SAN DIEGO — Instead of receiving a parade, many Vietnam Veterans were ridiculed when they returned from war.
In this Zevely Zone, I attended a special ceremony at the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial.
It was on the Honor Flight, when I met many American heroes, one of whom was Dan Foster.
"One nation for which it stands, under God, indivisible," said attendees to start the ceremony.
Vietnam Veteran Dan Foster led the Pledge of Allegiance with his grandchildren.
The 76-year-old was honored by friends, family members and fellow veterans.
"I want to make sure you don't leave here today without knowing how much I love each and every one of you," said Sergeant Dan Foster who fought in the jungles of Vietnam.
"We were told that we were fighting a war for America that when we get home we are going to get any job that we want and that things are going to be wonderful, that did not happen. I sold shoes for Payless Shoe Store, and I cleaned out toilets in a housing tract because that's the best job I could get," said Dan.
Yet, Dan went on to become a successful business owner and raise a family.
"Dan Foster has been a friend to so many of us," said Former Congressman Duncan Hunter Senior. Hunter thanked Dan for creating the Alpine Veterans Wall of Honor. "Here's a guy who has been the heart to our community, he has been a light to our community he's been an inspiration to all of us," said Congressman Hunter Sr.
Dan is fighting stage four lung cancer which his doctors say he acquired from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, yet there he stood. "I love this country," said Dan.
The Army Infantryman hopes someday when he's gone, you'll remember these words. "I am not a hero. I am just an ordinary guy who wanted to protect the freedom to do what we are doing today," said Dan.
"Oh my God, I am going to be on the Mount Soledad National Memorial with my favorite movie star Jimmy Stewart. I am going to be on this wall with my favorite president, Ronald Reagan. Even his show biz hero, Bob Hope. "I get to be up here with these guys," said Dan. "We turned it around because we love the United States of America."
Dan's lung cancer is incurable, but he says he'll continue to fight for veterans' rights and respect until his last breath.
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