277
24
26018
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3306e478bf9b1ece3ce4921c35965479.jpg
b122f4dae17720db6c3a5ff29afab6f5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Robert H. Merrill photographs
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1909/1950
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-222
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family.
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Merrill_LS00100
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1918-1919
Title
A name given to the resource
Donkey water wheel for irrigation
Description
An account of the resource
Black and white lantern slide of a donkey tethered to a small irrigation water weel in a ground well.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lantern slides
China
Farming
Irrigation
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fddee7221b89d7a379b24baf8aef4817.pdf
b4352ab2dfb12b7d0ab189a2a3bf8b1d
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project Interview
Operation Desert Storm
Daniel Donnelly
Total Time – (18:36)
Background
Before serving in the military, he was in high school (00:21)
He enlisted into the Navy
He chose to be in the Navy
o He enlisted with a friend (00:38)
When he enlisted he was on the Navy Enlistment Buddy Program
o It is affiliated with Major League Baseball teams
They took their oath at a Detroit Tigers game (01:15)
Enlistment/Active Duty – (01:24)
Once the baseball game was done they got on a bus and traveled to Great Lakes,
Illinois for boot camp (01:29)
He was in submarine service in the Navy
o He had departed for his deployment three days before Operation Desert
Storm started (01:58)
o He was out at sea when Operation Desert Storm ended
He never saw any active combat (02:35)
He served as an electrician and worked with nuclear propulsion operations
(03:06)
o He would deal with all electrical distribution on the submarine
o He also assisted to start up and shut down nuclear plants
When he would go on patrol, there were “fitness tests” for the submarines
o There were also emergency blows that were tested for getting to the
surface (04:34)
He never had fear of claustrophobia aboard the submarines (05:26)
While on the submarines, all of the food was non-perishable
The soldiers on board the submarines would play cards or watch movies to pass
the time (06:30)
He had very limited contact with his friends and family
o They were able to maintain contact through E-grams that had a limit of
150 letters (07:08)
o They were allowed twelve on each patrol
�
Holidays were never celebrated very often
o Celebrations were generally through the patrols (08:13)
They would sometimes have gambling nights when they were halfway through their patrol
He learned discipline and an ability to rely on others (08:46)
Operation Desert Storm was not a significant even for his unit (09:36)
o The soldiers day-to-day life changed very little
He was able to make good friends on the submarine but does not stay in contact
with many of them
After the Service – (11:06)
After he left the service he went back to school (11:16)
o He went to Grand Rapids Community College and received his
Associate’s Degree
o He was then accepted to the University of Michigan where he received his
Bachelor’s Degree in chemical engineering (11:22)
He went on to work at the Amway Corporation
His experience during the service helped motivate him and get him “on a better
track” (11:58)
He believes the U.S. involvement in the War on Terror is important to secure
American freedom
He received the Navy Achievement Award for his service on the submarine
(13:15)
o He was in charge of 8-9 people
He also received the Sea Service Ribbon for simply going out to sea (13:42)
He received the Humanitarian Service Medal as well
The Chief of the Watch was the highest position he could achieve on the
submarine (14:43)
o The Chief of the Watch was the officer in charge of many operations
inside the submarine
o He achieved this role but only stood for one watch (16:04)
It was a voluntary position
He was on a Ballistic Missile Submarine (16:21)
o In war-time situation there job was to remain undetected until they needed
to use their weapons
After the military he served in the National Guard
o It was all during peace time (17:15)
o He once did a maintenance operation in Germany
He achieved an E-6 ranking
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Donnelly, Daniel (Interview outline), 2011
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Donnelly, Daniel
Description
An account of the resource
Daniel Donnelly was a student in high school before he decided to enlist into the Navy under the Navy Enlistment Buddy Program. After taking his oath at a Detroit Tigers game, Daniel was sent to Great Lakes, Illinois for basic training. He departed for his deployment three days before Operation Desert Storm began and returned five days after it had ended. Daniel never saw active combat but served as an electrician and worked with nuclear propulsion operations aboard a Ballistic Missile Submarine. After the service, Daniel received his Associate's Degree from Grand Rapids Community College and a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. After school he began working at Amway Corporation where he remains an employee. Daniel believes his experience helped motivate him and get him on the right track in life.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Seper, Paul (Interviewer)
Seper, Laurie (Interviewer)
Ruhlman, Ben (Interviewer)
Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
United States. Navy
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2011-11-09
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DonnellyD1358V
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7403efbd87a4b34333b57ec839d8f314.pdf
9349c87cd2e37e0c1da8999c3eb3ceff
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project Interview
Vietnam War
James Donnelly?
13:53
Introduction (00:22)
James was originally from Saginaw, Michigan.
When he received his draft notice, he had just come home from his 2nd shift job and his
mother was crying and she had the letter in her hand. She handed it to him and when he
opened it and read it he learned that he was being drafted. He was 19 years old. He had
only been out of high school about nine months. (02:23)
James was drafted into the United States Army.
Military Service (02:30)
It was hard to adapt to military life because he had never been away from home. He felt
lost in basic training and he needed to find someone who knew the ropes. James felt that
way for a few months until he was able to acclimatize himself to army life.
Basic training consisted of physical exercise and lots of classes.
Some of the training was field exercises at [Camp Willis], they had land navigation
classes that were tested in the field. This was in San Antonio, Texas. (04:50)
In Vietnam, the climate is hot and humid and very tropical. While there, James did not
go out in the field, but instead served as a medic within the compound that he was
stationed.
When he first went into the service, he took initial tests and he qualified for medical
training. (06:12)
He was able to keep in touch with his family while gone, using a MARS (Military
Auxiliary Radio System). This would relay calls to Hawaii and then on to your home
state. This was not done often because it was very expensive for the people receiving the
call.
James spent fourteen months in country, and was there in 1970 and celebrated
Thanksgiving and Christmas in Vietnam.
At that time in Vietnam it was towards the end of the war and the troops were beginning
to be brought home. (08:42)
James was sent home in November 1971.
When he arrived back home, he never felt like he was being treated poorly like many
other Vietnam vets were. (10:33)
James thinks that it was happening, but he just did not realize it.
He was given a lot of help from the Unemployment Agency and he was able to pick the
job of his choice.
Adjusting back to life in the states was not too hard for him, but home life was different
because he was more independent and knew what he wanted to do.
Almost immediately after being home, he lost touch with the men he served with. (12:34)
�
While in the military, James learned to appreciate his family more, especially his parents.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Donnelly, James Francis (Interview outline), 2013
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Donnelly, James
Description
An account of the resource
James was drafted into the United States Army in 1970 and spent fourteen months in Vietnam as a medic. He was able to stay on his base and never went into the field. He returned home in November 1971.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Michaud, JJ (Interviewer)
Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
United States. Army
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2013-03-28
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DonnellyJ1500V
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7b2e59588753d4a0f91ba7cd7eb80654.mp4
0c84c718b95518d4b0381c43bf767aa1
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/49189ef3b7178dd5e81f6200cf2c44c9.pdf
2dec4e5aa71b2d3d994e5189bd709663
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project
William Donner
(00:24:12)
(00:26) Pre-Service
Born Leelanau Co., MI, on a farm
2 younger bros
Grad Traverse City HS
Worked MI Milk producer association (45 years) as product tester
(1:10) Service
Drafted at 23, during Korean War, didn't want go.
Summer 1951 at Camp Cook
April left San Francisco for Japan
At Camp Cook Sept. - April
Medical training, by merit of former profession, link dubious,; worked KP and Guard
duty as well
In Korea, worked 4 miles behind lines as medical evac
Arrived in Tokyo, moved to Honshu, remarks on Khoi pond (not his word)
Helped as helo evac.
Fever from rat bites, mortality of 6%, sent live sample to lab.
Divisional CO trying to secure promotion, causing causalities
Often set up near rivers
GI's naked in river.
Suffered severe dysentery
Venereal disease among GI's required circumcision, penicillin shoots.
Instance of cabin, mother and daughter provided sexual services to GI's
(16:15) Impressions of Seoul, Japan and US Army
Converted to Catholicism in Japan
Locals asked for religious medals
Friendly fire incident destroyed plane
Returned home via Japan
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Donner, William (Interview outline and video), 2007
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Donner, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Donner is a native of Northern Michigan. Donner worked in agriculture until the Korean War, at which time he entered the United States Army and was trained in medical evacuation. He describes his experiences as a GI on the Korean peninsula and the Japanese home islands. Donner discusses venereal disease and interactions with the natives. Donner converted to Catholicism while in Korea. He returned to agriculture after release from sevice.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James (Interviewer)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
United States. Army
Video recordings
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007-08-16
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DonnerW
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ec4f9dca451aabc66c0502d7a3f6489d.mp4
8c2e87b8dc559479f39329b530671e35
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b891300ec92508dc2db3be2ec99ad19d.pdf
60ea283bbfb9bbe8b41e202588c5e168
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project Interview
Derk Doornbos
World War II
Total Time: 1:45:05
Pre-War (0:00:20)
•
•
•
•
•
Born in 1920 in Stannen, Netherlands.
Moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was 6 months old.
He then moved to Muskegon Heights, Michigan.
Worked in a dairy farm when he was 15, and then worked in the Civilian
Conservation Corps when he was 17.
Volunteered for the Army in 1941.
Training (0:07:35)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Was sent to Battle Creek, MI and then to Camp Roberts, California.
(0:8:10) Was at Camp Roberts when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
Was then sent to San Francisco, California and was assigned to the 15th Infantry
Regiment of the 3rd Division.
They would sometimes train in Port Lewis, Washington.
(0:12:10) Was shipped from there to Tacoma, Washington and then to San Diego,
CA and then to Port Orange, California.
(13:14) In September, 1942 he was shipped to Camp Pickett, Virginia where they
practiced landing on islands.
Active Duty (15:10)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
He was then put on a boat and shipped to Fedala, Morroco, where they took the
city of Casablanca from the Vichy French forces there.
Moved to Rabat, and stayed in Morocco for a while while they helped to liberate
it.
(0:19:30) Then crossed through Algeria and Tunisia.
(0:20:23) They caught the tail end of the fighting in Tunisia, where he ended up in
the hospital for malaria.
(0:22:15) He was then sent to Sicily where they made a beach landing and took
the island in one month.
(0:25:25) They then landed at Salerno, Italy.
(0:26:00) They fought through the Gustav Line in Italy, where the Germans and
Italians had put up a heavy fight.
(0:27:00) They were then counterattacked at Anzio by 5 divisions of Germans and
other Axis troops for 4 months. They eventually broke through the Axis lines.
(0:31:50) They marched into Rome and took the city without a fight.
�•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(0:35:10) He was then shipped back to Naples, Italy where they were sent to Saint
Tropez where he made his 5th landing of the war.
