from Neighborhood to ‘Nam…..and back.: We Remember. . .

from Neighborhood to 'Nam......and back.

Growing up in a close knit neighborhood during the ‘50s and ‘60s was not unusual, it was the norm. Friendships were long and the bonds were tight. Friends walked to school together; joined scouts together; played sports together; grew up together. They dated and married girls from the neighborhood. . .And, most of them went to war together, not as a group, but as single individuals….and those same friends parted ways for a time. Each moving on to a new phase of their life.

The neighborhood was ‘Kaisertown’, a Polish-American community on the far east side of Buffalo New York. . .the war was Vietnam.

This blog is a collaboration of stories and experiences from this group of men, childhood buddies, all now in their sixties, whose friendships have lasted a lifetime.

These are also recollections from those young men who stayed behind. . ’caretakers’, as you will, of the old neighborhood that was a part of them . . .keeping the memories alive until all returned.

5.29.2011

We Remember. . .

Paul Evans

LCPL. United States Marine Corp.

Vietnam Casualty

Robert Polniak

Capt. United States Army

Vietnam Casualty

Robert May

SP4 United States Army

Vietnam Casualty

Timothy Bogdan

United States Army Service, Vietnam

David Loncz

United States Army Service, Vietnam