Framily Veterans

[Shasta Bob]

Charlie Battery 1/11 Field Artillery Fort Lewis, WA. 1975-1978 the On Time battilion

[Oldgator73]

USAF 1975-1999 Retired MSgt (E-7) Civil Engineering (HVAC).

[BIG JOE]

USAF 1975-1999 Retired MSgt (E-7) Civil Engineering (HVAC).

Hmmm.. Civil Engineering..  would that be, Red Horse ? If so,  we trained along side a lot of those guys at the CBC, Port Hueneme, Ca.. back in the 70's.

Retired EOC (E-7) USN, SeaBees.

You don't hear much about the USAF "Red Horse" guys.. Same with us SeaBees ? 

[Oldgator73]

Hmmm.. Civil Engineering..  would that be, Red Horse ? If so,  we trained along side a lot of those guys at the CBC, Port Hueneme, Ca.. back in the 70's.

Retired EOC (E-7) USN, SeaBees.

You don't hear much about the USAF "Red Horse" guys.. Same with us SeaBees ? 

Never was part of Red Horse. My son was in Red Horse in Korea. I was in Tech School at Sheppard AFB, TX with a few SeaBees and my son went to Tech School in Mississippi with the SeaBees.

[BIG JOE]

Never was part of Red Horse. My son was in Red Horse in Korea. I was in Tech School at Sheppard AFB, TX with a few SeaBees and my son went to Tech School in Mississippi with the SeaBees.

Okay.. Gotcha. Great RV site here.. Enjoy

[Hoosier Daddy]

I was in Tech School at Sheppard AFB, TX

Me too, but was learning to be an F4 Crew Chief.

[Old_Crow]

Me too, but was learning to be an F4 Crew Chief.

Me too, in 1971.

[mypursuit]

In the mid seventies, I too worked on F-4's except for the Navy.  We often wondered how the
Air Force got anything done with all there specialties.  Many times I was flown off the ship
to some airfield to fix a broken bird.  I was a qualified hi/lo power turn qualed mech and
my crew usually consisted of  3/4 kids of various degrees of talent.  We scrounged what
we needed,  often from our Air Force brothers, and somehow managed to have the bird
up and ready to fly back to the carrier.  These beach dets were much sought after
diversions from the ship.  Not only did we work hard, we got to play hard as well.
Thanks for your sevice.

[whokares2]

42 AMMS Hound Dog Missile Mechanic Loring AFB Maine.  1972-1974.  Going to Catawba Ohio in morning hope to see a vet or two.

[Bill N]

Anybody here serve in the Minuteman Missile field - U.S. Air Force?  I was on launch crew 1963-67, and maintenance officer until 1981 (retired).  Ellsworth and Grand Forks AFBs.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Buddy of mine was. Ellsworth sound familiar from talking with him long time ago...
Jerry Ryan.

[edjunior]

Anybody here serve in the Minuteman Missile field - U.S. Air Force?  I was on launch crew 1963-67, and maintenance officer until 1981 (retired).  Ellsworth and Grand Forks AFBs.

My Dad was a Nuclear Weapons Technician for a while.  Stationed at Lowry AFB.  I was just a wee lad then.

[regval]

Anybody here serve in the Minuteman Missile field - U.S. Air Force?  I was on launch crew 1963-67, and maintenance officer until 1981 (retired).  Ellsworth and Grand Forks AFBs.

I served at Minot AFB, ND, 463rd Combat Support Group around 1970, 1971. Helped maintain the 465L system and visited various LCF's as some of my equipment was in the capsule. Active duty 1967-1976.
"Why not Minot" was the cliche'. I can think of a few reasons why not, but I'll let it lie.
Thank you for your service!
Reggie

[bsandey]

US Navy, 1985 - 1990, Fire Controlman Second Class, USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3)

I worked on the weapon system (radars, computers, data consoles, and other equipment) for the 5 inch guns. Most jobs in the Navy are either maintenance/technician or operator. This was one of the few that were both. We not only maintained and repaired the equipment (other than the guns - The Gunner's Mates handled that), but we also operated to consoles that tracked the targets and fired the guns.

