Bell County, Texas — Sgt. Emery Chandler, a proud Vietnam Veteran, received his Quilt of Honors this summer and reflected proudly on the times he once would have rather forgotten.
"I am so proud," Chandler said. "I served my country for six years. I mean, how much more proud could I be? I am so patriotic. I run red, white and blue."
Chandler joined at 17 and served in Vietnam for one tour with his infantry division.
In that time, Chandler said he survived when he thought he wouldn't.
"We had just started eating," Chandler said, describing an attempt to introduce himself to a fellow soldier. "I was about to introduce myself and say, 'Hi, my name's Emery,' and a sniper took him. I wonder, why not me?"
That's one of at least two occasions in which Chandler said he could have been killed.
But the conflict in Southeast Asia left him in a dark place, battling post-traumatic stress disorder.
In that time, he leaned on his wife of 26 years, Gail.
"He had changed-- and not for the better when we were going through this," Gail said. "It was hard."
But this summer, the veteran was given his award that not only thanked Chandler for his service but led to a flood of emotions.
"I thought about my buddies I lost," Chandler said.
After a time he said he never wanted to remember what happened in Vietnam, he does.
But, as time as helped him heal, Sgt. Chandler wants to make sure nobody forgets what these troops did in that time.
"I want them to remember," Chandler said. "There's guys like me that are walking around that are Vietnam Veterans who are not that well."