Taking during the Vietnam War, “A Piece of my Heart” captures the experiences of different women involved in the battle.

In Act I, six women decide to join the war. At first, they are hopeful for a fresh start and excited to escape their own worlds. But they soon realize that Vietnam isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. As a dangerous night on the field wounds thousands of soldiers, mass casualties tear through the hospitals the women are working at. The memories of that night change them in ways they could have never imagined.

The end of the act brings the women back home to America where they are faced with the hardships of a normal everyday life. Transitioning from the setting of Vietnam in Act I to America in ACT II, the women struggle with life away from the war. As they reunite with their friends and families, they realize how everything around them has stayed the same besides themselves. The women experience flashbacks and haunting memories which eventually put them in rehab.

Years later, they stand tall before the Vietnam Memorial, staring at the long wall of names and remembering the lives lost. Finally, they come to peace with what happened to them and they feel proud to have been a part of the war.

Gallery • 11 Photos

Photo by Donna Armstrong