Vietnam Art & Front Line Humor

[StrawMan]

Intro:

My cousin Jay was a Huey Gunship pilot in Vietnam. He was highly decorated for his service in 1967-69. Over the years, he has shared several of his combat experiences with me. Talk about intense and horrific shit! But that’s not the point today.

The point of including a little of Jay’s background is so I can explain where this story came from. Vietnam Helo drivers and crew members are a tight group. They regularly meet up and stay in touch with each other throughout the year. Joe Kline was a helicopter crew chief in Vietnam and has become an accomplished aviation artist.

https://joeklineart.com/about

Joe Kline emailed this story to Jay recently and Jay shared it with me:

”The other evening I was telling my grandson about an incident that occurred while on perimeter guard at Camp Eagle in 1970. As the story goes "It was a dark and stormy night". The 4 of us were sitting up on top of one of the perimeter bunkers, we never went inside because they were full of rats. Anyhoo, apparently a small monkey got tangled up in the concertina wire and set off a trip flare, of course we thought it was an NVA human wave assault. The monkey's thrashing shadow was projected up into the fog and drizzle like when you hold your hand close to a flashlight at night. I did this painting from a 54 year memory as seen through the eyes of a wet, cold, tired G.I., and scared shitless I might add!”




Are there any vets here at T1B? If so, please consider posting your experiences.

[Sudden Sam]

Very cool, Strawman.

We need more threads like this. Mr. Kline’s paintings and the monkey story…good stuff.

I have a friend who is ex AF. He used to do paintings of specific aircraft for the pilots of those planes. I’ll see if he will allow me to share any of those.


From Joe Kline’s site:

Stairway to Heaven

[Wolfman]

I was never sent into harm's way. 2 times was ordered to get ready. Once to the Congo to protect Americans there and the other the Cuban Missile Crisis of course. Both times got orders to stand down.
Had a friend, Nam Vet, show up at my house contemplating suicide. I took him to the VA Psychiatric ward in Syracuse to get help. VERY scary place where you get locked in and the only door out is manned by a big burly guy with the key around his neck. No one in there has belts, shoelaces, or bathrobe ties. There were some old guys with WW2---shell shock as it used to be called. Anyway whatever they did cured him. I went and got him released and he was OK from that time.

[Smackie Chan]

Are there any vets here at T1B? If so, please consider posting your experiences.

I broke my pinky finger playing football on the beach in the Philippines when I was active duty AF. Hurt kinda bad but to my knowledge no one captured the moment on canvas.

[Dr_Phibes]

While I an a veteran of several dangerous combat missions in Quake2, I had little to do with Vietnam.

I did see a few Billy Jack films and thought they were complete shite along with Platoon, Apocalypse Now has to be the grandaddy.
Big shout-out to Odd Angry Shot, little known Australian film on Vietnam. Aussie soldiers pound cans of Fosters and swear a lot.
Favourite quote from the film:

Harry: I said 'get fucked', you great beer-sodden bag of shit!

Sergeant-Major: Right, you're all on a charge.

Harry: Well, you'd better make it murder, because I'm gonna knock your fucking head right off.

[Sudden Sam]

Are there any vets here at T1B? If so, please consider posting your experiences.

I broke my pinky finger playing football on the beach in the Philippines when I was active duty AF. Hurt kinda bad but to my knowledge no one captured the moment on canvas.

[Mikey]

I did see a few Billy Jack films and thought they were complete shite

Wait. What?

You probably hate your neighbor. And I imagine you didn't like Then Came Bronson, either.

[Dr_Phibes]

That aged horribly. He's an Indian, Green Beret, Vietnam vet, Kung Fu expert and gunslinger. All that's missing is cyborg and mutant and he's every action hero ever made.

[Diego in Seattle]

I did see a few Billy Jack films and thought they were complete shite

Wait. What?

You probably hate your neighbor.

He probably hates his friend as well.

[Smackie Chan]

You probably hate your neighbor.

Rack

He probably hates his friend as well.

He just cheats them.

[Mikey]

All that's missing is cyborg and mutant and he's every action hero ever made.

I don’t think they existed in 1971.

[Diego in Seattle]

You probably hate your neighbor.

Rack

He probably hates his friend as well.

He just cheats them.

It's been many years since I've heard that song.

[Dr_Phibes]

It's been many years since I've heard that song.

Because you don't live in Canada. That shitty song from the shitty movie ticks every Canadian Content box in existence, so you get assaulted with it 24 hours a day, every day. It's like sharing a jail cell with the Poppy Family and Edward Bear for all eternity.

[StrawMan]

I have a friend who is ex AF. He used to do paintings of specific aircraft for the pilots of those planes. I’ll see if he will allow me to share any of those.

From Joe Kline’s site:

Stairway to Heaven

I'd love to see your friend's paintings. Hope he gives you the OK to post them!

[Sudden Sam]

I'd love to see your friend's paintings. Hope he gives you the OK to post them!

Hw wouldn’t mind at all, he said. Problem is that was all done before digital cameras. He said his photos of his paintings are in a box in his mom’s house in the Florida panhandle.

I have a shot somewhere I took of the only one I’ve seen. I’ll try to find it.

[StrawMan]

I was never sent into harm's way. 2 times was ordered to get ready. Once to the Congo to protect Americans there and the other the Cuban Missile Crisis of course. Both times got orders to stand down.
Had a friend, Nam Vet, show up at my house contemplating suicide. I took him to the VA Psychiatric ward in Syracuse to get help. VERY scary place where you get locked in and the only door out is manned by a big burly guy with the key around his neck. No one in there has belts, shoelaces, or bathrobe ties. There were some old guys with WW2---shell shock as it used to be called. Anyway whatever they did cured him. I went and got him released and he was OK from that time.

Even though you got orders to stand down, I'd imagine being on active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis was pucker time.

Props for talking your friend down off the ledge, Wolfman! If you hadn't served our country when you did, you wouldn't have had the insight and shared experiences to relate to him so he trusted you. You literally saved his life.

BTW... what was it like charging up San Juan Hill? :smile:

[StrawMan]

Are there any vets here at T1B? If so, please consider posting your experiences.

I broke my pinky finger playing football on the beach in the Philippines when I was active duty AF. Hurt kinda bad but to my knowledge no one captured the moment on canvas.

Malingerers and Stolen Valor assholes have gotten Purple Hearts for less... so ya got that going for ya, which is nice.

Seriously, thanks for serving our country! You've gotta have some funny experiences from when you were in.

[Mikey]

It's been many years since I've heard that song.

Because you don't live in Canada. That shitty song from the shitty movie ticks every Canadian Content box in existence, so you get assaulted with it 24 hours a day, every day. It's like sharing a jail cell with the Poppy Family and Edward Bear for all eternity.

I'd trade One Tin Soldier for Donald Trump any day.

[Diego in Seattle]

It's been many years since I've heard that song.

Because you don't live in Canada. That shitty song from the shitty movie ticks every Canadian Content box in existence, so you get assaulted with it 24 hours a day, every day. It's like sharing a jail cell with the Poppy Family and Edward Bear for all eternity.

I'd trade One Tin Soldier for Donald Trump any day.

I'd hate to see what paintings tfg would produce after what he described as his own personal Vietnam....

[HighPlainsGrifter]

This thread is great. My love for Catch-22 has been well discussed on .net and I won't rehash it here. The absurdity of war is something current generations are blessed to not understand.

[Smackie Chan]

Catch-22

Re-reading it now. One of the best pieces of literature ever written.

[HighPlainsGrifter]

Catch-22

Re-reading it now. One of the best pieces of literature ever written.

:highfive:

Where are you in the story? Has Orr started practicing his "landings" yet?

[Smackie Chan]

Catch-22

Re-reading it now. One of the best pieces of literature ever written.

:highfive:

Where are you in the story? Has Orr started practicing his "landings" yet?

Not yet. In the Wintergreen chapter where Yossarian tackles Major Major, who will only see people in his office when he’s out of the office.