My Role in the Viet Nam War 1968-1969

By Chaplain (LTC) Grover G. DeVault USA Ret.

The Vietnam War was much like-and perhaps worse than – the war on terrorism in Iraq. It was intensely unpopular among a large segment of American people who really did not want to know or did not care for the reasons of that war. It was unfortunate that the anger of the American people was often directed toward the wrong people, we the members of the Armed forces who served in a faraway land for patriotic reasons

The men and women who served the cause of freedom were not welcomed home from this war but were rebuffed, many even very personally. There was no “welcome home,” instead many had the experience of being spit upon such as happened to me while in transit from Saigon to the East Coast via Portland, Oregon. All of us in the military were required to wear our uniforms in transit. While awaiting plane transfers in Portland I experienced the wrath of those who despised the war and while in uniform at the airport was spit on. It was a big personal shock to me! I had just come from fighting a war, exposing myself to enemy fire, protecting other soldiers just the day before and now I was rejected! This was a great blow to my pride personally and to my convictions that I was fighting for my country and for the freedom of the people of Viet Nam.

There was no “welcome home”

How bad was it? Well I think that I felt more secure in the combat than I did here at home. I already had feelings of ambivalence when I went to Viet Nam and now I had to face my own countrymen who opposed this war. For years following that service in Viet Nam I felt rejected and kept quiet to all about my activities and accomplishments for the men and women in uniform as well as for the Vietnamese people. For years I fought Post-Traumatic-Stress, even though I was not aware of what PTS was or that I had it. I did not know that I had this disorder until some 20 years later. The symptoms were pointed out to me as I related some of my activities in Viet Nam to a fellow soldier while I was serving on a Military Retirement Board for the Army at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in Pennsylvania. Upon his recommendation I went to the Veterans Affairs hospital to get evaluated.

Time and space will not allow me to tell you of the exploits of our troops and of missionaries on behalf of the people of Viet Nam, or of the accomplishments for our troops.

I should first understand that I am a Chaplain, a minister of the Gospel, and as such am not a combatant so I did not bear arms. I never shot or killed anyone, even in order to protect myself while under fire from the enemy. I faced danger of enemy forces every day and night. There was never a time when I knew when or where I might get killed. It was like “living on the edge.” It was a constant concern to me that I would be able make it through every day and get back to “the REAL world” (as the troops called home, the U.S.A.) It was a major conflict in my heart and mind to feel both wanted and helpful to the Vietnamese people than to feel badly about my fellow Americans who opposed the war at home.

I am not complaining, nor bragging, I simply want to tell you the truth of the reality in Viet Nam of what our soldiers did for those people. They did some of the following;

  • Cared for the wounded South Viet soldiers and people.
  • Provided materials and assisting in building 6 schools, chapels and orphanages.
  • Collected and giving scholarship money for students of tribes so they could attend schools.
  • See to it that tribal people got food, clothing and medical care in their villages.
  • Provided vehicles for transportation for Vietnamese pastors of churches.
  • And much, much more.

One last story for you. While I was ministering to Marines and sailors at an ammo unloading dock when an enemy rocket hit the ammo ship and was blown up when some 22 men were killed. I was injured, but I still was able to help transport some of them to the Navy Station hospital. These men who had been working late at night in the heat had no idea they would die for they were in a relatively protected area on loading an ammo ship. I cannot possibly express enough gratitude for such a sacrifice.

May I ask a favor of you? When you see a Viet Nam vet say the words, ‘”WELCOME HOME, because that is not what we got when we returned from the war to the United States.

Rev. Dr. Grover G. DeVault
Lancaster, PA