(Tibby Steedly)

 Note: Coinciding with broadcast on SCETV of The Vietnam War, a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick,  Walter Edgar's Journal is re-publishing podcasts of some of our earlier programs.

(Broadcast 11-14-08) - When we talked to Vietnam War veteran Homer Steedly in 2007 the South Carolina native told us of his plans to return to Vietnam. One of his goals has been to, at last, meet face-to-face with the family of Hoang Ngoc Dam, the young North Vietnamese soldier (a medic) whom he'd killed in March of 1969; and to help locate Dam's remains and return them to his family's village for burial.

In May of 2008, Homer started the journey back to Vietnam. He shares with Dr. Edgar the story of the events that followed: meeting the family, finding the remains, journeying to the Dam's home village of Thai Giang, meeting the family, and participating in the ceremonies and burial of Hoang Ngoc Dam's remains in their final resting place.

It is a moving, powerful story. Homer's web site is www.swampfox.info.