A Veterans United Film
Where We Once Stood
More than 3.4 million Americans served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Many have carried its weight for decades, often in silence.
In 2025, to mark the 50th anniversary of the war’s end, Veterans United brought a small group of Veterans back to Vietnam for the first time.
Their remarkable story is captured in the upcoming feature-length documentary Where We Once Stood, narrated by executive producer Gary Sinise.
A Story of Reflection, Brotherhood and Reconciliation
Where We Once Stood offers a rare look at what happens when those who lived through the war step back into its landscape, not to relive the past but to come to terms with it.
As they move through a transformed country, this band of Veterans revisits places etched into their memories, from jungles and ridge lines to crash sites and prison cells.
Their service and stories reflect the breadth of that experience, including a Medal of Honor recipient, an aviator who rose to become Acting Secretary of the Navy, and a former Prisoner of War who spent seven years in captivity.
All are navigating what it means to return – to Vietnam, to each other and to the parts of themselves that were left behind.
Meet the Veterans
Get to know the inspiring Veterans who made the journey back to Vietnam.
Richard "Rich" Michael Coachys
Michael "Mike" D. Gilpin
Robert "Bob" Jeffrey
Everett "Vern" Kincheloe
Buddie Joe "BJ" Penn
David Rodriguez
Robert "Bob" Edward Saunders Jr.
James "Jim" Taylor
Esteban Valenzuela
