Cracking the ODs

US soldiers in the 1960s and 1970s often referred to their daily fatigues as ODs, short for "olive drabs." Those ODs would come back from the cleaners so full of starch they needed to be cracked before they could be worn. The author shares his own experiences, one of which was cracking the ODs, as the son of a US Army helicopter pilot who served multiple tours in Southeast Asia. This work details several of the most harrowing experiences of the author's father while fighting in Vietnam. This work demonstrates the importance of honor, dignity, valor, loyalty, and bravery for bringing about positive outcomes.