(0:36:05) At the time of the Battle of the Bulge he was sent to Alsace to fight with
the French 1st Army.
(0:38:00) Was sent to an area near Switzerland to try to break through the German
lines, and was also sent to the Saar area. He spent 190 days continuously fighting.
Eventually, he finally crossed the Rhine at Worms.
(0:39:40) They were part of the outfit that iberated Dachau Concentration Camp.
(0:41:20) His unit was part of the unit that took control of Berchtesgaden.
(0:45:30) They then pushed on to Raastadt, Austria and meet the Russians.
He recalls the large numbers of Germans that were surrendering.
Took a number of trips to Thionville, France to arrange for troops to come home.
Was eventually allowed to come home in July 1945. He was flown home, which
took around a month.
Spends quite a bit of time on the DVD going though his collection of artifacts
from the War.
Post War (1:30:00)
•
After the war, he worked a number of jobs before he settled down and ran the sign
department of the Ottawa County (Michigan) Road Commission.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Doornbos, Derk (Interview outline and video), 2008
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Doornbos, Derk
Description
An account of the resource
Derk Doonbos was born in the Netherlands in 1920 and immigrated to the United States when he was very young. He served in the Army during World War II. He was trained as an Infantryman. He served in North Africa, where he caught malaria. He also served in Italy, fighting in Anzio and taking Rome. He was then sent to Southern France, where he landed at Saint Tropez. He also fought in northern France and into Germany and was part of the group that liberated Dachau.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
McCauslin, Kelly
Spring Lake District Library (Spring Lake, Mich.)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
United States. Army
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2008-03-08
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoornbosD
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/12d189a6381089293a8b14c663aef25f.jpg
7f31b0274a2fa3c3303e796ed1c23a73
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Decorated Publishers' Bindings
Subject
The topic of the resource
Book covers
Covers (Illustration)
Graphic arts
Publishers and publishing
Pictorial bindings
Description
An account of the resource
From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Seidman Rare Books Collection
Michigan Novels Collection
Regional Historical Collection
Lincoln and the Civil War Collection
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-08-30
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DC-01
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Source
Seidman Rare Books. PS3531.I47 D66 1903
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DC-01_Bindings0107
Title
A name given to the resource
Dooryard Stories
Description
An account of the resource
Binding of Dooryard Stories, by Clara Dillingham Pierson, published by E.P. Dutton and Co., [1903].
Subject
The topic of the resource
Book covers
Covers (Illustration)
Graphic arts
Publishers and publishing
Pictorial bindings
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1903
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/08a617e1292c33ac2be4301a9388e53c.jpg
b78fe449b8b69e144ddb17bd6db55f8f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo01
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4e45b21505626502b5da289c0b4f8c15.jpg
337a290fc1514295fe75578cf6e25427
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo02
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d6ba899691af704e435b21567ca27f91.jpg
685ef1733840a71bed6d71cdfaedd69d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo03
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2481995abd49ab97f8c7958abb33773a.jpg
5500d74f71e90268fee4b755933c0ad8
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo04
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ffab21804af9818778dd63acc5c0a606.jpg
386d9604c40e418421bb8fde07413ed3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo05
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/be59736c726d9e18cce9f4d4d4583b0f.jpg
1d921e8bf951a7e353c62918364c7e2d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Faces of Grand Valley
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
University Communications
Description
An account of the resource
A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1960s - 1990s
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copryight
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University
College administrators
College teachers
Colleges and universities -- Faculty
Michigan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
GV012-03
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DoppmanWilliam_Photo06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. University Communications
Title
A name given to the resource
Doppman, William
Description
An account of the resource
William Doppman, Pianist, Artist in Residence
Subject
The topic of the resource
Grand Valley State University – History
College teachers
Universities and colleges – Faculty
Michigan
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
In Copyright
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b1916580d512150f18b67869dbe5663a.m4v
e5c3a3874d060d25029a5715b7e07401
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/56fc44b291540f424e5f64953a732235.pdf
232f369464d7712502ea42bf0593eba4
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veteran’s History Project
World War II
Mark Doren
Length of Interview (01:02:22)
Introduction
Is very happy to do the interview, glad that someone will get to hear what he has to say and
understand what really happened
Part of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the most well known campaigns
If the invasion of Normandy had not been successful, Doren isn’t sure where we would be today
(00:01:48)
Germans had been heading to England, who had nearly given up, the French had already
capitulated; Germany had gotten far
Eisenhower had already planned the invasion
o Loss was unbelievable but inevitable; Eisenhower knew it would be dangerous
and costly; already prepared a script for the press if the invasion failed
o “If this invasion fails, our men have fought valiantly. They’ve done everything
they could; and if there is any blame to be laid, it’s on my planning.”---General
Eisenhower (00:03:55)
o Doren thought that was quite a statement, especially in later years after the War
Joined the units later that went through France, Belgium, Luxembourg; all heading to
Berlin (00:04:40)
Part of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the most noted campaigns (00:05:05)
Happened during Germany’s worst blizzard in recorded history
Couldn’t see fences in the field because the snow covered them; bitterly cold
Part of the 86th Reconnaissance Battalion
o Main job to run reconnaissance for the company and its attachments
When getting close to Belgium, the Bastogne area, Germans made a big breakthrough;
our forces suffered great losses (00:06:00)
�
101st Airborne dropped [drove] into Bastogne, Doren’s unit [4thArmored Division] went
in to relieve them
Hundreds and thousands [not all that many killed out of the 101st] of Paratroopers
slaughtered there
o Saw the remains of what was left (helmets)
o Bitterly cold
Made two attempts to get into Bastogne
Was hard to get into because German artillery were zeroed in there
Would have to back off and then attempt again
Bastogne was one the last places that Hitler pushed for in order to stop the Americans;
Doren was part of the unit that overtook the Germans
Drafted (00:09:00)
Didn’t have many ambitions to be in the Army, was married and had three children
Received a letter saying he was chosen to be in the Army; “Congratulations you’ve been selected
to a part of the Army.”
Had gotten a 6 month deferment the first time because of his job, but eventually went
Was 26 years old at the time
Didn’t have a problem with basic training, wished he could have gone home at the end of each
day
During training, always wound up in a group acquainted with mechanics
Did a lot of mechanic work for Chevrolet in Grand Rapids
Constantly interviewed and put into a different position; put with men who had all done
mechanic work
Was supposed to be sent to a Specialist School in Florida; dealt with electronics, engineering,
radio, and mechanics (00:12:15)
The night before getting out of basic training, the found out they wouldn’t continue with
Specialist School, sent to another camp
All mechanic training thrown out the window, but Doren saw it as a blessing in disguise
�
Difficult to operate as a mechanic in the Army
86th Reconnaissance Battalion
Assigned to the 86th Reconnaissance Battalion, assigned to the Motor Pool (00:13:03)
Approached by the Captain who knew he had done mechanic work, this worried Doren
because something obviously happened to the man who previously filled the spot he was
being assigned
Introduced to the Motor Pool’s Sergeant
Didn’t understand how to check vehicles the “Army Way”
After being spoken to several times on the matter, the Sergeant eventually pulled Doren
aside and told him as long as he kept the motors running, he was fine it
o Army did their mechanics by the number, very confusing because he was never
taught this
o The Sergeant was previously a Ford mechanic, so he didn’t like the system either
Doren then describes what the Motor Pool is… (00:15:24)
o Had 100 vehicles in his unit, alone
o Some ran for 24 hours a day
o Unit started down in France after the Invasion of Normandy
Battle of the Bulge occurred in Germany, never got to Berlin
When travelling, tried to make as far as they could, constant travel (00:17:15)
Whenever walking through villages, they passed right through as long as they didn’t run
into any resistance
Some villages hung white sheets out their windows to show they had surrendered
Rode in a truck with 50 caliber machine gun on top, back end with a 30 caliber; pull in a
trailer behind it with spare parts
o His unit reminded him of the “Beverly Hillbillies’” trucks
Would take trucks along the way or strip abandoned trucks of their wheels
�
A lot of the time was where the action was because they were called to the front to fix
machinery
Didn’t know where they were going, knew they had a destination
Did a lot of reconnaissance work at night and on foot (00:21:05)
Weimar, Germany (00:21:38)
Was just a normal morning when they were ordered to a destination that was being surrounded
by other American troops
They were moving in on a concentration camp
Just outside of Weimar, Germany
Nobody knew what it was, saw a large towering smokestack; thought it was a factory
Went over a hill and saw a large concentration camp; high barbed fences
No opposition because the Germans had already escaped
Opened the gates and people came flooding out
o It was hard to believe that human beings were treating other human beings like
animals
o The camp was like a boxed-in pen
o They had been worked until they couldn’t work anymore
o Germans had started burying many of those who died in mass graves
When the troops moved in, the furnaces still contained ashes
o Doren took some pictures of it
Couple of days later, had the German citizens walk through there; may not have know
what was going on there; most said they were unaware
o Doren found that hard to believe
Eisenhower had sent a man over to get reports (00:26:28)
o Had the troops take the citizens through the camp to make them aware of it
�Doren had taken some pictures, and when he went back to America, he’d shown the pictures and
people didn’t believe it happened (00:27:25)
It bothered him a lot that people didn’t believe it, it still does
Good Soldier’s Medal (00:29:20)
Once rescued someone from a burning plane; was something that happened, had little to do
with the camps
Standing in the “Chow Line,” after combat; a pilot was giving rides in a little German biplane
Saw the plane coming over the trees, and it stalled then took a nose-dive
Crashed in front of the place and Doren’s friend and he ran to the plane
Cut a couple cables on the plane and hauled the burning man out
The plane exploded when they got him out; didn’t realize there was another person in there, a
girl who used to hand out coffee and donuts to the men
Was in the War for about 18 months (00:33:20)
Had recruited him because most of the younger men had already been drafted
Battle of the Bulge was where the heaviest of losses occurred
This was why they stopped putting people through Specialist School; most went into
infantry and heavy weapons
Men didn’t want to go into reconnaissance due to the danger it posed; “Sticking your
neck out”
Main thing that needed to be done was to be assigned to a unit or company, otherwise
you’d be herded around like cattle
Would never recommend this to any men, need a place where you belong
Was never sure whether or not the mail would arrive or would be received (00:35:20)
Mail Call
His wife didn’t receive letters often, a lot of things were censored
�
Thought that it was a fortunate delay because rumors, contrary to now-a-days, traveled
much slower and caused much less panic for the families at home
o Rumors were often spread that the 86th Reconnaissance Battalion had been
annihilated
o Would use it as a tactical advantage to move from place to place, would white
wash the cars to belie their identity (00:37:33)
o Usually travelled in the black of night to surprise the enemy
Remembers Gen. George Patton, made a very big impression on Doren (00:39:25)
Had two 45 Revolvers with pearl handles, his trademark
Always had his aides around him and a beautiful blonde “fräulein” at his side
Many people didn’t have many good things to say about him
After reading many things on the War through the years; Doren realized why so many big
speakers had gathered at one place for a rally in a combat area (00:40:30)
The spring before the Battle at Rhine River, in 1945
Had aircraft circling the area for protection
Thousands of troops there
One of the statements made (by Patton), “If you get across the Rhine River, g as far as
you can as fast as you can because somebody is going to be behind you.”
