Vietnam War Interview Forum

Guest

>1. Why did you stay to become drafted or join the armed services?

Are you asking why I didn't go to Canada?  I felt that would be running away from my obligations to live in the US.

>2. What was it like on your way to Vietnam?

Very nerviouos, tried to talk about "safe" subjects that didn't involve the fear I was feeling.  Even after basic and AIT there was still the unknown reactions to those deadly situations they couldn't really confront us with in training.  I didn't know where I'd be assigned or what unit I'd be with.  

>3. What was your view on the war at the time of you joining or becoming drafted?

The Cold War had been going on for years and the Communists were very aggressive and brutal with their esxpansion into South Vietnam.  I would not have chosen a combat role, but it wasn't up to me.

>4. What was the scariest moment you experienced in Vietnam?

There were many.  I walked point every third day for about ten months.  Leading the column through the jungle terrified me.  God meraculously saved my life several times.

>5. What was your post in Vietnam like, and how did you cope with it?

We had no power to change anything, the war didn't stop so we did the best we could day to day and sometimes moment to moment.  We learned to support one another and committed ourselves to keep each other alive long enough to get back to the "World."  Because of the situation, we were connected in a way that can't happen here at home.

>6. What was your relationship between the men in your squad or company by the wars end?

I survived an ambush that killed my first squad, my second squad was killed and wounded while I was in the hospital with a foot infection.  I was transfered to Recon with a bunch of other crazies.  We were tight and we survived.

>7. How did people react to your presence in Vietnam?

Most were polite but that was part of the culture.  We never knew if the ones smiling at us that day might be the same ones out nunting us that night.

>8. By war’s end, how did your view of the war change and why?

There was no glory in war, life wasn't precious, scred or even fair.

>9. How did people back home receive you when the war ended and has this changed, as the years have gone by?

They said there were protestors outside the chain link fence when we landed at Travis AFB but I didn't look for them.  They couldn't change the fact that I was home and had survived horrors they couldn't imagine.

Most people just ignored me.  Vietnam was not a politically correct subject of conversation unless you were a protestor.  Life went on for most people as if there was no war.  There was some grumbling from the WWII vets that we didn't fight hard enough and lost the war.  The fact that our politicians wouldn't let us invade North Vietnam seemed to have been lost in the equation of how to win a war.

Much of the national embarrassement and humiliation over Vietnam seems to be forgotten now.  

>10. Have you returned to Vietnam or are you planning to and why?

My wife would like for us to go so there might be some closure for me.
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>Please reply soon.
>Thanks for answering these questions and serving our country.

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