Talking Vietnam in Their High School Halls

Flatland Special Projects Reporter Mike McGraw sits down with Vietnam veteran John Musgrave to talk about the draft, the war, and choices made at their alma mater, Van Horn High School, in Independence, Missouri.
We’re FlatlandKC.org, KCPT’s digital magazine, a destination for local and regional storytelling in and around Kansas City.

[@mikehobbs2888]

john musgrave was great on the pbs doc by burns. his interviews were the best on that doc in my opinion.thank you for your sacrafice

[@paulbrown8370]

I an another guy in New Jersey enlisted in the Army back in 1969, I was 18 at the time. I knew I was going so I went down and signed up, and I volunteered to go to Vietnam. I was given my orders after training and told I was going, and I said you finally gave me what I wanted. The Sgt. said, Soldier, do you know where the hell your going, and I said yeah, right into Hell. I'm going willingly also. Today I am teaching English to the kids in Vietnam online and through Skype video, I am not paid for this. I do it because I love the kids and I fell in love with the country when I was there. Today I have about 256 "Kids" of mine I call them. Many of them call me "Daddy", "Grandpa" and Uncle or Brother. I have been doing this for about 6 years now, every night 7 days a week till 5am. My "Daughter and "Granddaughter live there and I love them with all my heart. I have great respect for them and would never lie to them, even if the truth may hurt for awhile. I am there to talk with them everyday. As I said, I do this for "Free", because I love it so much. They have been teaching me Vietnamese as well. Ba yeu con.

[@sandrawertz3275]

You are such a brave man. You volunteered to serve your country and stood your ground to tell the truth and you are keeping the memories of your fallen comrades alive. Thank you John, and God bless you.

[@FlatlandkcOrg]

John is a truly inspiring individual. We were honored to help tell his story.

[@Hardrada88]

I could listen to John for hours. Something he spoke about on the Burns documentary, about his feelings on coming home, hit really hard to me. I'd been in the same position after my final tour, turned to drink to help me adjust felt very isolated despite being given help & and time. It's a weird feeling like self imposed exile, unwanted. I had a cat (was cat sitting) and it was the cat who saved me like it was John's dogs for him. He certainly is a hero to me.

[@Biggun8262]

God bless you John and all those who made the choice to serve our country. No matter the outcome, you made the choice to serve and for that I salute you sir!

[@FlatlandkcOrg]

Our gratitude goes out to all of those who have sacrificed for our country. Its an honor to help tell their stories.

[@robertisham5279]

@@FlatlandkcOrg All these Vietnam videos are basically BS. These veterans willingly chose to go to an unwinnable, illegal war. If they say otherwise they are promoting a falsehood. A lot of these people push the image that they could or did win the war, but the "politicians" and the "people back home" lost it. Vietnam was a national American disgrace, tragedy and defeat...and they share in the responsibility of it. The politicians and American people saw that the war was not being won, or was unwinnable. The US never really had the "hearts and minds" of the South Vietnamese people...who they supposedly were fighting for. They don't talk much about the war crimes they committed against the Vietnamese....OR even against their own personnel. Lastly, whether these guys won or lost...the Vietnam war had absolutely NO effect on American freedom, security, safety or way of life. They did NOT sacrifice anything for my...or your freedom. These veterans present themselves as victims and wrongly treated. They are big boys and went to a country to kill or be killed. They shared in the failure. Now they want to be recognized for their "sacrifice" through videos, Honor Flights, endless trips to the Wall in DC or to Vietnam itself. They never grew up and really moved on. They have made themselves an embarrassment to themselves and my generation.

[@elainemarra9790]

Thank you

[@paulashford4155]

Well I am a bit younger and welsh so would not have to have gone to Vietnam. I knew nothing about it and then saw the PBS Documentary about Nam and it was a real eye opener. What all the soldiers went through should never be forgotten.

[@swilson7674]

Much much respect to a fellow Independence resident, Van Horn graduate and Army Infantry veteran. (I know he was a Marine. He grew up in Fairmount neighborhood I'm from Maywood( south of Truman rd). Why is nothing named after him in our part of town

[@PacoOtis]

John! Bravo! You constantly hit the proverbial nail on the head. When I was young my heroes were also WWII people and when our Country went to war I wanted to be part of it. I was afraid the war would soon end and quit college so I could go to flight school and became a helicopter pilot and flew in Nam in 69. I was from just north of you in Excelsior and know your area quite well. My wife was from Independence! I was 25 in Vietnam and a bit more aware than the eighteen year olds and soon realized we had been deceived and lied to by our Government. I encourage my wife to march in antiwar marches while I was in Vietnam. I got over 1,500 combat flying hours and named my son after my best flight school buddy who came back in a box! He would be 71, but died when he was 20! Bummer! Best of luck Dude! You are one tough guy, physically and mentally!

