I recently received the following email and video from a young man honoring his father-in-law’s memories. The video blew me away and is put together professionally. Please read his short email and then watch his YouTube film…I sat through the entire video, my senses captivated by what I saw and heard. I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

“Mr. Podlaski,

I just listened to your story on the Echoes of the Vietnam War podcast and am currently browsing your website.  Wonderful, powerful stuff and I thank you immensely for sharing and for what your story has grown to.  I cannot imagine how many fellow vets you may have helped along the way.

Anyway, I see you have a page on your site where you are accepting tribute videos from fellow Vietnam Veterans with pics and videos they brought home from their tours.  Well,  I humbly submit one (amateur at best) here for your review and for that alone I am honored to be able to share.  This video is the culmination of the last few years of talks with my father-in-law (Al) late into the evening about his experiences in Vietnam and even getting to go to a few reunions with his fellow troopers who are still able to meet once a year and share the bond face to face.

I am forever grateful to my father-in-law for letting me into some very private, life-changing moments in Vietnam and for his buddies with whom I’ve had some powerful conversations.  Even 50 years later, just lending an ear with a lot of humility and genuine interest was often all it took for me to be welcomed and get a glimpse of their experiences. 

This all began with Al’s sharing the memories he held in two bins in his attic.  I was so interested in the Vietnam soldier’s experience, a remarkably unique human experience, that I was all in.  I listened.  I took pictures of his “stuff”.  Over the years, other troopers shared their photos with me.  It was overwhelming – in a very good way.   I was trying to think of a way to help “preserve” their hard-earned memories and at the same time to actually give something back in return, not only for what they have done for our country, but for what they endured when they returned home, and also for what they have done by letting me into their private H Troop family.

And so,  with only pictures of pictures on an iPhone and no idea what would come next,  I figured the best way forward was to get these pics into a slideshow.  I played with iMovie on my phone and knew this could be something special.  After learning how to add the music of your era to help narrate their story,  and many, many errors, revisions, and edits … here it is:

From the draft to basic training, to Vietnam, and home again.  Although this is a thank you specifically to the men of H Troop, I hope my “thank you” and “welcome home” messages come across loud and clear to ALL our Vietnam veterans. It’s about 1 hour and 41 minutes long and includes twenty-one songs, tons of pictures, a few letters home, a few short interviews, and a bunch of 8mm video footage (some pretty rough but I love it). The last few minutes include a tribute to those who died in Vietnam while serving in this fine outfit.

Thank you very much.  I hope this video does justice to your memories, both good and bad. 

It’s been an honor.

Highest regards,
Scott Fedigan
Auburn, NY”

*****

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