29-04-2025
Vietnam veteran reflects on war, calls for veteran support
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — In April 1968, Gary Hall of Peoria received a call that would change his life: he had been drafted to serve in Vietnam.
But Hall didn't go to fight. He went to save lives.
'I worked in medical supply, 32nd Medical Depot. We were the only medical depot in Vietnam. Everybody got medical supplies from us. I mean, everybody,' Hall said.
Even today, he questions why the U.S. got involved in the first place
'Why did we even go there? It was a waste of time. Waste of lives. Waste of money. Waste of everything,' he said.
One in two Americans agree. A new Emerson College/Nexstar Media Group poll shows 50% of Americans say they still don't have a clear understanding of what the U.S. was fighting for in Vietnam. Moreover, 44% of respondents said the Vietnam War was 'not justified.'
Hall said the experience left him feeling defeated.
'I felt sad for everybody, and felt like a loser, that our country was a loser,' he said.
Hall believes the U.S. repeated similar mistakes in Afghanistan, but he says the approach in Ukraine has been different.
'I think we finally learned our lesson with Ukraine. We give them the arms, give them all the assistance we can, let them fight their own fight,' he said.
Fifty years later, Hall is still living with the consequences of the war. Exposure to Agent Orange has taken a heavy toll on his health.
'I've got neuropathy. I had a heart operation, four operations on my eyes.
And he said the Trump administration should be adding resources to the Department of Veterans Affairs, not taking them away. The administration is set to cut 80,000 jobs at the VA as part of Elon Musk's DOGE efforts.
'I'm probably one of the lucky ones that I'm still around. A friend of mine, Al Burnette, couple of years ago, Agent Orange got him. Agent Orange seems to be getting just about everybody,' said Hall.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
