Lawrence veteran recalls learning the way out of Vietnam 'ain't the yellow brick road'

For infantrymen like John Musgrave, the road out of Vietnam involved dehumanizing the enemy and killing them. His memoir describes his time in the war, why he joined the antiwar movement and the responsibility of citizens of a democracy.
The United States had been involved in the Vietnam War for more than a decade when John Musgrave joined the Marines. He was 17 and eager to enlist in 1966.

Musgrave, who spent more than 11 months in Vietnam, said the infantrymen were mentally prepared to kill the enemy.

"Everybody's got a road they want to take home," Musgrave recalled being told. "It ain't the yellow brick road. That road is paved with the bodies of your dead enemies. It's the red meat road."

The author joined Up To Date to talk about what he hopes readers gain from his new memoir.