My dad was just under the age limit for the draft. If he had been two years older he probably would have been called. With that being said, I have known other people that went. Some seemed to not want to talk about it all, others would say "I've seen some stuff", yet no elaborations, and others, like my ex-father-in-law had no problem being outright.
I am in the age-class of the very last year taken in the Draft. Oh, one more year was drawn, but no one was compelled to serve. I entered service that autumn voluntarily -- NROTC, but I was given a medical discharge due but poor eyesight. I later enlisted in the Army in the early 1980s, long after the Vietnam experience (war). But I could feel a transition happening due to Reagan's influences. I experienced a peacetime Army - except for that blip of the swift war with Granada (island nation). Strangely enough of all the personnel and all the units who were NOT involved in that affair, me and my unit almost were called up for that blip of a war. A few years after I left service I noticed an officer I served closely with was in Panama immediately after that 'war'. My former unit went to Bosnia and participated in the 1991 Gulf War. But, no, I never fired a weapon in anger, nor spoke to 'enemy soldiers', only friendlies.
My father served in the USAF and was a crewman on the AC-130 during 'Nam, he was returned Stateside before the TET offensive.
This is a hard one to write more than one line. Yes. 82nd Airborne. Attached to the 195th Assault Helicopter Co. Long Bien, Vietnam. 1968-1969.
My dad's generation was first people that didn't automatically serve in the Armed Services after graduating high school. Both my grandpas served. One was in the Navy, bringing men home after the war. The other was in Korea. I am not against people serving, even if they don't plan on becoming career officers. Anyone who enlists and serves their time is brave, and dedicated to out country and our freedoms. A part of me wishes I had made the choice to give it a try when I was young.
I have only met or heard of a few people I would deem as being cowards in the United States. In war time, medaled or not a soldier is an automatic hero but the civilians that continually stay strong as Americans are heros as well. It took a lot during the Vietnam war for people to help patch our wounded nation instead of digging the gashes deeper. Instead of goose stepping to the callings of Jane Fonda and others like her, they tried to understand the soldier rather than the war. There are two ways to fight to protect our freedoms. Physically, as a combat soldier. Compassionately, as the informed freedom loving vertebrae of our nation. Many people held the dam while the water threatened. Others, like one of our recent past presidents, ran for cover.
I often walk through cemeteries, helping me have a stillness and peace I don't get in a lot of other places. While I am walking and reflecting, I read the headstones, and wonder about the lives of these people. When I see all the young soldiers that gave up their lies, it is discontenting. We can say they gave up their lives for a purpose, and that our freedoms are still alive for their sacrifice, but I bet their parents would have liked to see them grow older and have a family and appreciate all the things we daily take for granted. For this reason, part of me is grateful dad didn't get drafted or join the Armed Forces. I could have lost him a lot sooner than I did.
My dad saw harsh combat in the war, but he didn't talk much about it. I'm assuming it was terrible because he sometimes had nightmares. Well, at least my dad wasn't obsessed with his past, unlike another guy I know who never stops talking about Vietnam. I think sometimes real tough guys just don't talk about the war.
Jason, I have noticed, like you, veterans who lived and died combat often have such painful and disturbing memories they just rather not talk about their experiences lest some truely awful memory be jarred loose. Such memories are often little hob-goblins lurking in their minds just waiting to leap into the conscience where they can cause harm.
