Velez-Cruz, Miguel (Interview transcript and video), 2021

Vo, Harry (Interviewer)

Miguel “Mickey” Angel Velez-Cruz was born in Puerto Rico in 1949. Velez-Cruz was raised and developed during the Cold War periods of the 1950s and 1960s. Coming from a long line of United States veterans and the desire to get out of extreme poverty, Velez-Cruz volunteered to join the United States Army. Velez-Cruz began his career in basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and eventually went to Fort Gordon in Georgia. Eventually, Mickey attended AIT and was made a medical records clerk in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After a few months at that position, Velez-Cruz received orders for Vietnam and landed with a missile air defense unit. Quickly, that unit was ended and Velez-Cruz was sent to the 38th Base Post Office. After spending five months with the 38th BPO, Mickey received orders for temporary duty. This is when he was assigned to work in grave registration. He stayed with this position until June of ‘69 when he left Vietnam. After his discharge, Velez-Cruz was reassigned to go to Stuttgart, Germany where he worked as a paymaster. However, since he left the service with the GI Bill Velez-Cruz decided to go back to school. He attended the University of Puerto Rico where he received his degree in Biochemistry. From there, Velez-Cruz worked in medical devices and eventually landed a 27-year gig with Johnson and Johnson. Velez-Cruz wraps up his interview by discussing his experiences with PTSD and emphasizing the importance of military awareness for the United States.

2021-06

In Copyright

Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401.

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

Velez-CruzM2376V

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