Started moving the next day, got across the Rhine River, pontoon bridge (00:41:53)
The bridge would dip when a truck drove on it, men had to pretty much run uphill
Under a smokescreen, Germans tried to bomb the bridge
Got on the other side and started moving; half-track runs about 50-60 mph
The man driving their truck was from Kentucky, a “hillbilly,” he only could see out of a
slot about one foot in width
o Made a couple remarks about getting out of there
�o The kid at the top, with the machine gun, agreed with him; “Turn this thing
around!”
Made a u-turn down into a field; as this happened, Doren was faced with foxholes filled
with German soldiers
Fortunately, they made it back onto the road and into one of the little towns nearby for
protection
That night, fixed so many tires, that he lost count; many were flattened by shrapnel
Germans were using flares to find the bridge; Doren and his crew fixed tires from the
light of these flares
o Very efficient at fixing tires after that; used a lot of tubing and hot patch
Stayed in the town a couple days, then the aircraft came in to take care of the artillery (00:45:33)
Usually tried to find a building for protection; used a tarp as a lean-to against the halftrack when this wasn’t possible
Most of the time, they slept outside in the snow
o Bastogne- there for two weeks, slept in a “shell hole”
One of his most memorable memories (00:47:19)
On the way to France, crossed the English Channel
40 and 8 (“Can pack 40 men or 8 horses), packed into these box cars
3 days and 3 nights across France, on Christmas Eve.
Very narrow cars; same cars that the Germans used to carry prisoners in
Promised a Christmas Dinner in Neufchâteau, France, but Christmas had already passed
Given a barn with fresh straw, instead; thought that they had it made
o Got used to thinking these as small luxuries
Most of the cooking was the same; get rations, very hard for the cooks to catch up to
feeding the men
o Would often cook for themselves and catch wild game; rabbits, chickens
�o Had pots and pans hanging from their trucks; also had burners
o The Mess Sergeant would often stay with the Maintenance Crew even though
they would often be in the front lines and even beyond it
Was in a little farm town (00:52:00)
Had outposts along the river, volunteered to take provision and supplies to these men
Weasel- a track vehicle, usually carried personnel
A tank column came through as they were going over
One of the tanks ran over the hogs; one of the men on Doren’s truck said, “Pick me up
when you come back!” then he jumped over the side
Went to each post; along with giving supplies, they had to inform the men what the
password for the day was
o Had a new password everyday
On the way back, Doren saw his buddy carrying a hunk of ham; fresh meat for the day
o It was an everyday thing, had to make things funny in order to keep their sanity
(00:54:30)
Eventually got in trouble with taking all the chickens
o They were caught once, but they were never reprimanded
o Also caught rabbits, the town raised rabbits
The driver, the “hillbilly boy,” liked to cook; so he would often cook
Describes a technique on how to make coffee (00:56:35)
Wouldn’t take million for the experience he had, but wouldn’t do it again for two million
(00:57:23)
Everybody hooted and yelled when the War was over (00:58:39)
Was in a small town, “enclosure,” when they heard the Germans had capitulated
�
A day after the announcement, the German civilians were going to church; the kids were
all crisply dressed with a white shirts and collars with leather pants and suspenders, the
little girls dressed in clean white dresses
o This always impressed Doren; in spite of all that they went through, they could
still continue some kind of normalcy with their lives
o They were very kind people, they were just doing what they were told
Would often swap ration smokes for candy; always filled his gas flask with candy and
give what he could to the children
Often used the German civilians’ homes for quarter, would try to get along with them as
well as they could
Was very good with children
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Doren, Mark (Interview outline and video)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Doren, Mark
Description
An account of the resource
Mark Doren was born in 1919 in Kent City, Michigan and served into the Army in World War II. He was drafted into the Army and attended basic training in Florida and was then sent to Europe. He served in the 6th Armored in France and Germany as a mechanic, and was part of the group that liberated the Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Steffen, Carrie (Interviewer)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
United States. Army
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DorenM2
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/01ac9c0e7a92668e0f4e76b481558bf0.mp4
9c51c3e59de12191d456fa41c468c670
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1f6db079dc1639d85535bcfcfbfbd3e0.pdf
6a8afc9a135201c9805eeb5273550a7b
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project Interview
Mark Doren
World War II
Total Time: 1:42:15
Pre-War (0:00:05)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Born in 1919 in Kent City, Michigan.
Attended a small rural school.
Did not complete high school, and went to work for farmers in the area
Was working for a mechanic when Pearl Harbor happened.
In 1942, he started working for Sachler Products in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He was called by the draft board, and his Uncle was on this draft board. He was
given a deferment the first time around, but not the second time.
He was married and had three children when he was drafted into the Army.
Training (0:09:26)
•
•
•
•
•
Boarded the train at Union Station in Grand Rapids and was sent to Florida for
basic training.
His drill sergeant was somewhat good and somewhat bad.
On a typical day, they would have two minutes to wake up and get in formation.
They would have some calisthenics and eat later in the morning.
(0:14:28)Part of the reason why he was sent to Camp Blanding, Florida, for basic
was that it was meant for soldiers destined to become mechanics and who would
be receiving such training after basic. However, he didn’t receive the training
because they changed up the camp to be infantry and heavy weapons training
while he was there.
After basic training, he was given a few weeks leave, and was then sent to Camp
Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts.
Active Duty (0:19:00)
•
•
•
•
During his time at Camp Myles Standish, they kept the normal army regimen
while they waited for the boat to take them to Europe.
(0:20:23) The ship they crossed on was the SS Washington, which was a
converted luxury liner. He had never been on the ocean before this point. The ship
sailed across the Atlantic alone.
He landed in Liverpool, England and was sent to a camp where they slept in tents.
With stone floors and a charcoal burner. They waited here for assignment as a
replacement.
(0:27:40) They crossed the English Channel in a small boat where they had to stay
for a time. They finally crossed in late 1944 and landed in Le Havre, France.
�•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(0:30:58) Was then sent to Metz, France via train. It took them several days They
rode in the box cars on the train.
They were placed in horse stalls when they got to their destination, and they were
given weapons there. He was given a .45 Automatic.
(0:38:30) At this point, he was taken to the 6th Armored Division 86th
Reconnaissance Battalion by a ride in the back of a truck. He arrived in a bombed
out town [Bastogne?] on New Years Eve.
He worked in the motor pool of the 6th Armored because of his background in
mechanics.
(0:44:40) They were moving through France and Germany, and they were often
assigned to lines of tanks. His first experience of battle involved seeing a dead
German with his hand sticking out of the snow, and it still bothers him.
They were able to tell the difference between artillery and gunfire because of the
noise and tracers.
There were several occasions where he had close calls. On one occasion, he was
ambushed and had a piece of shell land in the space between him and the man
next to him.
The wounded that they had were taken behind the lines for medical relief.
(0:55:10) General Gerow had a meeting with his men at one point, which he
attended, before they crossed the Rhine River. They had to take and hold a town
on the other side of the river, which was difficult.
(1:03:05) He was part of the battles for Bastogne.
They had several difficult assignments with which he was involved.
Remembers seeing columns and columns of prisoners that were not led by any
American troops.
He recalls the victory coming over the radio.
After hostilities ceased, the 6th Armored was disbanded, but they stayed in one
town until the Russians took it over. He did not have good impression of the
Russians.
(1:16:40) His group was part of the group that liberated Buchenwald
Concentration Camp. There were still people occupying the site when he was
there. Remembers the poor shape of the people in the camp, and looking like they
were almost death. He did not know what the camp was when he initially came
across it. Remembers hooks on the walls of one building where the guards would
hang people. He saw furnaces still full of burned human remains. There were no
Germans when they got there.
He had some contact with civilians when he was in Germany. He even had some
correspondence with some German civilians after the war.
He was transferred away from the 6th Armored Division to the 3rd and then 12th
Armored Divisions and was then allowed to come home in December 1945.
(1:39:15) His brother died in Europe, in a crash in his B-17 Bomber.
Post-Service (1:33:54)
�•
•
Shipped out of France and got sick on the way home. It took them 12 days.
Arrived in New York harbor.
Was discharged at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and returned to Grand Rapids to his
family.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Doren, Mark (Interview outline and video), 2004
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Doren, Mark
Description
An account of the resource
Mark Doren was born in 1919 in Kent City, Michigan and served into the Army in World War II. He was drafted into the Army and attended basic training in Florida and was then sent to Europe. He served in the 6th Armored in France and Germany as a mechanic, and was part of the group that liberated the Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Boring, Frank (Interviewer)
Michigan Military Preservation Society (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
United States. Army
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2004-06-26
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DorenM1
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/55325d8f52a38f74976fd5c19ac20317.m4v
c2dfa2a026b6c408b1b4af6b08069484
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0b2b7f87fbb7335e1477f5191027ef18.pdf
0afa59ad2bb456e00de1c4258c3ab054
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veteran’s History Project
World War II
Joseph Dorgan
Length of Interview (00:16:58)
Introduction (00:00:00)
Born November 10, 1925
Served in World War II in the Navy
Highest Rank was Postman’s Mate 2nd Class
Birthplace: Washington, D.C. 1925
Enlisted in the Navy when he was 17, still had been in high school
Found the Navy to be the most interesting of the three services
Wasn’t difficult to adapt to military life
Service (00:01:35)
Training was only three weeks, took that long due to vaccinations
Learned very little, learned about the Navy and what it meant to be there, peacetime
Would have been 3-6 months of training, but they needed the people
Dec., 7 1941 was the start of the War, Dorgan had to wait another year to get in
Served most of his time on Naval Armed Guard, naval gun crews on merchant ships (00:02:28)
U.S. Naval Armed Guard
Brooklyn, NY was the home base for Atlantic crossings; transferred to the West Coast to
San Diego
Made a trip as far as the Philippines
Stationed on merchant ships that carried military goods, convoys as big as 100 ships (00:03:40)
Sometimes destroyers escorted the ships
Saw very little action, just went back and forth across the N. Atlantic (00:04:16)
Had seen some ships get hit by torpedoes (00:05:10)
�When off duty, would go to the nearest bar (00:05:30)
Some men would be on board long lengths of time, 2 to 3 years, so the first thing they’d
do is get a drink
20-25 men per merchant ship, all seamen and a couple bosun's mates (00:06:05)
Had four hour watches which changed by rotation, quite boring
Nowhere near the action in the Pacific
End of Service (00:07:30)
Not sure where he was when the War ended, probably out at sea
Down near San Diego, processed there
Dorgan still had a year to serve because he signed up for 4 years
Was transferred to Washington, D.C., where his home was
One Marine and one sailor would act as police, this is what Dorgan’s duty was onshore
(00:08:50)
Shore Patrol
Wasn’t difficult to readjust to civilian life, quite young when he had joined
Didn’t stay in contact with fellow veterans
His time in the Navy helped him grow up, even though it wasn’t interesting (00:10:10)
When aboard ship, would go weeks or days without seeing anything
Played a lot of cards
The ship weighed 10,000 tons (00:12:05)
Sometimes carried ammunitions or bombs
Dorgan feels he was blessed because some of the other men on the ship had been a part of ships
that had been attacked by enemy submarines
�Matured in the Navy, learned discipline (00:13:35)
Returned home by taking a train to New York to Washington, D.C. (00:14:15)
Had a two older brothers in the war, Air Force and Navy
One was a gunner in the Air Force and the other served on submarines and merchant
ships
On Dorgan’s ship, would either fire a 3in. 0.50mm at the bow of the ship; 4 in.0.50 or 5in.
