Ohio Town To Toast Forgotten Vietnam Veterans

JAMES HANNAH

SHELBY, Ohio (AP) — The floor of VFW Post 291 has been scuffed by the shoes and boots of veterans who fought in wars going back nearly a century, to World War I.

The setting is a comfort for Willis Cochran, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

But his jaw tightens and face darkens as he remembers what happened when he returned to his hometown of Bainbridge, Ga., 43 years ago.

"I was treated like trash. I tell you what hurt the worst was when the old woman spit on me," said Cochran, 62, whose blue sports jacket bore an American flag stitched on its breast. "I went from being a nice guy to ... I got to where I didn't give a damn."

Feeling guilty and pressed for time, some around the country are trying to make amends, to honor the veterans of that controversial war.

As Veterans Day approaches Nov. 11, this small, northern Ohio city is hosting a parade on Saturday exclusively to honor the Vietnam vets. Leading the procession will be a horse-drawn wagon bearing an empty, American flag-draped coffin in memory of those killed in that war.