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Two veterans in their 70s embarked on a journey back to Vietnam almost 55 years after serving during the war. Over 10 days, they biked nearly 400 miles to return to their former bases deep in the jungle and visit locations they never saw during their deployment. The long-awaited trip wasn’t solely for their own reflection — it served as a tribute to the lives lost on both sides of the conflict.
“What we hope to do is carry the spirit of all who were with us, and so many of those have already passed,” said Kent Sovern, 75, before leaving on the trip.
He got involved with the expedition after coming across a post online by fellow veteran Marc Gimbel, who turned 77 the last day of the trip, seeking other veterans and bicycle enthusiasts to join him.
The two men served in the same U.S. Army Rangers company, undertaking the same mission at the same time, but they never crossed paths.
Although both are avid cyclers, Gimbel didn’t begin biking until age 50. He started out riding an old bike that was sitting in the back of his garage, eventually working his way up to cycling across multiple states and even Europe.
“He and I are gung ho about this, as we used to say in the Army,” Sovern said.
Personal challenges and resilience
Sovern, a former AARP Iowa state director, had wanted to return to Vietnam since 1998 after watching Vietnam, Long Time Coming, a documentary that followed a group of veterans who biked from northern to southern Vietnam.
Sovern’s plans were interrupted when his wife experienced complications from Parkinson’s disease, requiring him to become her full-time caregiver. He was able to make this trip, his first away from his caregiving duties, thanks to the help of family members who served as interim caretakers.
Health issues also delayed Gimbel: He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a condition the Army attributed to his exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.
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