Drafted: Forced to Kill

This is a story lived by the events, and perceptions of a draftee, who was forced to served as a combat infantry man with the 1st Air Cavalry division in Vietnam. This book contains language, violence, and sex but these things are only used to define the story. These descriptions explain our story and the reason for it. It was a turning point time in our lives. There was heavy fighting in Viet Nam through 1968. It is a commentary on American culture, the draft, enemies, allies, and also a military and government going wrong. The intent is not to disparage the military, as some of my fellow brothers in arms have said, this is my effort to explain why and how things happen with a draft that sends civilians to do a trained enlisted soldiers work. People, especially women, like the logic I use to explain combat situations. The most common response is “now I understand what you did”.

Unfortunately we no longer have the will to declare war, or the enemy country to declare it on. People must understand the things a soldier and country face in these sorts of conflicts. This is not “John Wayne” stuff. My brothers in arms and I laughed out loud in Japan when we saw the movie “Green Berets”. The movie is a joke based on courage, as so many war films are. In my opinion “We Were Soldiers” tells a lot about my Viet Nam combat experience with the 1st Air Cavalry Division through Tet and beyond. People should understand what “police action” means to them and those around then.