Boston Bruins recognition of Vietnam veteran was a long overdue welcome home
I was luckier than most when I returned from Vietnam.
Unlike my flight over — a military charter from Travis AFB near Oakland, California — I had travel orders home on a commercial flight. I stopped in Hawaii for a few days, and from there I called my girlfriend, Kathy Huckaby, a United Airlines stewardess based in San Francisco.
United’s flights to Honolulu were reserved for very senior crews, and she was at the bottom of the seniority list, so I just asked her if she could pick me up at the airport when I got in.
I was in for a big surprise when I boarded my flight. There was Kathy, who greeted me at the doorway with a big kiss, much to the applause of her fellow crew members and nearby passengers.
She told United’s crew schedulers that her boyfriend was returning from Vietnam on such and such a flight and asked if was there any way she could be assigned to work it.
One of the stewardesses scheduled for that flight was sympathetic and swapped schedules so Kathy could surprise me. That photo, included with this column, is one of my favorite pictures.
Sadly, most of my fellow returning veterans, 2.7 million of them, did not get such a soft landing.
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Fast forward to Dec. 15, 2022
At a TD Garden hockey game against the LA Kings, the Boston Bruins recognized me for my overall military service, my time in Vietnam and my efforts in support of veterans and veteran organizations over the years. (I’m not sure how they chose me, but it probably had something to do with this “Veterans Voice” column.)
During a TV timeout, they posted a tribute on the Jumbotron, and then cut to a live shot. The crowd reaction was incredible; even the players were banging their sticks on the boards. I was totally blown away.
Even escorted by Bruins staff, it took me a long time to get back to my seat. Dozens of strangers stopped me to say "Thank you for your service" or “Welcome home, brother!” Parents even asked me to pose for photos with their children.
This was a far cry from the welcome we received when we returned from Vietnam.
I understood I was representing thousands of others, but the message was clear. That outpouring was for their grandfathers, fathers, uncles and brothers who may never have been properly welcomed home. I was the surrogate, but it was still a powerful experience for me personally.
Fifty years ago
The “Welcome Home” (or lack thereof) for Vietnam vets is a complicated issue, but it is not as clear-cut as it appeared back then.
Most of the guys I knew did not face overt anger and hostility. Most of us experienced almost nothing when we got home — and that was worse, in its own way.
In hindsight, it’s easier to understand why that happened.
The biggest single factor was the rolling nature of Vietnam assignments. Servicemen typically did one-year tours of duty — unlike WWII, when you signed up for the duration. When I returned home in 1969, the war still had several more years to go. It’s difficult for a town to celebrate its returning veterans one week when others from the same town are on their way to Vietnam the following week.
Vietnam veteran Jerry Lembke wrote a book, The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory, and the Legacy of Vietnam. He says this revolving door of service came to represent something many Americans would rather not accept: defeat. “Vietnam was a lost war,” Lembcke says. “You don’t have parades for soldiers coming home from a war they lost.”
What was different about WWII?
When WWII ended, there was a clear-cut victory, and there were huge demobilizations. Entire units returned home en masse, making it far easier and more appropriate for parades and welcome home celebrations.
Those demobilizations could take months, and travel was by sea. Those leaving the combat zone had time to reassess and decompress with their buddies before facing families, friends and the alien world of “civvie street."
We flew home one veteran at a time. You could be sitting in your living room, cracking a cold one and trying to deal with a crying baby within three days of being shot at in a hostile jungle environment. The military did very little to prepare us for that transition.
More significantly, the country was locked in bitter debate about the war. Many families (including my own) were split by the antiwar movement. These heated arguments kept many from welcoming the veterans or recognizing their service.
Traditional veteran service groups did not exactly embrace us either. Their priorities were still focused on the needs of those who fought in earlier wars. More than once, I heard grumbling from older vets to the effect of, “At least we won our war.”
In two weeks I will delve more deeply into this issue, and I encourage input from Vietnam veterans. Please reach out if you have an experience you would like to share about “coming back to the world.” Email me at veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com
Also, the Bruins are seeking other service members to be honored (the 8-Spoked Salute) at upcoming games. Please fill out a form at this URL saying why your individual should be selected: https://www.nhl.com/bruins/community/8-spoked-salute
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Who needs volunteers? Who wants to volunteer? Many veteran-centric organizations have events or projects that are labor-intensive and could use volunteer help to get them across the finish line. On the other hand, some of you readers may have some extra time that you would be willing to donate to a worthy project or cause. If you fall in either category, please email veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com and we will try to make the appropriate connections.
Learn to Weld Training Program: The Steel Yard in Providence seeks Service Members/Veterans for a one-week long program running from March 6 – March 10, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the application deadline is Feb. 16.
Attendees will learn foundational welding and employable soft skills through an artistic curriculum. Participants will receive a $250 stipend and a Certificate of Completion. There is NO COST for you to apply or attend the training – YOU GET PAID! To apply, email workforce@thesteelyard.org, call 401-273-7101 or visit www.thesteelyard.org/job-training/
CALENDAR
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 4-6:30 p.m.; Free Ice Skating, Providence Ice Rink (Kennedy Plaza). Providence Vet Center and Guaranteed Rate report there is no attendance limit, so bring the entire family. Skate rentals are also 100% free.
You must register for this event online.
Please follow the below link to RSVP:
When selecting which “loan officer” invited you, please choose Suzanne Caldeira who has been working with the Vet Center to make this happen.
Tuesday, February 21, 7-8:30 p.m.; FREE ticket to Letters From Home: The 50 States Tour, McVinney Auditorium, 43 Dave Gavitt Way (Westminster St. near the Cathedral). This is a high energy performance in the style of a USO show. Tickets are on sale for $26, but veterans can request free tickets by emailing Erinn Dearth at erinn@firstinflightentertainment.com
To report the outcome of a previous activity, or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number/email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Boston Bruins 8-Spoked Salute recognizes Vietnam veteran Frank Lennon
