Jeanine Herman of El Dorado Hills, left, hugs Rich Buchanan, 79, of Placerville, right, after meeting him for the first time. Buchanan said he fought side by side with Herman's younger brother, Thomas and they were both wounded in the first battle fought by Americans soldiers in Viet Nam for which Buchanan was awarded a purple heart and Thomas Thuesen, a Silver Star. Photo by Shelly Thorene