[markandkim]

US Navy, 1985 - 1990, Fire Controlman Second Class, USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3)

I worked on the weapon system (radars, computers, data consoles, and other equipment) for the 5 inch guns. Most jobs in the Navy are either maintenance/technician or operator. This was one of the few that were both. We not only maintained and repaired the equipment (other than the guns - The Gunner's Mates handled that), but we also operated to consoles that tracked the targets and fired the guns.

You know what happened to the Belleau Wood, right?

[Markham P]

US Navy, ET1 (E6) 1968-1977 USS Arlington AGMR-2, NCS Finegayan Guam, DCAU/WHCA Washingon, DC

[bsandey]

You know what happened to the Belleau Wood, right?

Yup. But it fought to the end. From what I heard, the live fire couldn't sink it, so they placed explosives on the bottom of the hull to blow a hole in it.

https://youtu.be/5CYXGOeQ-FQ

[RLSharp]

And that's something to be proud of?

Amen! R

[Oldgator73]

I came really close to being drafted during the Vietnam Nam war. It was 1969 and I was bussed from Daytona Beach to Jacksonville for my second physical (had to go the previous year also-classified 1A but was still in HS). After the physical and written test we had to line up in a hallway. A Marine walked up the line, from behind, and tapped every other person on the shoulder. Tapped the guy behind me and the guy in front of me. Those tapped were told they were now in the Marine Corps and to get on the green bus with the sign saying "Paris Island" . I would imagine they had to take the enlistment oath at some time. I knew a lot of guys that joined the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard to avoid the possibility of being drafted into the Army or Marines. I just waited it out until 1975 when I joined the AF. I was twenty four years old and had been married two years. I don't think dodging the draft ever occurred to me but I don't have any feelings towards one way or the other towards those that did. I might feel differently if I would have been drafted and had to go over there. Having said all that, I don't think this forum topic was the place to declare being a draft dodger.

[Bill N]

Honest question:  I served 20 years in the Air Force but I never heard of a Marine being drafted.  Did that service draft young men?  I always assumed it was a volunteer branch of the military.

[Bill N]

Vietnam Draft dodger here!!!

So why are you even on this thread?

[Bill N]

I served at Minot AFB, ND, 463rd Combat Support Group around 1970, 1971. Helped maintain the 465L system and visited various LCF's as some of my equipment was in the capsule. Active duty 1967-1976.
"Why not Minot" was the cliche'. I can think of a few reasons why not, but I'll let it lie.
Thank you for your service!
Reggie

Thanks Reggie and thanks for your service.  Yes, I am familiar with the 465L system we had in the capsule.  At the entrance to the Minot Officers Club was a sign that read:  Only the Best Go North------Only the Insane Remain.  Fifteen of my 20 years were spent in North and South Dakota.  I retired in North Dakota in 1981 and built a home out on the prairie and lived there until 2003 when we moved to Missouri.  I loved it and still call it home despite being born and raised in Louisiana.....lol

Bill

[Oldgator73]

Honest question:  I served 20 years in the Air Force but I never heard of a Marine being drafted.  Did that service draft young men?  I always assumed it was a volunteer branch of the military.

I had to look it up to make sure I remembered it correctly. There were close to 43,000 men drafted into the USMC between 1966 and 1970.

[Bill N]

I had to look it up to make sure I remembered it correctly. There were close to 43,000 men drafted into the USMC between 1966 and 1970.

Thanks for the answer.  Add something new to my noggin.  Vietnam forced us into doing some drastic things, drafting Marines being one.

Bill

[TonyDtorch]

Honest question:  I served 20 years in the Air Force but I never heard of a Marine being drafted.  Did that service draft young men?  I always assumed it was a volunteer branch of the military.

