He released this Vietnam-themed LP in the rock-pop genre in 1986, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The title song "Vietnam: Still Part of Who I Am" (FPOSF # 1102108) looked at a Vietnam veterans attempt to find his place in society - which had labelled Vietnam a failure and a mistake. It can be viewed as part of a 1980s, Reagan-era trend of nationalism, or attempt to overcome the "Vietnam Syndrome". Narrated in the first person, the veteran said that originally he did not want to go to Vietnam, but the experience and memories had helped to define him. But when he returned he "found the country in flames" , and the government "were freeing draft dodgers while holding Calley to blame" - which indicated sympathy for the plight of Calley, and of course, criticism of those who avoided the draft, and possibly the anti-war movement. He concluded that the veterans had "come of age" and were no longer "naive" , and thus they could "be proud of Vietnam" and "love" the "country" .The track "Jake's Song" looked at the perspective of two soldiers held captive in Vietnam as prisoners of war (P.O.W.). The narrator explained that his and Jake's plane went down in the jungle, which they survived. However, they ended up "caught and beaten, locked in this goddamn cage" . The captors separated the soldiers, and the narrator wondered what happened to Jake, while he started to lose hope. It concluded with the soldier wishing he would die.
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Died October 1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. AKA F.P.O. San Francisco
Front cover "F.P.O. San Francisco / Vietnam / Still Part Of Who I Am", with a map of South Vietnam marked with the four Corps areas and Highway One, surrounded by snapshots of a young Marine in Vietnam; jacket made in Canada. The back carries McKenna's note, signed "Bill McKenna, 'Wild Willie', 233-4008": his tour of duty changed him forever, the 22 months "in-country" and the condemnation he met on returning home, and his offering of these memories so that veterans "may share again the pride in each other that only we can know". Service printed: '68–'69, 7th Engineer Battalion, 1st Mar. Div., I Corps; '69, 3rd Amtrac Bat., 3rd Mar. Div., I Corps. Dedicated "to all my brothers who served, especially to Animal, Doc, Lee, Freddie, Sonny, Mavrellis, Savo, Turk, Crazy Paul Harrington, Jim Mason, Matey and the more than 58,000 who were left behind." Tracks: side one Vietnam: Still Part of Who I Am, Billy's Friend, Kentucky Boy, The Veteran; side two R & R Woman, Vietnam Memories, Flashback, Không biết, America, Jake's Song. [From the record sleeve and labels]