Are there any Veterans here?

[Talk Host]

I proudly enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1965, had my orders for Vietnam, but was injured before shipping out. I was subequently discharged as a result of the injury.

Are there any others here who served in the military?

[larrydube]

I joined the Army in 1969 (I had a low number in the draft lottery) and promptly went to Vietnam for a year. When I got back I went to Ft. Sill and taught at the Gunnery School. I got out and joined the National Guard. I left for a while and rejoined just around the time of the first excursion into Iraq. I went to Iraq in 2004 and served a year there. It was very funny to watch the "kids" look at my right shoulder and ask, "What patch is that?" When I told them it was the patch I earned in Vietnam I got these looks like "wow, how old are you???" The patch was distinctive - Americal (the 4 stars of the Southern Cross). Also a CSN song.

;D

[elcid]

I spent 20 years in the Navy, and have been here for 2 months. Read the Village news and other pubs available you will find VFW, MARCORPS, ARMY, AF AND NAVY organisations looking for members and volunteers.

[JohnZ]

Four years active duty in the Air Force from 72-76. Stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB. Finished college on GI bill....participated in ROTC and after graduating...the did a few more years in the Army reserve. Both tours were very rewarding. I highly recommend service to young folks who are short on discipline and who have a wild hair growing on parts unseen. In fact, I think military service or other service for our great nation and its people should be mandatory.

[swrinfla]

As a 30-year (more or less) Army Reservist with that time now partially paying my retirement, I agree with JohnZ's thoughts that some service ought to be mandatory. I remain astounded when I read how few members of Congress have any military background these days. That lack of service can only hamper their performance (not that it is necessarily all that good to begin with!).

[EYANKOWSKI]

DRAFTED IN 65 had basic at FORT DIX NJ THEN FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON IN INDIANA
NEXT TO FORT HOOD TEXAS THEN FORT LEE VIRGIANA AND THEN TO BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN
QUI NHON VIETNAM
:hot: :beer3:

[handieman]

:cop:
USAF
1960-1964
Handie :joke:

[DickY]

After AFROTC at Penn State I went on Active Duty in December of 67. Stationed at Webb AFB Texas, Mather AFB in Sacramento, Bergstrom AFB in Austin Texas, Udorn Royal Thai AFB for my SEA tour, RAF Alconbury in England and Shaw AFB in South Carolina. Got out in 78 when RIFs were happening.

[chuckinca]

Army 7/64 to 5/67 (89 day early out due to reassignment to CONUS with less than 90 days remaining on enlistment)

Ft Knox Basic, Ft Dix AIT Infantry, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany, assigned to air mobile infantry platoon in air recon troop - no pilots (were diverted to Vietnam) so reassigned to Squadron HQ as the SMAJ's clerk; volunteered for Vietnam, assigned as an Infantry Adviser in MACV, on arrival in-country was reassigned as a clerk in MACV HQ J-1 section in Saigon due to having a Secret Clearance and clerical skills.

[b45]

Served as a Submarine Sonarman during cold war '75-'95 on attack boats and missile boats! :bigthumbsup:

GO NAVY!

[rdkent]

US Army from 1960-1963. Basic Ft. Leonard Wood, MO; AIT trained as a scout Ft. Hood TX; 3rd Recon Sqdn 14th Armored Cavalry Bad Hersfeld Germany 1/1/1961 to 7/18-1963. We patrolled the East German border.

[schotzyb]

US Navy 1968-1972 ; USS Jonas Ingram DD938 from leaving boot camp at Great Lakes til 1969 when she was decommissioned;transferred to USS Power DD839 FROM 1969-1972 when discharged. Two Middle East 6 month cruises(good will) ; two Mediterranean Cruises; several Gitmo (shakedown cruises)Very little time on dry land but saw many unique places.

[Lou Card]

21 Years Army 1966 - 1988. Viet Nam 1967 - 1968
8)

[larrydube]

It is good to see so many Vets here. The Guard Unit I went to Iraq with is scheduled to go back in 18 months. The way this seem to be working out, they will most likely be activated for 18 months and if we are still there in 6 years they will go again. Let me tell you.... you ain't seen hot till you have spent the summer in Iraq.... the nights are a "cool" 85-90 and the days above 120 with no clouds.

