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Hope all on here have a safe and happy Veterans Day. Veterans, thank you for your service!
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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My elder son, a Commander USN, thanks all for their recognition of service.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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What's RVN again? I think you told me, but I forgot.
Capt., USAF, 1964-1968 and NYANG, 1969-1970 (activated for the postal strike, 3/70 - the mail went through!)
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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To be more specific, I served as part of HQ 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN July 67-68.
But what counts is that 'we served', and Capt. Mike, SIR, who served away from the war zone, had a support role to the entire mission.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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To all Servicemen and women, past and present, thanks for your service.
Joe Urda HM2 Hospital Corpsman Second Class USN Hospital Philadelphia ('66-'68) USN Hospital Yokosuka, Japan - Far East Mortuary ('68-'69)
Posts: 85 | From: Finger Lakes Region of NY | Registered: Jun 2008
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Ah, yes, RVN, that southeast asian vacation land.
G H Harris, 2LT, then 1LT, company C, 92nd Engineer Batallion, Long Binh., 1971. It was a construction unit, so I spent my time building things, quite a bit of it with local Vietnamese laborers as well as my own platoon. (Drafted in 1969, total time active 2 yrs, 6 mos, 10 day, then inactive reserves for a few years to avoid losing the commision.) I knew several people that served in WW2 that found themselves called back up for Korea.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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George, just curious here. How did you get drafted into a commission? Did you go to OCS?
I remember spending an extra semester as an undergraduate in early 1964 just to keep my student deferment. Alas, the jig was up in early Feb., and I got my draft notice within a month. Luckily, I took the AF physical for flight training up at Stewart AFB, NY and, although my eyesight disqualified me from wings, I was accepted as an OTS candidate (Communications), and went in as an E-5 on Apr. 2, and an O-1 on July 1st with a 4-yr. obligation. Wound up giving them 4-1/2 years, though.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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I went through OCS. If you were an MD, you did get drafted into a commission. I think there may have been some others but not many. Generally it was 6 months of running around and doing pushups after completing your basic and AIT.
I still went through basic and AIT before going into OCS, so it was something like 10 1/2 months from induction to commission. The obligation was 2 years from date of commission. Thanks to the late 1971 force reductions I got 4 months taken off my obligated active duty time, so my 24 month obligation turned into 20 months. Even those that wanted to stay in were not allowed to.
I would have signed up for Air Force, but like you, eyesight disqualified me from flying.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I was what they called a 90-day wonder. Could have stayed in, but too risky as a "Reserve" rather than a "Regular" officer. Out voluntarily in late 1968, rather than getting "riffed" out a few years later.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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I missed this thread when it hit because I spent Veterans Day on the highway coming back from a three-day weekend with my family.
Stopped briefly near Bulls Gap, TN to photograph a local Norfolk Southern freight train which, surprisingly, was hauling a former ACL dining car back to its' owner, the Watauga Valley NRHS Chapter, in Bristol, TN. The car had been used on a pair of 21st Century Steam excursions out of Chattanooga the Saturday and Sunday before.
That said..... I hope that 11/11/13 was an enjoyable day for all of my fellow veterans.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Yes, indeed, thank you all for all you have done for your fellow citizens.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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George Harris, I was one of the draftees that got a 4 month early out. I have not seen too many of us, despite the fact there were 40,000 draftees and 40,000 regular army discharged 4 months early to prove to Congress the all volunteer army would not work. I was a heavy truck driver. The army and I did not get along, so I was happy to get out 4 months early.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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