Honoring the Dead

I had the honor of performing this duty twice in my transshipment from Oakland Army Terminal to Japan in 1965.

The bus ride up to Edwards Air Force Base was alway noisy and full of ribald humor. The ride back in the convoy of Graves Registration vehicles was always somber and much less mirthful.

It is my contention that most American men at about 19 or 20 will take on the responsibilities of soldiering if asked. It is also my contention that American GIs are willing to be lead but will balk at being driven. It is now reported that the young officers corps and, formerly eager NCO cadre are avoiding further service in record numbers. They have been used and abused. They have driven hard. They are asked to step back into the line of fire over and over. It is not the way that an American Army has been asked to work in the past. They can be used a bit, but when it comes to being abused, all bets are off.

This era will go down in history as the blackest mark recorded in our brief two hundred and odd numbers of national existence.

How did you support the troops today. Did you fill your tanks with $3.75 gasoline and drag the boat to the lake?