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On this day in 1977, President Jimmy Carter pardons all Vietnam War draft dodgers.
During his presidential campaign, Carter had announced his intention to pardon those who had failed to register for the draft or left the country to avoid service. In a televised debate with incumbent President Gerald Ford, Carter proposed to implement a blanket pardon, in contrast to Ford’s more selective clemency plan. Carter interpreted pardon as meaning that what you did, whether it’s right or wrong, you’re forgiven for it. And I do advocate a pardon for draft evaders.to bring about an end to the divisiveness that has occurred in our country as a result of the Vietnam War. On his second day in office, January 21, 1977, he followed through on his promise.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Carter served on battleships and submarines for eight years, although he did not see combat. His pardon of draft dodgers enraged veterans and was cheered by amnesty groups. Critics argued that not only would the pardon encourage future draftees to defy the law, it was an affront to the men who served and died during the war.
Carter’s pardon stated that only civilians who were convicted of [violating] the Military Selective Service Act by draft-evasion acts or omissions committed between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 were eligible. The pardon was unconditional and wiped criminal records clean, but it only applied to civilians, not the estimated 500,000 to 1 million active-duty personnel who went AWOL (absent without leave) or deserted during the war. Many supporters of Carter’s decision thought they too should be forgiven by the government in an effort to heal national wounds.
SSG William Jones Samantha S. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft LTC Stephen F. ] Alan K. SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Douglas Bolton Lt Col Charlie Brown Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt John McGowan Cpl (Join to see) PO3 John Wagner PO3 Bob McCord SGT Jim Arnold SPC Margaret Higgins
During his presidential campaign, Carter had announced his intention to pardon those who had failed to register for the draft or left the country to avoid service. In a televised debate with incumbent President Gerald Ford, Carter proposed to implement a blanket pardon, in contrast to Ford’s more selective clemency plan. Carter interpreted pardon as meaning that what you did, whether it’s right or wrong, you’re forgiven for it. And I do advocate a pardon for draft evaders.to bring about an end to the divisiveness that has occurred in our country as a result of the Vietnam War. On his second day in office, January 21, 1977, he followed through on his promise.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Carter served on battleships and submarines for eight years, although he did not see combat. His pardon of draft dodgers enraged veterans and was cheered by amnesty groups. Critics argued that not only would the pardon encourage future draftees to defy the law, it was an affront to the men who served and died during the war.
Carter’s pardon stated that only civilians who were convicted of [violating] the Military Selective Service Act by draft-evasion acts or omissions committed between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 were eligible. The pardon was unconditional and wiped criminal records clean, but it only applied to civilians, not the estimated 500,000 to 1 million active-duty personnel who went AWOL (absent without leave) or deserted during the war. Many supporters of Carter’s decision thought they too should be forgiven by the government in an effort to heal national wounds.
SSG William Jones Samantha S. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cynthia Croft LTC Stephen F. ] Alan K. SGT John " Mac " McConnell LTC (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Douglas Bolton Lt Col Charlie Brown Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt John McGowan Cpl (Join to see) PO3 John Wagner PO3 Bob McCord SGT Jim Arnold SPC Margaret Higgins
Carter pardons draft dodgers
Posted from history.comPosted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
American History
Military History
Office of the President (POTUS)
Vietnam War American History Military History Office of the President (POTUS)
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 14
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I know a number of people who saw this not as healing but as a "middle finger" to those who went.
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CPL Dave Hoover
SP5 Mark Kuzinski I know I've brought up my brother too many times for people, but he had Agent Orange eat away his body, took his life, when he was on hospice and we were talking, he looked me in the eyes and said "I'm proud of my service." The equivalent for a draft dodger would be for them to feel regret, guilt, remorse. No, there is no healing without repentance.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Maj Marty Hogan Lt Col Charlie Brown SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT (Join to see) PO3 Bob McCord Sgt Deborah Cornatzer Maj Robert Thornton Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SCPO Morris Ramsey SP5 Mark Kuzinski CW5 Jack Cardwell LTC Stephen F. MSgt Stephen Council TSgt David L.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Maj Marty Hogan Lt Col Charlie Brown SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT (Join to see) PO3 Bob McCord Sgt Deborah Cornatzer Maj Robert Thornton Sgt Randy Wilber MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi PO1 H Gene Lawrence PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SCPO Morris Ramsey SP5 Mark Kuzinski CW5 Jack Cardwell LTC Stephen F. MSgt Stephen Council TSgt David L.
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
CPL Dave Hoover - Bless your brother. May he rest in peace and I know that he has been welcomed home! Thank you Dave.
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Not really sure how I feel about that. Sort of short arming those who served. Morning Mark.
LTC Stephen F. SP5 Mark Kuzinski COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Maj William W. 'Bill' PriceCPL Dave Hoover SSG William Jones Sgt Vance Bonds SGT (Join to see) Cpl (Join to see) Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Rick Colburn SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Donald Libby PO1 H Gene Lawrence Maj Robert Thornton PO3 Bob McCord SPC Douglas Bolton CWO3 Dennis M. Lt Col Charlie Brown
LTC Stephen F. SP5 Mark Kuzinski COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Maj William W. 'Bill' PriceCPL Dave Hoover SSG William Jones Sgt Vance Bonds SGT (Join to see) Cpl (Join to see) Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Rick Colburn SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Donald Libby PO1 H Gene Lawrence Maj Robert Thornton PO3 Bob McCord SPC Douglas Bolton CWO3 Dennis M. Lt Col Charlie Brown
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Sgt Vance Bonds
You refused to serve your country wss hen called. All the hippies are pissed as are the patriots soooo......
EVERYONE is pardoned. Let's hug and get along.
EVERYONE is pardoned. Let's hug and get along.
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Thank you, my friend SP5 Mark Kuzinski for reminding us that on January 21, 1977 President Jimmy Carter pardons all Vietnam War draft dodgers.
At that time I was a USMA, West Point plebe cadet.
Today in History for January 21 | President Carter pardons draft dodgers
"On this day in 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.
In total, some 100,000 young Americans went abroad in the late 1960s and early 70s to avoid serving in the war. Ninety percent went to Canada, where after some initial controversy they were eventually welcomed as immigrants. Still others hid inside the United States. In addition to those who avoided the draft, a relatively small number–about 1,000–of deserters from the U.S. armed forces also headed to Canada. While the Canadian government technically reserved the right to prosecute deserters, in practice they left them alone, even instructing border guards not to ask too many questions."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVcNVRF7QM
Thank you for mentioning me my friend Maj Marty Hogan
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones
At that time I was a USMA, West Point plebe cadet.
Today in History for January 21 | President Carter pardons draft dodgers
"On this day in 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.
In total, some 100,000 young Americans went abroad in the late 1960s and early 70s to avoid serving in the war. Ninety percent went to Canada, where after some initial controversy they were eventually welcomed as immigrants. Still others hid inside the United States. In addition to those who avoided the draft, a relatively small number–about 1,000–of deserters from the U.S. armed forces also headed to Canada. While the Canadian government technically reserved the right to prosecute deserters, in practice they left them alone, even instructing border guards not to ask too many questions."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVcNVRF7QM
Thank you for mentioning me my friend Maj Marty Hogan
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
Good evening LTC Stephen F. and thank you. I'm out on the road to Sea Island GA to caddie for my son in a Golf tournament this weekend. I do my best to keep up with RP. Have a great evening!
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