What a disgrace! I would support, even today, the full court-martial of any and all involved in such absolute despicable activity.
And I'm willing to bet that your brother-in-law, obviously a man of serious will and character, doesn't even hold it against them. And if so, I hold it against them for him.
He volunteered both times. He was badly wounded twice. He EARNED and was AWARDED two purples, I have never heard him tell anyone that he was even in Vietnam, let alone anything about medals. I have seen the scars and they are not pretty.