Some Died at Home

Tony Flygare served in the United States Air Force from 1966 to 1970. He was posted twice to Saigon during that time. 

I met him after his safe return in 1970. We were both volunteers at a meeting to start a drop in center for the veterans who were homeless and wandering the streets after the war. Tony was a Vietnam Veteran for Peace and I was a recent high school graduate.  We were both trying to make a difference. 

We fell in love, got married, and had two amazing children. We did not know that Tony was carrying a time bomb due to significant exposure to agent orange during his service in Saigon. The United States Government knew of the dangers of exposure, yet no health warnings were sent to Veterans. 

Tony lived to see his daughter graduate with honors from the U of MN Law School and pass the bar, but did not live to see his son do the same. In December of 2006 he was diagnosed with MDS and he died on February 25th of 2007. 

Wars continue to kill, maim and destroy long after the peace treaties are signed. When will we ever learn?