Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities

As an Army nurse in Vietnam, Valerie Buchan worked 12-hour shifts caring for a steady stream of young GI’s injured in combat. She explains how her heartbreak over one young soldier who couldn’t be saved changed the way she cared for the wounded

Remembering his own struggles with reintegrating after returning from the war zone, former Marine Fletcher Hinds is thinking about the dilemmas that face today’s servicemen and women. Although they see more support than Vietnam veterans received, Hinds sees some of the struggles and challenges as consistent with what his generation experienced.

Based in St Paul, the Minnesota Humanities Center has opened its doors to veterans, including those who served in Vietnam. The nonprofit’s initiative seeks to “amplify, honor and recognize the contribution of Minnesota veterans.” Vietnam veterans gather there to brainstorm ways to share their personal experiences.

Lee Walker still carries shrapnel in his body. He sustained multiple injuries when his squad walked into an ambush in Vietnam. But the legacy of that day is more than physical; the retired Army veteran still dreams about the firefight that almost took his life

Peter Molenda’s assignment in Vietnam was as a motion picture photographer, shooting not bullets but film for the Department of Defense’s photo team. His job was to document the positive actions of the US military in the country, but what he saw through his camera’s lens changed his attitude about the war