There are many who mislead the general public regarding their military service during the Vietnam years. I served 18 months on Okinawa (6/67-12/68)in the military police corps. Every marine that was Viet bound stopped at the "Rock" coming and going. It was also used for R&R. I was involved in inumerable barroom and back alley brawls, several full scale riots, (civilian anti American and civil rights race riots) one in particular the day MLK was killed. Twelve hour shifts seven days a week during Tet. After that, we would get 24 hours off after so many days. I was shot at and missed, sh-t at and hit. Stayed drunk or stoned most of the time. When I came home in 1970 I was refused membership in VFW because I didn't serve in a combat zone. I carried that resentment for 30 years until
the epiphany. This guy never left the states, but at least he served..
We all agreed that we wouldn't get any recognition for being there under REAL guns and at intensely high risk from authentic soldiers in a modern army equipped with atom bombs ~ being a "trip wire" is tough duty, but somebody's got to do it, and I know what I did even if it doesn't matter to anyone else on Earth.
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