OT - History anyone?

My daughter is a Swiss girl who did an exchange in the US and lived with me for a year. (great way to have children by the way) She is doing her thesis for school, and her topic is 1968 and the Vietnam War. She needs to have Americans fill out a short questionaire by email on what they remembered. I was only 11, and most of my friends are of similar age. If there is anybody here who is a little older and willing, would they pm me? She wants to know things like how the media coverage affected you views. It's easy and short. Thank you for reading this. My daughter thanks you, too. BTW, her native language is French.

I was born in 1964. Not sure I count. I remember little bits and pieces. I am a real anomaly though, in my estimation. I had family and friends in the war, but no one died. No one came back maimed. They all came back whole and relatively sane.

My father (biological, not the stepfather that recently died) was a Major in the Army - a doctor. He BEGGED them to send him over. They kept him stateside for the duration. He was so upset seeing the wounded he got to treat. Seeing amputations that he knew he could have saved if he had been there first. It still haunts him.

I had one boyfriend, when I was in my early 20's, who was given the choice at 16 to either do jail time for the pharmacy he'd robbed, or go to Vietnam. He chose Vietnam. He came back relatively normal, except when he slept. I was forced to sleep next to the wall in the bed, with him on the outside. I was not allowed to touch him, roll over, or go pee in the middle of the night, or he'd try to kill me. Not good. Bad. Decided right there and then I wouldn't date anymore Vietnam vets.

Wait, I do have one friend who was injured in the war. I didn't meet him until about 8 years ago though. Chuck lost both his lower legs. He was a Corps man, and his last name starts with "Doc", so everyone, even his wife, calls him "Doc". He's one of the best men on earth. I saw him the other day. He's now had to donate part of a lung due to his long term smoking habit. I didn't ask him if he'd quit smoking, but he didn't stink, and he LOOKED 500% BETTER than I'd ever seen him. Gee, ya' think he quit?

Anyway, thanks for doing this. There's a ton of folks on this board with some really great things to say. I'm sure she'll have more data than she can use.

Cheers,
B.