When people talk about Vietnam, they often talk about dates, battles, or politics. What they rarely talk about are the quiet details: the responsibility placed on teenagers, the fear that arrives without warning, and the memories that follow veterans home long after the war ends.
In our latest episode, we sat down with Vietnam veteran and writer Brian Delate, who was drafted at 19 and sent halfway around the world. Brian shares what they don’t tell you about Vietnam: from flying into a war zone on a commercial airline, to stepping off the plane into overwhelming heat and unfamiliar smells, to being entrusted with millions of dollars’ worth of weapons as the armorer for a helicopter company.
Brian speaks candidly about leadership at a young age, the loyalty forged between soldiers, and the moment he realized that survival was never guaranteed. He also reflects on the psychological toll of war; how fear changes you, how grief can surface years later, and how coming home doesn’t mean everything goes back to normal.
What makes Brian’s story especially powerful is how he transformed these experiences into a life of storytelling. Through theater, writing, and advocacy, he’s found ways to process trauma, honor fallen friends, and help other veterans feel seen and understood.
We’re deeply grateful to Brian for trusting us with his story and helping preserve a piece of history that deserves to be remembered.
Brian Delate: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0216507
- Guardianangelsfilm.com
- GUARDIAN ANGELS ~ reveals how the human angels on and of this world and those entities from another realm can guide and direct us. In 1973, a profound event in the form of a dream transformed Brian Delate’s life. Was it a close encounter? An Out-Of-Body experience? Or a visit from “The Great Beyond”? You decide.
After having served in the Vietnam War, the path after coming home was destructive, but real-life guardian angels intervened to guide him in a life-affirming direction. The dream came later, but its impact on his thinking and behavior would be forever. Especially, with the aftermath of the war and the suicide ideation that followed. So, Guardian Angels contains a life-affirming message, which is about living.