Bert: of course you are right, Ali did go to jail, and there must have been others. I had not read the thread Spaw just posted (but I will) so I didn't know he was among those who was one of them.

Spaw: of course I still consider you a friend! We disagree on several points of view at times, but that doesn't affect my feeling of friendship for you. The same is true of Rick, Kendall, heck, probably the majority of my fellow mudcatters.

I was too young for WW2, just by a couple of years. I, and most of my friends were sorely disappointed that we were not born "in time" to participate in that war. There were C.O.s then too, but I didn't know any.

I volunteered for the Army under the selective service act of 1948, a short-lived law that allowed boys who joined the service during their eighteenth year to serve their military obligation with one year of active service and either four years in the active reserve, or six years in the inactive reserve. The act was short-lived because it was anticipated that a large number of volunteers would re-enlist when their one year of active service was up. As it turned out, almost nobody re-enlisted, even though we were offered advances in rank that prewar enlisted men had to serve many years in order to reach that rank. I joined with three of my buddies and we served with the 2nd Amored Division at Camp Hood (now Ft. Hood) Texas.

It was our intent to join the inactive reserve, but a scruffy old Colonel practically ordered us to join the National Guard in our hometown, and still fearful of high ranking officers, we did just that. For us, it was fortuitous decision.

My one year of active service erased any preconceived notions that war was glorius and glamorous. Night manuevers took care of that. Had we succeeded in joining the inactive reserve, when the Korean conflict begain, we would have been called immediately back to active duty, as were all of my former 2nd Armored Division buddies who became inactive reserves. I learned later that after a week or two of brush-up training, they were shipped to Korea, and most of them died in the Inchon landings.

The 36th Infantry Divison (Texas National Guard) was put on alert during the Korean conflict, but was not called up. Therefore, I was fortunate enough to serve five years of military service (four of them reserve) without becoming involved in any war.

Sorry for the thread creep, and for the length of this message, but I thought it might clarify my position if you knew the background. The point being that had my National Guard Division been called up, it never would have occurred to me, not to go. This was in the 1950s, and the attitudes of young people were much different than they were in the 1960s. Not saying it was better, just that it was different.

I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone with my comments. They are just my opinon.

Frankly, if Senator Kerry has presidential aspirations, as many believe he has, it is probably good that this thing came out now. By the time the campaign for President begins (a few weeks ago), it will be behind him.

Sorry again for the length, and for the creep.

DougR