0.38 in the stern; or a 0.20mm machine gun, ships had four on starboard and four on
portside
Ships had tight living spaces because it included the merchant ship’s crew
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dorgan, Joseph (Interview outline and video), 2009
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dorgan, Joseph
Description
An account of the resource
Joseph Dorgan enlisted into the Navy in 1942 at the age of 17 during the Second World War. He served a majority of his time in the Armed Naval Guard. on merchant ships in convoys in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Pitsch, Eric (Interviewer)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
United States. Navy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2009-05-30
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DorganJ
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fb174061ca696a93ebee3a52aa0359b3.jpg
d3055e2ab2a6a5be28a96049d3f927c7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Naval Recognition Training Slides
Subject
The topic of the resource
Slides
Military education
Airplanes, Military--Recognition
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Description
An account of the resource
Slides developed during World War II as a training tool, for top-side battle-station personnel on board ship and for all aircraft personnel, by the US Navy. In 1942 a Recognition School was established by the Navy at Ohio State University where the method of identification was developed. In 1943 the school was taken over by the US Navy. The importance of training in visual recognition of ships and aircraft became even more evident during World War II. Mistakes resulting in costly errors and loss of life led to an increased emphasis on recognition as a vital skill.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1943-1953
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Source
<a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides, RHC-50</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50_1470
Title
A name given to the resource
Doria class Italian battleship
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Description
An account of the resource
Doria class Italian BB (battleship), October 1, 1947.
Subject
The topic of the resource
United States. Navy
Military education
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Slides
Italy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1947-10-01
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cd177e641903c9d0b5d80bbd22499920.jpg
154171f0ffebada817cd6fc400f4c9ae
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Naval Recognition Training Slides
Subject
The topic of the resource
Slides
Military education
Airplanes, Military--Recognition
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Description
An account of the resource
Slides developed during World War II as a training tool, for top-side battle-station personnel on board ship and for all aircraft personnel, by the US Navy. In 1942 a Recognition School was established by the Navy at Ohio State University where the method of identification was developed. In 1943 the school was taken over by the US Navy. The importance of training in visual recognition of ships and aircraft became even more evident during World War II. Mistakes resulting in costly errors and loss of life led to an increased emphasis on recognition as a vital skill.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1943-1953
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Source
<a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides, RHC-50</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50_1471
Title
A name given to the resource
Doria class Italian battleship
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Description
An account of the resource
Doria class Italian BB (battleship), October 1, 1947.
Subject
The topic of the resource
United States. Navy
Military education
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Slides
Italy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1947-10-01
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5cddfc139da5380d249dc8239e78703a.jpg
0edb855d366f3e361550e90532311866
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Naval Recognition Training Slides
Subject
The topic of the resource
Slides
Military education
Airplanes, Military--Recognition
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Description
An account of the resource
Slides developed during World War II as a training tool, for top-side battle-station personnel on board ship and for all aircraft personnel, by the US Navy. In 1942 a Recognition School was established by the Navy at Ohio State University where the method of identification was developed. In 1943 the school was taken over by the US Navy. The importance of training in visual recognition of ships and aircraft became even more evident during World War II. Mistakes resulting in costly errors and loss of life led to an increased emphasis on recognition as a vital skill.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1943-1953
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Source
<a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides, RHC-50</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-50_1472
Title
A name given to the resource
Doria class Italian battleship
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
United States. Navy
Description
An account of the resource
Doria class Italian BB (battleship), October 1, 1947.
Subject
The topic of the resource
United States. Navy
Military education
Warships--Recognition
World War, 1939-1945
Slides
Italy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1947-10-01
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/31d4b3b24efbde84aa99498d5ed8025e.mp4
c7f1fde5758c8855e9ea0f185d9dc15c
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e8d05c40823a7f803de07793aec11404.pdf
3adf32d8d6c49a95794e8487707242a5
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans’ History Project
George Dorman
Cold War/Vietnam War
36 minutes 36 seconds
(00:00:12) Early Life and Enlisting in the Air Force
-Born on May 25, 1930 in Manistique, Michigan (Upper Peninsula)
-He quit high school at the age of seventeen, so that he could join the military
-Growing up during WWII made him want to serve
-Cousins had been killed in action during WWII
-Parents wouldn’t allow him to join the military early
-Joined the Air Force on June 16, 1948 after he turned eighteen
-Joined when the Army Air Corps became the Air Force
(00:01:44) Training and Deployment to Guam
-Sent to Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas for basic training
-Basic training lasted thirteen weeks
-Given thirty days of leave after he completed basic training
-Got deployed to Guam
-Originally supposed to go to Clark Field in the Philippines
-He was stationed at Northwest Field
-They had three squadrons of P-47 fighters from WWII
-One squadron was the former Flying Tigers
-Supposed to give the P-47s to the Filipino Air Force
-Planes were unfit for flying
-Seventy five planes wound up getting scrapped and buried on the island
(00:04:05) National and International Deployments
-After Guam he was sent to Howard Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone
-Stationed with the 23rd Fighter Wing
-Got moved from Howard AFB to Albrook Air Force Base closer to the Panama Canal
-Spent a total of thirty months in Panama
-After Panama he was sent to Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas
-Served there for a year
-Received orders to be transferred to French Morocco
-Part of Army Airways Communications System (AACS) unit
-Stationed at Nouasseur Air Force Base outside of Casablanca
-Served thirty months in French Morocco
-After Morocco he was shipped to Kinross Air Force Base, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
-Served two years there
-Transferred to Stewart Air Force Base in New York
-Part of the support air craft unit for West Point
-Served two years there
-After Stewart Air Force Base he was sent to Thule Air Force Base in Greenland
-He believed that growing up in Upper Peninsula, Michigan would prepare him
-20mph winds and -40oF temperature was a shock to him
�-Served a year in Greenland
-Sent to Montana to work with the Air Force nuclear missile operations
-Insured that if silos and missile facilities needed service they received it
-Served a year in Montana
-Got sent to Torrejon Air Force Base, Madrid, Spain
-U.S. Air Force was supporting the Spanish Air Force
-U.S. gave Spain aircraft
-In return the U.S. was allowed to use Spanish airbases
-Served three years in Spain
-After Spain he was sent to Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington
-Served two years there
-By now he had already served twenty years in the Air Force
(00:09:59) Deployment to Vietnam
-Voluntarily went to Vietnam
-Wanted to be a part of the war and fight alongside his friends
-He was deployed to the 7th Air Force Headquarters at Tan Son Nhut
-His job was to help turn American airbases over to the South Vietnamese Air Force
-Helped establish schools at Binh Thuy, Da Nang, and Saigon
-Taught South Vietnamese pilots how to operate American equipment
-Got to know a large amount of South Vietnamese pilots in the process
-Travelled extensively around Vietnam as part of his duty
-Was able to see Pleiku and Bien Hoa areas as well
-There was a definite cultural divide between the Americans and the Vietnamese
-Had a good relationship with them nonetheless
-Served a year in Vietnam
(00:12:30) Coming Home & Leaving the Air Force
-Returned home and was stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Marquette, Michigan
-By this time had enough service time to retire
-Stationed only ninety miles from his hometown
-Hated being stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base
-Did not enjoy working with bomber crews
-More involved work than with fighter pilots
-Completely different attitude
-Discharged out of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base
-Left active duty Air Force after twenty three years of service
-Stayed in the Air Force Reserves for seven years
-Had a total of thirty years of service
(00:14:20) Life after the Air Force
-Went to Muskegon, Michigan
-Got a job as a union representative for Service Employees International
-Was able to get the job because a close friend was a union official
-Helped organize school, city, and other public employees
-Worked for them for three years
-Went back to school at Muskegon Community College
-Graduated with honors
-Became the head of television programming at the school
�-Joined a material handling company in Grand Rapids, Michigan
-Ultimately retired from that
(00:16:54) Reflections on Service
-Learned a lot (academically speaking) from serving in the Air Force
-Did not graduate from high school before joining, so training was a learning experience
-Found being in a supply squadron to be an interesting duty
-Learned to get along with people from a variety of different regional and ethnic backgrounds
-Proud to have been in the Air Force when it became its own branch of the Armed Forces
-Remembers a major change being their uniforms being changed from green to blue
-Learned to obey orders
-Thankful that he joined the Air Force instead of the Army
(00:22:22) Memorable Details about Deployment to Guam
-Remembers the KP (kitchen patrol) squadron going on strike
-They were thrown in jail by the Air Force police
-He and his squadron became the replacement squadron for KP
-Found that the food was infested with bugs
-Had to walk across the base just to take a shower
-Water was cold
-Entire base was outdated and had been originally built during WWII
-Enjoyed the temperature at Guam
-Always looked forward to drinking Coca Cola on break
-Deployment to Guam was an interesting experience for an eighteen year old
-Especially being able to see the famed P-47 Flying Tigers
(00:26:27) Memorable Details about Deployment to French Morocco
-Worked at Nouasseur Air Base depot outside of Casablanca
-Lived in the city of Casablanca
-Had to deal with roadblocks and French military checkpoints
-French and the Arabs were at war with each other
-Always had to immediately identify oneself as an American
-On his way to taking his wife to the base to give birth to their child got stopped at a checkpoint
-Had a French soldier put a machine gun to his head
-Allowed to go through after a French officer realized he was an American
-Wife was able to give birth to their son at the base hospital
(00:28:51) Further Reflections
-Wished that he had stayed in, and graduated from, high school prior to enlisting
-Mathematics courses in the Air Force were a shock to him
-Air Force tutor helped him pass the classes though
(00:30:10) Further Early History
-He could have had a job if he had stayed in Manistique and graduated high school
-Did not want to stay in Manistique
-Would have worked for his father’s cement contractor business
(00:30:43) Supply Squadron Stories
-Worked with the F-102 fighter jets
-Had a request for a F-102 jet engine in the middle of the night
-Had it delivered to the engine shop
-Turns out that an F-102 was leaking jet fuel out of the engine
�-Engine manufacturer representative and shop officer modified the jet engine
-Not allowed without government approval
-Had their unit’s test pilot fly it to check it for safety
-Had to help a young pilot who ran his jet into a hangar door
-Ripped off the left wing tip
-Helped get the wing repaired
-Same test pilot from the engine story checked the safety of the repaired wing
-Modification on the jet engine worked extremely well
-Representative and shop officer were rewarded for their ingenuity
