Chapter One: Return

49 years.. It had been 49 years since the United States and its allies withdrew from the once infamous hell hole, Vietnam. Over 58,000 Americans had died for a country 10,000 miles away that most Americans never even heard of before the war became extremely infamous. Most veterans that returned home from the war were disrespected for participation in the war and were called "baby killers". Few committed suicide because of PTSD, and many lived on the rest of their lives, remembered.

November 8, 2022

For Albert Crocker (His lastname is unknown, so I named it after Denton W. Crocker RIP), he barely thought of the war, but this didn't mean he had forgot of the memories. The Hueys (Helicopters), the gunfire, the screaming, the bodies, and the napalm. Vietnam was a long nightmare for the old geezer. But one thing he learned, do not underestimate anything. When the US first sent their troops in 1965, they thought it would be a swift victory over North Vietnam as they did not have very good air power. Instead, it continued for 8 years with US withdrawing. 2 years later in 1975, the Saigon government had fallen and the remaining US forces around the Capital had quickly withdrawn as the entire world watched.

Even if the memories were still there, barely thought of them until now..

(...)

"We need those fast movers in here now!"

"Sir, the VC ha- AGH!"

" tôi sẽ giết bạn GI!" (google translate used)

"Private! Ahh!"

(...)

"Albert? Albert?"

"Albert, are you okay?"

Albert had suddenly gotten up and saw Seymour looking over him. Albert's pupils small, making his eyes appear lifeless. (Basically the 1000 yard stare)

"Agh!? Wh-what?" Said the frightened veteran

"You were tumbling around in bed. A-are you okay?" Seymour asked as he worried for his friend.

"Oh yeah, yeah. I'm alright. It's just…"

"Was it Vietnam?" Seymour asked as he brought and sat down on a seat.

"Y-yeah." Albert said as he looked down at his hands, imagining blood spilled on them.

"It's happening a lot more now, eh? Is it cause' of your grandson joinin' the Army? Seymour asked.

"Mhmm, I just never wanted a family member to see the things I saw. I don't want him to end up like me. An old geezer stuck in his memories and around death." Albert said.

"Well at least he's not joining the Marines. I hear those guys get all the action." Seymour said.

"Same thing! If the kid dies there, what could happen to the family?! My daughter?! The memories of my time are fuckin' pouring back in." Albert said in anger as he got up from his bed.

"Hey hey, calm down. Maybe you should visit your family to stop you from remembering." Seymour suggested.

"Do you th-"

Sue opened the door and looked at the two. She glared at Seymour signaling him to return to his room.

"Alright! see you later, Albert." Seymour said as he quickly left the room.

"Mhm. Now what do you want, Sue?" The veteran asked.

"Your family. Your family is here and they want to take you somewhere." Sue said as she gritted her teeth knowing that if she denied, the elders would pull off the same stunt before.

"Oh great timing." Albert said as he smiled and walked past the strict nurse.


"Hey Rita!" Albert said as he walked towards his daughter with a forced smile, as he still thought of what had happened.

"Hey Dad!" Rita said as she put her arms out to hug her dad

The two hugged as the other kids began running inside to see their grandfather.

"Hey kids! Nice to see you've all grown more!" Albert said as the kids ran in and opened his arms up for a group hug.

"Oh come on Pop-pop. It's only been a month." Lynn Jr said as he very much adored his grandfather's company.

"Well it feels like forever." Said Albert.

The kids began to tell their grandfather about the things they did at the same time.

"Pop-pop, I made a mud castle in the weekend!" Lana said

"I won another Pageant!" Lola said casually

"My team's on a winning streak!" Lynn said

"Would you like to hear a Poem?" Lucy asked

"Wanna hear a joke?" Luan asked

As the kids continued with their conversation, the old geezer looked around and noticed Leni, Lori, and Lincoln were not there.

"Hey, where's Leni, Lori, and Lincoln? I guess the two girls are shopping." Albert said as he chuckled at the last comment.

"Leni is overseas for some fashion designing and Lincoln and Lori are helping with the bags." Lucy said.

"Aw well that's great." Albert said as he left the group hug.

"So dad, do you want to come to Washington D.C with us?" Rita asked.

"D.C? Isn't that far? Why don't you ask Lincoln's friend?" Albert said.

"Well Clyde is busy, and we thought maybe you should just come. Oh and maybe you could visit the…" Rita stopped herself from mentioning the Vietnam war Memorial and looked down, realizing that what she was about to say was a very sensitive topic.

The kids looked at their mother in confusion as they never really knew their grandfather was deployed to Vietnam.

The kids ignored what just happened and asked "Yeah, Pop-pop. Why don't you come with us, please!?"

"Kids, I don't know.." The old man said in worry.

"Please, for us!" The kids said at the same time again.

Giving into his grand kid's demands, he looked up and said "Fine, fine fine I'll go. But why do you want to go to D.C?"

"Because Lincoln wants to go to the Capital before he serves the country or some lie like that." Luna said as she was pretty much against war and the US presence in the middle east.

"Luna!" Rita yelled as she glared at the rocker.

"It's okay, Rita. I get what she means. It's alright." Albert said while trying to calm his daughter.

"Mom, the only thing he's serving the country is oil!" Luna said.

"Young lady, I think you should wait at the van!" Rita said.

Luna crossed her arms and stormed into Vanzilla as the other kids watched her in disappointment.

"Yeesh, I hope she doesn't become a hippie.." Albert said worryingly for his grand daughter.

"Don't worry Dad, she'll be alright. She just doesn't wanna see her only brother go." Rita said, reminding her as a little girl when she would wave her father goodbye before his tour of duty had begun.

"Well, lets get going. Don't want to miss the plane." Albert said as he went back upstairs to retrieve his things and mock Sue.

(...)

"Get that gun up here and firing on that fucking position, now!"

"Ahhhhhh! Help me!"

"Private, get up there!"

"My fucking legs! Ahhhhhh!

(...)

I know it's not much, but I hope you enjoy this Vietnam fuckfest. Luna's gonna be a dick, being an antiwar type person. Once again, enjoy.

Love,

Delta