Hey motorcycle rider where in Nam? I was with the Americal up in I Corp at a place called Duc Pho, also spent some time up near Khe Sahn.

[cathyp]

Medical Service Corps officer USNR 1965-1968. Spent 1966-1968 at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. Anyone there during that time?
My husband was a US Army officer 1962-1965. Flew helicopters in Nam with the something or other Knights.

[Reggie]

Joined the Air Force in 1966 went Ton Son Nhut 1967 to 1969 then Brasilia, Brazil. Got out finished college went back in in 1972. Did another tour to Ton Son Nhut then two tours to Korat, Thialand. After that went to Germany and England with stops at in between at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field Florida. Finally retired out at Edwards AFB, California.

[Bubbalarry]

Signed up for Army in 1964, served 12 years.

Ft. Jackson,SC. 6 mos.
France 1 year
Germany 5 years
Vietnam 2 years
Korea 13 months
Ft. Carson, CO 2 years
Ft. Riley,KS. 6 mos.

[MMC24]

Yup, 3 tours of View Nam as a gunner on a "slick" with the 173 Robin Hoods out of Phu Loi. Shot down twice in the middle of hot LZ's and mechanical failure once I feel lucky and blessed to have survived. Now enjoying life in TV.

[tonycirocco]

Wow, I feel like an antique!


Boot camp, Great Lakes, 56, 2 Years before the mast>56-58 on Carrier CVS36 Antietam,

Then 25 years later, reserves, MIUW in Miami.

Good times...

Tony

[zcaveman]

USMC 1961-1965 - Aviation Electronics - http://mywebpages.comcast.net/zcaveman/usmc.html

Spent 1 year in the reserves out of Jacksonville Fl - 65-66.

[Bucco]

US NAVY 1957-1961

Boot camp at Great Lakes, ILL
Radioman school at Bainbridge, MD
Stationed......
Pentagon
Adak Alaska

[The Great Fumar]

[b]U.S.A.F. :cop:

1953 -1957 SAMPSON AFB NY.
PARKS AFB CA.
BEALE AFB CA
RUSHMORE AFS. SD.
WESTOVER AFB MA
STONEY BROOK AFS. MA.
GOOSE BAY AFB LABRADOR
THULE AFB GREENLAND
OTHERS TO NUMEROUS TO MENTION...

TRANSPORTED FUNNY LOOKING ROUND CYLINDERS....
GOOD EDUCATION ON THE GI BILL.......GO FALCONS

[Cliff]

Enlisted in the Navy in 1954 and retired as a CPO in 1974. Lucky to get a heavy security clearance and spent time in Ottawa at the Embassy, the War College in Newport, with Adm Zumwalt in Saigon, and flew with a multi-service crew out of England on CINCEUR's Airborne Command Post. After two years on a tin can out of Newport when I first joined, I insured that I was eligible for intelligence jobs for the rest of my career. (Had an XO on the can who was unable to sleep at night. He made sure I didn't sleep either.)

[blueeagle65]

US Army enlistee - served 1967-69 - Ft. Knox, KY - Redstone Arsenal, AL - South Korea. I was a fire control & radar technician for the HAWK missile system.

[ilvgolf]

there is a HUGE retired military contingency here in the Villages. They have meetings every month. I would suggest you call the Hacienda Recreational Center and ask them for the contact number of the leader(s) of this group. They are from all services, officers, enlisted, retired, wounded, etc. I don't think you will be disappointed.

[SteveZ]

This is SO good to see so many vets still kicking. 12 years Army Active and a few more Reserves.

Jan67-Mar69 was the 'Nam time - Nha Trang, Dak To, Dong Ba Thin, Chu Lai, Pleiku, Duc Pho, Hoi An (LZ Baldy), Bong Son, Kontum, Ben Het, Ban Me Thuit (and the neighborhood), and a number of places I can't remember.

Went back on a vet's tour in 2001 - website with photos of trip at http://www.geocities.com/steve_05g is still running.

Welcome Home!