-Air Force worked with Howard Hughes’ company
-He had perks from having connections with the Howard Hughes representative
-Worked with an aircraft called the Scorpion
-Prone to crashing
-Friend refused to fly it after crashing in it
-As a result got kicked out of the Air Force
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dorman, George (Interview outline and video), 2013
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dorman, George
Description
An account of the resource
George Dorman was born in Manistique, Michigan, in 1930. He grew up in Manistique and enlisted in the Air Force in 1948. Over the course of twenty years he was deployed to Guam, the Panama Canal Zone, Texas, French Morocco, Michigan, New York, Greenland, Montana, Spain, and Washington, and then volunteered for Vietnam. He was attached to the 7th Air Force Headquarters in Tan Son Nhut and was a part of an operation that was helping to turn American airbases in Vietnam into South Vietnamese airbases. He served a year in Vietnam and returned to Michigan for his final deployment to K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Marquette, Michigan.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Coccia, Kayleigh (Interviewer)
Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
United States. Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2013-03-23
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DormanG1501V
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4a426e152f8905472cbda570f1d5ac99.jpg
7275a2b9208dc38eb283e60f122834f2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ronald Oakes collection
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Oakes, Ronald
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of photographs by Ronald Oakes, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and in the U.S. National Guard in the Iraq War.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1968/2005
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/628">Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq war photographs (RHC-80)</a>
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Veterans
Photographs
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-80
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-80_Oakes-Vietnam-DORMSATDLIWCWITHFORTORDINDISTANCE
Title
A name given to the resource
Dorms at the Defense Language Institute West Coast in Monterrey, California
Subject
The topic of the resource
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
United States--History, Military
Marine Corps
Military life
Soldiers
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
Dorms at the Defense Language Institute West Coast in Monterrey, California.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Oakes, Ronald
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Ronald Oakes Vietnam and Iraq photographs (RHC-80)
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project interviews, RHC-27
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Vietnam War
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e4e37f9c6e43b8b42edea8e2afa1a9ac.pdf
420514b54784cd2fd315f9ba28ca42c7
PDF Text
Text
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�DORR TOWNSHIP
TOWNSHIP BOARD
Donald Kaczanowski, Supervisor
Dick Dutkiewicz, Clerk
Paul Burmania, Trustee
Joe Graczyk, Treasurer
Norman Fifelski, Trustee
PLANNING COMMISSION
Robert Wagner, Chairperson
Norma Schaendorf, Secretary
Steve Spykman
Louis Hamish
Darwin Duff
Mike Kelly
Paul Burmania
Adopted: May 21, 1991
PREPARED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF:
WW Engineering & Science, Inc.
Governmental Services Division
SSSS Glenwood Hills Prkwy, S.E.
P.O. Box 874
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49588-0874
(616) 942 - 9600
�RESOLUTION TO ADOPT
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REVISED MASTER PLAN
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DORR TOWNSHIP
WHEREAS. the 1974 Dorr Township Master Plan is over 15 years old and significant
changes have taken place in the Township since that time, AND
WHEREAS, the citizens of Dorr Township have expressed a strong desire to prcsCIVc
agricultural land which is a significant natural and economic resource of the
Township.AND
WHEREAS, there is also a need to provide for residential development which will offer a
_rural life style while protecting prime agricultural land. AND
WHEREAS, there is also a need to provide for orderly growth in a manner consistent
with the goals and policies of Dorr Township. AND
WHEREAS, a revised Master Plan will sCIVe as a guide for the future orderly
development of Dorr Township, preserve prime agricultural land and maintain the rural
character of Dorr Township, AND
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WHEREAS, Michigan Public Act 168 of 1959, as amended, authorizes the adoption of a
Township Master Plan by the Planning Commission
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Dorr Township Planning Commission
does hereby adopt the revised Master Plan for Dorr Township,
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�BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of the adopted Plan be forwarded to members
of the Dorr Township Board
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Seconded by:
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Table of Contents
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1
Introduction
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Agriculture
Residential Land Use
Commercial Land Use
Industrial Land Use
Roads, Sewer, and Water
Public Services
Parks and Recreation
Natural Features
2.
3
Goals and Policies
3
4
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5
6
6
7
Physical Description
8
Regional Setting
Natural Features
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Communi!Y Faciliti.es
Township Offices
Fire Services
Public Safety
Libraries
Cemetarics
Educational Facilities
Parks and Recreation
Historical Sites
Utilities
Solid Waste Disposal
Roads and Transponation
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14
14
14
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14
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15
16
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Social and Economic Characteristics
Population
Households
Economic Characteristics
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�Table of Conte~ (continued)
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Chaptu
5.
Existing Land Use and Analysis
Agriculture
Residential
Commercial/Office
Industrial
Public/Semi-Public
Schools
Recreation
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6. . Planning Analysis
Population Projections
Residential Land Use Needs
Other Land Use Needs
Total Future Land Use Needs
Roads and Streets
7.
Future Land Use Plan
The Relationship of Planning and Zoning
Plan Concepts
Agriculture
Rural Estate
Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
Commercial/Office
Industrial
Public/Semi-Public
Streets
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Implementation
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27
29
31
32
32
33
35
35
35
35
37
41
43
46
46
47
48
49
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50
51
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53
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List of Ta/Ms
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1. 24-Hour Traffic Counts and Capacity
2 . . Historical Population Changtl, 1960- 1990
3. Rectlnt Devdopment Activity - BMilding PD'lllits
lsslWl 1985 - 1990 (April)
4. Agtl ofResidents
5.
Pu Capita Income
6.
7.
8.
9.
Existing Land Use: Changu Sinctl 1978
I 0.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Population ProjtlCdon.,
2010 Land Use Nt!tltb
Rt!creadon Land Standards and Nt!tltb
Traffic Vallone Proj«tions
FormalCountyDrauu
SMitabltl Soils for Development
Prime and Unique Farmland Soib
Existing Strat Classi/icatJon
LotSplits 1980-1990Bys«tion
Existing Landu.
P.A.1161.antb
F11111re Lfllld Use Map
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23
24
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25
25
34
37
41
42
44
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12
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DORR TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN
INTRODUCTION
The fundamental purpose of the Master Plan is to allow Dorr Township to set fonh in a
comprehensive manner the goals and objectives for its physical development. The
Township Planning Act. Public Act 168 of 1959, as amended, specifically gives
Township Planning Commissions the authority to prepare and officially adopt a Master
Plan. This Plan will serve as an advisory guide for the physical conservation of certain
areas and for the development of other areas into a desirable living environment for
present and future township residents.
Planning, in simple terms, is a goal-oriented and continuous process which seeks to
improve a community and create a better environment. As such, a Master Plan is a "tool"
by which this goal can be reached. It is used by both individuals and public officials to
make decisions concerning the long-range future of a community.
In 1974, the Allegan County Planning Commission prepared a General Development Plan
for each township in Allegan County. ~ anticipation of future growth, a Plan update was
undertaken by Dorr Township in April of 1990. This Plan includes demographic
information, a. natural resources inventory, population projections, future land use needs,
a future land use map, and methods to implement the Plan.
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The Master Land Use Plan provides:
1.
A comprehensive means of integrating proposals that look 20 years ahead to meet
future needs regarding general and major aspects of physical conservation and
development throughout the Township;
2.
An officiaL advisory policy statement for encouraging orderly and efficient use of
the land for residences, businesses, industry. parks and recreation areas, and
agriculture, and for coordinating these uses of land with each other, with streets
and highways, and with other necessary public facilities and services;
3.
A logical basis for zoning, subdivision design, public improvement plans, and for
facilitating and guiding the work for the Township Planning Commission and the
Township Board as well as other public and private endeavors dealing with the
physical conservation and development of the Township;
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A means for private organizations and individuals to determine how they may
relate their building and development projects and policies to official township
planning policies; and
s.
A means of relating the plans of Dorr Township to the plans of adjacent
townships and cities and to development of the region as a whole.
The final clement of the plan will synthesize the recommended goals and needs of the
Township with the analysis of existing conditions and trends. The plan will conclude
with an implementation program that will define strategies and will address specific tools
for implementation such as the,.zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and a capital
improvements program.
The Dorr Township Plan is intended to be long-range and dynamic, based on the longterm goals and objectives looking 20 years forward. With that in mind, there is an
important caveat to this planning process: the Master Plan is general in scope. It is not
necessarily intended to establish the ·precise boundaries of land use areas or the exact
locations of individual future land uses. Its greater function is to serve as a decision
making frame-work. The Master Plan insures that more detailed future decisions can be
related to the broader community-wide perspective provided in the plan, and that
decision makers will have confidence that their decisions have a clear and rational basis.
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CHAPTER 1
GOALS AND POLICIES
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Planning goals are statements that express the community's long-range desires and serve
to provide direction for related planning activities. Each goal has accompanying policies
which reflect the general strategy that the community will pursue to attain its goals.
Following are goals and policy statements that have been developed for shaping the Dorr
Township Master Plan, based upon citizen input and technical analysis of the data. At a
meeting held on December 12, 1990, members of the Dorr Township Board of Trustees
and the Planning Commisssion met and concurtt.d on these goals and policies. These
goals and policies were developed from a public workshop held on September 18, 1990
which was attended by about 40 Township residents.
GOAL #1:
Agriculture
Preserve lands suitable for agricultural uses in the Township, and manage growth to
minimize the encroachment of residential, commercial, and industrial uses into areas
valued for agricultural pmposes.
Policies:
•
Suppon the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Act, P.A. 116 of
1974, by encouraging use of preservation agreements by area farmers
and approving such agreements that are consistent with the land use
. plan.
•
Develop zoning regulations which restrict non-farm development in
a:rcas consisting primarily of prime farmland.
•
Develop zoning regulations and utility extensions policies which make
lands which are less suitable for agriculture use more attractive to
develop than prime agricultural .land.
•
Encourage propcny tax poli?CS that assess farmland for its present use
rather than its potential use.
