Scout's Vietnam project makes Pawpaw proud

As much as veterans are honored and on days such as Veterans Day, it’s also a bitter reminder of the mistreatment experienced when they arrived back in the United States.

Morgan City High’s Historical Society held its annual Veterans Day program Friday with the theme “What is a Veteran?”

Students presented information recalling the history of World War I and II, the Korean, Vietnam,Gulf and Iraq wars.

After the Vietnam War presentation, Morgan City High student and Boy Scout Sean Dennis shared with the audience his Eagle Project “Operation Welcome Home.”

Operation Welcome Home was created to give Vietnam veterans the welcome home that they deserve because they really didn’t get that compared to World War II and other veterans of foreign wars, Dennis said.

It also serves a fundraiser. Proceeds go into a fund at St. Mary Outreach for veterans in need.

He discussed the inspiration behind the project, his grandfather Mike Raymond Sr., a Vietnam veteran. Raymond, a sergeant served as a military police officer in Chu Lai.

Raymond served three years in the army, and he was in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970.

He also shared some of his grandfather’s experiences returning home to unkind Americans.

At the close of his speech, he asked those who served during the Vietnam War to stand.

Because of the mistreatment they received from many returning back to the states, Dennis wanted the audience to give these men the applause they should’ve received 40 plus years ago.

In that moment, at that time, Vietnam veterans received their welcome home applause and thanks for their service.

Retired St. Mary Parish principal, Jerry Cunningham served six years in the military. He was in the Army for two years, and because he wanted to give more back to his country, he enlisted in the Air Force and served four more years as a medic.

Cunningham wasn’t stationed in Vietnam. He was stationed in Turkey.

As a medic, they flew missions in and out all over. They picked up people who were wounded. Laos and Vietnam were part of their missions.

Returning to the states after the Vietnam War, “I’ll never forget that as long as I live,” Cunningham said. “I was just in awe. I couldn’t believe the people were protesting us.

“I was proud to wear the uniform. And to see people spitting at us, protesting and calling us baby killers and all that, it still floors me to this day.”

Operation Welcome Home is worthwhile, Cunningham said, but “it’s a little late. Vietnam was in 1972. A lot of the boys are already deceased and gone now.

“I think it’s a worthwhile project because so many of them had so many problems when they came back with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered terrible, terrible wounds.”

Earl Brannon in Patterson, a friend of Cunningham, lost both legs and a hand in Vietnam, Cunningham said.

Brannon, also a medic, tried to save a man’s life on the battlefield. While doing so, he stepped on a mine causing him to lose his legs and hand.

“And do you know, he just got the Silver Star year before last,” Cunningham said. “That’s how much they ignored us.”

It took “40 something years before they recognized him for his heroic efforts to go out and save men on the battlefield,” Cunningham said. “And I just think we’ve mistreated him.

“It’s getting better. It’s a lot better. It was a political war.”

Overall thoughts about Friday’s program.

Raymond stated the program was “outstanding.”

“This is my third year coming to Morgan City High School,” Raymond said. “And I enjoy it every time I come. It’s good or better than it was last year.

“It’s nice to see my veteran buddies. Sometimes, we only see people once a year, and it’s nice to see old friends at these things. It’s like a little get together for us.

“And we’re so glad for the school to put it on for us.”

Raymond stated his grandson Dennis did “an excellent job.”

“I told him ‘I don’t know how you made it through that,’” Raymond said. “’Your pawpaw didn’t, because I had a pocketful of paper towels.’

“I get pretty emotional. It’s hard for me to talk about Vietnam. So, I just enjoyed watching him do that . I don’t know how he did that. But he’s a strong young man, and he’s going to be a good leader.”

Raymond described the audience's welcome home applause as a humbling experience.

His eyes welling up with tears, Raymond recalled his experience at the airport returning from his tour of duty in Vietnam.

“When I walked through the airport, I would notice people were different,” Raymond said. “I was in uniform and I was proud of it. And people would turn away from me.

“They wouldn’t walk up and say, ‘Hey, soldier, thank you. How are you doing?’ or anything. They would actually see you walking and pull their children away from you. It was like God, it hurt.

“It didn’t get much better.”

While at home he had a lot of difficulties, mostly assimilating into a culture that was “prim and proper.” He was accustomed to referring to people as soldier.

But it was the saving grace of his wife that brought him those trying times.

“When I came home, I had a lot of problems. And I was going to re-enlist in Vietnam for a second tour.”

Before he came home, his wife, who at the time was his girlfriend, wrote him the whole time he was in Vietnam.

“She’s been my rock and she helped me get through that. I could never repay her for that.”

“So now, it’s kind of healing,” Raymond said. “And things like today certainly help. That’s my story. I’m sure a lot of Vietnam vets have the same story. It’s really hard.”