(NEXSTAR) - April 30th marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. In numbers, the toll of the war was staggering. Of the over 2.7 million Americans who fought in the war, 58,000 were killed. Today, fewer than 850,000 Vietnam veterans are still living, many impacted by the ravages of war: PTSD, physical disorders and lifestyle readjustments. But the statistics don’t capture the scope of the trauma and sacrifice for troops who struggled to find acceptance when they returned home. Even stories of battle and loss told at family gatherings can fail to relay the immediacy of the danger and the realities of lives and friendships lost. In an effort to deepen public understanding of the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans, Nexstar - the parent company of this news station - sent veteran journalists to accompany veterans back to Vietnam to retell their stories of survival, and examine individual paths toward healing from the experience. Among the most profound experiences was a meal shared by veterans at the restaurant operated by a woman who was a notorious teen sniper during the war.“Yes, we are friends,” veteran Jan Pitman said after meeting the owner and sharing an embrace. “Never thought I’d be getting a hug from a VC lieutenant. Ever. We just… we both did our jobs. That’s all.” “That really surprised me, that I’d actually sit down with somebody who, you know, was our enemy,” said another veteran. In leading us through their past, this group of veterans explores emotions that often still feel quite raw. At the same time, they illustrate why the Vietnam War defined the youth of a generation of Americans.In the video player above, you can watch our complete special, Vietnam: A Lost Generation. This special is a centerpiece of our comprehensive coverage of the anniversary of the war. You can read much more in the Vietnam section of this website. In May, we’ll release a second hour-long special on Operation Baby Lift, the hectic mission to evacuate Vietnamese orphans and give them a new life in the United States.