•
Develop zoning regulations which discourage the formation of flaglots or irregularly-shaped land divisions which result in large numbers
of acres that are not buildable, not easily serviced by public utilities,
and are in some cases removed unnecessarily from agricultural
production.
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�GOAL #2:
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Residential Land U•
Centralize residential land uses in the Township using the intersection of 142nd Avenue
and 18th Street as well as·the settlement of Moline as points around which residential
development will be focused. ·
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Policies:
•
Encourage the highest concentrations of residential development to
occur in locations where there are existing public utilities and where
future public utilities and services can be most economically and
efficiently provided when they are needed.
• · Establish density standanis that are consistent with the natural capacity
of soils to handle on-site septic systems and w~ch promote the
preservation of the Township's rural and agrarian qualities.
GOAL#3:
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Provide for a variety of housing types in appropriate locations and at
acceptable densities. Special attention should be given to the needs of
senior citizens, young couples, and low/moderate income households.
•
Encourage creative design of neighborhoods to enhance desirability
including amenities such as sidewalks, bike paths, pedestrian paths,
open space, and pedestrian linkage to commercial centers.
Commercial Land Us~
Plan for and encourage expansion of the retail and service businesses in the central area
of the Township (downtown Dmr), and in Moline.
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Policies:
• Identify and provide for the basic service and shopping needs of the
Township's residents.
•
Expand public utilities and services in those areas identified as
desirable for commercial retention and expansion.
•
•
Discourage, through zoning controls, commercial development in areas
that would lead to the need for public utilities and services that cannot
be economically and efficiently provided in the foreseeable future.
•
Discourage, through zoning, the development of wide-spread strip
development along 142nd Avenue.
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Encourage the shared use of commercial driveways and access roads
and limit the number and spacing of driveways along arterials;
encourage the use of frontage roads or service drives to minimize
traffic congestion and hazard
•
Promote high quality commercial development through local site plan
reviews.
•
Establish landscaping guidelines and promote a downtown desigr plan
to maximize aesthetics and unify the commercial district
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GOAL#4:
Industrial Land Use
Provide for industrial development in areas served by adequate
transportation systems and potentially served by public utilities and
services.
Policies:
GOAL #5:
•
Establish and reserve suitable land for future industrial purposes.
•
Expand public utilities and services in those meas identified as
. desirable for industrial development
•
Promote the development of industrial plats rather than scattered single
lot development.
•
Promote high quality industrial development through local site plan
review.
•
Work with the Allegan County Growth Alliance to attract desirable
manufacturing or processing operations to the area.
Roads, Sewer, and Water
Provide for adequate infrastructure that will ensure balanced, orderly growth and ensure
the safety and well-being of Township residents.
Policies:
• Systematically improve Township roads giving priority to roads in
areas intended to suppon the highest concentrations of development
•
Establish a program that ultimately results in paving of all roads in the
Township.
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Work with Allegan County Road Commission and law enforcement
agencies toward widening of 142nd Avenue and the addition of traffic
safety measures such as left-hand tum lanes, deceleration lanes, and
an acceptable maximum speed limiL
•
Provide street lighting in all present and future residential areas and at
street intersections where necessary.
•
Study the feasibility of a separate sanitary sewer system for the Dorr
area, along with funding sources.
•
Provide, where feasible and necessary, water, sanitary sewer, and
storm sewer services in areas of the Township identified for residential,
commercial, and industrial developmenL
•
Protect and preserve groundwater supplies by participating in statewide programs to monitor quality of groundwater and by establishing
density standards that are consistent with the natural capacity of soils
to handle on-site septic systems.
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GOAL #6A&B: Public Services
A.
Ensure a greater level of public safety by cooperating with surrounding
Townships to secure more regular police protection.
Policies:
• Maintain a close, cooperative relationship with the Allegan County
Sheriff's Department to ens~ adequate police protection.
•
B.
Initiate ongoing dialogue with Leighton, Hopkins, and Salem
Townships to assess mutual levels of needs and possibilities of shared
police services.
Ensure enforcement of local zoning ordinances and building codes.
Policies:
• Review procedures with appropriate staff regarding enforcement and
compliance.
• Supply adequate training and staffing for enforcement officials.
GOAL#7:
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Parks and Recreation
Plan for and develop active and passive outdoor recreation facilities to meet the needs of
existing and future residents of the Township.
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�Policies:
•
Pursue recreation funding from Department of Natural Resources
through preparation of a Township Recreation Plan or by amending
Allegan County Recreation Plan.
•
Design and construct bicycle paths that link commercial, residential,
and recreational areas, and that link to bicycle paths beyond Township
boundaries.
• Plan
for additions to existing parks in Dorr Township based on
Recreation Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines (National
Recreation and Park Association), and local needs.
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GOAL#&
Work .with residential developers to set aside suitable portions of land
for parlcs, and road easements for pedestrian/bicycle paths.
Natural F~atuns
Ensure that new development takes place in an environmentally consistent and sound
manner, minimizing the potential for soil erosion and disturbances to natural resources
such as woodlands and wetlands, thereby preserving scenic and environmental quality.
Policies:
• 'Through wning and site plan review encourage approaches to land
development that take natural features such as soils, topography, steep
slopes, hydrology, and natural vegetation into account in the process of
site design.
•
Encourage soil conservation practices and the prudent use of fertilizers
and pesticides.
•
'Through site plan review, discourage practices which would alter the
natural valuable function of wetlands, especially those not protected
under the State of Michigan Wetlands Protection Act (P.A. 203 of
1979).
•
Preserve and protect through wning those soils identified as prime
agricultural soils, and utilize for development those soils not identified
as having agricultural value.
•
Establish landscaping guidelines for existing and future commercial,
industrial, and residential development which, through site plan
review, would preserve and increase the numbers of trees and other
woody vegetation in _the Township.
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CHAPI'ER2
PHYSICAL DESCRIPI'ION
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Any plan for the future must be based on knowledge of existing conditions and the
· influences that have shaped the community. This chapter examines the natural features
that have impacted upon the community, and have helped to determin~ what the
community is today. These include the location of the community, its topography, soils,
and water resources.
REGIONAL SEITING
Dorr Township is located in the northern tier of townships in Allegan County and
consists of 36 square miles of land area. It lies approximately six miles south of the
Grand Rapids Metropolitan Area, fifteen miles cast of the City of Holland, and
approximately twenty-two miles cast of the La.kc Michigan shoreline.. The settlement of
Dorr is situated centrally in the Township. Other residential concentrations are found at
North Dorr, located along the northern boundary of the township, and at Moline, located
along the eastern boundary. Dorr Township is bounded on the north by Kent County's
Byron Township, on the cast by Leighton Township, on the south by Hopkins Township,
and on the west by Salem Township.
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United States Highway 131 traverses the eastern edge of the Township in a north/south
direction, providing the principal access route to the community. This major artery also
links the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Arca with the Kalamazoo Metropolitan Area.
NATURAL FEATURES
Geology
The bedrock in Allegan County consists of Mississippian Sandston~ and Shale, which are
pan of the bowl-like rock formation known as the Michigan Basin. The upper bedrock
layers of Dorr Township are sandstone of the Marshall Formation. Overlying these
bedrock formations is a mass of glacial drift ranging from about 50 to 400 feet in
thickness, deposited when the glacial ice receded about 10,000 years ago. The
physiography of Dorr Township is determined by these underlying glacial till plains
resulting in surface relief that varies from flat to undulating.
Topography and Drainage
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The general topography of Dorr Township is flat to moderately rolling, with no
significant topographical features. The greatest variations in terrain exist in the
northeastern and southwe_stem portions of the Township.
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Four major drainage patterns can be seen in the Township. The northwestern and central
western portions of the Township are in the Little Rabbit River drainage basin. The
central and north central portions are in the Dorr and Byron Drain system, which flows
into the Little Rabbit River Drain. The eastern portion of the Township is in the Red
River drainage basin which joins the Little Rabbit River on the western side of the
Township, and the southern most portions of the Township drain into the Rabbit River
where it flows through Hopkins Township. The Little Rabbit River drains into the
Rabbit River in southwestern Salem Township. Only a small segment (about 1.5 miles)
of the Rabbit transects the southwestern comer of the Township. The Rabbit ultimately
flows into the Kalamazoo River which empties into Lake Michigan at Saugatuck.
A number of formal country drains provide control of drainage within the Township. (see
Map 1). The Allegan County Drain Commission maintains this drainage system.
No major flood plains exist in the Township. Flooding has not historically been a major
problem, and the Township does not participate in the Federal Flood Insurance Program.
Dorr Township has no dominant surface water features. A few small lakes and ponds are
scattered throughout the Township, and sand mining in Sections 20, 21, 28, 29 and 33 has
resulted in numerous small lowlands and ponds. Monterey Lake, is located about one
mile west of Dorr Township in southern Salem Township.
Soils
The soils in Dorr Township range from well drained, sandy or loamy materials to poorly
drained sandy, loamy, or silty material. The locations of these soils are an imponant
consideration in both the existing and future physical development of the Township.
While residents in the Moline area are served by the Moline-Dorr Sewer Authority, the
balance of homes and businesses must rely on soil suitability to obtain a safe water
supply and to dispose of waste. ·
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Map 2 has been prepared based on soils and their suitability for development without
public sewers. The factors considered include hazards of flooding, depth to water table,
percolation rate, and slope. It should be noted that the soils with severe limitations will
in most cases present problems for the efficient operation of individual septic systems.
B~cause of high water tables or rapid lateral movem~nt of subsurface waters in these
areas, the use of septic tanks and drainage fields provides increased potential of pollution
of wells and surface waters. In addition, there is a potential for seasonal flooding of
basements. Intensive development in these areas often results in increased demands for
public sewer and/or water systems to compensate for environmental hazards or health
hazards.
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DORR TOWNSHIP T4N, Rl2W
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ftllNO~ NATURAL WATER COl.flSES - ·
CllAIIAGE DISTRICT
CORPORATE LIMITS
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MAP 1
FORMAL COUNTY DRAINS
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AL.LEGAN (Xll.NTY DRAINS
DORR TOWNSHIP
LYI\N B. FLDIING DRAIN co,.t.1ISSIONER
D.A. RATEON
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MAP 2
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DORR TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN COUNTY
SUIT ABLE SOILS FOR DEVELOPMENT
1990
T
J.£!lftlll:
-
SOILS WHICH ME GENEIW.1.Y SUITABLE f'OR ON SIT£
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
lWO OR MORE Of lliE
FOLLOWING CHAAACTOIJS'llCS:
- SOIL PERCOLATION RATE
- SLOl'E(lfSS 1liAN 1&:l)
- OEPlH OF HIGH WA'IER TABI.£
- NO FLOOD HA2ARO
our ro
OH-SITE IINES'TIGATION MAY S11U. BE NECESSARY
TO DETERMINE SEPTIC SYSTEM SUITABIUTY.
