The majority of men who served in Vietnam came from poor or working-class backgrounds. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society. Twelve months later, all together, we boarded that plane and headed home. "Vietnam Vets: Still Coming Home" tells the stories of 31 Vietnam Veterans who served "in country" between 1961 and 1974. For example, many veterans developed mental and emotional problems as they struggled to cope with their feelings about the war. They came back to find the United States torn apart by debate over the Vietnam War. © 2019 Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. For example, wealthy young men could afford to remain in college full-time—and even pursue advanced degrees following graduation—in order to qualify for student deferments. If there is a lesson to be learned, it is a simple one, politicians make war, soldiers simply follow orders. Soldiers who had served in Vietnam finally began receiving recognition and marching in holiday parades across the country. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me. A Gun Trucker on Convoys. Just over 50 years ago as a junior officer, I arrived in Coronado California to meet my crew and begin three months of US Navy Swift Boat training. While people may not have supported military action, they did support the troops, now men and women, especially upon their return home. Cities and towns across the country held parades to honor the returning veterans and recognize the sacrifices they had made. Greetings took place at far-flung airports in the middle of the night as returning troops touched down. All the while, these troops were making sacrifices day in and day out, that most could not comprehend. I was an Army Specialist 5 (E 5) stationed aboard the Army ship the USNS Corpus Christy Bay anchored in the Saigon River Delta in South Vietnam. Real People. Soon after, the prisoners of war began to come home. Agent Orange contained several toxic compounds, including dioxin and 2,4,5-T. By 1979, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had banned the use of these compounds because of concerns that they were harmful to humans and animals. Just as important, the media covered these feel-good events and the stories were well received. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Student protests put into bold relief the contrast between the experiences of the two groups. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). "There has really never been anyone who has asked me: 'What happened to you over there? In addition, many American soldiers used hard drugs during their service in Vietnam. While they were enduring the hardship and danger of the war, college students were—in the eyes of many soldiers—frolicking on campus in a blissful round of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll and getting the credentials necessary to gain high-paying jobs. If you are a veteran, know a veteran, or are related to a veteran, and would like to place a personal story on the Online Veterans Tribute, please mail it to: American Veterans Center 1100 N. Glebe Rd. The following year, the U.S. government agreed to provide another $1 billion for research into the health effects of the wartime chemical use. These chemicals included tear gas, smoke screens, napalm (a highly flammable form of jellied gasoline), and herbicides (chemicals used to kill plants or prevent their growth). The Incredible Story Behind a Haunting Picture of a POW in Vietnam Captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a gun and a bayonet on a rice field. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. They returned home to communities that had strong antiwar feelings. But many other veterans had a tough time readjusting to life in the United States after they completed their military service. In the eyes of the veterans, these protesters could not understand what the war had been like. "I was exposed to dioxin from the Agent Orange that was sprayed all throughout the delta," Congressional Medal of Honor winner Sam Davis told Clark Dougan and Stephen Weiss in The American Experience in Vietnam. Since most of the fighting in the Vietnam War took place in South Vietnam, few American combat soldiers were captured and taken prisoner by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces. (See box titled "Veterans Join the Fight against the War" in Chapter 8, "The American Antiwar Movement."). To veterans everywhere, “Thank You for Your Service.”. Cities and towns across the country held parades to honor the returning veterans and recognize the sacrifices they had made. To my fellow Vietnam Veterans, I join in a hearty “Welcome Home”. Dougan, Clark, and Stephen Weiss, eds. Encyclopedia.com. Our boat, PCF 76 was destroyed in heavy weather. In addition, many veterans thought that the antiwar movement should blame the government officials who had sent them to Vietnam, because as soldiers they had only followed orders. Studies have estimated that as many as 800,000 Vietnam veterans suffered from PTSS. Even though they had not accomplished all of the U.S. goals, they still felt proud of their service to their country. PRONUNCIATION: vee-et-nuh-MEEZ Life struggles, flashbacks and nightmares were all too common among these veterans. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran who later became a U.S. senator, remembered how he felt shortly after returning home from the war: "There I was, a week out of the jungle, flying from San Francisco to New York. We expected few greetings upon our return, which, outside of our families, was all we received. "The prisoners' goal had been to survive and protect their honor under brutal torture; if the nation's goals hadn't been achieved in Vietnam, then the POWs' record of bravery and endurance would have to do.". South Vietnamese military officer and political Rather than being greeted with anger and hostility, however, most Vietnam veterans received very little reaction when they returned home. