The record of my father's court-martial is an intimidating sheaf of paper, easily the thickest of the documents I found in his files. It has three staples across the top that I did not dare to remove because it all looks so damn official. On 14 December 1949, Thomas J. Wingate (RA 12 342 263) was charged with the following violation of the Articles of War.

Charge I: Violation of the 64th Article of War

Specification: In that, Recruit Thomas J. Wingate, Company "A", 47th Infantry, having received a lawful command from first Lieutenant Charles V. Ickes, his superior officer, to put on his clothes and go to the Company Bivouac Area, did, at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on or about 31 October 1949, willfully disobey the same. 

Charge II: Violation of the 61st Article of War

According to the trial records, he refused to put on his Army uniform and was thrown in the brig for it. That sounds so like the man I believed my father to be. Such a punk attitude. Exactly the kind of anti-authoritarian, fuck-you kind of attitude I've always loved (secretly and not-so-secretly) and frequently tried to emulate. 

Until I became a family man, that is. Now I'm all about sticking to the rules. Unless, of course, you need to stand your ground and fight. 

When I first pulled out the paperwork, I must admit I found it pretty romantic that my dad had been court-martialed. What a rebel! But it must have sucked afterwards, because it had significant career consequences back in 1950. To be kicked out of the Army in a country that worships militarism like America does, especially in the wake of WWII, would have slammed a lot of doors in his face. 

What was going on inside him that made him give up like that? To decide that he wasn't putting on that damn uniform, no matter what the consequences?