WHEN I GOT HOME

WHEN I GOT HOME . . .

By Tom Cole, Retired Marine And Vietnam Vet

Special Features Writer

When I left for the Vietnam war, I was an impressionable young man of 21 who wanted to see as much of the world as possible. Call me naïve, call me crazy. But at that time as a young Marine, I wanted to go to and experience Vietnam and the war raging there. Many people didn’t want to go and took major steps not to even entertain the thought of going there and serving in the war, but that wasn’t me.

So, I was thrilled when, while on deployment to Puerto Rico, I was pulled outside the barracks by the two Vietnam vet sergeants who trained me to tell me that I had orders, and I was going to go to Vietnam. Yay me!

I went on an extended-leave and said my possible good-byes to family and friends in many places. Then came the long flight to Japan. A few days later came a shorter flight and “Welcome to Bien Hoa, AFB, Republic of Vietnam”. I spent my time in Vietnam and saw and did things I never thought I would see and do. The peace accord was signed on January 29, 1973, and I was on a flight back to Japan; our part of the war was over. I finished my tour in Japan and then flew home.

It was odd being home. Nothing had changed at home, everything the same. My family and friends were all healthy and fine and were glad to see me back home. They were all busy working, going to college, marrying, having babies, living their lives. But I was different; I’d “seen the elephant”. My dad, a Marine WW II vet saw it in me, but said little, we just knew.

But generally, people were very different. Some would smile at you. Others would avoid you as to not be tainted by being seen with or near a veteran of “that war”. And then there were the radical people who would insult and berate you with taunts of “murderer”, “baby killer”, “military filth” or “puppet soldier”. Many of these latter would just taunt, but on one occasion I was accosted by 4 people and spit upon by one of them. I slowly removed the spittle from my uniform and then broke the gentleman’s jaw. A sympathetic policeman pointed out to me that it might be a good idea to depart the pattern, which I did.

Since that time there have been other concerns and other wars to occupy the news. Vietnam vets have become venerated individuals and well supported by our population. We have been asked to provide presentations at schools and interviews on-line, and many of our stories are now in the Library of Congress. Today veterans of all ilk are treated better when returning home mainly due to the efforts of Vietnam vets who made a promise after returning. The promise? We will not allow returning vets to ever be mistreated again as we were.