Is there something to learn from this? My dad he had a tear. This is 2016. He was talking about my mom who had left in 1988 approximately. He lost his kids. He lost his wife. In 2005 I was reunited with him. That is correct there is about a 20 year gap where I do not know what happened to him, or much about him. But in 2005 he was in va housing in virginia. I flew out there to find out my missing father had a secret or unknown identity. In 1966 he was 18. He entered Army infantry Vietnam 66-68. When I found him there the VA said he had multiple medical conditions related directly 100% to his time in Vietnam.
I was literally just finished with a 8 year Navy Reserve enlistment from 1994-2002 that had me on guided missile frigates, and I was still dealing with my own issues, directly from that in deck department. I had a really hard time with what they call reintegration or adaption or adjustment unable to feel comfortable and have my own job and career. I was basically a struggling young angry mess, then I met my dad RAMBO.
My mom (RIP) passed in 2010. 2017 My dad passed (RP). I think I am still trying to figure out what this all is.
In those years I could not get them together to meet that I recall.
My mom had remarried a few times.
I mean can a woman understand what it is like to find out 3o years later that the young husband she had kids with, and could not raise with, was a Vietnam combat vet after all?
I mean my dad was finally piecing together all he had experienced to Vietnam would more or less explain his next 30 years.
My mom was not able to be his doctor then. My mom probably got really scared. There was no VA access or care back then.
My dad was still angry that he was left in the streets.
I don't think he was really angry. He was more or less very depressed. He could not stay away from the bottle.
I could not keep him from the bottle. There is a chance that he got retriggered by meeting me. I met him when he was sober, just entering the va, who got him in a sober living.
But regardless, I met my dad
He was talking about hand to hand combat finally. He was talking of Mai Lai Massacre. He was talking about agent orange. He was telling me things and then would shut up really fast. He was unaware that there were now documentaries and everything was basically declassified.
But still everything was something got a short sentence and then if I asked a question that was the end more less.
I wish I could have more discussion. I did not know how to respond but to defend my mom as who raised me with no food or money a lot, and had to struggle to house, and LOVE.
<My dad just thought she had left with no understanding.
I found out another part. My dad was the son of Albert Hassay a Lifer MM1 Navy WW2 Combat Vet who was still in and deployed, when he was born in 1948. He told me how he was really a lost son in that situation. I can not blame my grandpa either. There was no email back then. Then 1966 Rolled around.
Someone just sent me my grandpas WW2 Cruise Album Destroyer Radford.
I know my mom really LOVED my dad the husband of her children.