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MAP 3
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DORR TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN COUNTY
PRIME & UNIQUE FARMLAND SOILS
1990
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PRIME FARr.11.ANO SOILS >S DEFINED BY THE U.S. DEPT.
Of AGRJCULTIJRE WHICH ME SEST SUITED TO FOOD,
FEED, FORAGE F1BER ANO OIL SEED CROPS. CERTAIN
AREAS MAY l!E PRIME fARMIAND ONLY WHEN WEU.
DRAINEO OR NOT FlOODED DURING CROWlt-lC SEASON,
UNIQUE FARMLAND IS USED FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF HIGH-VALUE FOOD AND F1BE/I CROPS.
EJW,IPLES Of SUCH CROPS ARE \IEGETABLES
Al-ID TREE. VINE. AND BERRY FRUITS.
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_____ .___ ......... _.... .,.._
�By mapping these soils according to their suitability for development, patterns are
identified which make it possible to determine ·the development potential of specific
areas. Altl,lough the map is not intended as a substitute for on-site investigation or
detailed engineering studies, it does generally define those areas that should be
considered as suitable for development
Soils which generally have unsuitable
characteristics for building or septic use may still be useful with on-site modifications or
detailed site analysis. However, significant development in these areas will increase the
need for public utilities.
Another important feature of soils within Dorr Township are the soils that arc considered
as prime or unique farm land by the United State Departmc~t of Agriculture. Prime
farmland, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the land that is best suited
to food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops, and produces the highest yields with
minimal inputs of energy and economic resources. Unique farmland is land other than
prime farmland dw is used far the production of spec:i:fic high-value food and fiber
crops, such as vegetables and ne, vine, and berry fruits. Map 3 delineaaes the soils
within Dorr Township dw ~ consideml as prime er unique agriculture IOils.
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CHAPTER 3
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
The Township's community facilities are those which provide tangible services to the
residents. A well rounded set of services is necessary to meet the needs of a growing
community like Dorr Township. The services provided are discussed briefly below:
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Township Offices - The Township Hall is located at 4194 18th Street. The building was
constructed in 1990 and financed by a bond issue through · the Dorr Downtown
Development Authority (DOA). Included in the hall are offices for Township officials, a
meeting room, conference room, lounge, and three bays for fire trucks. Also, the hall
provides office space for the Wayland Arca Medical Service Corporation which provides
emergency medical services for Wayland and surrounding areas including Dorr
Township. The Township offices will be staffed initially on a pan-time basis, and future
plans are to provide office space for a pan-time police officer.
Fire Service - The Township utilizes 20-22 volunteer fire fighters as well as a FU"C Chief
and Assistant Fire Orief who arc compensated for their services. F°U"C fighting equipment
maintained at the Dorr Township Hall includes two pumper trucks, two tank trucks, a
jeep, and an equipment van. The cost of an additional tanker truck housed in Moline is
shared through an agreement with the Leighton Township F°U'C DcpartmcnL
Public Safety - General police protection is provided by the Allegan County Sheriff's
Department and the Michigan State Police out of the Wayland post. The Township will
be considering a future contract with the Allegan County Sheriff's Department for a parttime officer, and may consider sharing this officer jointly with Leighton Tov.,islup.
Libraries - Dorr Township maintains two libraries: The Dorr Township Libraty located
at 1807 142nd Avenue in Dorr, and The Moline Public Library located at 4410 Oiappcll
in Moline. Financial support is provided through the Township General Fund, Leighton
Township, and through book fines collected in Allegan County. Dorr Township has its
own library board and is a member of the Lakeland Librmy Cooperative. .Fu~ plans
include expansion of The Dorr Township Library into the old adjo~g fire barn.
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Cemeteries - Six Cemeteries arc located throughout the Township: in Dorr on 142nd
Avenue, at North Dorr on 108th Street, on 17th Street north of 146th, on 138th Avenue at
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22nd Street, at St Stanislaus Catholic Church on 136th Avenue, and on 14th Street nonh
of 142nd Avenue. These facilities are maintained by Dorr Township.
Educational Facilities - Two school districts serve Dorr Township. Wayland Union
Schools, serving most of the population, maintains a IC-4th grade elCIDl!otary IChool
locatai at 4159 18th Street in Dorr, and another elementary school far 5th IDd 6th pllde
students at 1148 1st Stteet in Moline. Hopkins Public Schools, tcnina soutbem pmdons
14
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I --
of the Township, maintain Sycamore -Elementary School at 2163 142nd Avenue in Dorr.
St. Stanislaus Catholic School, located at 1871 136th Avenue, houses grades pre-school
through 8th, and Moline Christian School at 1253 1st Street in Moline provides
classrooms for grades pre-school through 9th.
Parks and Recreation - The Dorr Recreation Association has authority over recreational
programming in the Township. With grant monies, the Association has hired a part-time
director. Programming includes baseball and softball programs as well as Rocket
Football. One of the main goals of the Rceteation Association is to acquire more land for
recreational purposes.
Two parks are found in Dorr Township, located across from one another on 142nd
Avenue. On the north side of 142nd lies the Dorr Township Park. consisting of nine
acres. Facilities include two baseball ~nds and three softball diamonds, two
basketball couns, lighted tennis couns, and a shelter with kitchen. South of 142nd is
Gries Park, managed by the Dorr Recreation Association.
Gries Parle, consisting of seven acies, has two ball diamonds, bathrooms, an enclosed
shelter with kitchen, and an open covered sh~lter. Dorr Township provides some
maintenance assistance at the park and may assist further with maintenance in the future.
The privately owned Hungry Horse Wilderness Campground is located south of 142nd
Avenue west of Dorr. Situated on a parcel over 90 acres, the campground offers hiking
and hayrides, a swimming pool, and campsites on about ten ( 10) acres.
A private recreational area exists at Sandy Pines on Monteray Lake in neighboring Salem
Township. While a Sandy Pines membership is required to take advantage of the
recreational opportunities found there, limited public access is available on the lake.
Public fishing and boat launching is also found on Green Lake, three miles cast of Dorr
Township in neighboring Leighton Township. Other regional recreation areas include
the Allegan State Game Arca, approximately five miles from the Township limits, and
Yankee Springs State Park. located approximately eight miles southeast of the Township
in Barry County. Gun Lake County Park is located approximately eight miles southeast
of Dorr Township in Wayland Township.
Historical Sites - Other than several Centennial farms, no designated, historical sites exist
in the community. Buildings having historical significance include the site of Tony's
Antique Shop, which is a former school house, and St. Stanislaus Catholic Church on
136th Avenue, which is over 100 years old. A former one-room school house located on
138th Avenue just east of 14th Street may also be of historical significance.
JNJ\DorrTpMP..'89443 _
lS
�Utilities - Dorr residents obtain water exclusively through private wells. The majority of
residents utilize drainfields for wastewater disposal. However, residents of Moline are
served by the Moline-Dorr Sewer Authority established in 1978. The Sewer Authority
was funded through a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and continues to be financed by hook-up and user .fees. The system, which is not
yet at full capacity, serves approximately 200 homes with the potential of serving about
one hundred more. The lagoon treatment facility for the system is located east of old
U.S. 131 in Leighton Township. The-Authority is considering expansion of the system
north of Moline to accommodate future industrial and residential development.
Some residents of Dorr Township have found it necessary to double the siz.e of their
drainfields to handle increased water usage. Commercial establishments near downtown
Dorr have also been limited in drain field capacity due to existing high water table.
Intensive commercial and industrial development in the Township is limited in those
areas not served by tbe Sewer Ambarity Service Alea.
-
l
Solid Waste Dispoaal - Dem Township ntilizes the South Kent Landfill located west al
U.S. 131 off 100th Street in Bymn Township. Tim facility hu a paopw,owcl HI,
expectancy of at least 10 years; length of service will be influenced by ICmt County's
m:endy constructed solid waste incincntm. No 1l'8DSfer facilities exist in die Towmbip.
A recycling station is being COllSlnlCled by Allepn County at 1620 14'-l A.._ ia
downtown Don-. Allepn· County bas sugesaect mancina of NC)'Clina efl'a.uitllniap a
mandatory fee! impoacd upon poperty ownen ill the Townsbip.
Roads and TnNpOl"tatloa - Tbc .._ sysrem forms the IDOlt basic framework for
growth and development of a O'IJIIAIDity. By pmvklina a ma DI illtlenlll 111d
ex1emal circulation, it lm'¥el CM CO!HRIIPDity by belpina lbape die !r1 lily W
Thus, this costly and long-Jasdng ~Jemmt beeomea aee of die w d)'llllllie , _ . . ,
cnmmunity.
·
•
The st=t
follows:
system
D'Yin, Den Townsbip, iDnSUted aa Map 4. eap
--c. . .. . _
Co,,,,.,,.d Accas Ai"teriaJs • These fadlides (US-131) IMl!ftilWft'l
function bGt instead are devotrd ~ to
latp ~ ~ traffic at rebdivel)'
. - , malii-Jw, ilMdad
a
�Major Rural Anerials (county primary)-This class of streets serves major movements of
I -
traffic within or through the area. Mainly designed to move traffic, the secondary
function is to provide land service. This class of street typically interconnects major state
anerial highways. According to the Allegan County Road Commission map, county
primary roads in Dorr Township include 146th Avenue (unpaved:), a portion of 144th
Avenue, 142nd Avenue, a portion of 22nd Street, all of 18th Street, the portion of 14th
Street that joins 142nd and 144th, and 12th Street north of Moline.
Collector Streets (county local) - These streets provide internal traffic movement within
specific areas and connect those areas with the major arterial system. Generally, they are
not continuous for great length.
The rural collector street is intended to supply abutting property with the same degree of
access as a local street,. while at the same time carrying the "collected" traffic of local
streets. Traffic control devices may be installed to protect and facilitate movement of
traffic; however, these devices would not be u elaborate as those on arterial st1ee11. In
rural areas like Dorr Township, rural collectors typically represent the highest pc:m,naq,
of street miles. Within Dorr there arc currently 11 miles of paved collector streecs and 54
miles of gravel collcctors.
Local Feeder Stree_ts - ~e sole function of these streets is to provide
accea
to
immediately adjacent piopeny. In developed areas, they make up the major pm,entap
of the streets of the community, but carry a small proportion of the vehicle-.U.S of
travel. In Dorr Township, examples of these streets include those within Dorr,
and developed subdivisions.
Mott..
l
I
I
The Allegan County Road Commission is responsible for the maintenance ..S
improvement of all roads in Dorr Township, excluding private roads and U.S.-131. 1le
County is currently into the third year of its second five year resurfacing prograa 11a
program recogniz.es six groups of four townships each, with Dorr·being pan of a lft:IIP
that includes Leighton, Wayland, and Hopkins townships. Over each five year
each group of townships shares equally in monies available through the County
roads resurfacing millage.
