 Well, I was very fortunate. I did not get shot down. I got shot up a few times. I had two crew chiefs wounded with me Fortunately, I didn't have any crew killed with me. Sometimes I contribute that to a higher power or the great creator and luck And then once in a while your sixth sense told you to get the heck out of the way or pick up your speed When I went to Vietnam, I was 19 and four months old Average age. Yeah, sir for some reason. I knew that I had to join the service and If called to serve in Vietnam I knew I had to go there to respect those that gave their lives and the soldiers that served over in Vietnam The heat the humidity it would just about knock you down to the ground No matter how well you thought you were prepared for it It was just a completely different experience and one of the interesting things I'll always remember about Vietnam was the intensity of the sunlight It was seemed like it was a completely different sunlight than other areas back home My job our job my crew and I was to follow trails look for enemy Intelligence of any type whether be hooches trails recent use old use bunkers bunker complexes And if we could we catch the enemy right then and there down on the ground In Charlie troop While it was a short time together It was an intense time together and the friendships that I made there have lasted a lifetime And I just was so amazed that no matter what where we came from race creed or color The history that we all brought together I was very honored that at times may be the only Native American that they would meet in their lifetime when they went back To their respective homes and vice versa. So I have a lot of memories of meeting other gentlemen Comrades brothers Soldiers and we all share the memories of very fondly of each other And I remember like it was yesterday. I seen the guy shooting and the guy feeding the ammo and And it's just like and to this day. I cannot figure out why they just didn't blow us out of the sky well, it was time to go home and I had Didn't know if that was really real or not 365 days had came and went I was now going home perhaps a Changed person the combat that I'd seen the friendships that I made Now I was leaving him behind and going home and and not sure what to expect when I got home So we got on the airplane the freedom bird and we all clapped when the wheels left the ground, but I Think more than anything. I wanted to be welcomed home and that wasn't going to happen It was tough. I wanted to be so proud of Serving our country So it was tough coming home in that respect, but I want to give a Thank you to my tribe Native Americans honor warriors and there was warrior ceremonies in different tribes across America for their Veterans and that was healing that was making you whole and I think might try before that