VLVL 4: War, politics and love

[gumbo at fuse.net]

> What? First off, RC is a bush vet, not Vietnam Vet. We are never told
> that he is a Nam Vet.

I don't understand the distinction. What does "bush vet" mean in this context if it doesn't mean somebody who saw patrol combat in Vietnam?

In addition to the conventional definition of "bush" as a synomym for jungle (Random House Unabridged), which along with "boonies" was a common G.I. usage, there are these relevant defs from Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang:

bush n.
5. Army and USMC. an ambush; in phr. blow a bush to spring an ambush.

bush v. 1. to ambush

bush beast n. Mil. a combat soldier [Quotes ref. to Vietnam war] 1985 Dye Between Raindrops 20: Shouldn't even let you bush-beasts in here. Ibid 22: You bush-beasts coming in here don't impress me for shit. 1986 Dye and Stone Platoon 172: Ain't you the big-time bush-beast?

Don


> 
> From: Terrance <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
> Date: 2003/12/28 Sun AM 09:03:48 EST
> CC: pynchon-l at waste.org
> Subject: Re: VLVL 4: War, politics and love
> 
> 
> > 
> > It's more likely that RC had deserted from the troops. That would be a good
> > reason for a name-change.
> 
 When Zoyd shows up at the Farm, RC is not there so
> we never meet him. He never says a word in the novel. In the flashback
> bar scene RC comes out of the can (john, bathroom, WC) and finds Zoyd
> trying to get his fingers in his Pie. He gives Zoyd the old don't piss
> me off look or inquiry.  RC's deep eyes and mortally cautious bearing 
> tell Zoyd where else RC has been. Where else? Besides the can (men's
> room)? How about the can (prison)? Maybe not, but there is an ongoing
> bathroom humor gag in this novel so maybe the pun is intended. In any
> event, deep eyes and mortally cautious bearing doesn't equal Vietnam.
> OK, but they erases their trail, changed there names since the war and
> Zoyd meets them in the early seventies. But most of the folk Zoyd meets
> in Vineland are up there from the early seventies. The fact that they
> have a farm, with a cattle guard at the entrance, horse barn, seed,
> feed, fertilizer scale, and so on all supports the idea that RC is a
> Bush Vet not Nam Vet. Besides, the novel introduces every single
> character by occupation, business, work. And RC is no exception. Vietnam
> Vet is not a job.
>