1965 (last in the series)

Amanda's Grandmother:

In the early 60's all in the military were aware of Viet Nam. In 1965 it became a personal reality. My husband left for his first tour of duty in Viet Nam 1965. His entire squadron went. Most of the wives and children stayed put as this was only supposed to be a 3 month rotation. We were all afraid but we had each other to rely on. Not being alone in the situation was the important thing. We all knew that we had each other and that we would do anything for each other. The rotation turned into 6 months, then the guys came home for a short time and then were sent back again. Family and friends were the only thing that kept you going during those days. The war was on TV nightly but none of us could watch it. We spent hours making tape recordings of ourselves and our children talking to our husbands. We did not have the luxury of e-mail. There was a lot of unrest in the USA at that time because of Viet Nam and some of it was directed at the spouses that were left behind. We had some support from the military but nothing like they have today. Family was not the primary concern then - It was the military man's job and he was expected to do it and his wife was expected to support his way of life and stay home and take care of home and children. And we did it and without all the whining you hear today.

The death of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were the next moments to be marked in ones life forever. By now Americans could only wonder what would happen next or who would be assonated next. It was such a sad and unsettled time. "How could things go so wrong" seem to be the question that everyone asked.

We were living in Germany from 1966 to 1970. We missed a great deal of the rioting in the USA. Though we heard about it on the Armed Forces Radio and Television stations and were concerned, we were so far away that we felt a bit removed from the whole thing. We were living in Europe on a military base with a peer group that was compatible in so many ways. There were a few demonstrations in and around the base but nothing that ever worried us. We lived our day-to-day lives doing normal things. The husbands were always gone a great deal of the time, so once again it was the wives staying home taking care of home and children and doing things in support of the husbands. It was a good life and when we get together with old Air Force friends there is not one amongst us that does not remember it as being a good life. It was a different time when women did not have careers except the career of being mother, sometimes father, child care provider, and a volunteer at whatever interested you.

We moved many times through the years and have had a wonderful life. There were hard times of course but on the whole what an interesting life it has been.

- Grandma
Amanda's Grandfather:

In the late sixties, my Grandfather was an officer in the air force. He spent 440 days in Viet Nam fighting communism. He was stationed at Danag and later at Bien Hoa Air Bases. He had two tours of duty, one temporary and one more permanent change of station. He left Bien Hoa in July of 1965 and returned to Bien Hoa in November 1966. In September 1966 he was reassigned to Bitburg, Germany. He picked up his wife and sons, my grandmother, father, and uncle, and arrived in Germany in October 1966-far far away from Viet Nam. He believes that war is not pretty, it is hard work and very dangerous, but he understood the goals and agreed with them.

My Grandfather believed that Martin Luther King Jr. pushed the envelope, and that he was aggressive in his Non-Violence campaign. There were people who hated him, and one of them killed him. He watched Neil Armstrong land on the moon from the Bitburg Officers Club in Germany. He listened to radio reports on it in English and watched it on Germany TV. My Grandpa felt positive about the draft. He was nearly drafted but volunteered and became an officer. He thought he would do 4 years as an officer in the USAF and get out. He retired from the USAF 26 years later as a full Colonel. It was a good career choice for him. He was not involved in any protests during this time because he was in the military and loving it.