E4 Jeff Francis - Vietnam Veteran

When Jeff graduated from high school in 1968, he was only 17. He knew he was likely to be drafted and made a pragmatic choice: while registering for the draft after his 18th birthday, he asked if he could volunteer for the draft. He could, he did, and he arrived in Vietnam after basic and advanced training.

For 14 months Jeff went on patrol with his line unit as infantry, as the assistant machine gunner and as the demolition guy. In that role, he had a satchel that carried plastic explosives to blow up enemy bunkers or unexploded ordinance. The blasting caps he carried in a leg pocket—on the other side.

Returning stateside, Jeff was processed in Oakland and then ran to catch a flight to Detroit Metro. Protests against the war extended to protests against the soldiers … who had only responded to the call of their duty as citizens. In uniform and feeling vulnerable, Jeff waited with his back against the wall until his parents arrived.

It took Jeff 41 years to talk about his time in Vietnam. It took too long for Americans to say, “Welcome home.”