Re: Old story.

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

On 1/21/2014 croemer said:
Ford I have to agree with BlueCollar here, he really let his unit down and this was AWOL.I am surprised he wasn't court martialed?

He didn't let his unit down per se since they were not in Vietnam yet, let alone in a battle scenario.

croemer · ‎03-10-2010

OK...you could be right there. Was he AWOL tansy...I think he was?

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tansy · ‎01-02-2011

On 1/21/2014 croemer said:
OK...you could be right there. Was he AWOL tansy...I think he was?

Definitely AWOL croemer from what I understand but just getting sent for the first time into Vietnam.

scotttie · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/21/2014 croemer said:
Ford I have to agree with BlueCollar here, he really let his unit down and this was AWOL.I am surprised he wasn't court martialed?

I agree. I think he was snowing you Ford. That would be considered desertion as well as AWOL. I just asked my dh about it. (A Viet Nam vet) he said if you could do that he wished someone had told him....

garmer · ‎03-16-2010

Maybe he was granted the status of conscientious objector at the hearing. He wouldn't be required to participate in battle if so. I thought that had to be addressed at the time they were drafted, though. I can't really remember much about it right now. Just a thought.

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

On 1/21/2014 garmer said:
Maybe he was granted the status of conscientious objector at the hearing. He wouldn't be required to participate in battle if so. I thought that had to be addressed at the time they were drafted, though. I can't really remember much about it right now. Just a thought.

I knew a guy who was granted conscientious objector status but he still served as an EMT in Vietnam.

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

All I know is what he told me. I didn't probe, as I felt sorry for him. I felt bad that he felt it necessary to tell me (or any first date) about this. I think he had a lot of guilt. That war, in one way or another, messed a lot of people up. I think we are seeing that again, frankly.

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

garmer · ‎03-16-2010

Tansy, that makes sense. Being an EMT or medic is a passive position. I'm starting to remember a little about it.

Remember at that time Cassius Clay (M.Ali) was having a hard time claiming con. objector as he was a fighter by trade? I don't remember how that turned out. I'm thinking he did succeed, I don't remember him being shipped out to war. As I said, this is my memory, only.

scotttie · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/21/2014 garmer said:
Tansy, that makes sense. Being an EMT or medic is a passive position. I'm starting to remember a little about it.

Remember at that time Cassius Clay (M.Ali) was having a hard time claiming con. objector as he was a fighter by trade? I don't remember how that turned out. I'm thinking he did succeed, I don't remember him being shipped out to war. As I said, this is my memory, only.

He went to jail didn't he?

scotttie · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/21/2014 Ford1224 said:
All I know is what he told me. I didn't probe, as I felt sorry for him. I felt bad that he felt it necessary to tell me (or any first date) about this. I think he had a lot of guilt. That war, in one way or another, messed a lot of people up. I think we are seeing that again, frankly.

Ford, there were some fellas who regretted that they didn't serve. At the time it was terrifying to be an 18 or 19 year old in those days(as I'm sure you recall). A strange phenomenon that has ocurred since then is that there are some who didn't serve have tried to "enhance" their service. There is a website (or used to be ) called "stolen valor". Anyway, I suspect his guilt had more to do with not serving at all.