[scottke]

Husband was Aviation Radio Repairman USMC 67-70. San Diego-67, El Toro-68, Chu Lai and Danag-early 69 and came out as E5-Sergeant in 1970. TV in 2008.

[larrydube]

Hey Steve Z,

I was at Duc Pho 1970-1971 with the 6/11 FA BN. Went up to the DMZ and over near the Rockpile (close to Khe Sanh). Were you with the Americal?

Larry

[Bubbalarry]

US Army enlistee - served 1967-69 - Ft. Knox, KY - Redstone Arsenal, AL - South Korea. I was a fire control & radar technician for the HAWK missile system.


You mean the hawk missile we deployed in Germany that would never work, and always broke-down. Spent 6 months TDY with a unit outside Mainz, Germany and they could never get the system working right and always had system failures and repair parts that caused more problems. Actually from memory the only thing that consistently worked was the monitors in the FC truck where the people always fell asleep and got Article 15 punishments.

However when the units went to Ft. Bliss and other testing/training locations for annual required training/testing those machines and the missiles did the jobs. From that standpoint they were very effective during the cold-war.

[SteveZ]

LarryDube,

Actually, was with Project Oregon (the forerunner to Americal being activated) early in '67 and later with a small intelligence unit (Det 2, 374th RRC) which was attached to 3rd brigade, 4th Infantry which was part of the original Americal (as was a brigade on 101st Airborne, 1st Cav, 196th LIB and 198th LIB, all just before 11th LIB "landed" at Duc Pho). The detachment and brigade are still listed on the Americal Association's Orlder of Battle page.

Boy, that's a long time ago and far far away....

[FireOnWindCSR]

Enlisted in the Army 1985 E-4, 1988 Commisioned 2nd LT - Old Dominion Univ, Ft Sill, Ft Bragg, Ft McClellan, Ft Campbell. Fun stuff. Fold socks, underwear, dig holes, clean and shoot arms, etc... made a lot quality friends. Lost a brother on PAN AM flt over Scotland

[JRietz]

I was in the USAF during the Vietnam War, but was never involved with it. I have never referred to myself as a Vietnam Vet as it just didn't seem appropriate. Recently, I found that I am a Vet - a Vet of the Cold War.

It appears that in the 1998 National Defense Authorization Act, Secretary of Defense approved awarding Cold War Recognition Certificates to all members of the armed forces and qualified federal government civilian personnel who faithfully and honorably served the United States any time during the Cold War era, Sept. 2, 1945, through Dec. 26, 1991.

For more information and the way to get your certificate, go to this page (it seems the Army has the task of handling this for everyone qualified):

https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/tagd/coldwar/default.htm
You will probably be notified about an unknown certifying authority (www.hrc.army.mil... duh), but since you only print out the form it shouldn't be a problem.

Jim

[eujaynia]

Wow! Thanks to ALL of you who have defended our rights here on homeland ground.

I have never been in the military. I did think about it as a teen, but got involved in the computer field instead. Dang, keypunch class! *chuckle*

My brother was a Marine in the 60's.

I am currently a "Proud Marine Mom" to LCpl Andrew S Rainey, currently away for 30 days of special training at Yuma, AZ. He called me right before he went because he knew there would be no contact until his return to 29 Palms. Drew trained at MCRD, San Diego. Then, went East, and then back to Silverdale, WA (Naval Submarine Base Bangor) for 3 years. 29 Palms was quite an awakening for him. He speaks of the 'cold wave' of only 90 degree days.

He says he will be deployed to Iraq sometime from March-June of next year. His 5 years is up in 2009. But he does speak of wanting to be out so someone isn't telling him what to do all the time. *grin* I did not encourage reenlistment (he was thinking about that) but I did let him know there will always be someone telling him what to do. But, I think I know "what he really means". He's a kid that has always gotten himself in situations of great discipline, so who knows what he will decide.

I love him for what he is and what he's doing for all of us, just as I'm thankful for ALL the veterans. My POW for whom I wore a silver bracelet for many years during the Vietnam war was never found. :( I think about him everyday.

BLESS YOU ALL!
Rebekah (eujaynia)