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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Time now for StoryCorps' Military Voices Initiative, recording and sharing the stories of service members and their families. Today marks the 60th anniversary of the first U.S. combat troops arriving in Vietnam. Millions of American servicemen and women would do tours of duty there, including Army specialist Henry Smithers.
HENRY SMITHERS: It's not a day goes by that I don't think about it in some way or another. Even to now, it crosses my mind.
SIMON: His daughter, Roxann, brought him to StoryCorps. It was the first time he'd spoken with her about his experiences.
ROXANN SMITHERS: Where were you stationed when you went to Vietnam?
H SMITHERS: Da Nang. And at that point, we had about 350, 400,000 troops there. You look at the sea of men in green, and the older ones telling tales, exaggerations. The younger ones frightened like you are. But then we flew into Quang Tri. It was 6 miles from North Vietnam, and we started taking fire. And now your reality sets in. You're here, you know? You're going to have to deal with it. And there's a lot of noise. Tremendous. I never heard so much noise. But after a while it, becomes a norm. You get used to it. But it was a hard time - mainly because you think about home, and you can't remember not one bad thing about home. Everything's good. The food's good. The people are good.
And the year went by relatively fast. But the last three months, 'cause near the end of your tour, you start to feel like you're not going to make it. Things are going to go wrong, 'cause you've seen too many things happen before.
R SMITHERS: What was it like coming home?
H SMITHERS: For one thing, it was so quiet. You get so used to choppers and fighter bombers. And then when you get home, it's, like, so quiet. So any noise, you know, it would startle you. And once, I was driving and the cop pulled up behind me. He wanted to know why I was going so slow. And I was just nervous, you know.
R SMITHERS: So what did you ultimately end up doing for a career?
H SMITHERS: Driving trucks.
R SMITHERS: What did you like about it?
H SMITHERS: Being basically on my own. There was lots of Vietnam vets driving. I think it helped them, you know. But 33 years almost constantly moving. I know you guys wonder why I sat and watched TV all day. It just - it's a peace about being able to sit still, not worrying about the next low. I enjoy just being quiet, just being calm.
R SMITHERS: If you could think of one, you know, really important lesson that you feel like you've learned in your life, what would it be?
H SMITHERS: Patience. It's not as bad as it's seemed. And you'll realize - see the big picture later. I think most people, when you get older, you'll realize that lesson - that it's no real reason to be in a big hurry, 'cause when you're older, time slows you down. Most of your life is in your rearview mirror. So just slow down.
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SIMON: Army specialist Henry Smithers and his daughter, Roxann Smithers, for StoryCorps in Atlanta. After this interview, she took her father to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the first time - something he'd never felt ready to do before. Their interview is archived at the Library of Congress.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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