USAF, 1968 - 1972
Army 68-71
You were not the only ones — and it was by design.
Perhaps it can give us empathy for the still more unwittingly degenerate youth of today.
Army 1958-59 Uijongbu, Korea Camp Red Cloud.
The ones who served in Korea were simply forgotten.
If I hadn’t enlisted in 1964 when I was 17 (they called it a “kiddie cruise”, since I was scheduled to be released when I reached age 21) – I most likely would have been drafted into the Army and been wounded or worse. As luck would have it, I enlisted into the Navy just before the ‘Gulf Tonkin Incident’ when the term Vietnam was not yet a household name – I couldn’t locate it on a map. After radioman school, I was assigned to COMCARDIV 3 at NAS Alameda. Being on a Rear Admiral’s staff, we served on many aircraft carriers in WestPAC. I never really thought much about the right or wrong of that war. And, like many others, I just served my unit and did my duty. Now I look back at those days and realize the uselessness of it all and still have deep feelings for the many lives lost in vain. I don’t believe I’m alone in these feelings.
I don’t blame any soldier that served. But, our Government and some military brass were definitely not all they could be. Byron was all he could be for the USMC until August 1, 1966, when he didn’t pay enough attention to where he stepped. The night before they had his unit showing Disney movies to the locals. He’d be about 79 this year. I’d love to hear his opinion.
Minor gripe of mine. Why were us Cold War service personell excluded from wearing the National Service ribbon? Did we not serve our Nation? A recruit just passing boot camp can now wear that ribbon. I find it an insult to the thousands of military folks who protected the US from the Soviet machine and other threats.
USAF 1972-79
Gunboats ‘68-’69. Mainly Danang.
Got over it. I think the PTSD diagnoses make it worse. The drugs they give the vets increase the suicides. They dont reduce the problems at all.
USN ‘75-’81 missed most of the conflicts, first of the “all volunteer navy”. No ptsd, no purple heart, not much to show for my active duty.
USAF 71 to 80.
Spent time in Thailand, slinging radar jamming pods on F4s. Linebacker II was lotsa fun...
Got the “Greetings” letter two weeks after heading for AF basic. Too Late Guys.
I remember WWII. My father went ashore at Normandy. Young men from ships to boats.. Knowing they were walking/running into gunfire from Germans on the hill.. Waiting to kill Americans. Those young men, some 18 yrs old, ran ashore.. With instructions to run! Don’t stop to help a fallen soldier.. Run! Getting aa many men on land as possible. To win a war.
America was together.. Not divided.. Even if you were not in combat, there were things all did for the men “over there”.
Ration stamps for scarce items. Nylon hose hard to find.. Nylon used for parachutes and other.. Drills for schools in case of bombings. Women went to work, replacing men who were fighting in Europe.
Movie tone news at the theater.. To catch up on the war.
Today our youth know nothing about a nation in war.. We are too comfortable and take our liberties for granted. They are not free.. They were paid for with blood from Americans who served.. And gave..
Ya know.. It takes the experience of a war to know.. But being thankful is one thing we all can be.
“Margaret Thatcher once quipped you could track the decline of the British Empire with the invention and use of the telephone. I guess she was implying Heretofore, commanders and viceroys in the field ran their territories free of meddling by the home office. Pretty much the same in WWII except for the onsight meddling later in the game as they began deciding the political ending for the war in Europe. By the time of Korea, we had the first instance of missions being run out of the White House which was more than expanded under Johnson in Vietnam. The results were disastrous.”
My snarky thought:
Politicians and bureaucrats MUST meddle to justify their existence. Maybe we’d be better off cutting all communications into combat theatres until the “last man standing” walks out and calls home.
We lost this one in DC.