What were your feelings and thoughts when you first opened your draft notice?

SSG Edward Tilton I see there were still a few bugs in the system in your case too!

Harsh words for a man that was in Europe during WWll and viewed the harsh realities of war from the front lines. I am not sure what that makes me since i was over there during Tet and even as a young soldier knew next to nothing about politics; i could see that the war was never going to be won the way it was being fought. So no to any view of Walter as a traitor. I guess we will have to agree to disagree. VIRIS ET HONOS

MSG Frederick Otero - I think if you read the history of this period you will see I'm correct, at least according to many historians-Not really a matter of agreeing or disagreeing just stating the facts-Try GOOGLING Walter Cronkite and the Tet Offensive and see what it tells you.

CSM McGarry: I will tell you that it took me ten years before i could even read a book about Vietnam but when i started i went in depth. I really do not need Google but i will make these recommendations. "In Retrospect" Robert S. McNamara, "Dereliction of Duty" H.R. McMasters You might look up the "Pentagon Papers". The reading will take time but might give you a different perspective. I would be more then willing to read any of the historians that you wish to forward to me and see if i can figure out where your perspective originates from. VIRIS ET HONOS

I guess I should clarify; I was not Vietnam era; I got a selective service notification which I had failed to register for; I figured being enlisted in the Marine Corps at 17 was sufficient; boy was I wrong!

You weren't wrong the gov'ment was just all screwed up. I joined at seventeen, never received a notice (to my knowledge anyways).

I've read deep into these comments before finding urs! I wz md to man who told me from Day One (we met as working patients, work-for-pay, V.A.) smatterings of 2 yrs' experience of his "tour of duty." I retrospect, I guess we were both naivetés fated to spend his remaining 16 yrs together, but that's another story for another time.

According to him, his number wz coming up soon(DOB, 4Oct1952) & recruiter said he could avoid being sent to 'Nam if he enlisted voluntarily. He enlisted (again, according to him) 1972, if ANYTHING on DD-214 cn be believed, 30Apr, on buddy plan. Lo & behold, learned as he received AIT assignment that he'd be training to go to 'Nam. Proof of his naiveté would not become apparent 'til 45 later, when he realized his entire military service history had been rewritten, disavowing combat service & POW status by means of nondisclosure statement he'd signed when discharged. According to DoD, he served 30Apr1974-8Mar1976.

This, of course, coz he died 9Aug2019, is for me to prove. Case in point, tho, is he told me abt hw so mny of our brothers & sisters were greeted when they returned home, whether or not they'd gone to 'Nam. Coz of this treatment, he wz quick to point out to everyone who thanked him for serving that he preferred being welcomed home. Moreover, he'd point out to people who called him hero that he wz only doing his job (I'd say, duty). He'd say heroes were those, like his buddy, who made ultimate sacrifice.

Two instances, both cathartic, meant so much to him in his final yrs. First wz when I accompanied him to U of Houston Optimetric School. Young Vietnamese man noticed his veteran's cover indicating he'd served in VN War. He approached my husband & asked to shake his hand. He thanked my husband for being one of those who helped rescue his parents from war, & saluted my husband.

Other instance occurred 29Mar2017. I'd told hubby Welcome Home ceremony wz scheduled at V.A. He'd told me he'd attend if he felt up to it. Fortunately, I wz slated for procedure & wz asked when wz most suitable. One time offered would have me there abt same time ceremony wz scheduled. Since procedure required my hvg someone there when it wz complete, he had to accompany me. As I prepared to "go under," I reasoned to him there wz no point in his sitting around doing nothing. I insisted he go to ceremony. Naturally, I missed ceremony but he wz so grateful that I insisted on his attendance. He wore pin he received there on his cover to his dying day.