Inspired by Rurik.

Coming home involved several aspects; physically getting back,  NOT being in the Navy after almost 6 years, and dealing with having the word Vietnam attached to my name.

Flew from Guam to Travis AFB with a stop-over at Yakota in Japan. I remember little about the trip so it must have been uneventful. I had opted to out-process at Great Lakes so my route was: Travis to Treasure Island - Treasure Island to SFX - SFX to O'hare - O'hare to Great Lakes.

One of the tricks of memory is that from 35 plus years on, the trip itself seems to occupy little more space than that.

There is a single event that stands out though; while at SFX I was one of several in uniform who were spit at, cursed at, and called 'baby killer'. The crap wasn't aimed at me, but everyone in uniform. It had been going on before I passed though and, I suspect went on well after I was in the air.

I had checked around and found out that getting discharged at Treasure Island may have taken weeks. Then I would fly back to West Virgina via O'hare as a civilian.I figured that if I was discharged at Great Lakes it would be quicker and I'd wind up in the same place anyway.

Here too, a single event stands out. After running in circles and, jumping through a hoop or two, I was at the very last check out desk. The Yeoman stated that I had to get a haircut before I could turn in my ID and get my disharge packet. I stood there puzzled, I was about to take off my uniform and put on civies, after all. The reasoning was beyond me, but I did the deed and made my exit.

It was 1969.

In 1991 There was a parade where I was living on The Big Island of Hawaii for the Veterans of Desert Storm. The organizers invited Vietnam Vets to march along. I did, and I was finally home.

Contributed by Zero Ponsdorf on July 4, 2006 at 03:34 AM in Coming home, George Mellinger, US Navy, Zero Ponsdorf | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Bill Faith

Welcome home, Zero.

Posted by: Bill Faith | Jul 4, 2006 3:43:43 AM

Posted by: Rurik

Zero, you always were home but didn't realize it. It was those other bastards who weren't home. In fact, they're still out to lunch somewhere.

Posted by: Rurik | Jul 4, 2006 7:32:58 AM