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A Conversation
and Memories of an Army Medic Assigned to
U.S. Army Hospital at Camp Zama, Japan - During The Vietnam War
(Webmaster notes: David Grant volunteered to go
off to Vietnam, but was denied his request and sent instead to a hospital
in Japan that treated the wounded coming directly from Vietnam. He saw
more wounded and dead in a day, than did most combat veterans saw in
their full tour of duty. I have included his comments here, to give some
balance to the issue of coming back home again. His email message to me
deals with his meeting Robin Hood, Medal of Honor
hero, Gary Wetzel, in 1985, at the Madison, WI -Vietnam
Homecoming Parade. )
COMMENTS BY: U.S. ARMY SFC DAVID GRANT (ret)
Bill: Just spent over an hour browsing you web site. I met Gary Wetzel
in 1985, at a Vietnam Homecoming Parade in Madison, WI. I marched in the
lead unit, a VVA Chapter from Baraboo, WI, for which I had been invited to
join, when I was in the PTSD group. I remember it so vividly, because who
would expect that Madison, WI, the heart of the
Vietnam War protest movement, would have a Homecoming Parade for Vietnam
Veterans.
The guys in the Chapter asked me to march with them, because they knew,
that although I hadn't been stationed in Nam, that I had experienced more
carnage in a day, then many of them had experienced in a year in
Vietnam.
Our cadence caller was a retired 1SG, and as we turned onto the Capital
Square, there was a protester yelling at us, who was subsequently tackled
by by-standers and was muffled by them. The others in the Square, came to
their feet and offered a round of applause
unlike any round of applause I had ever heard before. Our cadence caller
lost it, and then we all lost it. It was unbelievable, my wife was
marching beside me, both of us in uniform, and suddenly here was a group
of Veterans marching tall and proud, and tears running down all our
cheeks. We came home that day.
Gary Wetzel, being from Wisconsin, and one of the few Vietnam era Medal
of Honor holders from Wisconsin, was the guest of honor. After the
Parade, we all gathered at Warner Park, in Madison for Camaraderie and a
country western concert. I got a chance to talk with Gary for awhile.
I found that he had been evacuated to the 249th General
Hospital, Camp Drake, Japan, which was one of our sister hospitals in
Japan. I also had the opportunity to talk with 3 other medics, all of whom
were combat medics, and they asked the same question, "How did
we do it?" One of them commented to me that he could count on
both his hands the number of wounded he had treated in the year he was in
Nam.
Because of my work, I have, unfortunately, drifted away from VVA, but I do
see some of the guys every now and then.
There are so many stories, and this is but another of them. It is good
that we have these memories, and it is good that we have learned to deal
with them. I consider this parade, as emotional as it was, a good
experience and a good memory. I believe that many wounds were healed that
day.
Dave Grant
Email: dgrant@shopstop.net
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FEATURED HELICOPTER
WEB SITE
 
The 162nd
Assault Helicopter Company
www.162ahc.com
An original unit of the famed 11th Combat
Aviation Battalion ,when they arrived in country and were stationed
just north of Saigon, in Phouc Vinh. The unit in 1968, was moved to Dong
Tam in the upper delta region and were assigned to the 214th CAB.
In 1969 they were finally assigned to the 13th CAB. The Vultures
and the Copperheads (Gunships) were the last assault helicopter
unit to stand down in the delta in April 1971.
A great web site to visit with lots of unit history and helicopter
links.
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