[VietVet]

“I was in the Army then. We were training only to protect Federal installations.”

I was also in the Army. It is not true that “it was not the military that responded but the National Guard...” The Guard units turned out first, under State authority (or in the case of DC, the equivalent local authority), but US Army units were soon deployed to reinforce them. As I recall, units from the Airborne Divisions were sent to Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.

[OK Sun]

There was too much going on being a soldier in those days, so I don't recall much that happened outside of what I was actually doing.

I may be wrong, but D.C. is under Federal control. I'm assuming that its National Guard is under the authority of the President, so it would be appropriate to call in Federal troops to back them up. Don't have any idea about Baltimore.