To let you know.

Growing up I never had a hard life. Dad was always home when he wasn't working. He never drank, or cheated on mom. I went to a school called Jefferson Middle School and Jefferson High School. I had grown up having straight A's and everyone was my friend. Except this one kid named Todd. We never really had a problem but he just never talked to me. Anyways, It was easy being the cool kid in my school. Just stay out of drama and everyone sees you as a friend. Going into high school the work got harder but I just got smarter. My whole senior class made predictions on who was gonna be successful and I was voted to be the most successful person. When we graduated I was given a award for having the best academic records. Leaving school I was nervous that I actually wouldn't excel in anything else. Though my dad knew some people that recommended some really good colleges that I could apply for. I ended up going to Harvard and did amazing there as well. I wasn't the best in my classes but the work was fun and at a challenging level that I liked. I during my freshman year I met this girl named Vanessa. She was a nice gal that I thought would be a great friend. But as the school year went on, it progressed into a relationship. We dated for the next 3 years, up into senior year when we graduated. 1 month after graduation I took her to the Old Port to have some fun and to tell her that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I proposed. I still remember each tear that ran down her face as I held the diamond ring to it. She said yes. We got married the following year in 1952. It was my third to last happiest day for the rest of my life. The second to last for the day that my oldest kid Jack was born. He would turn out to make my life more exciting again. Though he did stress me out a lot. The following year I got my first real job as a Tool Maker at Davidson Factory. My dad knew one of the supervisors so he got me a interview. 1 year later the last happiest thing in my life happened to me. The birth of my daughter Olivia. She was my little bundle of joy and was a new and exciting baby in my life.

I thought that my life couldn't get bad from here. I thought that I was at the top and nothing was going to send me downhill from there. But then it happened. I was on my way home from work when the news station interpreted my country music.

"We bring you annoucement to issue the following. On this day, November 1st, 1955, we the United States, officially declared war upon Vietnam. In order to stop the spread of communism from reaching any further, America needs soldiers, may you be one of them. Thank you."

The radio stopped for 30 more seconds and then it went back to the country music. For the next 30 mins I could not stop thinking about what he had just announced. I arrived at my house to see Vanessa sitting on the porch waiting for me with Jack, as Olivia was sleeping.

"You hear the news?" She asked me.

"Yeah I heard it." I responded.

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. The chances of me getting picked are low and I doubt they would send me over," I exclaimed with emotion. " I¨m going to be here with Jack, Olivia, and you. No one can take that away from me."

She hugged me and we went inside.

It was only a matter of 1 month until I got the letter. Vanessa came to our room crying and handed me the letter. It read,

We, the United States of America, have chosen you, Dan Gardner, to join the war in Vietnam. We hope that this letter gets to you as soon as possible as you will be commanded to drive to the nearest train station for your trip to Texas. As you arrive you will immediately begin training. Mandatory time of arrival is March 8th, 1956. Thank you for your service & may god be with you.

President Dwight H. Eisenhower

I had to leave the next day. It was last time I saw my wife and kids for a long time. I arrived to the station and showed them the letter. They immediately knew what to do. I took the next train to Texas. I got off and there were some military personals waiting for me. They took me to the Fort McKinley. Training lasted for 3 months. Then I was deployed on April 5th, 1956. It was only one week til they sent me in the first battle on the front lines. It was like hell on earth to see what I saw. Soldiers one after another, were getting shot. It's like no matter where you were you were always seeing death around you. I expected my tour to be 9 months. 9 months of hell went by and I requested that I get sent home. They declined it. They told me that I was going to have to serve a lot longer than I thought I was going to serve. It now was 1 year and 6 months. I made another request and they declined it once again. I repeated this process for another 8 years. 8 years, of making friends, and then losing them. I had been in about 14 battles. I was shot 6 times. I carried out 35 dead soldiers. General Abrams sent me a letter, I was free to go home. Being in Vietnam, no matter how I much I tried, there was no way for me to contact my family. It has been 8 years since I spoke to my wife, Jack, Olivia, mom or dad. I returned home on March 6th, 1964. I returned to my home. I was in tears as I was about to get my life back. I knocked on the door. A man opened the door.

"Hello, how may I help you?" He said.

"Where's Vanessa?" I murmured to him.

He called for her as I stood there with confusion as to why this man was in my house.

"What is it de..." She stopped in the middle of her sentence as she looked at me standing in the door. " I.. I.. Thought you were dead."

I smiled and said "Nothing can stop me from seeing my family again."

She stood there in a shock and said "We're are not your family anymore."

"Why? What do you mean?"

"Dan, You were away for 8 years! We all thought you were dead! You never even tried to contact us!"

I couldn't speak. I waited 8 years to come home, to see my kids, to see my family, to see Vanessa. I stared at her. I didn't want to say anything, because I would explode. I left. And I haven't seen her since. It's been 40 years now. My kids have kids now, and they still don't want to talk to me. I'm writing this to let you know, Jack, Olivia, I love you very much and never deserted you. I hope your life is better than mine and you live to your full potential. I'm sorry I couldn't be there.

Your Loving Father

-Dan Gardner