Thanks, Guys, for the nice comments.
I can't imagine any bond between men as strong as that where you depend on each other for your very survival. Soldiers, firemen and police, and maybe just a few other endevors require that kind of mutual trust. My friends from Vietnam taught me alot about life and brotherhood, as I am sure was true for so many others in other wars.
One thing that always bothers me is the almost universal belief that somehow Vietnam vets are all wacky from the experience. I can say without any hesitation that the guys I know who served are, as a class, some of the straightest, most trustworthy people. For the few who could not take it, I am sorry, but for the many, the lessons we learned were valuable throughout life, and made us better people. I am also convinced that the tremendous progress the world made in the 50's and 60's is due to the returning veterans of WWII, who believed they could do anything, even go to the moon, if they worked together.