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. I fell asleep and woke up yelling, And I thought, 'What have they given?'". New York: Reader's Digest Press, 1976. Others had trouble feeling accepted by their friends and families. They were left behind, largely ignored. Its genesis was a controversial newspaper column of 20 July 1987 in which Chicago Tribune syndicated columnist Bob Greene asked whether there was any truth to the folklore that Vietnam veterans had been spat upon when they returned from the war zone. "Ignoring the Vietnam vet was just one part of the more general phenomenon of ignoring the nation's entire, shattering, unhappy Vietnam experience in all of its aspects," David Levy writes in The Debate over Vietnam. . Vietnam War Reference Library. Although such incidents were rare, the stories were often repeated among U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. Starr, Paul. They believed that it was not fair for antiwar protesters to question their actions during the war. He squared off against Henry Kiss…, Quang Ngai province, Vietnam . This program paid veterans' living expenses plus offered them full college tuition. Ng…, North Vietnamese political leader Included along the way were those individuals who had served, suffered and died in Southeast Asia. It was a year’s tour – 32,672,800 seconds with no place to go. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. The other passengers moved away from me—a reaction I noticed more and more in the months ahead. "To many veterans," Appy writes, "all protest seemed like yet another class privilege enjoyed by wealthier peers, and even moderate objections to the war, if made by draft-immune college students, were often read as personal attacks. Despite Sirota's contentions, Vietnam vets were a bit crushed coming home. Funding was increased and attention was given to the rehabilitation of those physically wounded. When the POWs were released in early 1973 with the signing of a peace agreement, they were greeted as heroes across the United States. The heated arguments within the United States over military involvement in Vietnam kept most people from welcoming the veterans or recognizing their service. Then, something unique began to happen, and soon it was becoming commonplace. Our crew of six was young. regret about the death and destruction the war had caused the Vietnamese people. The stories that follow are not political, argumentative, intended to persuade or to imply my experiences were the same as others. The positive impact of these gestures on any veteran cannot be overstated. The Vietnam War had a much higher ratio of wounded to killed soldiers than any previous war. coming home. African American veterans were particularly affected by doubts about their military service. "Most of the things that are wrong with me today, except for my back problem, can be attributed to dioxin. Their captors used brainwashing and brutal force to try to get them to sign confessions or make statements against the U.S. government or in favor of North Vietnamese Communists. Veterans Administration A U.S. government agency responsible for providing medical care, insurance, pensions, and other benefits to American veterans of Vietnam and other wars. But many faced challenges back home, and some still do today. In the 1990s with the global involvement in the Middle East, the public’s attitude towards veterans began to change for the positive. Young people, who were not even born during the Vietnam era, were comfortable with this message. A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. Some people who opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War treated U.S. soldiers and veterans poorly. Jim Lovrien Army Story - 1965. DOVER — At a living history event held at the Strand Theater on Sunday, two Vietnam War veterans sat down and told their stories, as much as they were willing to tell.The Vietnam … Veteran's Story | Coming home unscathed from Vietnam. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was identified and treatment became available. The feeling toward them was, 'Stay away—don't contaminate us with whatever you've brought back from Vietnam.'" Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society. We soon grew into a combat hardened team facing deadly firefights, dangerous boredom and brutalizing weather. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. The men appeared at numerous rallies and ceremonies attended by top government officials. ", Most veterans felt proud of their service to their country in Vietnam, yet many also had some doubts about the war and their own actions in it. Coming Home. They refused to discuss Vietnam with anyone but other veterans, because no one else seemed to understand or care. How soldiers who were drafted and fought in Vietnam were treated when they returned must first be examined relative to what America’s treatment of her veterans has historically been. They were kept in miserable living conditions and often endured torture at the hands of the North Vietnamese. In an article in the New York Times Magazine on March 24, 1968, reporter Sol Stern observed, "In Vietnam between 1961 and 1964, Negroes accounted for more than 20 percent of Army fatalities, even though they represented only 12.6 percent of Army personnel in Vietnam" and even less in the general U.S. However, some of the letters stated that some soldiers/marines punched these rotten guys and GIRLS who spat on them---GOOD!!!! They tended to blame American troops for the tragic situation in Vietnam, instead of blaming the government leaders who had sent them there. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/coming-home-vietnam-veterans-american-society, "Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society For many Vietnam Veterans, much of the damage was done. probably a nightmare. His war is here at home. ." The cold reception the veterans got from many Americans left them feeling different and alone. Vietnam War Veterans share a common bond. People on both sides respected their views and took them seriously. Still, there was no broad-based or national recognition of the sacrifices that these men and women, Vietnam Veterans, had made in the service of their country. Regretfully, these events did not include those Vietnam Veterans who had also served with honor four decades before. "Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society Banners were hung over highways by friends and family welcoming the returning warriors. Editor's Note: One in a series of stories on local veterans' military service. This was especially rewarding. Even people who supported American military involvement in Vietnam did not always support the returning veterans. It is available from Amazon and the Casemate Publisher’s website. During that year, on board PCF 76, we would patrol along the coast and rivers of South Vietnam. Watching protest marches reminded some veterans of their own marches in Vietnam—those endless, exhausting, and dangerous humps. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. This effort was primarily driven by government entities with some private charitable support. Jan. 14, 1990 ... and rashness were many lives lost in the late 1960's in Vietnam. Drugs such as marijuana, opium, and heroin were cheap and easy to obtain. Since most of the soldiers who served in Vietnam were very young and came from working-class families, they did not have access to private health care in the United States. They questioned the reasons for U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and they felt deep In addition, many veterans went from the jungles of Vietnam to their hometowns so quickly that they did not have time to adjust. But it also meant that more veterans came home with serious, crippling injuries, such as amputated limbs and paralysis. In fact, some veterans protested against the war once they returned to the United States. New York: Free Press, 1974. Most of these men did not have a college degree. In WW2 this ship was a Navy sea plane tender. "Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him." Coming Home: Vietnam Veterans in American Society to the safety and comfort of home so quickly made it more difficult for them to make sense of the danger and misery they experienced in Vietnam. The veterans' groups also sued the manufacturers of Agent Orange. They suffered from symptoms including depression, guilt, flashbacks, nightmares, mood swings, angry outbursts, anxiety, and paranoia. South Vietnamese military and political leader; president of the Republic of Vietnam, 1967–75 Share. Tragically, in the shadows, were individuals who often suffered in silence destroying their lives as well as those of the loved ones around them. I saw these challenges firsthand serving on the Board of the large New England Center for Veterans. In fact, 25 percent of the American soldiers who saw combat in Vietnam were arrested on criminal charges within ten years of coming home, most for drug-related offenses. "When you first get back, you don't think about it much. In Band of Brothers, Malarkey Asks a German POW Where he Was From, He Answered Eugene, Oregon. LOCATION: Vietnam In most cases, there was no awkwardness; they simply said it to you. Did That Actually Happen. Military leaders wanted to clear thick stands of jungle and forest where they believed enemy forces might be hiding. Long Time Passing: Vietnam and the Haunted Generation. But some other veterans developed grave doubts about the war and their own actions as soldiers. But many other veterans began to question the war and their own actions in it. In contrast, many of the antiwar protesters were college students who came from middle- or upper-class families. Appy, Christian G. Working-Class War: American Combat Soldiers and Vietnam. In the decades that followed, little changed for many Vietnam Vets. Nguyen Cao Ky…, Nguyen Van Thieu But these antiwar veterans felt that they had earned the right to question the government's policies, while the student protesters had not. The American Experience in Vietnam. They fought together and returned home to build lives, families, and communities across the country. Beginning in 1964, the NVA held American POWs in several prison camps in North Vietnam. They blamed America's political and military leaders for not coming up with a strategy that would allow them to win, or the American public for its lack of support. Unlike previous wars, when it usually took weeks for soldiers to be discharged and transported home, U.S. soldiers often returned from Vietnam within two days. As waves of Vietnam veterans returned home in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the nation was locked in a bitter debate about the war. Strangers, along with family, greeted them, small flags were held, handshakes and hugs were commonplace. Most of the POWs were treated badly. Faster evacuation of wounded soldiers from battlefields and advances in medical treatment meant that more men survived combat injuries. This type of reaction made many veterans feel alone and isolated from the rest of American society. Drug addiction continued to be a problem among veterans when they returned home. We share a bond, brothers in arms, proud of our service. The Vietnam War was something the American public wanted to forget. Tim Clark. Vietnam… COMING HOME. Following World War II, the U.S. government had established a generous benefit program for veterans. My purpose is to entertain and relate the aspects of my time in Vietnam that I found to be humorous, interesting and/or thought provoking – everything from creating pizza from 1943 C-Rations to the insane weather to a forever disturbing memory of an ambush. Encyclopedia.com. A great urban myth, but wholly untrue. : ADefinitive History of the American Prisoner-of-War Experience in Vietnam, 1964–1973. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1984. Moose Marcinkowski (8Nov2014): Just prior to the San Antonio reunion, Rick Williams sent an email that showed how Delta Airlines folks treated returning war dead from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. By 1971—when conflicts within the antiwar movement had reduced its effectiveness—Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) became one of the most important antiwar groups. It's like having a whole year of your life that didn't exist," veteran Jamie Bryant told Isaacs in Vietnam Shadows. War History Online presents this guest article by Dan Daly. Some veterans returned from Vietnam with severe physical disabilities or emotional problems. Many of the deferments (official postponements of military service) granted to young men to avoid serving in Vietnam favored those who were wealthy and well-educated. The Discarded Army. Hubbell, John, with Andrew Jones and Kenneth Y. Tomlinson. We were proud of our service and the job we had done. 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