Florencio Aguayo thought he was leaving the horrors of war behind him when he left Vietnam more than 55 years ago. Little did he know the war would not leave him.
March 29 is Vietnam Veterans Day, designated for those who served during the long, bloody campaign that cost the nation more than 58,000 soldiers. But for Aguayo, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), death and destruction from Vietnam is a daily reminder.
Aguayo, 75, was drafted into the Army, serving from 1968 to 1970.
“I was drafted, and I couldn’t have been happier in my life,” Aguayo told Military.com. “Because I didn’t know what I was going to do in life or what was going to happen. I thought, You know, this is a good thing.”
After finishing basic training at Fort Ord, California, and advanced infantry training, Aguayo received his MOS: 11 Bravo, combat infantry.
Sitting in his home in Big Sur Valley, California, Aguayo reflects on his time with the 25th Infantry Division’s 27th Regiment, better known as the “Wolfhounds,” a tough, gritty unit that seldom wilted in the face of danger. He served in both A Company and C Company and his unit still comes together for annual reunions.
“I don’t know if it was because we were pretty brave or very aggressive toward the enemy, but, yes, we had a reputation,” Aguayo said. “But at the time, I didn’t know that I was going in there and would see some of the things I did. It was really interesting.”
As an infantryman, Aguayo was no stranger to frequent firefights with the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army, often engaging with the enemy three times a week. He recalls plenty of instances when he was lucky to escape with his life.
“The first thing that came into my mind was, ‘Lord, get me through this night, and I’ll be yours in the morning,’” Aguayo said. “I prayed to him many, many, many times.”
Injury and Loss
On Sept. 18, 1968, Aguayo’s unit, on patrol near Fire Support Base Mahone, ventured into unruly territory nicknamed the “Hobo Woods.” It was littered with booby traps. Enemy forces attacked, and a firefight ensued, killing four soldiers and wounding four others.
“That night was very, very scary,” Aguayo recalled. “You gotta be scared, or you’re crazy. Otherwise, you just push forward. I tried picking up one of my buddies, but it was useless … he was gone. It got to the point where we were missing a man, and we couldn’t find him. We had to go back to find him. And we found him. It was just the idea of carrying him back … it was very intense.
I think that’s one of the hardest things, having to take your buddy’s body back to the chopper. Those are the memories that are very tough.”
Aguayo served in Vietnam for 10 months until he was wounded on Dec. 28, 1968. Two days earlier, he had attended a special USO Christmas show featuring legendary comedian Bob Hope. It was one of his fondest memories from Vietnam. But the good times would soon end when Aguayo’s unit was assigned to multiple hot landing zones (LZ’s) and was left to fend on its own when their helicopter ditched them to refuel.
“What are we gonna do now? We were told to return to base camp, but when we returned to base camp, we were hit with rocket fire,” Aguayo said. “We ran for cover. One of the rockets exploded behind me and got shrapnel on my left leg, on the back of my butt, and a few in my back. When I was running for the bunker, the other rocket exploded in front of me, and I could see the shrapnel coming towards me like a black line flying towards my chest. Bang.”
To this day, Aguayo still has shrapnel lodged in the back of his legs, and several fragments in his chest.
“During the winter, it feels like it’s stabbing me, and when the summer comes along, it feels like it’s trying to come out of me,” he said. “It’s weird.”
Struggling After War
After the military, physical and mental injuries took a toll, zapping Aguayo of empathy and emotion. He shut off the outside world, becoming isolated and distant.
“You close your heart. You don’t touch your heart after that. And it feels like there’s a dark cloud over your heart,” Aguayo said. “You don’t have pity for anything. You don’t care what happens.”
Despite living a productive life, building a 30-year career with General Motors, Aguayo couldn’t shake the haunting images of Vietnam.
“I had a lot of trouble going through PTSD,” he said. “The doctors kept saying that nothing was wrong with me.”
Aguayo struggled with mental health issues for decades until finally receiving help through the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2003. Through group therapy, he was able to connect with other Vietnam veterans who understood the PTSD fight. He still attends sessions every Thursday, bonding with his fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
“The only person who can understand is another vet. You do need help to get through it,” Aguayo said. “That really helped me because things were getting pretty rough. I was planning on taking my rifle to the garage, and I wasn’t planning on cleaning it. But I was able to make it through.”
Semper Fi & America’s Fund Lends a Hand
As a disabled veteran, Aguayo didn’t quite feel safe in his home in the rural California desert. But through the Semper Fi & America’s Fund and the LCpl Parsons Welcome Home Fund, the Vietnam veteran received free modifications and improvements to his home, providing the security he needed for peace of mind.
“They’ve been very helpful to me. They took care of my front door because one of my neighbors was robbed. They said, ‘Oh, sure, we’ll do that.’ My patio was falling apart, and they helped me replace that too, along with my compressor for my air conditioning,” Aguayo said. “They’ve been fantastic.”
The Semper Fi & America’s Fund has helped more than 2,700 Vietnam War veterans, filling gaps in resources the VA and other organizations can’t provide. The foundation works specifically with Vietnam veterans, providing the support they need, especially as they age.
“There are a few more things that I could use help with, like replacing my water heater, because it’s about to go,” Aguayo said. “But man, Semper Fi & America’s Fund is so great, you just have to look and find them. Otherwise, I don’t know what else I would have done because I couldn’t afford to make these improvements to my home.”
