Brotherhood: Forged in the Swamps, fueled by the will to Survive

by Clancie Thomas Harbers

[Editor’s Note: Clancy is the daughter of a Vietnam, veteran combat soldier. She wrote the following about her father at his Band of Brothers Reunion October 2024, in Savannah, Georgia–which she also attended.

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“Every day is a great day! I have my faith, my family, and live in the finest country in the world.”-Major General James Mukoyama, US Army Retired. 

55 years later, we are still welcoming our soldiers home from Vietnam. “What does that mean? They’ve been home for years!” 

No. 

They did not receive a proper welcome the first time, therefore, we will continue striving to right this wrong every year. How? 

By showing up. 

October 2024 in Savannah, Georgia, “Hardcore Recondo” 439/9th Infantry Vietnam Combat Vets reunited once again with their Band of Brothers. 

I had the pleasure of sitting with some of the guys and they let me turn the camera on this time. Let me try to put into words what they shared with me. 

First, if you’ve ever built a friendship forged out of the sheer will to survive, then perhaps you have an idea about how this brotherhood came together. Filthy, muddy and wet conditions, the constant threat of the encroaching enemy, bad food and poor sleeping conditions to just name a few. 

Then, wondering if you’ll ever see your family again? Well, that’s just an afterthought to the daily grind of stepping one fragile step at a time, wondering if that will be your last.

These soldiers did have one thing going for them. Brotherhood. 

One soldier told me that he would repeat the whole process again because it meant him meeting his best friend in the world. It took me a minute to process that. 

He said he’d repeat the whole Vietnam experience because of the friendship he gained. When I asked the guys what the reunions meant to them, it was difficult for them to put it into words. 

Family, brotherhood, friendships came up. And then a whole lot of unspoken feelings behind the tears that started to form in their eyes. Tears that let me know that some things will only be understood by the ones who were there.

Leadership meant life or death. 

Selflessness meant soldiers came home alive. Superhuman strength meant it didn’t matter if you were the smallest guy in the crew, you’d get the job done. 

Communication meant keeping your guys pushing forward, and you’d take a bullet for it. Commitment meant going to a country not having a clue what you were getting yourself into. And you, “Hardcore,” did that.

Salute. 

From my limited perspective, I will say this. These guys light up when they are together. They are proud to have daughters, sons, wives, grandkids come together to meet their fellow brothers-in-arms. 

Some family members have only recently learned a tiny bit about their experiences in Vietnam. As a daughter of a combat vet, Brigadier General Trent Thomas, US Army Retired, I only started to get a glimpse a few years ago. 

They aren’t wearing their Vietnam hats and shirts to draw attention to themselves, it’s out of respect for the brotherhood and to remember the ones who did not make it home. 

Superhuman. Bonded for life. Brothers. Soldiers. Survivors. Heroes. 

Thanks, Hardcore, for letting me be a part of your life. 

Until we meet again.

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This first appeared in The Havok Journal on October 24, 2024.

Clancie has a BA in Journalism from Texas A&M University. As an Army brat, she grew up all over the world and is now settled in Simonton, Texas with her husband, David of 25 years.  She has two grown sons, and a beautiful Australian Shepherd named Goose. 

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.