It was not until Basic Training that I learned that I would not be surveying schoolyards and roads. We arrived at about midnight, thus starting my military career on Independence Day. I was led outside to a bus headed for Fort Ord. In the late afternoon of July 3, 1967, I raised my hand to take the oath of service at the Armed Forces Induction Center in Los Angeles. He kind of glossed over the Artillery Surveyor part. What danger could there be in that? Staff Sgt. I figured that I would be out surveying for schoolyards and roads. Wogan Lovell Blanton, my friendly Army recruiter, that I wanted to be a surveyor. WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. Not born yet were my brother Champ (Army, VN Era, served in Germany) and sister Tina. Not pictured my older brother Glynn (USMC WWII) and older sister Ardath. Other children pictured, from left, are my brother Jim (Army, 18 months in Vi?t Nam, Bronze Star w/"V"), Sisters Cathy, Margie, and Judy (USMC), and brother Bill (Army, Peacetime). Harris (USMC WWII), Mom and my Dad holding me. The photo from left is of my Aunt Marjorie, Grandmother (Sallie Mae Harris), Uncle Lester F. By enlisting, rather than being drafted, I could at least choose a career path that did not put me in harm's way. It was my belief at the time that those who got drafted got shafted. Upon graduation from high school, I immediately enlisted. Of course, the draft played a part in my decision too. ![]() I would have rather died in a faraway land than have a son face his friends whose fathers may have served - while he had not. So painful that I swore that if there was a war going on when I grew up, I was going to be there. That was a very painful childhood memory for me. My friends all had their tales of daring do based on their fathers' experiences. All too often our childhood games turned to playing war. As a boy growing up in the 1950s, all of my male friends had fathers who single-handedly won WWII and Korea. However, the biggest single factor was my having been born in the years following World War II. A sense of patriotism and civic responsibility affected my decision as well. My defiance only played a small part in my decision. Out of his ten children, one daughter, and all five of his sons wore our country's uniform. The single biggest factor in my case was that my father did not serve and discouraged his children from serving. Joining the military is obviously a life-altering decision. PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |