Comment from Rebecca Roberts1

Excellent

You wrote this so well it sounded as if you were there. You put yourself in a soldier's shoes and expressed his pain from your heart.
War has always saddened me.
Too much sorrow.
Good job.

 Comment Written 21-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 22-Jan-2023

Thank you so much, Rebecca
for the very generous 5 star
review of this write. I feel the
Vietnam War still haunts the
U.S. because of the loss of
human lives and for the
abysmal way so many of
her young soldiers were
treated when they returned
to the states. I recall very
well my mother and I
embracing and weeping for
our soldiers in this heartbreaking war, as war is
always a tragedy. I hope you
have a splendid Sunday.
Many blessings to you.

Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell

Excellent

That was a hard war for you and all your brothers in arms. It's one of the most talked about war ever. This was a great contest entry, and I'm so pleased this soldier came home to a loving family and girlfriend. Well done and good luck in the contest. :))Sandra xx

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2023

Hello Sandra, thank you so
much for your generous
review. This is a fictional
short story. I'm a 65 year old
woman who grew up in the
1960's and 1970's. I recall
the sorrow and sadness for
the many young soldiers we
lost in the Vietnam War, and
also the physically and
psychologically injured who
returned home that didn't
the welcoming support they
deserved. When I was
writing this I used my
imagination and tried to
pen the emotions a young
U.S. soldier may have felt.
Thank you for the 5 stars.
Many blessings to you.

reply by Sandra Stoner-Mitchell on 07-Jan-2023

I'm English, UK, but since being on FS I've read so many sad stories about that war, and the men who fought in it. The government were the ones in the wrong, and should have compensated all the American families and the soldiers who were let down by them. It was a really good, well written story, Regina. xx

Comment from Rosemary Everson1

Excellent

Remembrances of the Vietnam War have brought sorrow to many soldiers and perhaps some happy thoughts, too. Many soldiers made it home while others did not. Like your dedicated story.

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2023

Hi Rosemary, although this
is a fictional short story, I
tried to pen with my
imagination what a young
U.S. soldier and other
teenaged soldiers went through. Our surviving
soldiers came home to a
fiercely divided nation, and
didn't get the warm welcoming they deserved.
I really appreciate you taking
the time to read and review
what I penned with my
imagination. Many blessings
to you. ~

Comment from John Ciarmello

Excellent

I loved the story! It was well-written and captivating. So, much pain in the era, mental as well as physical and linger in the lives of these men daily. I can say with all the respect in the world. Thank you for your service. Best, JohnC

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2023

Hello John, this short story
is fiction. I'm Regina Elliott.
I tried with my imagination
to write what a nineteen
year old U.S. soldier may
have felt physically and
psychologically during this
sorrowful war. I've never
been in a war, so I don't
actually know what it's like.
I grew up in the 1960's and
1970's. I still recall the
U.S. being such a fiercely
divided country over the
Vietnam War and other
events going on in the
country. Thank you so much
for the 5 stars, and I really
appreciate you taking the
time to read and review this
story with 5 stars. Many
blessings to you. ~

Comment from Thomas Blanks

Excellent

I think you did a good job with this. I liked how you made Charlie the VC. I voted for your story in the contest. I assume you wrote this on your phone because of how it was spaced? No worries, just curious.

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 05-Jan-2023

Hi Thomas, thank you so much for voting for my story,
and for the 5 stars. I don't have a computer, I work from
my smartphone. The use of
this phone can definitely make my typing wonky. I hope your first week of the
New Year is going great.
Many blessings to you & your
family.

Comment from Sarah Robin

Exceptional

Thanks for sharing this story. Your excellent descriptions brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your service! It is because of you and your fellow soldiers that we are free. Good luck with the contest. Sarah

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 05-Jan-2023

Hello Sarah, thank you so
much for the 6 stars and for
taking the time to read my
story entry. I'm a 65 year old
woman, and I wrote the story
using personification as to
my imagining being a 19
year old U.S. soldier fighting
in the Vietnam War. I was in
the Navy for a little while in
the early 1980s, and have
never been in any war. I recall
as a child growing up in the
1960's the tragedy of the
Vietnam War which claimed
so much human life, just like
all other wars before and
since the Vietnam War. I
hope your first week of the
New Year has been going
great. Many blessings to
you.

Comment from Tpa

Excellent

You wrote a well-develop war story and the hardships and burning desire of a soldier waiting to return home. Your descriptions of characters and action were good. The best to you in the contest.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 04-Jan-2023

Thank you so much, Tpa.
It just flowed out of me last
weekend. I appreciate you
taking the time to read and
review it. Many blessings
to you.

Comment from Sherry SG

Excellent

This is a moving piece about the horrors of war. Vietnam, or Korea or WWI or WWII - the names are immaterial. The horrors are the same.

Have you watched/ read "All Quiet on the Western Front" ? A brilliant movie and book on the horrors of war. Your piece reminded me of the same. Humanity doesn't change from one generation to the next, does it? We remain embroiled in our petty differences and war mongering.

As feedback for your piece: It started with Charlie, but there was no mention of Charlie or who he was or what happened to him in the rest of the piece. That left me a bit confused.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 04-Jan-2023

Hello Sherry, thank you so
much for taking the time to
read and review my short
story. You're right, all the wars have taken such a sad
and tragic toll on humanity.
The name Charlie in my
story is a reference to the
nickname our military gave
to the Viet Cong. I need to
put that on my entry. Many
blessings to you.

reply by Sherry SG on 04-Jan-2023

Oh interesting, I understand it now. I was not aware of it so thanks for the clarification. Yes, please do put in that context of Charlie in your story.

Comment from Wayne Fowler

Excellent

Nicely done. Good work.
My bet is that with Vietnam so far removed, you will be the only entry that relates 'Charlie' with the Viet Cong. Probably gonna be a half dozen about a pet named Charlie. But I could be wrong.
Good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 04-Jan-2023

Thank you so much, Wayne.
I really appreciate you taking
the time to read and review my short story. I do need to
put somewhere in the
writer's statement that the
nickname Charlie was
our soldiers' reference to
the Viet Cong. I hope you're
having a splendid New Year.
Many blessings, and thank
you for your comment and
for the 5 stars.

Comment from giraffmang

Excellent

Hi there,

this is probably one of the more inventive entries for this competition that I have seen over the years I've been here, twisting the Charlie from a person to the group. Nice.

I have to ask, though, if this was written on a phone. The formatting is not good and does affect the reader's enjoyment of the piece.

. In the
real life, Sharon in her cheerleader
outfit in our high school gym, - here I would use either 'in real life' or 'in the real world'.

large wounded
soldiers ward.- soldiers' ward.

"I can't leave my
war buddies !"- delete the space before the exclamation mark.

All the best
GMG

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2023

---

reply by the author on 04-Jan-2023

Thank you so much,
giraffmang. I don't have a
computer, and using my
cellphone can be quite
cumbersome at times. I hope
to make corrections (thank
you) soon. Many New Year
blessings to you.