My high school class in 1964 had 57 people.

[Biophilic]

One of those was kind, gentle guy from a farm family west of the city. He was a very talented artist, but obviously his family didn’t have the funds for Art School. He went to Nam instead. He didn’t return. I think about Paul often. He was a special human being.

[senseandsensibility]

1. Great post for Memorial Day

And there are thousands and thousands more. Each life was important. That's what the holiday is all about. Thanks for sharing.

[PJMcK]

2. My class had about 650 kids

This year marks our 50th reunion.

More than 100 of my classmates have died. Many different causes.

I feel fortunate to still be alive. I grieve for those service people who never came home.

[niyad]

12. And I also grieve for the ones who came home wounded in body or mind,

and for their loved ones. I spent many years trying to help heal the wounded minds.

[Joinfortmill]

3. 1967 here. About the same number of grads.

It was college or Nam.

[anciano]

4. ...

[BeneteauBum]

5. A lot of us lost friends in Vietnam

Friends I knew in high school. I remember the first death of someone I knew…..I was a sophomore. Also, many of us lost relatives in WW2 and Korea. I had an uncle die on the Bataan death march. The horrors of war should never be trivialized and the sacrifices of people defending us should always be memorialized.

Peace ☮️

[IbogaProject]

6. A classmate from fifth grade for me

He was the very first causalty in Desert Storm the first Gulf War.

[tavernier]

7. 64 also.

Several died in Nam, but the one I especially remember told me once that I was the first girl he ever kissed.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. ...

[Festivito]

9. My SO's brother recounted the story of his friend.

His friend, Jesus, did not make it back from Vietnam alive. His eyes welled up after all these years as I listened.

My close neighbor told another neighbor friend that he should go to Vietnam. She carried the memory of his death until her own.

As I work as a civilian on a military base, the memory of Vietnam is not with the young people there. My condolence to all those with memory.

[surfered]

10. Many of those who survived suffer from severe PTSD.

[MineralMan]

11. 106 in my 1963 class.

6 died in Vietnam. Just under 6%. Shocking!

[ShazzieB]

13. 1968 reporting in.

75 in my graduating class. I didn't stay in touch with any of those people, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the guys got drafted. Now I'm wondering if they did and if they all made it back.

One of my cousins got drafted but never left the states. He ended up in the quartermaster corps after basic training and spent the rest of his hitch in Ft. Dix, NJ.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend Paul. There were too many like him.