My Vietnam Quotes

“That was the day I decided I needed to make a move in my life. I had to do something. I thought, heck with it, I’ll get the doubt of being drafted off the table. In my mind, it was better to have served than not. So, the scales were tipped, and I chose to volunteer. Although I was not enrolling in medical school, I was at least doing something to go forward. So, my decision launched me into a chapter of American history known as the Vietnam war. Some believed it was a dumb decision. “Why not just wait to see if you get drafted, some would say; however, there were psychological factors. It had to do with both my heritage and my generation.”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter

“The previous year, on February 27, 1968, Walter Cronkite returned from Vietnam. In his editorial report, Cronkite broadcasted to the American people that “the war could not be won.” That put the nail into the coffin of victory. President Johnson said, “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle America.” Several weeks later, Johnson announced he would not be running for re-election.”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter

“I learned later that higher-ranking NCOs and officers watched their mouths in the Vietnam jungle and those who didn’t need to look over their shoulders. Combat leveled that playing field as we all struggled to survive into the following day. Mutual respect was granted regardless of rank, and if it wasn’t, well, that was a poor choice!”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter

“young men often expressed their contempt for society by growing their hair any way they wanted. So, it was surreal watching everyone’s identity fall to the floor, including mine. We all walked out of the room looking like bald eagles.”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter

“In the 21st century, American attitudes toward the Vietnamese conflict had morphed into a mystery, a curiosity, even a sort of romanticism for younger Americans. I’d seen a fascinating social evolution over five decades. This was the same war from which returning soldiers were shamed by many of their fellow Americans.”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter

“But, like so many people her age, she wasn’t content to simply read about something; she wanted to feel it. My daughter wanted to get as close as possible to her father’s experiences as a 19-year-old young man fighting for his survival in the jungles of Vietnam. Could this be accomplished?”
― Jack Billups, My Vietnam: A Gift to My Daughter