This true story chronicles the lives of five Veterans: Army Nurse Lou Eisenbrandt; Army Colonel Tony Nadal; 1st Marine Colonel Bill Duncan, otherwise known as Texas Pete; Colonel Donald “Doc” Ballard, Navy corpsman with the 4th Marines and Medal of Honor recipient; and Sergeant John Ligato, Marine platoon leader. Each of these individuals have traveled with C of O through the Patriotic Education Travel Program. When the Vietnam soldiers returned home, they were not met with parades, explosions of confetti, striking up of bands, cheers of joy, honoring ceremonies … nothing. Breaking the Silence is a play which tells these true stories with the hope that younger generations will recognize the sacrifices of their grandparents, the heartbreaking way American soldiers were treated as they returned home from Vietnam, and the disillusionment of anti-American philosophy which has pervaded our country.
