"Draft Morning" by The Byrds. 1968

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

https://littlecornerofamusiclover.com/rock-songs-about-vietnam-war/#google_vignette

“Draft Morning” by The Byrds is a powerful protest song against the military draft taking place in the 60s. It reflects on the fear and uncertainty many young men were experiencing as they awaited their draft orders.

The lyrics explore the emotional upheaval for people affected by war, describing division within families about whether to support or reject conscription into the military forces.

The chorus emphasizes the line “Say ‘no’ to war”, encouraging young men to take a stand and not be victims of political agendas.

[George McGovern]

1. I recall "the fear and uncertainty" I felt awaiting my draft orders, IrishBubbaLiberal.

"There but for the grace of God go I." Didn't have to serve. Like to think I wasn't born to follow either.

Remarkable music — You are on a roll today! Thanks so much!

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

2. I remember The Lottery in early 1970s....Seniors in High Schools watching

I vividly remember the high school seniors in the school library
ALL watching that tiny television set of the school.

Watching the dates being drawn.

Draft lottery.

AND I remember the school corridor bulletin board,
Behind the glass….the lists…

The list of former students that had been killed in Vietnam.
The list of those former students missing in Vietnam.

The seniors talking openly about heading to Canada.

A war for nothing.
A war that made military industrial complex money.
Millions and millions and millions while American boys died for nothing.

My buddy was older than I by about 8 or 9 years….
As my Vietnam war veteran buddy,,,, screamed out when he was drunk
again, drunk and screaming “ FUCK LBJ! FUCK NIXON!….FUCK EM ALL THOSE GOD DAMN BASTARDS. FUCKING ASSHOLE SON F A BITCHES……}

My buddy lost his twin brother in Vietnam.
My buddy never talked about his time in Vietnam. Maybe 2x in decades did he say anything about his Vietnam time.
His wife would tell of his horrible horrific nightmares for years.

101st Airborne grunt,
Similar horror as Tiger Force atrocities

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

3. My oldest sister dated one of the Minnesota Eight, tried to destroy Draft records

My sister wanted to piss off Dad.

Dad was part of the Military Industrial Complex, Big Time war contractor executive.

The Minnesota EIGHT July 1970
Resisting the war, tried to as much military draft records at
Selective Service offices in Minnesota multiple cities

———————————
See https://duluthreader.com/articles/2020/07/25/115238-remembering-the-minnesota-eight

In January 1970, Brian Wells burned 2,400 files at the Nicollet County Selective Service office in St. Peter and received a sentence of up to six years of federal supervision.
By far the most successful such action took place in St. Paul and Minneapolis the weekend of Feb. 28, 1970, when anti-war activists destroyed thousands of files held in the St. Paul central post office and an office building in downtown Minneapolis. No one was ever arrested for these crimes.

———————-

So a couple years later my sis dated one of those who were involved

Just to piss off Dad.

It worked to a point

[George McGovern]

4. "To a point" . . .So very many people never did get the other point!

What a poignant article! After high school in my little north-central CT town
I had no such actions were being carried out. I was struck by this raid response: "The first draft-board raid in the state, and possibly the first nationwide, took place in Elk River when Barry Bondhus poured two buckets of human excrement into the Selective Service files there in February of 1966. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison."

In retrospect I'd call war resisters real heroes. So much tragedy. In my 30s I had opportunity to visit a traveling replica of The Wall. I knew no names thereon. But I heard a voice reading aloud the names on the wall. I signed up
to read, volunteered to take a shift and at night-time spoke to an audience of zero. It was an awesome, humbling experience nonetheless.
I have very much appreciated the music you've posted today. Helped me realize "Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now." The
lyric induced these two comments on its meaning found on Reddit:

"I used to know everything, now I realize I don’t know anything."

"I think you’re right. It is not the same meaning but for me, for unknown reasons, it sent my mind to Bob Seger's equally cool line. ‘I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then’.

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

5. Thx...... I have been to The Wall

Very emotional

I couldn’t stay the first time, had to walk away,
And stood by myself for long time.
Trying to get away for anyone around.

Next time I visited, a few years later,

I went early, very early to be there when few were
there.

Got enough composure to get a rubbing of my buddy’s
brother name.

[IrishBubbaLiberal]

6. "The horror", Apocalypse Now clip

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