In 1965 Vietnam seemed like just another foreign war, but it wasn't.
It was different in many ways, as so were those that did the fighting.
In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26...
In Vietnam he was 19.
TV announcer's said;
The shooting and fighting of the past two weeks continued today
25 miles west of Saigon.
I really wasn't sure what was going on.
In Vietnam the combat soldier typically served a twelve month
tour of duty but was exposed to hostile fire almost everyday.
Hundreds of Thousands of men who saw heavy combat in Vietnam
were arrested since discharge.
Their arrest rate is almost twice that of non-veterans of the same age.
There are no accurate figures of how many of these men have been
incarcerated.
But, a Veterans Administration study concludes that the greater
of Vets exposure to combat could more likely affect his chances
of being arrested or convicted.
This is one legacy of the Vietnam War.
All those who remember the war.
They won't forget what they've seen..
Destruction of men in their prime whose average was 19.
After World War II the Men came home together on troop ships,
but the Vietnam.
Vet often arrived home within 48 hours of jungle combat.
Perhaps the most dramatic difference between World War II and
Vietnam was coming home.. .none of them received a hero's welcome.
None of them received a heroes welcome, none of them, none of them.
According to a Veteran's Administration study.
Half of the Vietnam combat veterans suffered from what
Psychiatrists call.
Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder
Many vets complain of alienation, rage, or guilt.
Some succumb to suicidal thoughts.
Eight to Ten years after coming home almost eight-hundred-
thousand men are still fighting the Vietnam War.
Soldiers said;
When we came back it was different.. Everybody wants to know "
How'd it happened to those guys over there.
There's gotta be something wrong somewhere.
We did what we had to do.
There's gotta be something wrong somewhere.
People wanted us to be ashamed of what it made us.
Dad had no idea what he went to fight and he is now.
All we want to do is come home.
What did we do it for
All we want to do is come home
Was it worth it?