Chapter 12, Sudden Awareness

I spent the three months from August through November enjoying everything that I could before my upcoming induction date of November 27, 1967. I spent a lot of time with my parents that summer. I know they were concerned about me eventually going to Vietnam and they wanted to be with me as much as they could before I left for basic training. Every night we would watch the progress of the War on the news. It was usually really graphic and I could see it really bothered them, especially Mom. It was probably torture for her. It didn’t seem to worry me much for some reason.




I kept myself busy. During the day I worked for some rich people mowing their lawns, gardening and keeping their cars clean and polished. From 3:30 in the afternoon to early evening I worked for my old Mormon friend on his farm. His son, one of my friends at church, was already in the Army going through Warrant Officer training, Jump School, and Helicopter Flight School. I had replaced him on the farm that season. I became quite the young farmer. I loved the time I spent with my old friend on his farm. He was a warm friendly man with a wonderful sense of humor. He taught me how to drive and after I got my drivers license he let me drive us in his new truck wherever we went. That meant a lot to me. My own father wouldn’t have done that for me.



My father did help me buy my first car though. It was a 1962 Ford Falcon Futura. It was white with red interior. I thought it was pretty cool with its bucket seats and console. My friends weren’t that impressed. They kept making remarks about it being a roller skate or sissy car. Today, kids would say it was gay. Maybe it was.

In November, preceding my induction into the Army, I spent as much time as I could hunting. It was deer season and I was brought up to be a hunter. I went hunting almost everyday in quest of the big buck. November 27th quickly arrived and although I saw a couple of deer, they were just glimpses and I ended up with nothing to show for my time except being in the woods that I loved. That big buck that I spent so much time hunting, was safe.

Eventually, induction day finally arrived. My parents and I got up early to make the trip to take me to the nearest induction center which was 60 mile away. There wasn’t much conversation during the trip. As we passed through the familiar towns and villages, I looked around and suddenly realized to my horror that I might not get to see any of this again. I quickly looked at Mom and Dad in the front seat. They were talking quietly and I realized how much I loved them. I had never been away from them or left home before. It would devastate them if anything bad were to happen to me.

What had I done?