Vietnam
Stories and memories of Minnesota’s Vietnam veterans.
Episodes
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Vietnam Shorts:
The Boy Officer
By testing into Officers Candidate School when he enlisted to go to Vietnam, Doug Bekke achieved a lieutenants rank. That put the Army veteran, still a teenager himself, in a position of responsibility over soldiers who were no older than he was.
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Vietnam Shorts:
Reaching Out
Remembering his own struggles with reintegrating after returning from the war zone, former Marine Fletcher Hinds is thinking about the dilemmas that face today’s servicemen and women. Although they see more support than Vietnam veterans received, Hinds sees some of the struggles and challenges as consistent with what his generation experienced.
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Vietnam Shorts:
No Parades
Many of those who fought in Vietnam came home to a public that greeted them with indifference or downright hostility. Those veterans have watched with ambivalence as today’s servicemen and women are treated with the respect and honor that their generation never felt.
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Vietnam Shorts:
The Humanities Center
Based in St Paul, the Minnesota Humanities Center has opened its doors to veterans, including those who served in Vietnam. The nonprofit’s initiative seeks to “amplify, honor and recognize the contribution of Minnesota veterans.” Vietnam veterans gather there to brainstorm ways to share their personal experiences.
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Vietnam Shorts:
Seeking Closure
Fifty years after his service, veteran Michael Medina returned to Vietnam as a tourist. He was looking to the journey to help him come to terms with his experiences as a Navy Seabee, but will need to make one more visit to find the closure he seeks.
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Vietnam Shorts:
The Ambush
Lee Walker still carries shrapnel in his body. He sustained multiple injuries when his squad walked into an ambush in Vietnam. But the legacy of that day is more than physical; the retired Army veteran still dreams about the firefight that almost took his life.