Donald Roberson:  

Graduated Edison, went to TU. Felt trapped. Enraged about Vietnam War. Wanted to join protests. Took "Engineering" first semester. Realized I didn't want to be an engineer. Took business. Frustrated with life, the war, and Walter Cronkites Death Counts. Went part time to TU and worked at the Tulsa Juvenile Detention Center..knowing full well, I'd be drafted. Drafted in 1970, sent to Ft. Polk. The training conditions were horrendous. Poor food, four hours sleep, freezing after forced marches. Majority in company got Upper Respiratory Infection..a few got spinal meningitis. Developed stress fractures in right foot..because of trick knee. Kept marching..didn't want to be recycled. Foot bones finally separated...put in walking cast..kept marching, and qualified with M16..so, I "graduated" and put in finance. Through luck I never went over. The company I wound up in was like "F" troop. A rowdy bunch of crazy draftees. I was very fortunate. One day I met Gus Gaither at the headquarters building...I believe he was outprocessing. Had just returned from Nam. I gave him a big hello...he looked at me expressionless...all he said...as he passed me..."don't ever go over there"..Gus...I hope you are having a good life. I know you won't be able to forget what you experienced, but I hope life treated you well after that. I got out in 1971, early out..War was "winding down". Came back to Tulsa..hated the idea of returning to "TU". And the GI BILL only paid for books, until the protesters forced our "beloved" government to help returning veterans...I joined th...Expand for more