When I came back home to San Francisco I changed into my winter blues right there in the airport. I put my ribbons and all my shiny stuff on as well.  I was proud to have served and I was damned if anyone would make me come home slinking, and hiding the fact that I was in the military.  When I got home to Maine, the first place we went to was H.J.'s for a drink.  My wife Sandy and I were sitting at a table, and there was a table right near us with a bunch of girls having a chat and a drink.  They kept looking at us, and I was just about to say, "What the hell are you gawking at?", when one of them said, "Did you just get home from Viet Nam?"  I said yes, and all of them said, "Welcome home!", with some with tears in their eyes.  So you see, everyone was not calling us baby killers.  I was proud to have served and I always will be, and to those girls I say thank you very much!

Copyright October, 1998 by William Jaynes.  All rights reserved.