SAN ANTONIO – For many Vietnam veterans, the memories of war never left. But for Ed “Tex” Stiteler, going back helped ease the pain — and now he’s helping others do the same.
Photojournalist Adam Higgins caught up with Stiteler in February, just days before his latest trip to Vietnam in March. It marked his nearly 50th return to the country since 2001.
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Stiteler, a retired Marine and longtime educator, was wounded near Liberty Bridge in 1967, just 16 days before the end of his tour.
A bullet struck him under the jaw, shattering his teeth and damaging his vision. He spent months recovering and didn’t speak about the war for decades.
That changed in 2001, when he returned to Vietnam for the first time in more than 30 years.
Accompanied by two of his former squad members, he visited key locations tied to his service, including the sites where he was injured and his platoon sergeant was killed.
“It stopped the nightmares,” Stiteler said.
Since then, he has filled three passports and co-founded Vietnam Battlefield Tours, a nonprofit that helps veterans and their families revisit the places where their stories began. Each itinerary is customized, using original military maps and records to locate specific hills, villages and battlefields.
“When we get there, you can see it in their faces—something happens,” Stiteler said. “Sometimes they cry, sometimes they just need a minute. But it helps.”
His most recent group included 18 veterans and family members. For many, the experience brought long-awaited closure and a sense of peace, something Stiteler knows firsthand.
After years of avoiding the past, he now spends his time helping others face it, one return trip at a time.
To find out more about Vietnam Battlefield Tours, click here.
