AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE SILK PAINTING - VIETNAM 1968. 

 A VIETNAMESE ARTIST GAVE ME THIS SILK ART DEPICTING A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN VIETNAM IN EXCHANGE FOR FOOD AND A PACK OF CIGARETTES. I COULD EASILY HAVE DISCARDED IT, A SEEMING WORTHLESS CASUALTY OF WAR. INSTEAD, I WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND KEPT IT IN MY HELMET LINER, THE ONLY DRY PLACE. LOOKING BACK, I BELIEVE THE REASON I HELD ONTO THIS SILK ART WAS ITS SIMPLICITY, SIMPLICITY IN THOUGHT IN THE MIDST OF  SO MUCH TUROIL AND DEATH. 

THE SCENE, A MAN WALKING ACROSS A BRIDGE GOING HOME, THE ONLY SAFE PLACE WHERE HE FELT SAFE.  FOR A YOUNG MARINE IT IS A HAUNTING MEMORY IN BLACK AND GRAY, THE DARK  BEAUTY OF VIETNAM.  NOW THAT I HAVE COME TO TERMS WITH MY JOURNEY SO MANY YEARS IN THE PAST I HAVE DECIDED TO PASS IT ON TO ANOTHER, MAYBE A VIETNAM VETERAN, MAYBE A VETERAN'S FAMILY, OR SOMEONE WHO WILL SEE IN THESE IMAGES THE BEAUTY OF A TIME GONE BY. (Framed and matted).

THIS IS AUTHENTIC. I CAN PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ME IN VIETNAM, MY DISCHARGE PAPERS, AND MY DD 214, AS PROOF.