- I was never in favor of the war in Vietnam, never was.

But America called they said, you have to go to Vietnam and I'm proud to be an American, I can't be more proud of anything else, and I went.

I'm judge Tom Munley and I'm a Vietnam veteran.

I was born and raised in Jessup, Pennsylvania, about 10 miles from here, really stayed here my whole life.

I was a school teacher, at Jessup school for one year, I really enjoyed it a lot, but I wanted something more in my life, that's what I felt like.

(soft music) I figured being a college graduate, I'd never go into the infantry, I figured I'd have a desk job in Paris or something.

Little did I know, after I finished basic training, infantry training right to Vietnam, right in the infantry.

Nothing prepares you for war, fighter fights, booby traps, snipers, mortars, artillery, that's what it is, and you see guys get killed right next to you.

I fought for a whole year to stay alive, and I fought to keep my soldiers with me alive.

Every one of those soldiers that was with me, would have given up their life for me, every single one, African American soldiers, white American soldiers, the Hispanic soldiers, Asian soldiers, that's what it was to be an American.

(soft music) I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer, but it wasn't easy because all the trauma that you go through, it's 24 hours a day, when you're in Vietnam in the infantry, but I try to keep my character my composure as much as I could.

I was determined to do it, and that's what happened.

(soft music) What makes America unique to me is the freedom I have, I know I'm gonna go to bed at night, I feel safe.

I know I'm gonna wake up the morning I'm gonna be able to have food on the table.

I know the people around me are gonna care about me, and I care about them, and that's what I love.

(soft music) We are a diverse country, the melting pot of all different ethnic groups from all over the world.

I have four grandchildren that I'm very, very proud of, and I want them to grow up in a country, where diversity exists, where they love everybody, no matter what ethnic background you're from, that everybody gets along, and I'm gonna try to teach them that as they grow up.

We get along as a country, as Americans.

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