When We Came Home: How The Vietnam War Changed Those Who Served

Interwoven with the author's own experiences and reflections on the Vietnam War are the personal narratives from Vietnam veterans on how their lives, emotions, and health were impacted by the war and by how they were treated when they came home. Many of those that served in the Vietnam War are still dealing with its effects. In this important book, for which more than 150 Vietnam veterans were interviewed, a strong light is shone on the lingering legacy of the war. These Vietnam veterans describe not the war itself, but how their lives were changed by it and by the reception afforded them when they came home. Some volunteered, others were drafted. Some saw combat, others dealt with its aftermath. Some–such as Steve Kanaly and Richard Kline, whose stories are included here–thrived after coming home from Vietnam. Still others, like Tucker Smallwood, led successful lives but have had to deal with the effects of PTSD. A great many struggled to reclaim their places in civilian life.The horrors and shock or war were compounded by the "welcome" home–many Vietnam veterans received hostile receptions from their own people and the organizations that should have provided support.Those that came home from Vietnam had to move on as best they could, on their own terms. Here are their stories.