In 1968, the first year professional players were allowed in the United States Open, people were singing along to “Hey Jude” and watching “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and “Bonanza.” The nation was divided by racial unrest and the Vietnam War.
Ten years later, when the Open moved to Flushing, the war had ended, the Beatles were no longer together and fans were just getting to know the humor of Robin Williams in “Mork and Mindy.”
Here’s a look at 1968 and 1978.
The Tet Offensive
On Jan. 30, during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began a series of coordinated attacks in South Vietnam.