Brooklyn, New York, was where Henry returned after an honorable discharge in December 1966, but home did not end the effects of war. His post-traumatic stress disorder followed him there, shaping family life and bringing severe symptoms that eventually led to treatment at a veterans hospital in New York City.

A Home After Combat

Henry remained in combat for seven months before crying outbursts and uncommunicative withdrawal led to his honorable discharge. He returned to Brooklyn, New York, where he married and had children. The passage presents the city as the setting for his attempt to resume civilian and family life, while making clear that the transition home did not resolve the trauma of his military service.

Trauma in Civilian Life

In Brooklyn, Henry experienced nightmares and disabling headaches. At times, he ran from his house in a state of alarm, showing how the war continued to intrude into ordinary life. His post-traumatic stress disorder also undermined his ability to manage his behavior, complicating his adjustment after combat and affecting the life he had begun with his family.

Treatment and Significance

Henry eventually entered a veterans hospital in New York City and underwent a slow, difficult recovery from severe head pain associated with his war injuries. Brooklyn’s significance in this account lies in the contrast between return and recovery: it was home, but not an immediate refuge from the consequences of combat. The account locates those consequences in both the persistence of symptoms after discharge and the prolonged process of seeking care.