John Garcia wrote:
Oh, wearing your uniform off base was pretty bad during the 70's and early 80's (at least that was my experience). Even out of uniform, people seemed to know you were military and subjected you to all kinds of verbal abuse. Some of my squadron mates were harassed to the point of getting into a fight (and more trouble than the satisfaction was worth.) I never had anything thrown at me in the States, but I did get hit by a rock during an anti-American demonstration in Greece (just a bruise; had worse playing stickball.) Now, my cousin (two tours in Vietnam and a career soldier) had a pretty frightening return to the States after his second tour was up. The demonstrators at the airport spit on him, called him all manner of vile things, and one damn near hit him with a sign. He told me he wanted to fight back but was just too damn tired. He ended up being escorted by airport cops.
This kind of thing is sickening to me. Regardless how you feel about the
war, it's just not right to treat the people who served their country with
their lives, like that. The soldiers don't make the policy or the war decisions,
(or even agree with them), its not their fault. Especially considering there
was a draft going on at the time. Directing that kind of hatred at the soldiers
is unworthy of, (but from what I've heard, common for), the "peace"
movement of the time.
-bryon
One of my Vietnam Combat Veteran buddies told me that years after he came back to the States, he had a conversation with a war protester who asked him why he (my friend) went to Vietnam. My friend's reply was "Why did you send us?".
john
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