- Joined
- Sep 3, 2018
- Messages
- 30,122
- Reaction score
- 3,395
- Location
- Meridian, Idaho
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Centrist
My father was a lifer, shot in the head during WWII and survived. Went back for more in Korea, got shot in the head again, and survived. From those head wounds, he suffered multiple strokes annually until he passed because of those strokes. He made his four sons swear they would never enlist. Three of us did enlist. One died, one came back wounded and emotionally shattered, drugged and drank himself to death. I came back a mess from friendly fire. My youngest brother was too young to enlist during the war is SE Asia. My father was right. Those young men who were unwilling to engage in that war, in a land few Americans had heard of, and for which no one could supply good reasons, were correct to refuse to enlist and avoid the draft. It was a waste of American blood, for nothing more than the paranoia of old rich men who themselves never fought in any wars. They were not spoiled brats, they were young men and women who saw injustice. They saw the fascism my father fought against take hold among our trusted politicians.
I had several uncles wage war in WW2. One a cook in the officers mess when in the Army transferred to the New Air Force since that was his job in the Army. One was in the Tank Crew under Patton and those and t he youngest uncle came back from WW2. The youngest decided to stay in the Army and ended up in Korea and after blowing a bridge, he was shot by the North Koreans. He enjoyed talking about war to those who wanted to know about war.
The uncle in the Air Force was in for Korea and Vietnam as well when he retired as an E-9. He told them he would go back to Vietnam if they left his son out of the war. The Son also was sent to fight in Vietnam, my cousin. 3 tours in Vietnam for that uncle.