Being drafted into the military and being sent overseas into combat for the United States is a controversial topic for some citizens.
For Independence Township’s Tom Romein, his experience in Vietnam was just part of the process of becoming a citizen.
At a ceremony on Veteran’s Day, Romein raised one of 34 flags at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, honoring a man who was asked to fight before he could vote.
‘It was an emotional moment and I felt pretty lucky to do that,? said Romein.
‘We were both teary-eyed. We’d never dreamed he would do that. All the flags went up at the same time. It was one of those moments you can’t imagine with the emotion and patriotism,? added his wife Carolyn.
The opening of the ceremony excited Romein, who had previously desired to be cremated and buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
‘There was nothing here, so I wanted to be buried in Arlington then. Of course it’s getting pretty filled up, so I would have to be cremated to go there’Now that they opened the cemetery in Holly we can be buried there,? said Romein.
‘We hadn’t been married very long when (being buried in Arlington) came up, and that’s what he said. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me and Arlington was so far away, but his citizenship and service in Vietnam meant so much to him, that’s what was going to be,? said Carolyn.
Romein was born in the Netherlands in 1945 shortly after Amsterdam was liberated in World War II and immigrated to the United States with his family in March of 1962.
In 1965, Romein had a green card, but was still awaiting citizenship when he was drafted.
‘I really didn’t like being drafted, but at the time I had heard between Western Europe and the United States they had an agreement that no matter where you were, you had to serve somewhere. They had the draft in Holland where I came from and of course they had it here,? said Romein. ‘I wasn’t upset about it. I kind of expected it.?
‘I knew when we came here I had to wait five years to become a citizen,? said Romein, who came to the United States and saw serving in Vietnam as part of the citizenship process.
After a year that included basic training at Fort Knox in Kentucky and more training at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, he was sent to Vietnam in August 1966.
He was sent as a replacement to a unit rather than with his unit, making the transition that more difficult for an immigrant who had really only spoke English for three years.
‘There was a resentment because I was a replacement. These people had been there for five or six months and built their base? That went away,? said Romein.
‘Some of the stuff that was said, I couldn’t always understand’It was something that I eventually did overcome.?
While in Vietnam, Romein worked on a crew taking ammunition to the 8-inch howizter. According to Romein, the howizters he used in Vietnam were self-propelled and could fire 200-pound rounds up to 20 miles.
On one mission, he recalled being in the field three days and nights firing nonstop with a battery of four howitzers. He participated in bringing the ammunition from a nearby location and firing. The howitzer could fire three rounds a minute, said Romein, who has experienced hearing difficulties since.
‘We had no ear protection. You’d just put your fingers in your ears. Things have changed a lot since those days,? said Romein, who noted the men took shifts trying to get sleep when they could.
‘Surprisingly, I could sleep right in front of the howizter. Even with the noise, you’re so tired you could sleep,? said Romein. ‘We made a bed of the powder bags and slept on them, hoping no one had a cigarette,? laughed Romein.
Explaining how in Vietnam soldiers always had to be on guard, Romein discussed his combat experience.
‘We were lucky when you think about it. With the eight-inch howizter, they did not want those in enemy hands so we were always well protected where ever we went,? said Romein.
While overseas, Romein remembered care packages and Bob Hope’s visit to where he was stationed as important to keeping up morale.
‘My mother would send Dutch goodies over and the people in my gun section were looking forward to those,? said Romein.
?(Bob Hope) was the highlight of entertainment. It was a real moral booster. We were under mortar attack while he was entertaining on Christmas Day in 1966.?
Romein continued his pursuit of citizenship while in Vietnam. In 1967, Romein was flown out of Vietnam and was honorably discharged. He continued pursuing citizenship after the war.
‘The war increased my desire to be a citizen. I had more than five years in this country and was eligible and made work of it right away,? said Romein, who became a citizen four months after returning.
Romein keeps his naturalization papers in a safety deposit box never, taking his citizenship for granted.
‘I protect them because they said I would never get another set,? said Romein.
Tom and Carolyn Romein were married in 1973 and had two children, Michael and Eric who are both married.