I graduated from high school in 1971, not yet eligible for the draft. In 1972 I turned 18. The war was winding down, and the number of American soldiers ‘in country’ was significantly reduced from the peak in 1968. Still, the word on the street was that young draftees were being sent to the front lines to replace the guys who had survived tours of combat and wanted to go home in one piece. The young grunts were easy meat for the more experienced and war-tough Viet Cong.

A great Marine recruiter had approached us senior boys at my high school before graduation, and I thought about enlisting, but after graduation, with help from my dad and my young wife, I was able to afford college and bypass military service.

1972 was my first year eligible for the draft lottery, and my number was 228. That year only the first 95 birthdates were drafted.

I was relieved, of course, at the time. Still, I had a gnawing ache that so many of my brothers had served and died in ‘Nam, and I didn’t. I saw the war protests on the nightly news, along with the reports of guys returning from the war being vilified as “baby killers”.

To this day, over 50 years later, there is a special place in my heart for Vietnam vets, who served our nation in that ugly war, without really knowing how their spilled blood made a damn bit of difference. Some were driven by pure patriotism, and some were just unfortunate draftees. All of them laid it on the line for their buddies.

Throughout our history, America has lost many brave young men on the battlefields, including more recent conflicts in the Middle East. Some Americans would have us send our young to Ukraine for God knows what purpose. I’m a patriot, and have reverence for all of our lost soldiers and war veterans. But I don’t ever want to experience the national heartache of the pointless Vietnam War again.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

He blesses the boys as they stand in line
The smell of gun grease and the bayonets they shine
He’s there to help them all that he can
To make them feel wanted he’s a good holy man

SKY PILOT – Eric Burdon and the Animals

5 thoughts on “Vietnam”

That essay was powerful . I was an ROTC Marine flight candidate in my college tour of duty. I graduated in 73 , a short time after the debacle ended. The backlog of enlistments were substantial after the end of the war. We were offered a resignation some time later which I accepted and went on with my life. Now, I realize I never missed any of it.

Spot on.

War changes everything!

You reminded me of the Country Joe and the Fish song.

The clean version:
Country Joe & The Fish – Vietnam Song lyrics
Well, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He’s got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We’re gonna have a whole lotta fun.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Come on Wall Street, don’t be slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go
There’s plenty good money to be made
By supplying the Army with the tools of its trade,
But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let’s move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Now you can go out and get those reds
‘Cause the only good commie is the one that’s dead
And you know that peace can only be won
When we’ve blown ’em all to kingdom come.
And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.
Come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, and don’t hesitate
To send your sons off before it’s too late.
And you can be the first ones in your block
To have your boy come home in a box.
And it’s one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.