VIETNAM VETERANS OFTEN BEMOAN THE LACK of fanfare upon their return to the “Land of the Big PX.” And I guess I’m no exception. I returned from Vietnam on 24 July 1969, 50 years ago yesterday and, damn it, I deserved a celebratory martini at the very least. But wouldn’t you know it, there was no July 24 for the Maasdam. We crossed the International Dateline around midnight on the 23rd, set our clocks ahead 23 hours and completely skipped the 24th.
Screwed again by the fickle finger of fate!
