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I DIDN'T KNOW YOUR FATHER BUT I SERVED IN VIET NAM 69-70 WITH THE 173 AIRBORNE BDE. I WAS WOUNDED 4/5/70 AND MEDEVACED OUT OF THE FIELD AND EVENTUALLY BACK TO THE STATES. ON 4/5/70 MY WORLD TURNED INSIDE OUT-NOT BECAUSE OF THE WOUNDS BUT BECAUSE I WAS FOREVER SEPARATED FROM MY FAMILY-MY FRIENDS IN MY UNIT WERE THE TIGHEST FAMILY I HAVE EVER BEEN EXPOSED TO AND I HAVE'T SEEN THEM SINCE. THAT SEPARATION LEFT A LARGE DARK VOID THAT DOESN'T DIMINISH WITH TIME. THE WAR DIDN'T END BACK STATESIDE, I JUST HAD DIFFERENT ENEMIES TO FACE-COLLEGE CAMPUSES, INCLUDING FACULITY, WERE OPENLY HOSTILE TOWARDS VIET NAM VETERANS; GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT WAS MADE UNAVAILABLE AND HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS AND RELATIVES KEPT ME AT A DISTANCE. I AM VERY SORRY YOU NEVER MET YOUR FATHER-THE HURT AND PAIN CAUSED BY VIET NAM SEEMS TO BE NEVER ENDING. MY FATHER DIED TWO WEEKS BEFORE I WAS BORN SO I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE EMOTIONS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED. MY FATHER WAS SELDOM DISCUSED IN MY PRESENCE AND I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT HIM. THE BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS HAVE MAINLY COME FROM HIS FRIENDS (VERSUS MY FAMILY). I AM NEW TO THE INTERNET BUT I HAVE LOCATED MY VIET NAM UNIT'S WEB SITE AND HAVE CONTACTED THREE FRIENDS SINCE FEBRUARY. MAYBE YOU CAN LOCATE SOME OF YOUR FATHER'S FRIENDS FROM HIS UNIT'S WEB SITE. GOOD LUCK AND TAKE GOOD CARE.