I was in the Marines and went to Vietnam in August of 1965. My buddy and I volunteered to go to one of the recon outfits and were with 3rd Recon Battalion as radio operators. We both made it home ok but he was killed in a car accident 2 months after getting home. We were going to go back to Vietnam together and hopefully get back in our old outfit.Never had the heart after that and found out my replacement as a radio operator was killed 2 weeks after I left Vietnam. Knowing how my mom suffered emotionally when I was there I would probably do things different today if given it to do over. She lost her boyfriend at Pearl Harbor and I can only imagine how hard it was for her for me to be in a combat zone.Had a couple of run ins with some guys who wanted to disrespect me to my face which did not turn out well for them but nothing too serious. I still am a bit "jumpy" and like to sit watching the door when out and about. Probably due more to the current spate of irrational violence going on then Vietnam. I do sleep very lightly and really have never had a good nights sleep in many years unless on pain medication after surgeries.I have always been a nature freak and Vietnam was paradise for observing wildlife and being in a recon outfit I had a lot of time to just sit and observe what was going on in remote areas.Much sadness about those who did not make it home alive and much of the deaths were senseless and could have been prevented.Just like any other war in that respect.