28-04-2025
Vietnam Veterans Recalls His Time In Battle, Significance of the Fall of Saigon 50 Years Ago
MINERAL WELLS, TX (FOX 44) — Even 50 years after the Fall of Saigon, the impact of the Vietnam War still runs deep for many veterans.
In this story, we meet one of them – a man who not only served his country, but serves to help The National Vietnam War Museum located about an hour west of Fort Worth. He shares how serving in the war shaped his life, and how he has found ways to heal, grow, and keep moving forward.
Wayne Parham has some stories to tell about his service as a soldier in the Vietnam War in 1968.
'I earned the two Purple Hearts – [this] one from a head injury and the other one I spent two months in the hospital with being ambushed,' Parham says.
One of his most impactful stories is about how this hole happened to this helmet, what he calls his 'steel pot' – in the heat of battle.
'This was not fastened when I dove to help a friend who was under fire. I dove and the helmet slid back on the back of my head. So when they started firing at me, from the ground – the trajectory would have been up,' Parham says. 'So, it creased – this particular round or piece of shrapnel of whatever it was from a grenade or a rocket – it came up and penetrated and cut the liner, as you can see right here, it is cut in two and went through from the inside out. And that's what the big hole is? That's what the big hole is right here. It went in through the inside and when it comes out, it flares. It does the same thing with a body.'
Wayne survived and returned home. Two of his fellow soldiers did not.
Emotions overtake Wayne as he recalls these memories here at the National Vietnam War Museum.
'It's hard to this day. Not a day goes by that I don't think about all of them that were killed,' Parham says. 'They're up there on that wall on their little half-replica wall, and I come out here several times a year, especially New Year's Day, Christmas Day and on the day of their death when they were killed.'
On this day, he's looking for another friend and comrade lost in Vietnam.
'I miss you. I miss you a lot. We shared so many times together, his dreams in high school, his dreams to get back to his girlfriend,' Parham says.
Vivid memories of the people he served with, the memories Wayne brought home and still lives with today – some good, some not so good. Wayne recognized long ago he has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, or PTSD, from his time in battle 57 years ago. He knows when it starts.
'Even last night, I'm barely asleep, and I can feel it,' Parham says. 'I can always feel it coming on. I can feel it starting in my head and it gets hot and it starts moving down to my face and it goes down and takes over my whole body, and I start sweating. My whole bed is sweating. But I learned at PTSD therapy at the VA, which is wonderful, we've learned to copy by getting up –don't remain in bed, don't remain in that anxiety moment – get up and go call somebody.'
From coping to thriving, Wayne understands the impact of the Fall of Saigon in 1975, and stands proud of his time of service.
'We veterans, as a whole, we want people to know that those who were drafted just went to do their duty,' Parham stresses.
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