Vietnam Veterans Reflect on War Experiences on 50th Anniversary in Lenoir County

LENOIR County, N.C. (WITN) — Fifty years have passed since the conclusion of the Vietnam War, an event that significantly altered the lives of numerous Americans deployed to combat there. Today, WITN brings us insights from two veterans reflecting on its impact on their lives.

"We traveled to Vietnam as young men, but we returned as veterans, carrying the repercussions and the lasting wounds inflicted by our experiences there," stated Vietnam Veteran John Klink.

The Vietnam War remains vividly preserved at G.I. Joe’s Military Living History Museum in Lenoir County. This conflict continues to resonate deeply with veterans such as John Klink and Ralph Smith, and even after five decades, its impact persists strongly in their memories.

Starting in 1955, the Vietnam War was an extended conflict pitting the communist regime of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its supporter, the United States.

Keen on serving his nation in whatever capacity possible, Klink enlisted in the Marines right after graduating from high school in 1967 and was promptly deployed abroad to assist with combat operations.

If going to Vietnam was necessary, the odds of me returning were less than even," Klink stated. "But I owe my country.

Many challenges confronted American soldiers, including acclimating to the sweltering jungles as well as managing limited supplies of food, water, and ammunition.

There isn’t a supply store just down the street," Klink stated. "When your ammunition runs out, that’s it.

The war claimed millions of lives, with more than 58,000 Americans among them, as reported by the U.S. Department of Defense; this group included some of Smith’s troops.

"My machine gunner was hit, he was right beside me, and when he collapsed into my arms, he died," Smith stated.

In 1973, U.S. troops retreated from the conflict, and in 1975, communist forces seized control of South Vietnam, concluding the war.

The conflict might have ended, yet half a century later, Smith and Klink continue grappling with PTSD because in some sense, the war appears to go on indefinitely.

“It’s difficult to move past this; I know I won’t ever get over it,” Smith stated.

Smith has been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and stands among the most highly decorated veterans in the state, as confirmed by the museum. According to Smith, this honor belongs not to him but to his fallen comrades who gave their lives in battle.