My Uncle who was in Nam had an M-79 blow up in his hand when he was 19 years old as he fought with a Marine CAP unit he was ambushed that night and only two people from his Platoon lived the Corpsmen and my Uncle. He told me how he was placed in a body bag and the helo took off he woke up to black and the sound of gun fire and the blades of the helo. He pulled his Ka-bar out and cut through the body bag and told the guy he saw “I’m not dead yet!” After that he passed out. He lived through that night and through the first surgery. He was then sent to Japan where he was told he would never walk he would never be able to move what was left of his left arm that he would be luck  to see the age of 40. This is where he said he meet the Japanese Doc that if he ever found he would not know to kill him or kiss him.  Now My Uncle is nearing 60 years old can walk can talk and can move his arm. As a child this man was my hero I looked up to him wanted to be like him.

As a man I joined the Marines was a machine gunner like him and had gone to combat and fought like him.  As we all know for the ones who have been in combat brothers you spill blood with are at times closer than the ones you share blood with.  My Uncle has not been to a VA hospital since I want to say 1970’s as he hates them and he gets sick when he gets near one. This hero to us all is 100% DAV and is forced to live off of $2,000 a month that is the thank you are country has given him! $2,000 a month for the rest of your life or until we run out of money.(Whatever happens first.) My uncle lives in a shithole in Mississippi is by himself is a town where thugs and hooks are kings. He wants to move back up to the state where he was born IL and I would love for him to move up near me. As I’m worried he is not as young or spry as he use to be I worry that the next time I see him will be at a funeral closed casket because it was 3 or 4+ weeks since he died and he was found.

 What I’m trying to find out is if there is anything out there that might help him out! I have looked at the Illinois Veterans Home of Anna for him as it would let him have his freedom yet he could have someone come in from time to time to make him a real dinner and take care of his medical needs. What I’m looking for is any advice from people who have gone through this. I’m still trying to talk him into going to Illinois Veterans Home of Anna and also trying to get him to be seen in the VA hospital so that he can get the money that he should get. I’m also trying to find out if there is anything else that he might have earned.
Thanks for the help!


   

Check with a service officer in the DAV, VFW, American Legion or Marine Corps League and see what they recommend. They should know what's available and how to get him taken care of. BTW, none of the above charge anything for their services.

Thanks! I'll check them out. I thought he would be getting more since I have heard one of my friends who is 100% DAV getting a lot more money then what I told him Nam Vets where getting.

Did you get the IM I sent you?