CATLETTSBURG — There is a happy ending for all who have been hunting for Vietnam veteran  Jim Jackson of Catlettsburg after reading about the efforts of his old Army buddy Chris Johnson, who was trying to find him for a reunion and dedication in Louisville this week.

“I found him!” Johnson said Tuesday after leaving a message on Jackson’s answering machine. A few hours later, the call was returned.

“I had plenty of help,” Johnson said with a chuckle, explaining local people made all-out efforts to find Jackson after reading a story in Tuesday’s edition of The Independent. “The phone rang at 8:30 (a.m.) and it was Bob Middlestead who said he knew Jim and grew up with him and knew he was in Vietnam, but he didn’t know much about what he did there.”

Jackson said Middlestead told him he believed Johnson had moved to Alaska for about four years, but had since moved back to Catlettsburg. “He said he knew he saw him a few months ago and wanted to make sure it was the right one.”

“I got another call at quarter-til nine. Yes. I’ve had plenty of help. I also talked to Lacy Johnson, he lives in Hazard, and he said he had a friend who had talked to Jim,” adding that friend told him Jackson didn’t seem to want to talk about anything related to his time in Vietnam.

Johnson ultimately credited The Independent’s Sue Fosson, who works in the circulation department, for putting him in touch with Jackson. Fosson, who remembered Jackson once delivered newspapers, said her phone started ringing early that morning as well.

“Bob Jobe and Steve Spears both called me. They went to Catlettsburg High School with Jim and they both knew he passed papers in Catlettsburg with Mary Thompson,” Fosson said, explaining there was no information about Jackson in the company’s computers because he essentially worked as the late Thompson’s “helper” during her morning route. With a few phone calls, however, Fosson said she was able to determine where he was staying and soon had him on the phone.

“He remembered Chris and said it was OK to give Chris his number,” she said.

Johnson said he would have understood if Jackson had been reluctant to reconnect with his experiences in Vietnam, an attitude he admits is not uncommon among those who served their country in Vietnam and found themselves unwelcome when they returned to America.

“The way people treated you when you came back ... that was kind of disappointing. I can’t personally say I experienced as much of it as the others. I flew home to Louisville and it was 2 a.m. when I landed. There was nobody at the airport. I know if it had been 2 in the afternoon that would have been different. I didn’t experience being called ‘baby killer’ and being spit on and given the finger and stuff like that, but I’ve got buddies who did,” he said.

“I got drafted and so did Jim. We didn’t particularly care to do this,” Johnson continued, explaining he adopted a do-the-best-you-can attitude to help get through his time in Vietnam. “I’m proud of what I did. Regardless of what the outcome was, I did what I had to do and I’m proud of it.”

Johnson said Jackson called him late Tuesday and they spoke for quite a long time. The details of the conversation will remain between the two Vietnam vets, although Johnson was pleased to report his old buddy will likely be able to make it to Louisville Friday morning for the dedication of a monument in honor of their old unit, F Troop.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.