Vietnam Era Draftees Stationed in W.Germany, South Korea, and CONUS

[oakleaf777]

Given the popular conception that being drafted during Vietnam was a guaranteed ticket to the combat zone, Ive always found it amazing how many of the people I know who served in the Army or USMC during the Vietnam War never actually went to Vietnam. Its easy to forget how large a US military presence in West Germany and Korea was maintained during the late 60s and early 70s aside from the forces fighting in Vietnam. For guys drafted during Vietnam, what really were the odds they would be sent to Vietnam as opposed to remaining stateside, or sent to Germany or Korea?

[Ivydiv]

I can only speak from my own experiences. I was in Infantry AIT at Ft. Polk Nov. 68-Jan 69. When we graduated we lined up in front of a building that you entered one at a time on one side and after getting your paper work you exited out the other side. Out of our entire class I believe two, maybe three guys got orders for Korea. This was because they had relatives (brothers) already serving in Vietnam. Everyone else went directly to Vietnam, or a few were sent to Ft. Benning to attend the NCO School or Airborne Training. The high rate may have been attributed to our being an Infantry MOS, but the only way you didn't go to Vietnam was because of the above reasons. At least in our case. Dave

[USARV72]

Our AIT class in 1971 at A.P.G. was told," you are going to Germany, get your wives in german class". This lasted for 5 months, then we were told, Okanawa. I thought, hot dog, going to go relic hunting. 2 weeks before we graduated they told us, " Class 17, RVN". Once we got our orders, the guy Just below me went to Germany. At least we all went to the same unit, one guy and I went through basic together.

[patches]

Don't forget Panama and Alaska, Alaska itself in that time period had two Infantry Brigades separate stationed there.

 

It's kind of both complicated and disjointed, it was a struggle to be sure. In the late 65 through 1966, the Army Divisions outside of Vietnam, specifically CONUS and West Germany were hemorrhaging personnel for service in South Vietnam, these being primarily if not exclusively volunteers, these numbers had to be made good. 7th Army in particular suffered heavily, especially with loses of combat arms NCOs Then there was the two infantry brigades in Alaska, the 171st and 172nd, both gave up one battalion each for transfer to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii before it left there for South Vietnam, two full battalions had to be raised to replace the ones sent away.

 

So there was a great need for personnel outside South Vietnam through out the entire period, and the refusal to mobilize the Reserves and National Guard only exacerbated the problem.

[Manchu Warrior]

I had an uncle that was drafted out of Brooklyn, NY. He wasn't wealthy or connected in anyway and he also had an Infantry MOS and he was one of three soldiers out of his basic training platoon that went to the ROK. He attributed it to where he happened to be standing in a formation. Because he was one of the last there in that formation and those three went to the ROK. So he was off to Camp Casey and the 9th Infantry Manchu's for 16 months, I was in the same unit a couple of decades after him. I say 16 months because his orders were involuntarily extended because he was in the ROK when the USS Pueblo was taken.

[Salvage Sailor]

I can only speak from my own experiences. I was in Infantry AIT at Ft. Polk Nov. 68-Jan 69. When we graduated we lined up in front of a building that you entered one at a time on one side and after getting your paper work you exited out the other side. Out of our entire class I believe two, maybe three guys got orders for Korea. This was because they had relatives (brothers) already serving in Vietnam. Everyone else went directly to Vietnam, or a few were sent to Ft. Benning to attend the NCO School or Airborne Training. The high rate may have been attributed to our being an Infantry MOS, but the only way you didn't go to Vietnam was because of the above reasons. At least in our case. Dave

 

My close friend had a similar experience in 69-70. Of his entire graduating platoon, only he and one other trooper were sent to West Germany, all the others got orders to RVN. He says it was completely random, some bodies had to go to 7th Army and his lucky number came up.

[11thcavsniper]

I volunteered for the draft and was sent to Ft. Lewis, Wa. Upon graduating, I was the only one in our Company sent to Ft. Knox Ky.. All of the other Draftees in our class stayed at Ft Lewis in Infantry. After graduating AIT at Fort Knox I was sent to their NCO Armor School. Upon graduating they lined us and announced that if your last name started with A through J your orders were Germany and K through Z your orders were Vietnam. You guessed it, my last name started with a T.

[patches]

I volunteered for the draft and was sent to Ft. Lewis, Wa. Upon graduating, I was the only one in our Company sent to Ft. Knox Ky.. All of the other Draftees in our class stayed at Ft Lewis in Infantry. After graduating AIT at Fort Knox I was sent to their NCO Armor School. Upon graduating they lined us and announced that if your last name started with A through J your orders were Germany and K through Z your orders were Vietnam. You guessed it, my last name started with a T.

Got a question 11Cav, during the Vietnam era/60s early 70s period, was there a difference between volunteering for the draft and outright enlisting? I ask this because many guys of draft age enlisted, enlisted specifically for three years to chose their MOS, and in a great many cases avoid serving in South Vietnam.

 

During World War 2 Volunteering for the draft was a common term, that is that after a point enlistment in the Army was halted for the duration, only draftees where accepted (This is for the Army only, the Navy and Marine Corps still took enlistees), and if a 18 year old or in many cases older guys in their 20s/30s who have not yet received a notice, or had a deferment, and gave up their deferment could "Volunteer for the Draft", this also applied (within the Army) for those 17 year old's who wanted to go into the Army.

[11thcavsniper]

Patches, In 1968 you could volunteer for the draft and serve 2 years active duty. You had no say in what your MOS would be. If you enlisted you would serve 3 years and chose your MOS. It was still no guarantee you wouldn't be sent to Vietnam and in some cases even be sent to do something else besides what you trained for. We had an Infantry MOS Soldiers on one of our Sheridan Tanks.

[patches]

Patches, In 1968 you could volunteer for the draft and serve 2 years active duty. You had no say in what your MOS would be. If you enlisted you would serve 3 years and chose your MOS. It was still no guarantee you wouldn't be sent to Vietnam and in some cases even be sent to do something else besides what you trained for. We had an Infantry MOS Soldiers on one of our Sheridan Tanks.

Right, I got you, very interested to know that fine point. I personally met over the years quite a few guys in my neighborhood that enlisted in the Army, 3 years like you said, interesting thing was that not one served in South Vietnam, even up to two duty station changes, in example serving in CONUS then Panama, etc, I recall one guy I met in a bar who enlisted for 3 1967-70, an Ordnance guy, said he served his whole three years after Basic (Bliss) and AIT (Aberdeen) as wheeled vehicle mechanic at West Point, you know in the regular army component at the academy.