Dave Peters was born in St. Catharines, Ontario. He grew up in a farming community not far from there, and he learned the value of hard work, often joining his father in his job at the CNR. His mother grew up in wartime Belgium, and she recounted many of her stories to Dave when he was young. Dave’s own childhood took place against the backdrop of the 50s and 60s: times were good, but the Cold war was escalating. When an American friend was drafted to fight in Vietnam, Dave made the decision to go with him. Dave went south of the border to enlist – a decision he did not share with his parents: he told them he was in South Carolina working in a factory. He was really in training, now a US Marine at Parris Island who would shortly be on his way to Vietnam. He arrived in Danang and very quickly got a sense of what was on the way. Dave was assigned to the 3rd Recon Battalion, so it was his job to go in advance of the regular infantry and to scout enemy positions, a task often done at night. Dave saw many firefights and close encounters with the enemy in his two tours; he also specialized in Long Range Patrols (LRPs), going deep into the jungle where he and his fellow soldiers would encounter wild animals and traps in addition to the enemy. They also dealt with the hazards of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants. When his DEROS came, Dave returned to Canada, finding very few people understood his choice to fight. He felt alienated and for a time took work in the Far North, though eventually brought him back to Ontario, where he found his way and joined the Legion, sharing his story with other veterans. Dave Peters was interviewed by Scott Masters and Zach Dunn at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 138 Merritton, in St. Catharines, Ontario in December 2024.