Vietnam Army Grunts Museum | The Army Grunts Story — Attraction in Shavano Park

The Vietnam Grunt Army Museum, located on the first floor of the Lynd Building, is at 4499 Pond Hill Road off Northwest Military, at the northern edge of Shavano Park, a stone's throw away from 1604 eastbound. It opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM.

I went to the museum a few weeks ago after reading an article in the San Antonio Express-News. I wanted to make contact for personal reasons because my older brother fought 15 months in Vietnam with 1st Army Air Calvary.

Today, Veterans Day, I expected to stay about 30 minutes and leave. Instead, I was treated and honored to be given a complete tour and description by the gentleman and successful San Antonio businessman whom envisioned and arranged the opening of the Vietnam Army Grunt Museum in the building bearing his name, Mr. Michael Lynd. I left an hour and a half later hoping to remember just a portion of what I learned.

When we hear the word, "museum," we sometimes think of an old, dark building with a lot of old stuff; that's not the case here. Light permiates almost every item and corner. Every museum piece tells a specific story about the men and women who fought, lived or died in the theater of South Vietnam. It opened in October 2019, at the advent of COVID-19, so a lot of us had never heard of it. In a way, it can have a kind of "healing effect" for some hurting from events or circumstances of war.

As a young man in the Army who joined after college (rather than running off to Canada), Michael Lynd was Executive Officer of his unit. [I was so intrigued by his story, I failed to ask him his rank or even the name of his unit! I'll find out, and edit later.] The main thing is he was there!

I submitted about 45 photographs after asking what was especially important to Mike. I think everything is important to him, but one thing he showed me was a grunt's transistor radio left in a duffle bag in a barn for 50 years. He put a battery into it, and the radio worked perfectly! (The duffle bag yielded an item for the completion of the key museum display of a full grunt's uniform.) In another area, he show me a display of the nurses who made life and death decisions for the wounded while being in danger themselves. It appeared to me he was still genuinely, emotionally moved by their sacrifice.

Another display showed a photograph of Mike's general, a square-jawed man who looked like he should be in a movie. The story is his helicopter crashed, and he was rescued by none other than a young Collin Powell.

A striking painting showed an elephant and a Vietnamese sniper, two U.S. aircraft and a small, yellow spot on the hill which was really Mike's unit.

One area I forgot to photograph and will go back to edit for this review, is a wall that any Vietnam Vet may sign with a black felt pen. It was therapeutic for me to sign my brother's name in his absence.

Mr. Lynd's concern is the Vietnam War will become "a footnote in history" between World War II and our wars in the Middle East. I urge local ROTC programs plan to take an afternoon to visit and study the museum, as well as local media and those who want to learn history from someone who...

We went to visit the museum since our father/grandfather served 2 tours in Viet Nam & wanted to learn more about this war & what soldiers were up against. We had an excellent tour guide - Sgt. Wayne Lund & was so appreciative how he took the time to explain each detail of the war & answered all our questions. As well as he has a great talent for writing poems from his experience & his camarades. I would encourage everyone to visit this museum, these soldiers made big sacrifices for...

Great job to the founder,, foundation and all the people involved for making this Museum a reality. May God bless you, each and everyone. It makes me feel honored to say," I was a Vietnam Vet who served my Country and the people I Love. May God bless all Our fallen soldiers and there families for there Sacrifices....