Learning to reconcile his experiences in Vietnam with the life he left for himself in America was a slow process. There seemed to be a void within his being that had once held a trusting innocence of the horrors of the conflict that claimed the lives of more than 50,000 American soldiers. All I wanted to do was sleep. As with all wounds, time has a way of offering some clarity. Through the years, Cortner was able to release his resentments of the year he spent in Vietnam, coming to see it as a source of growth in his life rather than lost time.
Life is too short to carry the grudges.
However, Cortner possesses a strong desire to keep the memory of the conflict and the soldiers who served there alive. Too many times in our country's history, we have forgotten our men and women who fought and died on foreign soil. The decision to return to Vietnam was made amidst apprehensions and mixed feelings for Cortner. In July 1970 when he left the country, he thought he had closed the door on that chapter of his life forever. He was given the opportunity to return to the country as a Christmas gift from his son.