Why I Was in The Navy During The Vietnam War
canada goose store MilitaryI guess you would call it not wanting to face reality or being very nave. When I was a college senior during 1965 1966, I was so sure of getting admitted into a medical school that I didn’t take a draft exemption canada goose store test which many of my canada goose black friday sale senior classmates were taking. Army. It was Canada Goose Jackets a scary thought about going into the Army because the Vietnam War was escalating and most of the soldiers being sent for combat in South Vietnamese jungles were young canada goose draftees. canada goose store
canada goose uk outlet In June of 1966, I took a pre induction physical exam at the Selective Service System Center in my home county, Elkhorn, in Wisconsin. Still, I had pipe dreams about avoiding military service, even though I had not been accepted into any medical schools. I had, however, been cheap Canada Goose accepted into the University of Michigan for graduate work in chemistry. canada goose uk outlet
Canada Goose Coats On Sale After starting my graduate work in Ann Arbor in August, I vividly remember receiving my military induction notice in November of 1966. It was enclosed in a letter from my mother. First, I read the letter from ma which began by saying, „Paulie, I hate to be sending you bad news.“ Next, I opened the induction notice which began, „Greetings from the President of the United States. Army.“ The rest of the Canada Goose sale induction notice briefly stated that I was to report to a certain Army base for basic military training about one week before Christmas. After reading the notice, reality hit home, and it was like being punched in the mouth. Canada Goose Coats On Sale
uk canada goose outlet My first reaction was to get drunk and drown my fear. I then called some people on campus who advised students like me with draft induction notices. I recall one young lady telling me point blank that I should dodge the draft by fleeing canada goose coats on sale to Canada. After briefly considering it, I decided it would be a slap in the face to my uncles who served so proudly in the Army during World War II and The Korean War. I also wasn’t too keen on being a fugitive from justice. uk canada goose outlet
cheap canada goose uk The soundest advice I got that evening was to go to a certain office on campus and have it file a 1 S student deferment request with the Selective Service System until I finished my school year in May of 1967. I did this the following day and then started to consider which branch of the service I would join after my deferment expired in May. Navy for EnlistmentSince I was doing graduate work in chemistry, I initially thought about enlisting in the Army and going into the Chemical Corps as an officer after completing Officer Candidate School (OCS). I went to an Army recruiter in Ann Arbor, and he transported me to the Fort Wayne Army Base in Detroit for induction processing. Right before signing the final papers to canadagooseoutletcanada.ca join, I called the whole enlistment off to the chagrin of the Army recruiter. Why? The night before I had been quartered in a barracks with other prospective Army enlistees. I couldn’t sleep at all that night after hearing the joke about the life expectancy of a second lieutenant in Vietnam being 20 seconds!! I decided at that point it would be suicide for me to enlist in the Army. cheap canada goose uk
Canada Goose Parka After returning to campus and talking to my roommates, someone suggested that joining the Navy wasn’t too bad based on the experiences of his friend. I thought it over and then made a final decision to enlist in the Navy. I figured that the basic training would be easier than the Army or Air Force and that my chances of being sent to Vietnam would be the least while in the Navy. Canada Goose Parka
canada goose coats How I Enlisted in The NavyDuring my Christmas vacation in 1966, I returned to my home in Wisconsin and visited a Navy recruiter in Racine. After telling the recruiter that I wanted to enlist as a non officer, he informed me that I would have to get on a waiting list and enlist first in the Navy Reserves. As a reservist, I would be able to get into a program where I would report for four canadian goose jacket years of active duty 120 days after being sworn into the service as a reservist. The earliest date I could enlist in canada goose clearance the Navy Reserves was February 15, 1967, so I went back to Ann Arbor to continue my studies. canada goose coats
buy canada goose jacket On February 14 I departed Ann Arbor by bus and traveled to Milwaukee where I would enlist the next morning. It seemed like the trip was made during the coldest day of the winter. After spending a night in the YMCA, I signed my enlistment papers and was now only 120 days from beginning basic navy recruit training. buy canada goose jacket
uk canada goose On June 15 I would be leaving the academic world and embarking on a new journey which would change canada goose coats my outlook on life. canada goose outlet My navy recruit basic training at the Canada Goose online Great Lakes Naval Training Center north of Chicago will be detailed in a future hub. Navy Memories Part Two: My Taiwan Duty Assignment November 1968 August 1969 uk canada goose
Canada Goose Outlet My Taiwan duty assignment during the period November 1968 Canada Goose Outlet until August 1969 was an exciting time in my life. Navy for almost four years during the late 60s. In this hub, I recall my basic training at Great Lakes and then specialized training at Monterey, California and San Angelo, Texas. Canada Goose Outlet
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Canada Goose sale Kathleen, thanks for reading and sharing your experiences related to the draft. I was tempted to stay in the Navy for another tour, but really didn’t buy canada goose jacket cheap like having to shine my shoes every day and pass personnel and barracks inspections. The travel and training was great, however.3 years ago from Atlanta, Georgia Canada Goose sale
canada goose clearance I remember those days as I had a brother who was draft eligible, but drew a high number. His range of emotions were similar to yours. My husband also drew a high number but was already headed buy canada goose jacket to West Point by the end of the draft, then Canada Goose Parka Vietnam ended during his junior year. His 20 years of service were primarily during peace time when we had a large, well equipped military. After 13 years of non stop war you’d think someone would notice the connection. It certainly was a turbulent time after I graduated from college. Thanks for the votes and sharing this hub canada goose clearance.