Back in the States, hippies were making love, smoking pot, and protesting the Vietnam war. They would burn their draft cards and the American flag, while we were fighting and dying to protect the liberties they were protesting. They called us war-mongers and baby killers. We called them a bunch of draft dodging momma pussy boy cowards, who didn’t have the guts to defend the liberties they were protesting.
The Vietnam veteran was spat upon and cursed for serving his country. We dared not wear our uniforms while on leave. Shame on you citizens for treating us that way. It was a bitter pill to swallow and left a bad taste in the mouth of all Vietnam veterans, as you can tell by the tone of my voice.
Hey, hippies, it was the politician, not the soldier, who screwed that war up. Ironically, some of those same hippies are now serving the government they were protesting. Thankfully, these days, the horrific public anger toward returning Vietnam vets has largely been put in its rightful place as a national shame.
Those who served their country knew it was the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin was draped by the flag, that allowed the protester to burn the flag.
Excerpt from my memoirs and “The Abduction Chronicles”. https://amzn.to/2zxmYJN
Thomas L. Hay was raised in the Golden Valley of Clinton, Missouri. He is a graduate of the 1961 Clinton Senior High class. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy as a Radioman aboard the USS Hancock, during the Vietnam war. He retired after a 39-year career with TWA/American Airlines. He currently resides in Lake Waukomis, Missouri, with his lovely wife, along with some hyperactive squirrels, too many irritating geese, and a few cranky old catfish.
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