Our Vietnam vets deserved better

Unless you were a teenager or older back in the late 1960s and early '70s, chances are you don't remember one of the saddest times in American history. American soldiers who served in Vietnam surely won't forget.

There's no secret the war in Vietnam was unpopular in some American circles and many mounted a protest that has been unequaled before or after in the United States. Whether they were right or wrong about the merits of the war, their actions - at least in many cases - were downright disgraceful.

Unlike past wars when American soldiers returned home as heroes, many of these troops were ignored or received harsh looks as they rolled back into their hometowns. Thousands returned to ridicule, flag burning and angry screams from their neighbors. They were called killers and had to take it even when people spit on them.

Most were kids when they were called to duty. They did what their country asked them to do. In the process, they saw many forms of what they still consider to be hell.

They returned to another form of hell that's still hard to imagine 40 years later.

Many soldiers were unable to cope mentally with both the stress of war and being called a murderer at home. Thousands more endured, however, and are leaders in their communities and their country.

A group of men who certainly fall into that category are part of a larger group trying to build a memorial to honor members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade who were killed in action. I was fortunate enough to spend time with them recently during a ground-breaking ceremony in Fort Benning, Ga.

Guys like Larry Sanchez, Bob Wolfgang, Ken Smith, Floyd Riester, Craig Ford, Ray Ramirez and Don Dali are on the committee that is making the memorial happen. They're still trying to raise $650,000 for the project and they're developing the design and making sure the more than 1,700 sky soldiers killed in action are recognized.

Based on my time with them, they're involved only because this is important to them and the thousands who have served in the 173rd Airborne. Egos have been left at the door and they are clearly on a mission and driven to see it completed.

No one mentioned the bull they lived through when they returned home. The bitterness of that time - and surely each felt it - was never present.

At the same time, I couldn't help but think that maybe each of them are driven by their experiences at the time. Perhaps deep inside, this is their way to finally bring honor to a lot of people who deserved better from their own country, and still do.

Mike Goens is the TimesDaily managing editor. He can be reached at 740-5740 or mike.goens@TimesDaily.com.