Page 138 - Stand Down Vietnam

I quickly realized things were not right, but I didn't
understand it. I was a senior in high school before I
began to understand the possible impact on me
personally.

I started listening to the teachers talk about Vietnam.
And, a little bit more listening to the guys that were

soon to be eighteen. I had one teacher, a coach, who
would talk to the boys quite a bit about what was the
right thing to do; that sort of thing. He discussed
our options, trying to help us understand. Everyone
was hopeful that the war would be over before turning
eighteen.

I don't recall ever having a single conversation with
my mother about the Vietnam War. Even when I was on
active duty and home on leave, we never once discussed
the war. I don’t know why, we just didn’t.

I’d have to say she was probably against the war, but
she would tell you she didn't have an opinion because
she wasn't knowledgeable enough.

Every now and then my stepfather and I would talk about
it, but for the most part I got all my information from
the evening news, newspapers, and teachers at school.

My stepfather never really said anything about it
either way. His boys were old enough that he didn’t
have to worry about them being drafted; he never
expressed an opinion about the war.

As I said, we did a lot of talking about it with high
school friends and schoolteachers. Our coach was one
who said we should forget about the “protestors
hippies”, as everyone was calling them. He said to
listen to what they were saying, the opinions that they
had and to especially listen to their words, then try
to apply it to ourselves.