A Minnesota PBS Initiative
The Height Of The Flag
My life would begin to change on April 4, 1968 at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. At the time, this 19 year old farm boy from Minnesota was finishing Naval boot camp and had never been in a large city like Chicago.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed and riots were erupting. Chicago’s west side was in flames. We were scared. At the time I did not realize the magnitude of this tragic event. What I knew at that time was that you should not riot; don’t protest; people are dying in Vietnam; communism is bad and must be stopped; the United States of America is always right and everyone should be like us. What more would you expect from a naïve farm boy?
I served the next two years on the USS Oriskany, a smaller aircraft carrier, with the majority of the time spent off the coast of Vietnam bombing this small country. We did what we were asked to do, not really understanding why, or the terrible outcome of our actions. Communism needed to be held in check and North Vietnam was our adversary.
After finishing my active duty, the farm and my fiancé were waiting for me. Life was very busy with family and work. Then it happened. We are pulling out of Vietnam, the Communists are taking over. We lost the war.
As time went by and I began to realize the terrible consequences of this war, my thoughts began to change. There was a bitterness against this country I loved so much. The only way I could cope with it was to say, “American government is still one of the greatest systems in the world but don’t trust the politicians and personnel running it.”
To this day that has not changed in my mind and I have come to realize the very importance of certain protests and marches on Washington D.C. We owe gratitude to all those Vietnam protesters years and years ago that at the time I despised.
This American believes that we need dissidents in this country as part of our democratic system of government to let us slow down and ask ourselves, “Is this good policy? What are the long term effects? Is there a better alternative?” A country that does not tolerate dissidents is not a true democracy.
This American believes that we need dissidents in this country as part of our democratic system of government... A country that does not tolerate dissidents is not a true democracy.
When visiting the Vietnam memorial in Washington D.C., my thoughts wander. Why did all these people have to die plus the people of North and South Vietnam? War is terrible.
Although I am a Vietnam veteran, my service and sacrifice does not come anywhere close to those veterans that fought the battles and witnessed the terrible effects of war. Their lives were changed forever and we must all try to understand their lifelong challenges.
This Vietnam veteran still holds up the American flag; however, not as high as I could had the Vietnam War never happened.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Fairfax, MN
Primary Location During Vietnam: Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Navy
Dates of Service: 1968 - 1970
Veteran Organization: VFW post 8459
Unit: USS Oriskany
Specialty: Engine man 3rd class
This story is part of
Stories of Martin Luther King Jr.
Go to the collection.
Story Themes: David Rieke, Dissent, Growing Up, Martin Luther King Jr., Patriotism, Shame, USS Oriskany
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