Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:45 | After returning home from Vietnam, Hal Smith went into seminary to go into ministry. He studied religion all over the United States before ending up back on the east coast.
Keywords : Ministry returning home Vietnam Christianity study studying fellowship friend Marriage
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Hal Smith saw many of his peers avoiding the war and decided to join unlike them. After training, he reported to Vietnam outside of Saigon and thought he was being assigned to Combat Assault.
On his first night in Vietnam, Hal Smith had to sleep out in some difficult conditions that got him quickly acquainted to the country. He soon found out that his assignment to CA meant Civil Affairs, which was a relief to him. During this assignment, he got very involved with the Vietnamese people.
After getting a new assignment in North Vietnam, Hal Smith continued assisting with MEDCAP proceedings in this part of the country. At times, it seemed that there was no point to American involvement in this region.
Hal Smith remembers the extensive medical training that they got in preparing for the elements of Vietnam. After returning home and reflecting on their efforts while deployed, he realizes that the relationships he made were important to him.
