My name is Tom Haines, and I am a Vietnam Veteran.
My basic and advanced infantry training was in Ft. Dix, New Jersey from January into May of 1968 with an MOS 11B10. Officer candidate training for the 93rd co. 9th Student Battalion – 3rd Platoon took place at Ft. Benning, Georgia in July and August of 1968. I dropped out of OCS and then volunteered to train a scout dog to walk point in search and destroy missions. But, my dog was taken away before I even got to meet him or her and handed a typewriter and sent to supply school. It was discovered that I had a business degree, and I was given my new MOS, Supply Specialist where I worked in the 26th IPSD from August 1968 to April 1969.
My next assignment was in Vietnam with the HHC 3/12 Infantry 4th Infantry Division – CO’s driver/supply from May 25, 1969 to November 14, 1969. The pictures of me were taken in Pleiku. The group picture of the Montagnard children was taken somewhere in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in August of 1969. As a driver and driving outside the base camp, I would see a detour around a blown up bridge, a burned out truck rusting in a ditch, a forest leveled by Agent Orange, all reminders that I wasn’t on a leisurely drive for a day at the beach… I was later selected to be the 4th Division Cartoonist. But, I received an early out to go back to college at the East Carolina University School of Art, so I had only one cartoon published. Here are a few quick drawn unfinished “roughs.” I was experimenting with different styles.
When I arrived at the terminal at the Seattle-Tacoma airport I walked at time and a half to my return flight back to the states, so that I wouldn’t have to acknowledge stares and dirty-looks. I’d heard stories from a couple of my buddies about getting spit on and called names like baby killer and murderer. It was a strange, almost surreal trek, quickly glancing at businessmen, families, college students, and other soldiers that didn’t appear to be aware of my existence. As it turned out, I actually got a thumb’s up, from a hippie, no less, before I got my only dirty look. That one nasty stare came from another hippie wearing a three-piece suit. I wondered how he interpreted my return stare. His look was pretty innocuous considering that my imagination had me running through a gauntlet of hate and disgust the length of the concourse.
The final leg of my journey half way around the world was out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., many hundreds of miles from my home in Endicott, NY. As luck would have it, my parents were on vacation in the Bahamas and that’s where I would officially start my new life. I was the last to board the plane and took the only empty seat. Just as I got settled in, the captain’s voice came over the intercom with the usual greeting. “Ahhhhhhhh, welcome aboard flight 38 to the island of Grand Bahama home of Freeport and Lucaya. Before I give you the times and temperatures, I would like to welcome on board a returning soldier from Vietnam.” “Uh oh, here come the spit balls,” I thought. He continued, “If no one objects I would like to invite this young man to first class.” I flushed from head to toe as the air filled with applause. “Damn,” I thought, “I don’t remember getting the Medal of Honor.” But, hey, I wasn’t going to argue. I headed to the front while receiving a couple of pats on the back. Now that was my kind of gauntlet!
I went to Vietnam a “fence rider.” I wasn’t really for or against the war. The war experience did change me. I still have PTSD and the effects of being exposed to Agent Orange.
I’m just thankful I didn’t have either as bad as many, and with 22 suicides everyday that is tragic and disturbing to say the least.
~Tom Haines, Vietnam Veteran and author of “Snafu, My Vietnam Vacation 1969”
We are very grateful to Tom for sharing his story with Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, where we are all connected.
We Collect & Share Veteran Stories: about.me/jennylas51
Books: www.VietnamAndBeyond.com
