No Heroes Welcome
In past wars, when American troops returned home, they would be greeted with cheers and praise. For Vietnam troops however, that wasn’t the case. There was no fanfare nor ticker tape parades held for these returning troops.
The Bitter Return Home
America wanted to move on and not remember the trials and tribulations that came from the Vietnam War. Some citizens saw Vietnam veterans as a reminder of the pain suffered from the war and felt they should be left and forgotten.
Lack of acknowledgment left most veterans feeling isolated, causing them to struggle with physical and psychological injuries that were exacerbated by feeling abandoned by their families and communities.
Some of the troops felt that resentment from antiwar protestors was the cause of their lack of positive reception, claiming that protestors blamed the troops rather than the government that sent them to war.
Facing the Past
The United States was divided because of the Vietnam War, and some of the biggest victims of this were the troops that came home and had a hard time readjusting to civilian life. Many never talked about their experiences, choosing to not draw attention to their military service. They lacked the pride experienced by veterans who returned from war victorious.
Soldiers experienced abuse from civilians upon returning. Eddie Beesley recalls stories of soldiers getting attacked by civilians when they would leave the hospital. Richard Prawdzienski was refused service at some places because of his service. Ray McCormick says that he was heckled and was warned to not wear his uniform in public.
As time has passed, work has been done to help support our Vietnam veterans, but some of the negative effects persist. Only in recent years have some Vietnam veterans begun to proudly wear hat or t-shirts, identifying themselves as veterans of the war.