I had joined the Air Force in 1964 at 17. I didn't know a thing about Vietnam. I was stationed on Guam, where we helped launch B-52s every day to bomb targets in Vietnam. I ended my tour in Denver, CO as an instructor. We hung out at the USO and didn't see any antagonism towards vets. When I got out of the service in 1968 I still didn't know much about Vietnam and didn't care about the issue.
VVAW banner flying after the Kent State march in 1970.
I went to work and then started college using the GI bill. Joe Derry was a college classmate and fellow AF veteran who wrote articles for the college newspaper trying to get people off their asses. Joe was divorced and paying child support.
I saw Bobby Kennedy talk about the war on local TV. When I saw that VVAW members were arrested for trying to join a Veterans day parade, I got off the couch and showed up to support fellow GIs, not to be part of the anti-war movement per se.... Read More