A Minnesota PBS Initiative
I Ended Up Being a Mailman
When Mark Odegard was drafted in 1966, he assumed he'd end up in combat but he ended up being a mailman. His experience after the war, at Presidio in San Francisco, ended up being much more formative. There, he was exposed to art, went back to art school on the GI Bill, and somewhat distanced himself from his military experience.
Mail and ammo had the highest priority in Vietnam... Mail was a pretty crucial part of morale.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: St. Paul, MN
Primary Location During Vietnam: Biên Hòa, Vietnam 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Army
Dates of Service: 1966 - 1968
Unit: 90th Replacement
Mark's story was captured with the help of TPT's Minnesota Remembers Vietnam team at the 2017 Minnesota State Fair.
Story Themes: 90th Replacement Center, Anne Landers, Anti-war Movement, Art, Bob Hope, Disillusionment, Dissent, GI Bill, GI Joe, Haight-Ashbury, Jesse Colin Young, Joan Baez, Memoir, Music, Patriotism, Pop Culture, San Fransisco, Shame, State Fair Interviews, Summer of Love, The VA
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