Charles Sisian: A young man grows up quickly

Submitted by Charles Sisian, Hatfield
U.S. Army, 1965 - 1967

Like many young men of my generation, I knew I had a military draft obligation to fulfill.

However, after high school graduation, I took a year off to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

Shortly after I registered for college, I received my draft notice to report for active service. So I guess you could say my informal education to the real world was about to begin. I
n that summer of 1965, every male I knew who was not married or in college was called to serve. Suddenly, we all had an interest for news regarding a place most of us had never heard of, -- Vietnam. Something was happening and it was happening fast. It was the early stages of a troop build-up.

I had basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, where they were preparing for a surge of incoming new recruits. My barracks last housed World War II prisoners of war from Europe, and had been marked for demolition; however, the training cadre was top-notch. I was young and eager to serve and felt invincible.

Shortly after arriving in Vietnam, a nearby helicopter base was attacked by the Viet Cong. Our response included a C130 aircraft gun ship known as Puff the Magic Dragon. Its traces from the machine gun fire and flares lit the night, and wreaked havoc on the enemy. I soon came to the realization that these people wanted to kill me, when only a few months earlier I had been looking forward to college life and fraternity parties. Vietnam was truly an eye-opening experience.

Some of the local Vietnamese were villagers by day and Viet Cong by night. This led to frustration among the soldiers, causing some to say, “I wonder how many Vietnamese fought in our Civil War?”
As time passed, I came to respect the Vietnamese people and their adaptability.

When I returned home, or as we said then, “return to the world,” there were no parades or appreciation given for a job well done. Reports on the war were broadcast daily on the evening news while many watched hoping to catch a glimpse of a loved one.
Ironically, on the same channel some people were burning their draft cards and protesting against the war. It was a time of conflicting emotions.

My Vietnam experiences weren’t that different from thousands of other soldiers who served. I thank God I wasn’t wounded or injured, but none of us returned home the boys we once were.

The Vietnam War was not a popular war, but everyone was focused on it due to concerns for a family member or friend serving in the military. My brother was seriously injured in Vietnam shortly after I returned home and my wife’s cousin, a Navy corpsman attached to the Marines, was killed.
In contrast, today the military is comprised of men and women dedicated to an all-volunteer military serving multiple tours in war zones. They have earned the admiration of the country for their service and sacrifice in defense of our national security.
God bless and protect them all!