12 Vietnam-Era Thanksgivings to Remember, as Told by Veterans

Nearly 9 million people served in the U.S. armed forces, with nearly 3 million in-country, during the Vietnam War years. The magnitude of service and sacrifice of the Vietnam generation cannot be overstated. It's no surprise, then, that when we asked for your stories about Thanksgiving while serving, Vietnam-era veterans answered our call in droves.

Our readers poured their hearts out, sharing with us priceless stories about their holiday experiences during their time in the military. From Thanksgivings spent at training and at war, to those on the ocean, in the air and on the ground, here are 12 of their Thanksgivings to remember.

Some selections have been edited for length and clarity.

A Foraged Feast

"After attending Navigator School at Mather AFB [in California] in 1971 I was sent to Survival School at Fairchild AFB [in Washington state]. We were in the field on Thanksgiving Day. We shared a rabbit and some greens that we harvested! Great memory!"

-- David, Air Force

A Permanent Impression
"I was in AIT [advanced infantry training] at Fort McClellan [in Alabama] in 1967, and one of my classmates and friends was from Anniston. She came from a family of nine kids, and seven of them were active duty at that time, with only the two youngest still at home. Her parents were dirt poor. They knew from their own kids' experience how lonely it could be to be away from family at Thanksgiving, so they told their daughter she could invite five friends over for a homemade Thanksgiving dinner. She was Black, and I was white. She chose two other Black girls and two other white girls: We had all been very close friends at the base.