President Reagan’s Tribute to Vietnam War Veterans
On the front page is a picture of Mrs. Reagan holding the President’s hand and with her other hand, caressing the Vietnam Memorial wall where 58,156 veterans’ names are memorialized. I feel empathy for their emotions--I’ve been there too and I was overcome by the tragic loss of these young men.
Yet on reaching Page 17 of the same issue, I find Laurie Duncan’s article (“U.S. Found Slow in Aiding Sick Veterans”) wherein she relates a study by Dr. Steven Stellman and his wife conducted for the American Legion, showing 6,810 Vietnam veterans, who reacted adversely to Agent Orange and/or heavy combat, remain in distress with little or nothing being done for them.
Is “honor” only to be vested in those Vietnam veterans who lost their lives, while pain and suffering are the rewards for the “survivors” of that senseless war?
ADELENE R. CRAIG
Oceanside
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