SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — I knew when I began hearing radio and television commercials touting a concert at Huntington Bank Field featuring rockers Rod Stewart and Billy Joel that the event would draw a huge crowd. I figured the concert would provide me with a golden opportunity to promote peace to hundreds — if not thousands — of people heading to the southwest gate of the stadium.
I wore my rather tight 1968 U.S. Army Class A dress uniform and held a peace flag on a pole over my right shoulder. Two rows of ribbons above the left breast pocket represented my Bronze Star, Army Commendation, Good Conduct, National Defense Service, Vietnam Service and Vietnam Campaign medals.
The reaction of the crowd — people of all ages, but largely folks in their 50s and 60s — paralleled that of other crowds experiencing my peace message. That is to say, many were not pleased with my presence, but still thanked me for my service. Several shook my hand or gave me fist bumps. A few who appreciated my peace initiative took photos with their cellphones.
A young woman said, “I saw you on Sunday,” referring to my presence before the Browns-Cowboys game.
A few people said, “God bless you!” And I said, “You, too.”
One young man walking by shouted, “God bless America!” I shouted back, “Peace on earth!”
One person said, “What are you doing here?” I said, “Promoting peace. We need much more peace, civility, tolerance, mutual respect, compassion, kindness and patience in our society. Those qualities have eroded over the past several years.” The individual did not dispute my observation.
It was a nice surprise to meet longtime friend and former co-worker Brian Klonowski and his wife, Monica. Brian is a nurse at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the VA hospital at Wade Park, and Monica is an x-ray technician at the VA facility in Parma.
A woman who may have had “one too many” repeatedly said, “I love you!” I said, “I love you, too. Anyone who tells me they love me receives the same response.”
One young woman said, “Where are your stars?” I said, “I’m not a general.” She laughed but in retrospect, I think she may have been referring to the lack of stars on my U.S. peace flag. Oops.
One Rod Stewart fan was bedecked in an impressively dazzling sequined off-white suit and wearing a wig (I assume) as disheveled as Stewart’s hair.
When people passing by thanked me for my service, I sometimes said, “Wasn’t my idea. I got drafted!” They would laugh and I would quickly add, “Ya gotta do what you gotta do.” One woman appreciated my “courage” for serving.
To the few who took time to chat, I said, “When people thank me for serving our country, I sometimes say, ‘I didn’t serve my country. I served deceitful, lying, fearmongering, war-mongering politicians and their war-profiteering bed partners. Those truly serving our country are medics, nurses, doctors and mental health professionals who work very, very hard to mend as best they can the psyches and bodies of those savaged and ravaged by war. They are the real war heroes. Not those who kill and destroy. That’s not heroic. It’s barbaric.” The recipients of such a perspective do not argue with me and I know I gave them something to think about.
A few gentlemen recognized the First Infantry Division patch on my right shoulder, saying “Big Red One!”
On a couple of occasions, I told people, “I was in Vietnam for a year. I like peace a lot better than unnecessary unwinnable wars — Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan.”
One woman made this heartfelt comment: “I’m sorry what our government put you through.”
Drafted in 1966, Lou Pumphrey was a reporter, then editor, for the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division newspaper in Vietnam from July 1967 to July 1968. He lives in Shaker Heights.
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