Happy Memorial Day Weekend To RSR

[alien bird]

Just keep in mind what this holiday is for.

Indeed.

I have friends who have served, including family members, and applauded them. But it is the friends who have died in service who are remembered this holiday. Memorial Day should not be confused with Veterans Day. They are different.

[BcRaven]

I was drafted on April 15, 1970 and reported for induction physical at Ft Holabird during Vietam War while thousands fled to Canada.

January 21, 1967 @ Fort Jackson, S.C. Assigned to 344th General Hospital as a medic, but never was sent overseas. Even so, I didn't run away, and was prepared to do my duty. Those who were active in combat and support have my deepest respect. I won't forget what this holiday means... Bc

[Dade]

Everyone have a safe and fun holiday. Never forget the service members who never returned home.

[AirFlacco]

January 21, 1967 @ Fort Jackson, S.C. Assigned to 344th General Hospital as a medic, but never was sent overseas. Even so, I didn't run away, and was prepared to do my duty. Those who were active in combat and support have my deepest respect. I won't forget what this holiday means... Bc

Thanks BC. Did you go in at Ft Holabird? Meddics are so brave in combat. I knew several at APG. They had a lot of medals between them for saving lives and were more experienced in medicine than most doctors.


Yup, I was proud of all the guys from the old neighborhood who
showed up on draft day. I was up here in Harford County but my entire old
district went in including guys from grade school and little league.

I've been thinking about my dad's dead crew. He was a gunner on a B-17 and injured. While in the hospital for 30 days his plane went out on a mission and
was shot down. He blamed himself the rest of his life. It never went down when he was shooting down Nazis.

[Beau Petard]

---Z06,

You hit the nail on the head - "Just keep in mind what this holiday is for." As you and others note, this is a very solemn holiday, parties and relaxing notwithstanding. My lottery number was pretty deep in the draft (IIRC up in the 200's somewhere), and college provided an out, but I have always been grateful to those who made the sacrifice. My sincere and deepest sympathies and thanks to those who served and were lost, as well as their families and friends.

[PalladinInNC]

I was drafted on April 15, 1970 and reported for induction physical at Ft Holabird during Vietam War while thousands fled to Canada.

If you went to Fort Holabird for an induction physical I might have been one of the guys giving you your physical. I was USAR, Turner Armory and that was one of our assignments back then!

[AirFlacco]

Hey Cool Man - but I kind of remember the docs being in their 30s then. Doc said to stick out your hands and he yelled, your fingers are crooked. I said no shit, man, it's from playing football when my own RB ran over my hand and broke it. When I give someone the bird the middle finger takes a 45 degrees turn to the right. The doc acted like he was shocked.

Then he said to give a urine sample but I was so nervous I couldn't give one. The guy next to me poured some of his in my cup and I actually gave the Army someone elses piss-lol.

Then they marched in in two lines to an empty room facing each other and said drop your pants as the docs went down the line grabbing our balls. Everyone was laughing at each other standing 5 feet away totally nude.

Thirty years later I learned a whole bunch of guys couldn't give urine samples but I thought everyone from Baltimore was inducted at Holabird and went to basic training either at Ft Bragg or Ft Jackson.

My next door neighbor couldn't get into college so he went over right away and was in the TeT Offensive. He shared a house with 4 soldiers in Saigon and had cooks, maids and everything. During the offensive he had VCs crawling through his bed room window trying to kill him. He said they piled the bodies up in their front yard. He came back with a chest full of medals and was the smallest guy in the neighborhood.