Campus Unrest

It was the spring of 1970. Campus criticism of the Vietnam war had reached the point where colleges across the country, including the u of Minn, canceled classes for a day. It was to be a moratorium to end the war.

The ROTC had scheduled a year end award ceremony, full of military pageantry, for the same day.

If the ceremony was canceled it would appear to support the moratorium. If it was not canceled, it would provide a focal point for all the students out of class.

The ceremony was moved into the field house and proceeded. 

I was a cadet squadron leader, so had to arrive early and did not see the thousands of students around the armory and field house. 

My wife did. As she approached the designated parking area, her car was surrounded. The demonstrators started rocking the car attempting to overturn it. She was rescued by police. The ceremony went on. Despite high tension there were no further incidents.