PEWAUKEE, Wis. — A veteran from Wisconsin has fought many battles after returning from war decades ago.
The generation of Vietnam veterans had it hard coming home. For some, it’s an ongoing battle to this day.
Larry Peissig is a Navy veteran from Pewaukee. He served in the Vietnam War back in 1971. During his time overseas, he worked on boats defending his country.
Now, his life looks much different. He starts and ends his day the same way — taking handfuls of medications.
Peissig is a survivor. He’s battled Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a rare kidney cancer. Over the years, he’s also developed a handful of other medical issues.
“It’s basically, I get up in the morning and see how I feel,” Peissig said. “That’s what it is.”
While serving in the war, Peissig was exposed to Agent Orange. He said he didn’t know it at the time, however, people mentioned that Agent Orange was being used.
It wasn’t until many years later that he found out the effects that came along with it.
Agent Orange is a defoliant that was used as a war-time tactic to take down trees and foliage while fighting.
It has many harmful chemicals inside of it that allow it to do its job. Those chemicals are ones that Peissig had in his drinking water, along with many others serving in the military. He said it’s what caused his cancer.
“I was drinking the water and everything there when I was with them,” Peissig said. “I never thought anything of it, because I was 21 or 22 at the time, and I was just counting down the days until I could get home.”
He’s now cancer free, but he still battles a handful of health issues on a daily basis. He said some days can be hard. However, he’s found an outlet through woodworking in his shop.
“This here takes my mind off it,” Peissig said. “When I sit and watch TV, sometimes the things come back.”
He creates many items and takes them to craft shows to sell. He said this allows him to showcase his creativity and have a much needed outlet in his life.
Peissig got emotional when he explained that he still battles mentally from the war.
“I’m one of the survivors, but there are a lot of people who didn’t survive, that I know,” Peissig said.
This emotional and mental struggle is a tough reality many veterans face every day. And while it’s been 50 years since the end of the war, Peissig said his fight is far from over.
Through the PACT Act, many veterans now have expanded coverage for exposure to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances.