“We honor those lost to war—and all who continue to carry its heavy burden—with heartfelt memory, deep human dignity, and soulful reconciliation.”

- Capt. Barry BECK, Vietnam (1965)

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A woman with short, brown hair wearing a military green uniform with epaulets, a pen in the pocket, and a serious expression on her face.
A soldier in camouflage uniform standing next to a military vehicle during daytime.
A young soldier sitting outdoors in military uniform, with military tents and vehicles in the background.
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A young man in military uniform standing in front of a sandbag lookout post, smoking a cigarette, with a rifle leaning against the post on a cloudy day in a rural area.
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A woman wearing glasses and a green uniform is holding a small black puppy outside, smiling and looking down at the puppy.
A soldier wearing a helmet, glasses, and a brown vest with a notebook in the chest pocket stands in a rural outdoor setting with mountains in the background.
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OUR PURPOSE

The Return to Vietnam initiative is a powerful testament to remembrance, dignity, and reconciliation. By facilitating profound return journeys, fostering community engagement, honoring the past, and safeguarding firsthand experiences, it unites Veterans, families, and communities intertwined by the Vietnam War. Its mission is to pay tribute to the fallen, preserve their memory, rekindle human connections, and pave the way for understanding, reconciliation, and a legacy of peace.

OUR MANDATE

Our responsibility is to Veterans of every generation. We return Veterans to the places that shaped their lives, honor those who served, preserve their experiences, and strengthen connection across generations. Through Return to Vietnam, we help Veterans remain connected, valued, and engaged—while carrying their stories forward so future generations understand the human cost of war and the responsibility we owe those who served.

WHAT SETS THE INITIATIVE APART

VETERAN-CENTERED MISSIONS — Each return is developed around specific units, service histories, experiences, and places of consequence to the veterans participating.

MISSION, NOT TOURISM — Return to Vietnam is a commemorative and reconciliation initiative, not a commercial travel program. Every location, encounter, and activity must serve the purpose of the mission.

HISTORICAL INTEGRITY — Research reconnects veterans with the locations, events, units, and individuals connected to their service while strengthening the accuracy of the historical record.

PRESERVATION OF TESTIMONY — Firsthand accounts are preserved so that individual experience becomes part of the enduring human record of the War in Vietnam.

RECONCILIATION — Veterans and former adversaries are given opportunities to meet with dignity and mutual respect, transforming places once defined by conflict into places where memory and understanding can coexist.

INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY — As an initiative of Vietnam Inc., Return to Vietnam operates within a permanent nonprofit framework supporting governance, historical research, international coordination, partnerships, documentation, and long-term program development.

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A man wearing a beige button-up shirt and a black cap with patches and the words "Our Infantry Division" visible on it.
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Black and white photograph of a man outdoors with crossed arms, wearing a cap that says 'Combat Medic Vietnam Veteran', with a thatched roof structure and trees in the background.
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THE STANDARD

Every Return to Vietnam mission must honor service, protect dignity, preserve truth, and create meaningful opportunities for remembrance and reconciliation. We listen first, prepare carefully, and treat every Veteran, every story, and every place with respect. Every decision is guided by what best serves the Veteran, the history, and the generations that follow.

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE

The Return to Vietnam initiative is guided by veterans, public servants, historians, medical professionals, and corporate leaders who share a responsibility to protect the integrity of the mission. Their role is simple: keep veterans at the center, safeguard the history entrusted to us, and make sure this work continues to honor the service, sacrifice, and experiences of every generation that came before us.

  • An elderly man dressed in formal black tuxedo with a bow tie, wearing military medals on his chest, sitting indoors against a dark background.

    James Lawrence

    Advisory Council

    Lt. (Ret.) James T. Lawrence is a distinguished Vietnam veteran who served with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. During the 1965 Ia Drang campaign, he served as Executive Officer of Delta Company, was wounded in action, and received the Bronze Star. He later dedicated himself to preserving this history through public scholarship, reflection, and memoir.

  • An elderly man wearing glasses in a tuxedo with a bow tie and military ribbons, smiling.

    Barry Beck

    Advisory Council

    Capt. (Ret) Barry Beck is a Marine veteran, attorney, and public servant whose career reflects leadership, integrity, and service. A 1964 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he served in the Marine Corps, including combat in Vietnam with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. He later served as Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Barracks and built a legal career in Texas in post military service.

  • An elderly man with white hair, wearing a black jacket over a red shirt, sitting in a room with bookshelves in the background, holding a framed black-and-white photo of three men in uniform.

    Orson Swindle III

    Advisory Council

    Colonel (Ret.) Orson G. Swindle, U.S. Marine Corps, is a combat aviator, former prisoner of war, and public servant whose career reflects exceptional courage and national service. Shot down over North Vietnam in 1966, he endured more than seven years in captivity. He later served with distinction in business, government, and veterans advocacy, sustaining a lifelong commitment to country and Corps.

  • An elderly woman smiling, wearing a light-colored dress with sparkles, pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and medals pinned to her chest.

    Elaine Niggemann

    Advisory Council

    Capt. (Ret.) Elaine H. Niggemann, MD, FACC, is a Vietnam veteran, physician, and educator whose career reflects distinguished service in medicine and higher education. Commissioned in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, she served in Vietnam in 1971 caring for wounded service members. She later earned her medical degree, specialized in cardiology, practiced in Arizona, and became a respected professor and mentor.

