by Keith Anderson
It took 57 years but Vietnam war veteran Longwarry's Kevin Stephens eventually made it back to Vietnam earlier this year.
It was something he hadn't really wanted to do but eventually "gave in" to pressure from his wife Loris, children, grandchildren and their partners.
Twelve of them made the trip with Mr Stephens in January that took in many of the areas where Australian troops were active and based.
One particular location that provided some closure for Mr Stephens was the site where, on June 11, 1967, three months after arriving in the country as a machine gunner with the 7th battalion Royal Australian Regiment, he was seriously wounded.

It also was where his gunfire killed the enemy soldier that shot him a