Seacoast veterans sit on N.H. Guard panel on Vietnam War

Seacoast veterans sit on N.H. Guard panel on Vietnam War
Veterans to give talk on Vietnam

By Joshua Clark
news@seacoastonline.com
May 19, 2009 6:00 AM
CONCORD — Four days before the country officially celebrates Memorial Day, a group of N.H. Army National Guard veterans will meet in Concord to remember and discuss their experiences during the Vietnam War.

The eight-member panel includes veterans John Sullivan of Portsmouth, Bill Toland of Exeter and John Barvenik of North Hampton. In honor of the 40th anniversary of their tour of duty in 1969, members of the 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery, will share their experiences on Thursday as the only N.H. Army National Guard unit to serve in Vietnam.

Toland, a retired Exeter fire chief, said while this will mark the first time he has been part of a Guard forum, he has spoken publicly on his experiences as a medic in Vietnam on numerous occasions.

From high school students to those preparing to leave for the Gulf War, Toland has shared his insight and provided depictions of "things that happen in real life the movies don't capture," such as details about the sounds and smell of warfare.

"They'll learn a lot more about Vietnam," he said, "and hopefully walk away with a different perspective."
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