[@almontepaolilli7531]

I enlisted in the Air Force in 1962. I relisted in 1966 and volunteered for Vietnam in 1967 and volunteered for Thailand in 1972. My father and many of my family members both male and female have served in various American wars over the years. There is a price for the freedoms that Americans have and a very small percentage are willing to pay the price so all can benefit.

[@elainemarra9790]

Thank you

[@lesterrycraft1108]

when I got drafted I had a van willing to take me to Canada just walk across the Peace bridge and people will meet you on the other side I couldn't because I new they would just draft someone else and I knew I couldn't live with myself so I went unwillingly but thank you

[@FlatlandkcOrg]

You made a very difficult decision. Thank you for your sacrifice.

[@joshgellis3292]

This is in a way nice to see. NO WAY that most REAL, CURRENT teenagers in high schools could EVER understand like a GUY his age now AND ESPECIALLY back then can how a man goes from carrying around a: backpack, pencils and seemingly-impossible homework ...to hauling around a: an M-16 rifle, packs of equipment AND at times, your buddy's *_*dying corspe_**

[@marcnews75]

He speaks the truth

[@RUSure-jm9rp]

While this was the height of the women’s equal rights movement, there were never women in front of the draft board demanding to be drafted. However there were a lot of women outside of airports spitting on mentally and physically injured soldiers returning from a war that they were forced to go to. The women were also from the same generation. That’s also a tough one to forgive.

[@joannbyrne182]

All Of that was war mortally reprehensible if they sent politicians sons and daughters war would end the next day and if it's that important to politicians they should draft their own first

[@billglass5160]

Much respect, John Musgrave, for what you did because you wanted to serve your country, but I don't agree with what you say about those who went to college to avoid going to the war. I went to college because I wanted to be an engineer. You can't just stop the educational process for 2 years of military service and then pick it up where you left it off. Sure, I got deferments but then they drafted me right after my college graduation. I too served my country. There were no men who served in my place! When I got back from the war, I was an engineer for 42 years.

[@carolecarr5210]

John, look at the stats, the photographs re; race. Not reality. Yes, the college deferment factor was not fair leaving more to be drafted, white & black.

[@pauldavies9360]

3 dislikes: 1: An American hiding in Canada 2: Vietcong soldier 3: Muhammad Ali

[@rachelharson173]

WITHOUT VIETCONG SOLDIERS, VIETNAM WOULD NOT EXIST UNTIL NOW SO SHUT THE F UP

[@Mardet14]

I wonder if you are one of those who admire a person who got a deferment from the Vietnam war because of "bone spurs" and as a presidential candidate called people who served in the US Military losers? FYI Muhammad Ali stood up and said "no" not because he was afraid but felt the US was wrong. He paid for that by going to prison. How many of your friends are willing to go to jail for their convictions? And you? As to the Vietcong soldiers and NVA they were fighting for their country, as they had fought for years against the Chinese, the Japanese, the French and the Americans. What would you do if your country was invaded? As for Americans who left for other countries. They made their choice and they have to live with that. I was a Marine 1960-1964. Here is what I dislike, American political leaders who lie to their citizens for political reasons which cause the deaths of thousands.

[@robertisham5279]

@@Mardet14 All these Vietnam videos are basically BS. These veterans willingly chose to go to an unwinnable, illegal war. If they say otherwise they are promoting a falsehood. A lot of these people push the image that they could or did win the war, but the "politicians" and the "people back home" lost it. Vietnam was a national American disgrace, tragedy and defeat...and they share in the responsibility of it. The politicians and American people saw that the war was not being won, or was unwinnable. The US never really had the "hearts and minds" of the South Vietnamese people...who they supposedly were fighting for. They don't talk much about the war crimes they committed against the Vietnamese....OR even against their own personnel. Lastly, whether these guys won or lost...the Vietnam war had absolutely NO effect on American freedom, security, safety or way of life. They did NOT sacrifice anything for my...or your freedom. These veterans present themselves as victims and wrongly treated. They are big boys and went to a country to kill or be killed. They shared in the failure. Now they want to be recognized for their "sacrifice" through videos, Honor Flights, endless trips to the Wall in DC or to Vietnam itself. They never grew up and really moved on. They have made themselves an embarrassment to themselves and my generation.