I was an average teenage kid
born and raised in the hungry Hill section of Springfield
and the war was going and I'm and was really in the in the early stages as far
as I was concerned
I just didn't really think about it and then when
that letter comes in the mail you've been requested to serve
so that's how I found I'll wall
and the stark reality started to set in
you know
now you realize you're not controlling
something you don't forget
listed I don't think people realize
that the person going
at times least said my mom
had to die on my underwear dark green so you could
seen night and I remember her
a motion me doing that is this green enough
well yup it's possibly like this in is I know it was killing
Killinger my dad was never
the warm buzzing more
hogs and he drove
to lower states we're gonna get I was gonna get on a bus
got jurors you know for kids and then is very broken English he looked at me
said with
make me bread
yeah wall we hugged in all that was real nice
and so we got on the bus when Joe 240 X
and we that night we were put through what's called the reception centre
and I think I said something like
you know to have a shirt with a button down collar to be funny
threw it at me and said get movin
and I'm I had my first dose
I love what did I get into my mother wasn't there
my sister wasn't there my family wasn't there
protectors and whatever at
E team I'm I'm home now
I would ended up in a place called queen yahna and
I got off and I'm standing there am
you know its this older this this
armpit older
I I can't explain it and the
the the to oppressive he and I you
got back to my 10 and guiding and I'm layin in bed
and all these thought so home back to you and
necks morning the
flash bold when you look out and you see
endless campus thats my home that's where we are now
you know when you're there for a year so it was kind of like
a rude awakening but we were there for a reason
we weren't really entirely sure are frankly
why were there you know fight for your country you're there for you country
after their while you do with gap key to get into a routine
I became very fond some other Vietnamese people
and some other Vietnamese people actually work I'm
compound I was in a medical unit the 55th medical group 67 back
hospital my friend and I became very close
yell be traded with a smile
doing Orleans me
we don't know I don't know what ever happened thing
can only think
we left with me the
I'd rather not think tremendous relationship cubic unit developed with
other
you know guys would sit and talk I've got experience covering like
you do when you're together because I think there's a sense
need each other most of us didn't know
much about the war we would sit around and talk about it you know
many would say what are we doing here you know and
on I became a pretty good hearts player cuz it so we did at night
but I appalling once or twice
try to search a person's name I'm
didn't really get far enough let's stop it I don't want
really now I think it's
you are free some things in time
playing hearts when I remember plant
I know we came back a different person
I'll yes I appreciated the simple things
I appreciated the the the aroma
mamas pizza company the other I could never did before
when I came home I didn't tell my parents when I was coming
and I remember walking up these very narrow stairs
knocking at the door my mother opening the doors
a all my god johnnie making my father's name is Nicholas
Nikki jayden is here my father in his an equitable way said who
a she said journey your son any I remember him saying which one
johnnie and came out egos on my
that's the only time ice on my dad really
all my in
I i believe we should should ended the way we did
we should we did you we've never lost a battle
that
but we lost the war golfing
last year same-store me head
year end clearance and attire and it was a beautiful
winter jacket nounced this is the and
this is spring now so it's made in Vietnam I could
either I don't understand
all is forgiven and I don't say
you know sure you move forward but it's like
one day okay were no longer there now
and
what do we do it all forehead thats
the park we'll awesome I'll
credible people I mean where the country travels
like what 18,000 miles to
said the belief I think I know why we're there
I guess a good question is knowing what I know
would I go back when I do it again
and
II
I would have to say I would
I haven't done a whole lot of wonderful things in my life
that's thats one of my proudest
part of me will always be there