letter to Fox News Watch

I am a fan of Fox News and in fact have been on it before, having been interviewed by Martha McCallum. I was sickened listening to your panel just now fawning over Walter Cronkite. Walter Cronkite should be labeled, “one of the least trustworthy men in America.” He singularly turned the tide in the war in Vietnam in favor of our enemy, which caused untold pain in the lives of millions of Vietnam veterans and their families for decades. I earned and wore a Green Beret there and have two sons who also earned and wear Green Berets now in the GWOT. Walter Cronkite proclaimed the 1968 Tet Offensive a resounding military victory for the communists, when in fact it was, by far, their largest defeat by US and South Vietnamese in the war. We decimated the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong, and at that point they were ready to surrender.

Because “Uncle Walter” was so trusted, his misleading statement bolstered the ranks of the anti-war movement, so the leaders in Hanoi decided to hang on and see if they could outlast us. American forces NEVER lost one single battle in the Vietnam War. We won every major battle, but you would never know that thanks to the left-leaning CBS News spearheaded by Walter Cronkite, as well as the very liberal Hollywood motion picture machinery and other media outlets following like sheep.

With your precious freedom to report the news comes a responsibility to get it right, even sitting around a table in the newsroom. People listen to you and believe. Cronkite proved that, to the detriment of my fellow Vietnam veterans, heroes one and all, but labeled as baby-killers and miscreants by those misled by so-called “impartial reporters of the news.”

Blessings,

Don Bendell

We could not have said it any better. We won on the battlefields of Vietnam. The responsibility for losing lies with people like Cronkite and the anti-war movement. – Ed.

USS VICKSBURG MEMORIES

I am a Navy Captain currently locked in the Pentagon paying my post-major-command dues. When I had the cruiser USS Vicksburg, Gary Paul Johnston rode my ship and wrote an article that appeared in theJanuary 2008 issue of SOF...which absolutely made the day for all my Sailors!

CAPT Chip Swicker

Chief, Special Actions Division

Thank you, CAPT Swicker, for your service. We hope that your Pentagon tour is successful and no longer than it absolutely has to be. – Ed.

THANKS

The following was sent to Brian Sain of AmericanSnipers.org.

I just got the box today. That stuff is great, thanks so very much for the support. You guys do such an awesome job supporting the military. My guys can’t believe all the stuff we have been receiving to help them out. My guys are very grateful for everything you do.

Thanks Again:

SSG XXXXXXXX

For those who wish to assist American snipers, go to www.americansnipers.org . – Ed.

SMALL WORLD

I was catching up on my back issues of SOF and saw the Bulletin Board article on the C-130, tail no. 62-1817. This caused me to pause and go to the closet and rummage up my cousin’s log book from 16 Sept., ‘67 to 14 Sept., ‘68. Sure enough, there was good old tail no. 62-1817. No tail numbers were listed until the 17th of March, ‘68. Then on

the 20th of March, 62-1817 was flown from THY to DUC PHONG, DPG to BNH, BNH to LOC NINH, LOC NINH to BNH, BNH to LOC NINH (FLAT TIRE ON LANDING).

Roland Haskins

VA INFO

A recent SOF magazine had a blurb on veterans qualifying for home healthcare, giving the requirements to qualify, etc. Which month’s issue was this and what section? I had it set aside and it got buried in my past issues!

R. Bell

The item you are referring to ran in Bulletin Board in the July 2009 issue of SOF, on page 40. For more information, go to www.va.gov or contact your local Veteran’s Affairs office. – Ed.