Posted on Jun 28, 2016
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As 67-year-old Vietnam veteran José Gonzales sat in the audience after a final roll call service put on by his chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, another veteran walked by and shook his hand:
“Welcome home, brother.”
Gonzales was one of several veterans at Saturday’s Final Roll Call Honors Committal memorial service at Fort Logan National Cemetery, where families and supporters came together to honor the unclaimed remains of 30 veterans who served as far back as World War II.
He had been home for a long time — but he didn’t feel welcome for decades.
“They didn’t greet us, we got no greetings — nothing,” Gonzales said, describing how Vietnam veterans were received when they came home. “Some of us had to take our uniforms off, for fear of retaliation.”
After a decades-long healing process, Gonzales started to go to memorial services for veterans.
“I (hadn’t) attended before because it took some 40 years to break out of that shell and honor the vets,” Gonzales said. “It’s healing to the soul, you know.”
“Welcome home, brother.”
Gonzales was one of several veterans at Saturday’s Final Roll Call Honors Committal memorial service at Fort Logan National Cemetery, where families and supporters came together to honor the unclaimed remains of 30 veterans who served as far back as World War II.
He had been home for a long time — but he didn’t feel welcome for decades.
“They didn’t greet us, we got no greetings — nothing,” Gonzales said, describing how Vietnam veterans were received when they came home. “Some of us had to take our uniforms off, for fear of retaliation.”
After a decades-long healing process, Gonzales started to go to memorial services for veterans.
“I (hadn’t) attended before because it took some 40 years to break out of that shell and honor the vets,” Gonzales said. “It’s healing to the soul, you know.”
Forgotten veterans’ remains honored at Fort Logan memorial service
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Posted >1 y ago
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Like Veteran Gonzales when I came Home In ‘74, There was some animosity in the air.. but not as much as in ‘68,’69, ‘70... I had a few ‘children’ that were not ‘nice’ but I considered their locale(Ann Arbor, Mi.) and it being a college town ... the liberalness of the town’s denizens.. I gave one young kid a look that might melt an ice cube.. he swallowed his honker and nearly choked on it.. so the attention went on him and I took my chance to slip away.. at least I thought I did.. one of them seemed to follow me and see me get in the car and leave.., I don’t know how they got my address.. but I can imagine.. someone told me people get a unscrupulous lawyer to call the police saying I left the scene of an accident I seen without giving a statement.. and they give my plate number to get my address.. They alleged I ‘visuslly’ Assaulted their client.. how does s’one visually assault s’one else? New one on me ! They they can make arrangements to settle out of court.... I just take my chances and say “see. You in court!” And wait for a court date... of course none ever came.. and I wasn’t going to sweat it ... some people really take the cake !...
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