--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went into Vietnam as a young man like…" description: "\"I went into Vietnam as a young man like John Wayne, because that's what my grandfather told me to do. But after my four year experience in the war, I c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/paul-raci-9038_experience_i-went-into-vietnam-as-a-young-man-like_1362991.jpg" --- # I went into Vietnam as a young man like John Wayne… ![“I went into Vietnam as a young man like John Wayne, because that's what my grandfather told me to do. But after my four year experience in the war, I came out as Lenny Bruce.” quote by Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/paul-raci-9038_experience_i-went-into-vietnam-as-a-young-man-like_1362991.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/paul-raci-9038_experience_i-went-into-vietnam-as-a-young-man-like_1362991.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/paul-raci-9038_experience_i-went-into-vietnam-as-a-young-man-like_1362991.jpg) > “I went into Vietnam as a young man like John Wayne, because that's what my grandfather told me to do. But after my four year experience in the war, I came out as Lenny Bruce.” [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He entered Vietnam with heroic expectations, but war transformed his worldview, turning him into a satirist. **In simple terms:** War changed his perspective. Key Takeaway Expectations shift after trauma. Themes war identity transformation Mood reflective bittersweet Type personal historical When to use this quote - military service - post‑war adjustment - creative expression - public speaking Key Concepts disillusionment satire heroism Questions to Reflect On - How did war reshape his values? - Can satire heal trauma? A Different Perspective His humor may mask deeper pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I went to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to visit all the troops. We would fly into a hospital and serve mess to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/i-went-to-vietnam-during-the-vietnam-war-to-visit-all-the-troops-we/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [I went to Vietnam. When I got back, it wasn't pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-went-to-vietnam-when-i-got-back-it-wasn-t-pretty/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [When I went to Vietnam in 1971 with Bob Hope, we went to Da Nang, which was a Marine base. I just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nabors/when-i-went-to-vietnam-in-1971-with-bob-hope-we-went-to-da-nang-which/) [Jim Nabors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nabors/) > [I gave up my children to an American couple and went to Vietnam on an army assignment where I helped soldiers identify and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-christo/i-gave-up-my-children-to-an-american-couple-and-went-to-vietnam-on-an/) [Bob Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-christo/) > [I went to Vietnam; it was my first assignment as a reporter for the UPI, and I never could get away from the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-sheehan/i-went-to-vietnam-it-was-my-first-assignment-as-a-reporter-for-the/) [Neil Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-sheehan/) > [ I went to Vietnam, and I was there for a long time. \[Using marijuana\] made the difference between staying human or, as Michael Douglas… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-went-to-vietnam-and-i-was-there-for-a-long-time-using-marijuana/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [The Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism will work on issues I am deeply passionate about given my combat experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/the-subcommittee-on-the-middle-east-north-africa-and-global/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [“We have shared the incommunicable experience of war, we have felt, we still feel, the passion of life to its top. In our youth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/we-have-shared-the-incommunicable-experience-of-war-we-have-felt-we/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/) > [“I don’t know that I’m afraid of anything anymore. Once you experience war you can never be the same. You see the world differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-meade/i-don-t-know-that-i-m-afraid-of-anything-anymore-once-you-experience/) [Glenn Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-meade/) > [“In my experience, those for whom war is lucrative are rarely satisfied. For them, war is opportunity, not hardship or sorrow. After all, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-harris/in-my-experience-those-for-whom-war-is-lucrative-are-rarely-satisfied/) [C.S. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-harris/) > [I understood that 'The Yellow Birds' would be a peculiar representation of the experience of being at war. I intended it to be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-powers/i-understood-that-the-yellow-birds-would-be-a-peculiar-representation/) [Kevin Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-powers/) > [“THE EXPERIENCE OF WAR was extraordinarily diverse. The Eastern Front, where 90 percent of all Germans killed in combat met their fate, overwhelmingly dominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-hastings/the-experience-of-war-was-extraordinarily-diverse-the-eastern-front/) [Max Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-hastings/) > [Your generation and mine have had very little real experience; we've been severed from the direct experience of war by some very good things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/your-generation-and-mine-have-had-very-little-real-experience-we-ve/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [There is no way that anyone could experience a war and witness all the horror that it brings without gaining a greater respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/there-is-no-way-that-anyone-could-experience-a-war-and-witness-all/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [I don't have the experience of being in a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-don-t-have-the-experience-of-being-in-a-war/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) ## More by Paul Raci > [I started professionally acting in '80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-started-professionally-acting-in-80/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I moved out here when I was 40 and guess what, they are not looking for 40-year-olds in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-moved-out-here-when-i-was-40-and-guess-what-they-are-not-looking/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You're going to see more inclusion in casting in this town, in Hollywood. You're going to see a lot more differently abled people, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-re-going-to-see-more-inclusion-in-casting-in-this-town-in/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [You throw all these obstacles in front of people, especially a lot of the deaf people that I've known in my life, you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/you-throw-all-these-obstacles-in-front-of-people-especially-a-lot-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [What I'm going to make sure happens, if I have anything to say about it, now that people are listening - we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/what-i-m-going-to-make-sure-happens-if-i-have-anything-to-say-about/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [We all know in the deaf community, there are deaf actors, men and women who are highly, highly skilled, highly intuitive, highly intelligent, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/we-all-know-in-the-deaf-community-there-are-deaf-actors-men-and-women/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I had so many deaf uncles that instilled in me this feeling of unconditional love, that's how I was brought up in that community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-had-so-many-deaf-uncles-that-instilled-in-me-this-feeling-of/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [John Williams was a Vietnam veteran and I'm a Vietnam veteran, I did two tours in Vietnam. So knowing that, that he wrote a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/john-williams-was-a-vietnam-veteran-and-i-m-a-vietnam-veteran-i-did/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [Everybody in Los Angeles is an actor, or they think they are, or they want to be. They're looking for that shot. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/everybody-in-los-angeles-is-an-actor-or-they-think-they-are-or-they/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [My father was deafened at the age of six months from spinal meningitis, so he never knew sound at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/my-father-was-deafened-at-the-age-of-six-months-from-spinal/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [This is why every actor wants to get a script - they want to see what the arc of the character is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/this-is-why-every-actor-wants-to-get-a-script-they-want-to-see-what/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [The Deaf population is not a monolith. It's so layered, so complicated. It's happy, it's sad, it's angry. The gamut of human emotion, amplified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/the-deaf-population-is-not-a-monolith-it-s-so-layered-so-complicated/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [There are too many talented deaf men and women out there who are actors, who really have chops, who really know what they're doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/there-are-too-many-talented-deaf-men-and-women-out-there-who-are/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [I'm so blessed that the garden I'm able to pull from, the actor's garden, is as rich as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/i-m-so-blessed-that-the-garden-i-m-able-to-pull-from-the-actor-s/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) [Explore all 75 Paul Raci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. 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