Vietnam Veteran Finally Gets Proper Welcome Home from Vietnam

Vietnam Veteran Receives Welcome Home He Never Had
Time Warner Cable News
By Michael Howard
Sunday, December 27, 2015

A Vietnam veteran finally got the welcome home he deserves at the Albany International Airport on Sunday evening. Reporter Michael Howard was there when Dan New arrived in the Capital Region.

COLONIE, N.Y. -- It was an emotional return back to the U.S. for Dan New after going on what's called a "reconciliation journey" to Vietnam.

The 68-year-old holds back tears when he thinks of his past, that includes serving in the Vietnam War, from April of 1967 to April of 1968, after being drafted into the Army at age 19.

Since then, the Wynantskill resident says he's battled his own war, struggling with PTSD and addiction. That's until he found a group called Soldier's Heart in Troy, that specializes in restoring the relationship between soldiers and society.

"In my mind I had always carried the memories of what I experienced when I was there," said New.

He, along with 15 others from the organization, including four Vietnam veterans and one Iraq War veteran, went on a three week trip to Vietnam, a place New hasn't returned to in more than 40 years. He experienced the culture and what were once war sites, many now unrecognizable. At one spot, all that was left was a soldier's uniform.

"It was that of an American soldier. I have a piece of it in my luggage right now," said New.
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