Vietnam veterans of Butler County fight to keep legacy alive
When Bill McNutt, of Butler, returned home from the war in Vietnam he was not given a hero’s welcome.
“At the time, there was still a lot of protests,” McNutt said. “We were never thanked for anything we did in the military.”
Like many Vietnam veterans that returned home, there were no parades nor write ups in the local newspaper for McNutt, instead he said he was treated with an almost contempt-like-attitude from his fellow Americans.
“I didn’t wear my uniform in public,” he said.
It would take over 25 years until McNutt said he started to experience appreciation for his time in service.
“In 2003, I joined the Legion Riders, and we were doing a parade down on Main Street,” McNutt said. “And here comes a little girl with a sign that is thanking us for our service. That actually put tears in my eyes.”
McNutt said it’s hard not to get emotional when he thinks about that little girl with the sign as it was the first time he felt gratitude for his effort in the war.
“I just had never been thanked for my service before,” he said.
It’s been over half-of-century since the Vietnam War, which saw over 2.5 million American troops deployed over a 20 year period. A majority of living veterans in Butler County served during Vietnam, and according to the Butler County Veterans Services, anywhere from 50 to 60% of their 14,000 clients severed during the Vietnam War.
While veterans like McNutt said they believe the public perception of the war and the treatment veterans receive have changed drastically, the legacy of the Vietnam Veteran is still a battle some Butler veterans are still fighting.
According to the The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Vietnam veterans range in age from 61 to 103 years old, with the median age being 82.
“Most of us veterans from Vietnam are from the same age group,” said David Smith of Connoquenessing. “There are some that are a lot of older, and they are dying out and the stories that we carry with us are dying.”
Smith, who served in the Marines, did two tours in Vietnam, which earned him two Purple Hearts along, with numerous commendations for his valor in action.
“I got wounded twice, and I wanted to go back the third time because I felt it was necessary,” he said.
Smith’s recollection of coming home from Vietnam is nearly identical to McNutt’s. He said he remembers feeling a level of animosity when he came back to the United States.
“There was a whole gamut of hate and discontent toward us,” he said.
Smith was also told not to wear his uniform in public and recalls being spit on and mocked as he walked through the airport after his tour of duty. He also was told to downplay or even omit his time in Vietnam to potential employers.
“When people found out you’re a Vietnam vet, depending on what side of the clock they were on, you probably didn’t get hired,” Smith said. “People just didn’t want to associate with you; they called you a baby killer.”
Dave Haunty, of Butler, who also served with the Marines in Vietnam, said he was denied access to the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization.
“When I was discharged, I wanted to spend time and be around people I could relate to,” Haunty said. “And I went to the VFW, and they turned me down; they told me Vietnam was not a foreign war.”
Smith said he noticed that the attitude toward Vietnam veterans changed around the time of the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“Things have seem to gotten better,” Smith said. “I have people talking to me all the time. When I volunteer at the VA Hospital in Butler, and I talk to vets all the time, and it’s nice to be recognized.”
However, when veterans started coming home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith said he could not help feel a certain amount of envy toward the new generation of war fighters.
“I don’t mean it to sound disrespectful, and I am grateful for their service” said the 76-year-old combat veteran. “But you know, they broadcast pictures of these guys during Enduring Freedom coming through the airport, and everybody standing up and clapping for them. When I came through the airport, I got booed and spit on.”
Smith, the 2023 Butler County Veteran of the Year, spends much of his free time volunteering at VA Butler Healthcare and other organizations to help veterans. And while his reaction to seeing the young men and women come home may have conjured many emotions, including a little bit of jealousy, he said he feels proud to be part of a legacy that made it easier for the next batch of veterans.
“A lot of the trauma we went through, (future generations) benefited from, which it should be that way,” He said. “I don’t think you’d find a veteran, from any war, that would not be proud to have helped pave the way for the later generations.”
As Haunty starts to load up his enclosed trailer, it starts to rain, but the weather does little to deter Haunty from getting his traveling memorial ready for the Memorial Day weekend.
“It doesn’t take me but a couple of hours to get set up,” Haunty said.
For the past several years Haunty has put together a memorial that displays veterans from Butler County who were killed or are listed as missing in action. Filled with newspaper articles, photos and citations, residents can see the young men and women who gave their lives while serving the country.
His motivation for building and displaying the memorial is the same as why he volunteered to join the Marine Corps in high school during the Vietnam War.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he said matter-of-factly.
Haunty, who served with the Marine Corps 7th Engineering Support Battalion, also creates displays for fallen members of his unit. It’s a task that requires a lot of research, but it’s part of Haunty’s way of preserving the legacy of not only his beloved Marine Corps, but that of Vietnam veterans as well.
“We need to teach the kids about the Vietnam War,” Haunty said. “They’re learning about World War II … And we need to make sure they know what happened here, too.”
Along with holding the Commander billet at the American Legion Post 778 and being an active member of the Legion Riders, McNutt also helps raise money and organize day tour bus trips for veterans.
“A veteran and a guest can go on these trips with absolute no charge,” McNutt said. “The only time they bring their wallet out is to tip the driver.”
McNutt said he started the trips as a simple way to help veterans, but came to realize the trips had more of an impact than he initially realized.
“It just seems like when you’re with other veterans, you talk more about what you did,” McNutt said. “It helps you to be able talk about what you did.”
Smith, an active member of the American Legion as well as a member of the Marine Corps League Honor Guard, said he loves spending time with fellow veterans from every war and wants to make sure everyone that has served their country feels appreciated for their patriotic duty.
“Anything I can do help a veteran, I will do,” Smith said. “I drive veterans and take them to their medical appointments. I never let a veteran out of my vehicle that I don’t tell them I love them.”
While the path of the Vietnam Veteran has not been easy, and as these men and women get older, it becomes critical for Americans to not just appreciate, but understand what these veterans sacrificed, Smith said.
“Patriotism isn’t dead; it may be put on the back shelf a little bit, but when you march up Main Street, people are standing up and saluting you,” he said. “People are telling you that they love you and they thank you for your service. And that makes me feel good because I know that somebody has recognized what we did and who I am.”