  • An elderly man with glasses, gray hair, and a mustache wearing a tuxedo with a green bow tie, and several military medals on his chest.

    Grady Birdsong

    Advisory Council

    Sgt. (Ret.) Grady Birdsong is a Marine veteran, author, and veterans advocate whose career reflects sustained service, leadership, and civic engagement. Following two combat tours in Vietnam, he built an international career spanning engineering, marketing, and technology. In retirement, he has remained dedicated to veteran leadership, community outreach, preserving the experiences and legacy of those who served faithfully.

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    Robert Good

    Advisory Council

    Sgt. (Ret.) Robert L. Good is a Vietnam veteran and retired Los Angeles police officer whose life reflects courage, discipline, and enduring public service. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966, he served with the 9th Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta, earning the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal for valor. Following Vietnam, he continued serving his country and community through a distinguished 32-year LAPD career.

  • An elderly man dressed in a tuxedo with a bow tie featuring the American flag, wearing a military cap with Vietnam War medals, standing outdoors near a ship's railing.

    Max Morgan

    Advisory Council

    Capt. (Ret.) Max P. Morgan is a Vietnam veteran whose military service reflects courage, versatility, and unwavering commitment to duty. Serving as a Navy corpsman with SEAL Team One, he completed more than 50 missions in the Mekong Delta, earning the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Combat “V.” He later served as a Marine Corps infantry officer and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

  • A smiling elderly woman with short gray hair, wearing glasses, a black dress with floral patterns, and celebration medals on her chest, standing outdoors during sunset.

    Gracie Moore

    Advisory Council

    Lt. (Ret.) Grace Margaret Lilleg-Moore is a Vietnam veteran and Army Nurse Corps officer whose service reflects compassion, leadership, and professional dedication. Deployed to Vietnam in 1968 with the 44th Medical Brigade, she provided and supervised critical care at the 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi. She later continued her nursing career while advocating for recognition of Vietnam-era medical personnel.

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    Rick St-John

    Advisory Council

    Col. (Ret.) Rick St. John is a Vietnam veteran, author, and military historian whose career reflects distinguished leadership and enduring commitment to Army values. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he served with distinction as an Army officer and later dedicated himself to preserving the history, sacrifice, and service of airborne soldiers in Vietnam through scholarship and veterans advocacy.

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    Timothy Davis

    Founder & Advisory Council

    Timothy Davis is an Australian-born nonprofit executive and veterans’ advocate with more than 25 years of international leadership. As Founder of Vietnam Inc., he advances remembrance, reconciliation, education, preservation, and the transmission of memory surrounding the War in Vietnam. His career reflects a commitment to veterans, historical integrity, international partnership, responsibility, and service across generations.

  • John Dubois

    John Dubois

    Advisory Council

    John Dubois is a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran who served in II Corps with the 75th Infantry in Long Range Reconnaissance and U.S. Army Ranger operations. His combat experience in Vietnam has shaped decades of service to fellow veterans. Today, he leads veteran peer-support and mentorship programs, advances intergenerational initiatives, and serves as liaison to the West Palm Beach Department of Veterans Affairs.

  • An older man with gray hair in a black t-shirt and beige cap standing outdoors against a backdrop of green trees and a partly cloudy blue sky.

    William Albracht

    Advisory Council

    Capt. (Ret.) William Albracht is a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, Special Forces officer, author, and speaker whose career reflects exceptional courage and leadership. Serving with the 5th Special Forces Group, he distinguished himself at Fire Support Base Kate and received multiple Silver Stars for gallantry. He later completed a 26-year career with the United States Secret Service, serving under four Presidents.

ABOUT VIETNAM INC.

The War Ended. Our Responsibility Did Not.

Vietnam Inc. is a U.S.-based humanitarian nonprofit addressing the lasting human consequences of the War in Vietnam. Through four core initiatives, we advance remembrance, reconciliation, health and wellness, and historical preservation. We also build sustainable partnerships across Vietnam with organizations, communities, and institutions that share our commitment to dignity, mutual understanding, healing, and long-term human connection. Return to Vietnam is one of those initiatives, bringing veterans, families, and communities together to confront the legacy of war, preserve lived history, and transform memory into understanding, human connection, and reconciliation.

FOUR INITIATIVES. ONE RESPONSIBILITY.

  • Vietnam Inc. Veteran Remembrance & Reconciliation

    Veteran Remembrance & Reconciliation

    Returning veterans to the places where they served to honor the fallen, confront the enduring weight of war, preserve personal testimony, and create opportunities for reflection, understanding, and reconciliation.

  • Agent Orange & Human Consequences

    Agent Orange & Human Consequences

    Supporting humanitarian efforts that address the continuing consequences of Agent Orange for affected individuals, families, and communities, while advancing awareness, responsibility, dignity, and long-term assistance.

  • Unexploded Ordnance & Remnants of War

    Unexploded Ordnance & Remnants of War

    Advancing humanitarian efforts that address unexploded ordnance and other dangerous remnants of war, helping protect communities, reduce continuing risk, and support the responsible recovery of affected areas.

  • Vietnam Inc. Historical Memory & Preservation

    Historical Memory & Site Preservation

    Preserving firsthand testimony, significant historic sites, and the lived experiences of those shaped by the war so that its human history, lessons, sacrifices, and consequences remain part of the shared historical record.