Vietnam War Commemoration

Name:

Major General Kent Hillhouse, US Army (Ret.)

Years of Service during the Vietnam War:

August 1967 – July 1968

Position and Branch of Service during the Vietnam War:

LT Platoon Leader 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Army

Where were you deployed:

I Corps and III Corps

What caused you to join the military:

Join ROTC to avoid draft so that I could graduate form from San Jose State prior to entry into the Army.

What was the transition like when you returned home?

No one wanted to talk about Vietnam. People avoided you if they knew you were a Vietnam vet.

Most significant memory:

I felt guilty leaving my unit it in Vietnam and my friends had to stay and continue fighting. Strong bonds are created across fellow soldiers while serving in a “point of the spear” unit. Evidence of that is the fact that those strong bonds have continued to last decades later and continue to exist today.

What do you wish that civilians would understand about military service?

It was an honor for me to serve my country. Soldiers are proud of their service.