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Local Veteran Returns From Vietnam Trip

Veteran Concerned Others Will 'Stay Entrenched In Hostility'

ELK GROVE, Calif. -- Traveling to another country is usually a lot easier the second time you visit. But not if that country is Vietnam, and the first time you were there was to fight its people.

Bill McDonald was in Vietnam 35 years ago when he was just 21 years old.

"I was camped not too far from that point for Operation Cedar Falls," McDonald said. (In reference to an on screen view from his video showing a mountain in Vietnam)

He decided to return after all these years.

"I was going over there to build some personal bridges," McDonald said.

McDonald and the three other veterans who flew over to Vietnam called themselves the "peace patrol." They spent 18 days visiting with former Vietcong soldiers.

"The guy shows me pictures of his grandson. That did it for me. Wow. We weren't ex-soldiers. We were people," McDonald said.

McDonald also bought a Vietcong victory flag that was supposed to be genuine.

"Bought the genuine flag, came back to check on something, and it was restocked with another genuine flag," McDonald said.

The trip has given McDonald answers to some long-lasting questions. But there are new questions for McDonald by other veterans, concerning his Web site and his newfound sympathy for the former enemy.

"My feeling is that my message is not going to be received well by some. There are some people who want to stay entrenched in hostility. In reality, the world has moved on. We need to move on," McDonald said.

And for McDonald, moving on will mean going back to a country that has now had a defining role in his life, twice.

To take a look at McDonald's Web site, click here.

Previous Story:

• April 16, 2002: Vietnam Vet Makes Return To Rebuild

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