Rebutting Memorial Day Mythology

A counterargument to unwitting disconnects in support of U.S. militarism

LT Gene Marx, 1972

Now, I wouldn’t know Dr. John Mandrola if I fell on him, but I do, on occasion, read his posts on Substack, Sensible Medicine. Today, Memorial Day 2023, Dr. Mandrola appropriately paused, in his words, “to remember and honor those who gave their life in the service of this country.” Having “served” in Vietnam as a Naval Aviator, his submission on this occasion piqued my interest.

My comment:

Sadly, it appears Dr. Mandrola has bought into the bill of goods our citizens have been sold for decades to propagate U.S. hegemony under the guise of fighting and dying for freedom. Not a single one of our country’s founders supported pre-emptive wars of aggression. In fact, they warned repeatedly against entanglements abroad.

Like many surviving Vietnam combat veterans, I dread Memorial Day, but observe it in reverence nonetheless. However, I honor and mourn the loss of not only my friends - like me, mindless tools of U.S. interventionist war-making policies - but also the countless, brave Vietnamese fighters who actually did die for their country and their sovereign freedoms.

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Let me respond further, as if it wouldn’t be a total waste of time.

Just two points:

·      I didn’t “serve” anyone during my deployment in the Gulf of Tonkin, except the war-making foreign policies of the U.S. government. As I’m reminded by a fellow Veterans for Peace activist, I was a “mindless f**king tool of empire.” We all were and should have known better.

·      Additionally, I never met a single veteran who “fought for democracy” or for any American’s freedom. During today’s wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Joe Biden remarked that my friends “dared all and gave all’ in defense of America. Not a single friend of mine on Panel 2W of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial “gave their life” during our failed, immoral invasion of Vietnam. Each life was ripped from them by war-makers who couldn’t care less.

Well-meaning, or not, we are deluged this week with posts, submissions and emotive disconnects of past sacrifices and current wars, as contributors deliberately or unwittingly, in Dr. Mandrola’s case, perpetuate the inevitabilities and savageries of the next.

My dead friends deserve so much more, in the true spirit of Memorial Day.