Lieutenant General Victor Krulak... Men’s Club : Speaker 9-13-02

‘War is a wretched thing... I personally am against War..’ were the closing words of my classmate; Victor Krulak at our Men’s Club gathering last week.

He is a dynamic knowledgeable speaker, who has given the major parrt of his life journey to the Military, and was Commander for three years at San Diego’s Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

He is a 5 foot five little Giant. I noticed ;as with other men we toured the Marine corps Base. Everyone there catered to him out of high respect. He is a magnetic , captivating person ; a wonderful guy to have on our Campus. After his talk He gave several of us revealing and, now treasured pictures of the Oval Office, where he is sitting alone with President Lyndon Johnson. He is dressed in full military attire; with three stars and 7 rows of activity -depicting ribbons showing where he has served on his left breast. His gaze is unmistakable as his long straight finger points at the President, whose eyes are focused firmly on Krulak.

The President’s firm jaw is set; knees crossed listening intently. Victor has just said: “Mr. President, ‘Your making Haiphong Harbor off limits for Air strikes is defeating us. Russia and other country’s are supplying the Viet Cong with everything they need :Absolutely everything they need to pursue the war! Our boys are dying as a result.” “ Do you want us to have war at the same time with the communists”,? tensely ,asked the President, as ‘I sensed he was going to stand.’ I stood too, that was all I could do. ‘My upward climb in Leadership in Viet Nam stopped there.’

Interesting to me was the title he gave his presentation: “Predestination”..That’s a theological term used historically in the 1600’s. It means the action of God in for ordaining from Eternity what is to come to pass. It’s built on the idea that actions and destiny’s are already laid out. The old theology was that some go to Heaven and some go to hell.

Victor sees his life in the military as I have seen my life in the Christian ministry; this, of course ,is a self -projection. However, one of our poets said: “there is a destiny that shapes our ends rough hew them as we may.’ ‘As a teenager’ says the General”I knew I didn’t want to be a Doctor, Lawyer, or spend my life in Finance. At 15 I had high blood pressure. I wanted the Military. I wanted to attend a Military Academy. My father got me an appointment with our Congressman. All the appointments were full except one. I said ‘Yes” that was “Predestination’.

I went for the medical examination.

A high up military Leader who came through visiting saw me a 5ft three kid standing nervously near by and said to the doctor: ‘There’s nothing wrong with that boy; except he’s scared. He’s O.K. send him on through” That’s “Predestination”

Annapolis (I was 5’3’ ) One is supposed to be at least 5 foot 6... It’s who you know not what you know. ”, I apply for approval . A letter comes granting it. He says:”Just luck? No...“Predestination”

I’m Assigned to the USS Arizona.. then suddenly transfer orders come. I leave the Arizona...Pearl Harbor..the Arizona goes down, but I was somewhere else... ‘Predestination’

The General’s voice softens as he speaks about being qualified as a Parachute Jumper. There was a night jump 450feet from the ground. Twenty seven men were in my plane...Ten were injured... Two were killed. I landed unhurt in a tree and cut my way down. “Predestination”

Japanese snipers saw me and my messenger. I was hit twice . My messenger sprayed the tree snipers. The boy saved my life... “Predestination”

In 1967 the VietCong were at fever-pitch..a different kind of war...different rules..A different kind of serious men&women

... A different kind of enemy... A long pause... “Mother and I had three sons in Viet Nam...that’s why her hair turned white”.. The war was not doing well... The enemy had every thing they needed through the Hai Phong Harbor which was off limits for shelling by our Airplanes.

Now, “LOOK AT THIS PICTURE AGAIN . I FLEW BACK TO WASHINGTON D.C... I SAW MY BOSS; GENERAL GREEN .. I HAD ALREADY SEEN MC NAMARA... IN THE PHOTO OF ME AND PRESIDENT JOHNSON...

‘I’m waving my finger at the President of the United States... He doesn’t like it. “Well General”,he drawls. “How’s the War going?””Want a drink?..Scotch? Water? ‘No thank you’.. A few seconds of inane talk. He gets to his feet...No embrace; just propelling me to the door. His mind is somewhere else. He has different ideas’...’It seemed to me he had lost the road”.

‘It was a terrible war’ says the General slowly. ‘My three sons and I all served in Viet Nam. We all returned Home. ‘Predestination”.

I’m so thankful...”

One of my sons is highly respected in the Marines yet today. Two of our sons are in the Christian Ministry. One attended the Church Divinity School in Berkeley, California .

The other is a graduate of the Yale Divinity School...

PREDESTINATION

P.S Thank you. I follow Roger Williams on “Providence”.

“God’Permissive Will, Moral Choice and Moral Law.

Caleb Elroy...9-21-2000