In 1972, I was living, & working 7 days a week, in Memphis, Tn, & my birthdate was read over the radio via WLS out of Chicago for the 69 tag pulled from the lottery, .....
I went down to the Memphis AAFEES Station & enlisted, I have had rotten tomatoes, & eggs thrown at me, while boarding aircraft in the US from protesters against the war, but went on to my duty stations, regardless of where they would take me, . . . . I was 18, scared, but sure of my companions, & leadership, & would have followed them into hell if so ordered, . . . . & still would, . . .
Death does not scare me as it used to, but agonizing suffering does, . . . So I would wear one of these POW bracelets for Sgt. Bergdahl with the same pride that I wore our uniform, i have had to go without hot meals for weeks on end, wash up out of a steel pot using the sandy dust for water, & find a place to crap far enough away from our encampment so that the stench would not overpower your senses, without the protection, or convenience of TP, utilizing what ever was at hand, eating 35 year old C-rations on an every meal basis, for weeks on end, . . . & lived out of our vehicles, & doing field maintenance that should have been done on a preparatory basis, instead of waiting for field trials to bring our unreadiness to our attentions, cannabalizing parts off of equipment, to make our vehicles run, & even rewired a deuce & 1/2 with commo wire & still managed to pass a V-Corp inspection, because it was logged as field expedience, . . . . .
The oath I undertook as an 18 year old has never expired for me, & it never shall, . . . .
I love my country, & will always defend her, for the rights & liberties that we still enjoy today, . . . . Regardless of who is in office, or what party they may belong to, . . . Has no effect in my judgement, with all of my faculties intact, . . .
John E. O. III
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1 comment:
I am glad I got to read your story. It is an honor to read what our soldiers endured during the wars. My daddy was a World War Vet he would not or could not talk about his time in the army and he was also in the Navy. His nightmares said it all. I ordered a bracelet At Christmas to honor a soldier who was lost in action in Viet Nam he was 24 his helicopter went down his body was never found Although I do not know him I chose his name and have prayed each day for him he would be in his 80s by now. I chose him but it is to honor all Viet Nam vets. Thank you for your service and God Bless to you and all who served in honor.
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