Earlier this week, I had the pleasure to meet a man who works in Covington and fought at the Battle of the Ia Drang, one of the first major battles in Vietnam. This was the battle that was recounted in the book We Were Soldiers Once … and Young as well as in the movie starring Mel Gibson. And though my dad, who is retired Navy and also a Vietnam veteran, has seen all things Vietnam war and everything related to any war during the last century (possibly beyond), I knew nothing about this battle. The book has a comfy little home in the bookcase downstairs, but I had never even glanced at it nor had I cracked the binding.

To prepare for the interview, I pulled the book off of the shelf and blew the dust away. I read the back and scanned the index for his name, which I did not find. Going into it, I knew the name of the battle, but not much more.

During the interview I scrawled out my meticulous notes detailing what Greenup did before the war, how he was drafted and the circumstances that fell into place that put him, along with approximately 400 other troops, in the Ia Drang Valley on Nov. 14, 1965. He talked about the war and told me things he said he’s never told anyone, including his wife and children. He had tears in his eyes as he browsed his memory for the events that happened those 42 years ago, selecting which things he’d share. He doesn’t think he’s a hero, he was just there, just participating he says. He was just doing his best to defend his country and feels the same way for the North Vietnamese soldiers – they were just defending themselves as well.

“Their objective was to live just like I wanted to live, which makes it hard. Our leaders committed us to action and all of a sudden we were there, whether we feel right or wrong was not an issue, we still participated. Our objective was still to support our fellow troops. In my heart, I don’t think they were trying to kill me, they came to secure their area. The average troop’s mentality was not to annihilate people, we just became the victim of circumstance.”

At the end of it, 234 Americans had been killed at Ia Drang. Three days after the battle began, the remaining troops marched three miles from [landing zone] LZ X-ray to LZ Alpha, and encountered more North Vietnamese troops. US numbers were cut in half.

“It wasn’t supposed to be anything but a peaceful endeavor,” Greenup said, “but we landed 100 yards from their base camp in the mountain. They had to defend themselves. It just so happened we landed there and accidentally found their base camp.”

After he finished his year at war he returned to Tennessee, finished his degree and lived life. He was once the mayor of Bradford. He married himself a beauty queen and had three children. He told people he was in Vietnam, but didn’t detail the harrowing events of Ia Drang. Until last year. He had a stroke and “it all came out,” he said tearfully.

Many Vietnam veterans, as well as veterans of other wars, did not receive a hero’s welcome upon their return. Honestly I can’t imagine doing a tour of duty in the pits of Hell and returning to a completely different country, one that does not appreciate the sacrifices made by those that are defending our every right, our every freedom. It’s no wonder that many of our veterans are in as bad shape as they are – addicted to drugs and alcohol to say the least.

When I returned to my office I began doing research on the battle. When I googled ‘Ia Drang’ I found the prologue to the book We Were Soldiers .., the same prologue that I’d skipped over the night before. I read it and it is, quite possibly and quite honestly, the most well-written work I have ever read. I cried as I read it, trying to imagine the horrors that one faces while at war. I want to read the book in its entirety, and one day I will.

And as many of you are aware, we have at least four generations of military in my family. My great-grandfather was a doughboy, serving in France during World War I. My grandfathers fought in Germany and in the Philippines during World War II. My dad served during Vietnam. My brother is currently serving, but is stationed stateside. Additionally, my ex is former Army and was in AIT when the war broke out in the Middle East and my father-in-law flew Blackhawks during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

We are a family rich in military history. Our family members were not generals or admirals, but they fought and served and offered the ultimate sacrifice, just as many others do. They do not consider themselves heroes, very few do. But for the rest of us, the general public, they truly are. Thank you to everyone out there who has enlisted and served, not just those who have been to war.

Happy Veterans Day.

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