Vets receive warm welcome decades after returning from Vietnam

Sgt. Bob Tallerdy had been warned not to wear his uniform home from Vietnam, but his Army pride wouldn't let him wear anything else.

Rose Marie Sisneros came to the event with her three granddaughters in tow, each holding a framed photo of one of Sisneros's brothers who served in Vietnam. Gilbert Sisneros served in the Navy, Angelo Sisneros in the Army and Michael Sisneros in the Marines.He and about 500 other Vietnam War veterans were greeted with a standing ovation and many thanks Friday at Fort Carson, 50 years after the first U.S. forces were deployed to Vietnam. The daylong festivities included music, food, bounce houses, and a dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Gazebo.It took 41 years, but Tallerdy got the welcome home he had been waiting for."What they do helps us get more things, more freedom," Cody said.Remembering the war too well is a problem for some veterans. Gilbert Sisneros suffers from jungle foot and his brother Angelo was affected by Agent Orange. Rose Marie Sisneros said they still have difficulty in getting the care they need.But for Tallerdy, seeing the hundreds of people who had come to show their appreciation offered him a small release.Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Bobby G. Hollingsworth, the featured speaker, said it is important that youths attended the event.Sisneros's brothers chose not to attend the event."This is a long time coming for all of us," Tallerdy said. "I would have waited another 50 years for this.""It's been great to see young boys and girls out today because your experience is something you'll remember forever," Hollingsworth said."I cried like a baby," Tallerdy said. "I never got what we got today. It made me feel real good."Tallerdy greeted the crowds with gauze-wrapped hands; he is scheduled for surgery to correct problems he says stem from contact with Agent Orange. He said he also suffers flashbacks."I never want (my granddaughters) to forget to thank them," Sisneros said. "I want them to always remember."Handing out thanks was Cody Conaty, 11. He shook as many veterans' hands as he could.When he landed at JFK Airport, with New York police officers watching, he was attacked by anti-Vietnam protesters. His uniform was ripped off his back, he said, and he later received 18 stitches in his head from injuries suffered in his "welcome"home.

"This is a long time coming for all of us," Tallerdy said. "I would have waited another 50 years for this."