Return from Vietnam: Then and now
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- December
- 19
In the previous post, my father recalled surprising his family with his first return from Vietnam 40 years ago. 
As he explained, it wasn’t the smoothest transition, but several of the veterans we traveled with last month and others we’ve spoken to recently had far more challenging homecomings, including taunting cab drivers, dismissive family members and lots of physical/mental health problems. Of course, he also had the (dubious) benefit of coming from war-torn circumstances himself, and that significantly colored his family’s perspective of the Vietnam War and aftermath.
Anyway, he considered himself lucky.
It’s now been a month since my father’s second return from Vietnam.
For him, this experience brought some closure on his war memories, but also gave him new memories – of a country at peace. And, instead of losing friends, this time, he came home with new friends, too. (And a few left behind, but in a good way.)
Click on the audio link below to hear my father’s thoughts on his first and second returns from Vietnam.
Check back Dec. 28 for the final slideshow version of our story.
Happy Holidays – and especially – Peace on Earth.
I was a Marine in Vietnam in 1967-68.I first returned to Vietnam in 2000.Have returned seven times.Have vietnamese friends for life.Life changing event.Peace at last.Wish more
veterans would do the same!
(Sgt.)Jim Murtaugh