I was a lucky GenXster. Although my parents are boomers, they aren't dirty hippies as I like to intentionally generalize their generation as being. Above is a pic I scanned of my Dad's platoon in the 101st Airborne Division. After high school he volunteered (wasn't drafted) to serve as an infantryman in The Army. He spent 1966 in Vietnam and saw mucho combat.As a kid I used to constantly get into my father's belongings. I put on his uniform, played with items he took from Vietnam, and always whizzed thru the pictures he had taken in southeast Asia. Oddly, somehow I just knew (he never had to tell me) there were 2 items that were off limits for my grubby, little hands to touch: his Jump Wings and his Combat Infantryman Badge.
(please read Army of Dude's post)
5 comments:
Nice memoir. I posted a certificate my veteran dad received from the atomic agency...nice of them to give him that and probably mind-altering diseases, too. =( Interesting certificate - mushroom cloud and all.
I just checked it out. Wowzers! That's crazy.
Screaming Eagles...all the way, man!
I've met a lot of interesting characters in my life, LT. Yet the Paratroopers like my father and those he served with are about the nuttiest array of clowns I've had the honor to be around. Back in 1990, when it was obvious we were entering the 1st Gulf War my father was begging the local Army recruiters to let him back in. The old goon was nearly 50! I guess it's typical of a boomer to try to get in the way of the GenXsters who were then serving, but it's definitely a testament to my Pop's character of wanting to help out and lead newbies into combat.
There was some Vietnam Vets I met in Iraq...and they were wearing uniforms! I think one of them was from the 101st and had joined back up somehow (albeit at a rear-echelon type gig). A different breed.
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