The time spent at Bình Thủy was hot and life rewarding experience - Most of us were young and ready to make it through the many mortar attacks and watch for the VC. They hit the Base many times at night. When it was all said and done we went home to a not so pleasant return: Our Country really looked at returning vets with an apathetic stare. I learned not to talk too much about things that happened. It usually fell on deaf ears.

I kept my fatigues for several months after returning home... I liked the side pants pockets, they were great for carrying my art brushes for art school! I came home for the weekend, my mother had the white sweat stained fatigues thrown in the garbage can! I took them out and wore them till they fell apart. It was hard to explain my connection to that year in Vietnam.

I went to school, got a job and got married, and I fit back into society and never really looked back. I think most of the Vietnam veterans did the same. God bless them all! "Hutch"