Back to Summer 1970, Fifty Years Ago-- Part 1: Setting the Stage

Bob Stroud has been doing four three-hour shows Root Saluting Summers from 40 Years Ago, starting with 1967 on his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  .  Last year it was the Summer of 1979.  At that point there was a problem, as his show covers music from the 60s and 70s.  And, this summer from forty years ago would be 1980.  I was wondering what Bob would do.

I was definitely hoping he wouldn't drop the summer shows.  I kind of build my summer's around being home so I can listen to the shows (and record them on my cassette tapes).

I was happy to find out that he was going back to fifty years ago, 1970.

He will be doing a new show about the Summer of 1970 the first Sunday of each month June, July, August and September.  The show first airs from 9 to noon CDST and then a repeat from 9 to midnight.  www.wdrv.com

Anyway, here are the songs he played on June 7.  These are songs on the radio and in your record collection (no downloads) for June 7, 1970.

I was home from college, Northern Illinois University, after completing my freshman year.  However, I had to take a summer school course at Harper College because I wasn't sure if I had passed a geography final and that might have made me short hours needed to stay in college.  And, with a draft lottery number 22, that meant I might end up overseas, if you know what I mean.

I went back to my high school job working at the Burger King in Palatine.

Going Back 50 Years.  --RoadOldie

THOSE CRAZY COUNTRY SONGS:  Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart"

Thank A Vietnam Vet Today, It's National Vietnam War Veterans Day Today

It was a war that I never thought would get over.  It started when I was in junior high, went all the way through high school and all the way through college.  I thought it would still be going on today.  There just was no end in sight as we continued the buildup for all those years from 1963 to 1973.

It was my war as I came really close to having to go.  I gad a draft lottery number of 22 and was graduating from college in May 1973, but the last fighting troops were pulled out March 29, 1973.  So, I was that close.

Not that I was against the war, just it is my belief that if you go to war, you fight to win it as soon as possible and you do whatever you have to do to accomplish those goals, no matter how mad they are.

I have written about my experiences with the Vietnam War in past blog entries.  Click on My Vietnam War Experience in the labels below to see what I have written.

A Hard and Long War.

My Vietnam War Experience-- Part 2: It's Draft Time

That war goes on forever.  Most boys were going to get drafted coming out of high school, unless you went to college (or had a high draft lottery number).  A whole lot of boys who hadn't planned on going to college all of a sudden decided to go to college and get that beautiful student deferment.

I had planned on being a teacher since I was seven years old and that meant going to college, so I was ok there.

Maybe the war would be over by the time I got out of college.  Foolish boy.

Then, the draft became the draft lottery.  Birthdays were taken and put in a big drum and dates pulled.  We high school boys watched that intently, hoping that we would not get pulled early.  The earlier you were pulled, the more likely you had a one-way ticket to Vietnam.

The first time they had it, I was not eligible because of age.  May 24th came up #31.  I would have to go to Vietnam had I been eligible.  But, if I got the low number this time, perhaps next time I would have a nice high number.

The year that I was eligible, my birthday was pulled #22.

So Much for the Odds.  --RoadDog

I Was a Marine For a Short Time --Part 1

I was a Marine for a very, very short time.

I didn't think the Vietnam War would EVER end. It really got hot while I was in junior high school and went all the way through my high school years and college.

The first year they had the draft lottery, I wasn't eligible, and I had the number 31. I was happy with that as I figured the next year, when it would count, I'd surely get a higher number.

Wrong!!! The year it counted, I was number 22. I was getting an all-expense paid "vacation" to Vietnam compliments of Uncle Sam. That is, I'd go after college. I had always intended to go to college anyway, something you had to do if you wanted to be a teacher. But , that war just WASN'T going to end. And after four years, I would be eligible for the draft, and with a 22, I was gone.

Stay Tuned. --RoadDog