A lanky 15 year-old with a troubled life ran away from home. He lied about his age and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After the graduation ceremony, he was resided in the fact that he would be going to Vietnam. He was wrong. The next day, he was summoned by his superiors. There in the office was the 15 year-old’s mother, who had come to take her son home. 15 year-olds couldn’t enlist. They left.
Two years later, now 17 and in a bit of legal trouble, he and his mom were told by a local policeman (and friend of the mother) that it would be in the 17 year-old’s best interest to enlist in the military to get out of town or likely be looking at a troubled life leading to prison or worse. The 17 year-old didn’t think enlisting was possible since he had been caught lying to the USMC. He enlisted in the US Army, who surprisingly was unaware of the USMC incident, and at age 17 he was on his way to Vietnam.
A year in Vietnam hardened the 18 year-old. While there, he contracted malaria four times. His hair fell out as a result and it would never grow back. He was bald at the age of 17. He was shell shocked and not ready to return to civilian life. Having completed his tour, he returned home to live with his mother and grandmother. His second night, he heard someone sneaking around in the living room. Without a thought, he ran to the dark living room to investigate and hoisted the intruder by his throat and held him against the wall. He realized the intruder was his grandmother who was trying to be quiet so as not to wake him. He broke down.
His days of being a troublemaker had returned. He was eating at a local diner and was engaged in a disagreement with a waitress over the meal. After some harsh language, he returned to his meal. The manager of the restaurant told him that he had to leave. His response was that he paid good money for his meal and that he would leave after he ate. The manager told him to leave or he would call the police. He continued to eat his meal. Four policeman arrived and told him to leave. He stated he’d be happy to after he completed his meal. This wasn’t good enough for the policemen, who remembered the lanky 18 year-old from his earlier trouble making days. They grabbed him. Without a thought, he broke the first officer’s nose and pinned a second to the ground. The other two tackled him and the two injured officers helped subdue him and put him in a police car.
The policemen friend of the family called the 18 year-old’s mom. He again suggested that he leave town soon because he didn’t belong. The 18 year-old agreed he didn’t belong. The next day, he volunteered for another tour of duty and was soon shipped off. The first tour was bad enough and this one would be worse. He was selected to be a CIA operative for one of the most controversial programs of the Vietnam War, Operation Phoenix. The 18 year-old was now engaged in a profession that no one would picture themselves in and people wouldn’t fully know about until decades later. He saw things people shouldn’t see and did things people shouldn’t do.
Years later, he finally returned to Knoxville as an Army recruiter. After a few nights of drinking and partying, the thought that he’d return to his past life of being the local troublemaker as it was in his nature seemed all to real. Then he met the woman who would be the love of his life. They were soon married and he decided that he would straighten up and be a career military and family man.
He would spend his life dedicated to the woman he loved and to the US Army. He would also spend his life saying on several occasions: If it weren’t for that woman and the US Army, I’d be in jail or worse. He’d also spend his life explaining to his children why they couldn’t set off fireworks on Independence Day and why loud noises caused him to jump or take cover. Glimpses of the story told would be revealed to his children slowly over time. They’d never piece them together until later in life but never know the whole story. And they’d never completely piece them together. Even this account lacks detail.
With respect to the war, he never was a talker. The bits and pieces that would lead to his children’s understanding would always be lacking in detail or the detail they had would come from other family members or military friends of their father. The story would never be complete and he would never talk about it unless he’d had a little to drink with his army buddies.
He had a hard life which made him work harder. At age 35, he was told that if he re-enlisted he’d be promoted to Sergeant Major. He declined and decided that he would not re-enlist. His reasoning is that he wanted to get out while he was young enough to have another career. He spent 15 years working as a federal agent and retired from that job as well. Not being one who could spend his second retirement doing nothing, he is now in local law enforcement. He would later regret not staying in the US Army. Civilian life was hard but he adjusted.
His life wasn’t easy and he worked hard. He did his duty voluntarily and never looked back. Here’s to you, Dad. Thanks.
