Yes, I knew and remembered Lee Currier. Learned of a few others (Bill Smith was one I knew in my class) and then there was Bob Bell who after Vietnam apparently contracted cancer and died -- suspected Agent Orange related fatality. I remember at the graduation party how many thought I was crazy to wanting to enlist. Then I got home for Christmas in '64 and learned how many had not made it through the first semester of college before getting drafted. I was in Germany by the time the first 100K combat troops went to Vietnam. I even volunteered TWICE to finally even get a look at the place and that was to build the world's largest man-made harbor. Got home before the draft changed and when it did, I was #270 and had my first knee surgery by then. Doubt I would have been lucky enough to escape serving though as I did not have a clue as to what I wanted to be when I grew up and was not that committed to college as a result. GI Bill came in handy, too, for getting through college later.
I enlisted to be what I thought was a construction engineer, but turned to be combat engineer (12B). Learned how to build everything from bridges to privies, but when we got to the demolition part of the training the SDI told me I was much better at taking things apart than I was at putting them together. But so begins another story...
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