It was December 22, 1971. I was at the end of my deployment to Vietnam while in the United States Army, and I was eagerly contemplating my return to the United States. Over the course of the year of my deployment to the combat zone, I had witnessed and experienced many things that were alien to my life in America. I saw real poverty for the first time in that unfortunate and ravaged nation at war, as well as disease, death, and the sheer evil associated with conditions in any combat environment. This experience in my young life brought home to me the reality of just how fortunate we all are in this country. We have freedom and liberty in abundance, material comforts foreign to many other societies, national security—to name but a few of the blessings inherent in the United States. My tour was, indeed, a world-class wake up call about what a wonderful nation we are so fortunate to live in.
I was standing in the Bien Hoa Air Force Base departure terminal on that December night in anticipation of the order to board our “freedom bird” sitting on the flight tarmac about a hundred yards away. There were 250 of us lined up in the terminal, and I could tell my fellow soldiers were just as anxious as I was to claim a seat on that beautiful aircraft destined for our cherished and beloved country. You could just feel the excitement, nervousness, and anticipated joy in that line. Suddenly, the order was given for us to leave the terminal and file onto the tarmac on that dark but glorious night. As I took my assigned seat and buckled in, my mind began to worry a bit. What if the enemy decided to shell this air base just as we started taking off? Would all our dreams of returning to our home be crushed? But I shook this thought from my mind as the sound of the airliner’s engines revving up reached my ears.
As the plane slowly rolled down to the departure point on the runway, there was absolute silence among the passengers. It was eerie, and I guess everyone else had the same inhibitions as myself. Suddenly, the plane made an about-face as the pilot pointed our plane’s nose toward the takeoff stretch. The plane shuddered as the pilot raced the engines, and as we roared down the runway there was still complete silence. However, once the plane’s wheels left the runway as we lifted into the air, the passenger cabin literally exploded with cheers and happiness. There was much handshaking and high fives exchanged among all of us. We were going home!
The flight back took many hours. However, not a single one of us cared. We traded stories about what we would do when we got back to the United States. After a fuel stop in Japan, we commenced our long journey across the Pacific Ocean. I do not remember exactly how many hours the flight took, but I remember with great clarity what happened when we crossed the West Coast that night. Our pilot came onto the intercom and made this statement: “Gentlemen, we have just crossed into U.S. air space. Welcome home!” I cannot even express the magnitude of the cheers that followed this announcement! We were the happiest 250 guys you have ever seen.
We landed at Travis Air Force Base, just outside of San Francisco, and after clearing customs and Army debriefing, I headed for the building exit to a waiting taxi cab. As I crossed the awesome Golden Gate Bridge, I marveled at the twinkling beauty of the San Francisco Bay area. I recognized the colorful and festive lighting of the Christmas season among all the twinkling lights, and this brought even further joy to me about being home again in my beloved country. Once in the airport, I headed for the nearest public telephone (no cell phones back then!). I called my mother, who was in my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, and it was about 2 a.m. there. I can still hear her excited voice even amid her disturbed sleep. I said, “Mom, I am in California. I will be home tomorrow night. Can you pick me up?” It was a complete surprise to her; she thought I would not get to come home until after Christmas.
When my next flight reached the Atlanta Airport area, I saw below me the same wonderful light show I had experienced when I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. As our plane circled the airport, a lump formed in my throat. When my parents picked me up after we landed, I was even excited about the Atlanta traffic. I was so glad to be home! As we approached our home’s driveway, a sight greeted me that I will never forget. About 12 of our neighbors and friends lined one side of the driveway to welcome me home. I was truly home at last.
All of these experiences have reminded me over the last 51 years of what a wonderful nation and people we have here in the United States. That year spent in Vietnam, and the coming home experience that ended it, really confirmed just what I love about this country. America is truly the greatest nation on Earth to me. We are blessed by God to have it, and we must always remember that.
