Semper Fi

Nora McInerny explores the impact of the Vietnam War on her father by attending a reunion of his Marine Corps unit. The episode centers on a specific patrol on September 20, 1968, during which a fellow Marine, Felipe Herrera, was killed. Through interviews with veterans like Curtis Gritzmacher and Phil Arrett, Nora pieces together the events of that day, revealing how it shaped her father's emotional distance and survivor's guilt. The narrative recounts Felipe's heroic actions, the heavy combat, and the subsequent death of Sergeant Johnson, highlighting the profound trauma experienced by the soldiers. A letter from Nora's father to her mother reveals his detachment as a survival mechanism. The episode underscores the lasting impact of war and the burdens of guilt carried by those who served.