http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=156411&catid=3
By Paul Crawley
10/1/2010
ATLANTA, GA - What is the measure of a man?
On Thursday 40 years of Clyde Green's life were measured in a brief,
patriotic slide show at Atlanta's Fort McPherson.
They were portraits of a man who was forced to serve his country, but
who grew to love doing it.
Clyde Green was drafted off his South Carolina farm at age 20 in
1970, at the height of the controversial Vietnam War.
"At that time I had no idea that I was going to serve in the
military, really didn't want to be in the military," Green told 11 Alive News.
Shipped off to Vietnam 6 months later, he gradually warmed to his new
regimented life, specializing in military intelligence.
He credits two Non-Commissioned Officers for inspiring him to begin a
career that took him to 41 countries and two wars.
As his proud family watched Thursday, Chief Warrant Officer Clyde
Green received his final of many medals from a three-star Pentagon
General during a 3rd Army retirement ceremony.
He's believed to be the last draftee from the Vietnam War who was
still serving his country.
"No regrets at all," Green said, "It's been forty great years and I
don't regret one day of it. If I had it to do over again, I would."
Green returned to Vietnam off and on from 1995 to 2001 to help search
for POW's and MIA's.
His team discovered the fate of three MIA's, including Captain
Frederick Krupa who served in Green's unit 30 years before.
A little uncertain about being civilians now, Green and his wife of
34 years, Veria, look forward to no more bugles and farewells.
"I'm ready to go and rest and not wake up in the morning times so
early (and) watch him leave," Veria Green said.
CW5 Clyde Green gave his final salute as he was presented with his
own personal flag of the country he served for four decades.
"It was a pleasure for me to serve," he added.
The ceremony ended with the traditional ballad, "Old soldiers never
die, they just fade away".
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