Proud Vietnam Vets Visit Northern Manor to Meet Residents and Vets

On November 8, 2023, Vietnam War veterans from the Rockland County Vietnam Veterans Chapter – American Legion Post 333 in Pomona, New York, visited and spoke to the residents at Northern Manor on North Middletown Road in Nanuet in an open forum setting in the main facility’s Recreation room. This educational visit, that was in time for the upcoming Veteran’s Day holiday this weekend , included four veterans from the Vietnam War, and they explained to both the residents and staff about what was it really like fighting in what sadly became a highly misunderstood and, back home, a misinformed war against the North Vietnamese communists.

“This was an incredibly moving and eye-opening visit,” said the facility’s Recreation Director Michael Berman. “With Veterans Day coming this Saturday, there couldn’t be a better time for Ray and his group to come speak to our residents. There were so many great topics of discussion.”

The residents had excellent questions pertaining to everything from what was it like fighting an enemy that were often hiding in the jungle bushes and trees to comparing the tunnels in Gaza to those in Vietnam. The veterans also spoke about the effects of Agent Orange, what is was used for and the lasting effects for generations from that chemical that was used to “clear” the trees when dropped from the US Aircraft. They also spoke out many of the movies about Vietnam and how truthful and they were portraying the war.

“Some of the films like Platoon came the closest to show how the war was portrayed, and like Platoon, other movies were embellished by Hollywood for entertainment purposes,” said Veteran Ray Furlong, who is also the President of Post 333. “If you want to what it was really like, the veterans from my post will educate you. That is why we appear at different locations and functions throughout Rockland County.”

Following the speech, Mr. Furlong and his fellow veterans, visited a number of veterans in the building and were moved by their stories and what’s been happening in their lives.

As seen both on Nanuet Patch and lohud