pappy

Thom I disagree with you on Gore. He spent 6 months in the Nam as a
reporter, he wasn't in the bush and never fired any weapons except for
basic. His daddy who was a senator at that time and had him brought
home.

thomas curmudgeon

W went AWOL when he was transfered from Texas to another state. He was
transfered because he either refused to take a physical or failed a drug
test.

From the article, "Punishment for Air National guardsmen who missed two
days of work was to be sent to Vietnam."

That's more than evading service.


No. He'll just tell everyone how stupid their question is, tell a little
joke and change the subject. It works every time.

rico_001

Tended to be the sons of privialage (Credence Clearwater's tune from the
time, 'I ain't no senator's son'). Besides bush, look at Quayle. The sons
of the shall we say less then well to do had two choices get drafted or
evade, join the national guard wasn't a viable option as the rich held all
the spots on the waiting lists by the late 1960's. This also accounts for
the large glut of people with graduate degrees, Grad school was a path to
at least postpone things.


Early 60's, before the war heated up.

Not the son of privaledge


An oddity in the extreme amoung the sons of provialedge, how does that go
the exceptions prove the rule.


It was perfectly safe in the mid 1950's. I have several friends who served
in the various branches and loved it. But you are right Rumsfeld could not
choose when to be born, clearly served with honor. (btw sin of priviledge,
one wonders what he would have done were he 10 to 12 years younger) as


Could not comment here. Probably some staffer playing a little fast and
loose with the details. By the time Vietnam had heated up to the point warm
bodies were need in a major way Don would have been too old to be desirable
for other then admionstrative duties had he been activated.

thomandpam

The issue of Gore faces alot of VN Vets. Many many didn't serve a
full year (much like Gore) because their units were being brought home
as the US involvement winded down. Many many also were non-combatants
though most suffered some kind of attack, usually mortars. I don't
know the cir***stances of his service other than the fact he served
long enough to wear the proper ribbons, that's good enough for me.

I would never vote for him and did not, however like all other VN vets
he is my brother. THOM

thomandpam

it is hard for people who didn't go to realize this. Our generation
grew up with WW2 movies and WW2 TV shows like "COMBAT" where the
concepts of "The Lines" were brainwashed into us.

On my Base we had many VC working at various jobs and it was a bit of
a shock to find they had been killed the night before attacking us and
using inside knowldge to do so.

I was a so-called non-combatant but I also layed on the second floor
porch of my barracks shooting through the fence line when attacked.
Most of us NC were not allowed to have weapons but bought them at "The
Gun Shop" in Saigon where one could get just about anything for a price. THOM

thomandpam

This is one area where I'll side with some draft dodgers. If there
was to be a draft then all should go, no deferments. Many dogers
refused service on this basis and if this was sincere then I stand
behind them. This special treatment for the rich must end.

technically the war heated up after Kennedy was shot and the 1st
Battle of the "Air Drange" in Nov (14th) 1965 was the kick off.


OK, what then? he had all kinds of money for law school and even Oxford.


OK, thats fair but remember there were not that many privledged
compared to the numbers of great unwashed.

I hope that's (sin) a typo?


I saw a lot of guys in their 50's in Nam but of course he was Navy and
at his rank would not have been incountry. I'm still bothered by this
3 years in and a flight instructor thing??? Perhaps Bush had a link
trainer in the white house ba*****t and Rummy tuahgt him to fly the Viking! :-) THOM

pappy

Thom I disagree with you on Gore. He spent 6 months in the Nam as a
reporter, he wasn't in the bush and never fired any weapons except for
basic. His daddy who was a senator at that time and had him brought
home.

thomas curmudgeon

W went AWOL when he was transfered from Texas to another state. He was
transfered because he either refused to take a physical or failed a drug
test.

From the article, "Punishment for Air National guardsmen who missed two
days of work was to be sent to Vietnam."

That's more than evading service.


No. He'll just tell everyone how stupid their question is, tell a little
joke and change the subject. It works every time.

rico_001

Tended to be the sons of privialage (Credence Clearwater's tune from the
time, 'I ain't no senator's son'). Besides bush, look at Quayle. The sons
of the shall we say less then well to do had two choices get drafted or
evade, join the national guard wasn't a viable option as the rich held all
the spots on the waiting lists by the late 1960's. This also accounts for
the large glut of people with graduate degrees, Grad school was a path to
at least postpone things.


Early 60's, before the war heated up.

Not the son of privaledge


An oddity in the extreme amoung the sons of provialedge, how does that go
the exceptions prove the rule.


It was perfectly safe in the mid 1950's. I have several friends who served
in the various branches and loved it. But you are right Rumsfeld could not
choose when to be born, clearly served with honor. (btw sin of priviledge,
one wonders what he would have done were he 10 to 12 years younger) as


Could not comment here. Probably some staffer playing a little fast and
loose with the details. By the time Vietnam had heated up to the point warm
bodies were need in a major way Don would have been too old to be desirable
for other then admionstrative duties had he been activated.

no one but me

and when you voluntarily enlist you have a choice of what field to go into.


anyplace close to vietnam was safe. everyone had a chance of dieing. even reporters. barbara
"Rico" <rico_001@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:vhqov6m3ar1ffa@corp.supernews.com...