Yes indeed they drafted Marines,

When I went in,  I was put in this large room full of guys... a Sargent walks in and divides the room right in half,  then he announces that everyone on the left was now in the U.S. Marines, everyone on the right was now in the U.S. Army.

  I had enlisted in the Army,  but I was over on the left side of the room,  so I raised my hand.. after being screamed at by a Gunny and told I was a worthless F-ing maggot....  I got to move over to the right side.

God bless all that served.

[regval]

  


Exactly. I had a cousin that got drafted in the Army in Mississippi and "politely" got assigned to the Marines. He served his tour and then some in Vietnam. We shared some stories...
God Bless all that served !

[DonTom]

Honest question:  I served 20 years in the Air Force but I never heard of a Marine being drafted.  Did that service draft young men?  I always assumed it was a volunteer branch of the military.

The Marines  had a draft  during the Vietnam war. In fact, I was drafted into the Marines but nobody knew it but me.

Here's the story.

When I was at the Oakland, CA Induction Center (March 1969), my group was all sitting down in chairs. Then one of the officials standing said "We need six volunteers from this group for the Marines-who Volunteers?"  I think there was two who did volunteer for the Marines, but that was all. So the guy points at four others, one of them being me, saying you four just volunteered for the US Marines--stand over there". I have no doubt he pointed at me, but the guy in the chair behind me got up first, so I just sat there.

I will always wonder what happened to that guy who went in my place.

BTW, I got drafted into the army as an 11B (Infantry), Central Highland Jungles, B-3-8, 4TH Infantry Div. But I got out  of Vietnam without as much as a scratch.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Oldgator73]

The Marines  had a draft  during the Vietnam war. In fact, I was drafted into the Marines but nobody knew it but me.

Here's the story.

When I was at the Oakland, CA Induction Center (March 1969), my group was all sitting down in chairs. Then one of the officials standing said "We need six volunteers from this group for the Marines-who Volunteers?"  I think there was two who did volunteer for the Marines, but that was all. So the guy points at four others, one of them being me, saying you four just volunteered for the US Marines--stand over there". I have no doubt he pointed at me, but the guy in the chair behind me got up first, so I just sat there.

I will always wonder what happened to that guy who went in my place.

BTW, I got drafted into the army as an 11B (Infantry), Central Highland Jungles, B-3-8, 4TH Infantry Div. But I got out  of Vietnam without as much as a scratch.

-Don-  Reno, NV

I think just about all of us that were of draft age during the Vietnam Nam era have a story to tell. If I remember correctly all of us had to go to an induction center and endure a mass physical and take an idiotic aptitude test. Some of us were sent home to wait out our fate whether it be the dreaded "Greetings" letter from the government or the interminable wait to see if said letter actually arrives while others were taken on the spot and bused to boot camps across the country. It was a bad time. I can remember in home room in high school the names of our classmates either killed or missing in action being announced over the loudspeaker. Some of us can laugh and joke and reminisce about our experiences, some that went came home changed for life, not in a good way. I have no doubt the person that posted he was a draft dodger did so in jest and meant no harm in doing so. I'm sure he wishes he could take it back. I have noticed on this forum and other social media outlets, people rush to post a reply and then either have to delete said post or apologize because the post offended either the OP or others. It's too easy to say the first thing that pops into our heads on these forums without any thought as to how it will affect others. There is a Preview button on this forum. Please use it.

[Tom]

Folks, I've split several messages off this topic and moved them out of sight...

Posting your displeasure with a specific military conflict is not appropriate in this discussion, and detracts from the intent of recognizing folks who have actively helped defend our nation, and defended the things our country stands for. Posting such messages merely elicits responses that can only result in the discussion going downhill.

There are other places on the internet where you can post your rants, but this is not one of them.

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

[HueyPilotVN]

Good decision Tom

This should help to refocus the positive aspect of this thread.