Each fall, officials from the Allegan County Road Commission meet with local
to determine resurfacing priorities. In 1985 and 1989, during the resurfacing of
of 142nd Avenue and 18th Street, Dorr Township contributed additional funds to
paved shoulders along portions of these roads.
In Dorr Township, the rebuilding and surfacing of 146th Avenue, which is
almost entirely a gravel road, has been designaled u a pricrity. Surfacing of
17
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r
will be accomplished in two stages with the township sharing costs at a rate of $25,000
per mile, approximately a 10 percent match.
I
f
Improvements to County local roads may be requested by township officials. In which
case the township then bears 100% of the cost of those improvements. The Road
Commission may provide improvement services of the township may let a request for
bids.
Conditions ·of roads in the township ·are generally good. Some surface crai;.king on
Division Street (Old U.S.-131) has resulted due to using old, cracked asphalt as a subsurface, and is cu.rrcntly under repair.
CQncems cU1TCntly facing Dorr Township are primarily the existing and projected traffic
volumes along 142nd Avenue from the center of Dorr east to the U.S.-131 freeway, and
along 18th Street north of Dorr which provides access to and from Byron Center in Kent
County. Continued population growth and development in and adjacent to Dorr
Township will generate increased traffic. As shown in Table 1, recent traffic counts by
the Allegan County Road Commission show traffic volumes cU1TCntly operating within
their 24-hour designed capacity.
1.
A 2. 7 mile long segment of the Pennsylvania Railroad transects the northeast corner of
the Township.
Air transportation is provided by the Kent Count International Airport, located about 15
miles northeast of the Township in Kent County, and by the South Kent Airpon located
south of 64th Street in Byron Township, which provides service for private aircraft and
training flights. No public transportation is available in Dorr Township.
•
JNN>on'I'~3
18
�Table 1
DORR TOWNSHIP
24 - Hour Traffic Counts
and Capacity at Selected Locations by Year
r
24-Hour
Locatiao
l
L
Intcrsection-142nd Avenue
at 18th Street North:
South:
East :
West:
2.
lntersection-142nd Avenue
at 16th Street South:
East :
West:
3. 'Intersection-144th Avenue
at 18th Street South:
4.
lntersection-144th Avenue
at 16th Stn:et East:
Somce:
1988
Caaaciti:
8,000
8,000
8,000
8,000
4,286
3!Xl1
3,242
6,717
S,328
2,000 (gravel)
8,000
8,000
1990
2.121
6,822
5,752
282
6,638
6,663
8,000
130
146 •
2,000 (lravel)
156
165 •
Allegan County Road Ow,,miuiaa
• 1990 Bs1ima1es hued upoo 4,. UICRllle ia amnber ot wllicJes per ,-r. per ~
hours OD majer paved anerials; 2,. inaase far pawl ft1ldL
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BYRON Tw'P,
<KENT ClllMY>
t;
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~
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, 1• ■ ,tr• ■ • ■ t■ ■ 1•• ■ ■ ■,■ •j ■ ■ L■ c~~ ■
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~46TH AVE.
~
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~
i•-··r k--t---J'f:::;:::}:::: 4>Et---~-- ----~ ....u.. ~M□,:!~EAVL
142ND AVL
Z
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140TH AV[,
27
291
25
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...
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33
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a) 1
~r-~
l..f-7L~---~.,C-+---b,----~il
136TH AV[,
I
HOPKINS Tw'P.
MAP 4
DORR TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN COUNTY
EXISTING STREET CLASSIFICATION
LIJilllD;
•
■ ■
•
DPflfSSWA'W(CONlROL ACClESS AftlDIIAL)
MAJOII All'IERIAL(COUNTY PRIMARY ROADS)
PAVED COUECTDRS
• - - • UNl'AIIEI) COUECTOftS
LOCAL S1REETS
---~~----.,~-
�CHAPTER 4
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
Understanding the people of Dorr Township will help establish the basis for developing the
Master Plan. This discussion will review the Township population characteristics and trends, as
well as economic conditions and housing characteristics of the community.
Population Characteristics - Table 2 illustrates past growth and future population projections
of Dorr Township relative to the four sutTOunding Townships. Populations shown are for
unincorporated areas only.
The table indicates that between 1960 and 1970, Dorr Township experienced a 32% increase in
population, greater than the rate experienced by any of the surrounding townships and Allegan
County as a whole. Between 1970 and 1980, Dorr Township increased it's population by 64%,
or double the rate of the previous decade. This increase was largely due to the development of
Ranchero Estates and Litchfield Downs Subdivision constructed under the FHA 235 Housing
Program. Again, this growth significantly surpassed the surrounding townships and Allegan
County. 1990 U.S. Census figures indicate a much slower rate of growth, 8.8%, between 1980
and 1990 for Dorr Township. Both Hopkins and Leighton Townships show a somewhat higher
rate of growth than Dorr Township, as docs the County as a whole. Both Salem and Byron
(Kent County) Townships show a significantly higher rate of growth than Dorr Township over
the past decade, but those rates do not vary greatly from the previous decade.
Table 3 illustrates building permit activity in Dorr Township over the past five years, and
permits taken out through April of 1990. The data show an average of 39 new single family
homes each year since 1985, and a trend for 1990 that shows that this average will likely be
surpassed. Using the average household size of 3.4 people given for Dorr Township in the 1990
Census information, if 40 new homes are constructed in 1990, the community will experience
approximately 136 persons residing in new dwellings in 1990. Areas where high concentrations
of property splits or subdivisions have OCCUired arc indicators of where growth is occurring in
the Township. Map 5 indicates that over the past ten (10) years, development activity has
primarily been in Sections 15 {where Pine View Estates, Hidden Forest, and Nonhview
Subdivisions arc located), 19, 20, 21 {Pine Hills Subdivision), 22, and 31.
Another important factor when considering Dorr's population profile is the age of its residents.
Table 4 shows the age breakdown as reported in the_ 1980 U.S. Census, and compares Dorr
Township to Allegan County as a whole. Median age is also given for both jurisdictions. Dorr
Township exhibits a youthful population, with 44% of it's residents under twenty years of age,
and 39% in the child-bearing years of ages 20-44 years. Another 12% of Dorr Township's
residents are in the 45-65 years age group, and only 4.5% arc age 65 or older. The Township is
younger than the county as a whole, with a median age of 23.7 compared to 28.5 in Allegan
County.
JNl\DorrTpMP,-'89443
21
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BYRON__,,
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HOPKINS T \JP.
IIAP 6
DORR TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN COUNTY
LOT SPLITS 1880-1990 BY SECTION
,·
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22
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TABLE2
Historical Population Change
Dorr Township and Surrounding Townships•
1960-1990
Municipality
1960.
%
Absolute
Chan1e
Cbam:e
1970
'¼,
Absolute
Chance
Chan1e
1980
%
Absolute
Chan1e
Chance
1990
DorrTwp.
2,313
32.1
742
3,055
64.1
1,959
5,014
8.8
439
5,453
Leighton Twp.
1,951
20.7
403
2,354 -
17.8
418
2.772
10.7
297
3,069
Hopkins Twp.
1,766
18.0
318
2,084
1.2
25
2.100
11.4
241
2,350
Salem Twp.
1,459
19.5
285
1,744
25.2
439
2,183
24.1
525
2,708
Byron Twp.
(Kent Co.)
6,036
24.l
1,457
7,493
34.8
2,611
10,104
30.0
3,131
13,235
Allegan Co.
57,729
13.3
8,846
66,575
18.4
14,980
81,555
11.0
8,954
90,5()()
Source:
19(i(), 1970, and 1980 and 1990 U.S. Census
Excludes population of incorporated areas
•
JNN>orrTpMP-aea\89443
23
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.,
Table 3
RECENT DORR TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED 1985 -1990 (April)
19851
19861
19872
19882
19892
19902
(Through April)
Single Family Homes
Mobile Homes
(Double Wide)
Stores and
Customer Service
Multi-Family
Buildings
22
26
43
----
----
----
1
(Hillcrest Mall)
----
4
----
---
--------
Office/Professional
Government
SoUJCe:
2
JNN>orrTpMP\aca'\89443
----
-----
54
27
222
----
1
3
3
4
1
----
10
----
1
50
1
(6 units)
----
----
Dorr Township Offices
Professional Ccxie Inspections of Michigan, Inc.
24
TOTAL
2
(6 units)
----
2
,-•·-·
~
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Table4
Age of Residents
r
1980
% under
20yrs
L
%From
20-44
%From
45 -64
%65
years
years
years
and over
Median
Age
Dorr Township
44.3
39.1
12.2
4.S
23.7
Allegan County
35.5
36.0
18.2
10.3
28.5
Source:
1980 U.S. Census Data
Tables
Per ·eapita Income
1979 and 1987
Place
1979Per
Capita Inoome
1
1987 Per
Percent
Capita Income2
Chanu
Dorr Township
6,063
9,003
48.5
l
Leighton Township
7,051
·10,441
48.1
r·
l ,
Hopkins Township
Salem Township
6,262
5,968
9,754
9,794
55.8
64.11
l
Byron Township
(Kent County)
7,364
11,650
58.2
Allegan County
6,744
10,440
54.8
State of Michigan
7,688
11,973
55.7
r
L
rJ
Source:
1
2
1980 U.S. Census
U.S. Census Fi~s
It '
rL
JNN>on-T~3
2S
�r
r
r
I
Another important factor when considering Dorr's population profile is the age of its
residents. Table 4 shows the age breakdown as reported in the 1980 U.S. Census, and
compares Dorr Township to Allegan County as a whole. Median age is also given for
both jurisdictions. Dorr Township exhibits a youthful population, with 44% of it's
residents under twenty years of age, and 39% in the child-bearing years of ages 20-44
years. Another 12% of Dorr Township's residents are in the 45-65 years age group, and
only 4.5% are age 65 or older. The Township is younger than the county as a whole,
with a median age of23.7 compared to 28.5 in Allegan County.
Households - In 1980, there were 1,380 households in Dorr Township which is an
increase of 80.4% over the 1970 figure according to U.S. Census data. As mentioned
above, the average number of pcrsops per household in 1980 was 3.63 which was higher
than the Allegan County household average of 2.95 persons. Preliminary 1990 U. S.
Census figures show 1,581 occupied housing units in the Township (an increase of
14.6%) and an average household size of 3.4 persons (average household size takes into
account a vacancy of36 households in the Township).
I .
I
Economic Characteristics - A comparison of income levels for 1979 and 1980 in Dorr
Township, sU1TOunding townships, Allegan County and the State of Michigan reveals that
Dorr Township experienced the second lowest increase in per capita income from 1979
to 1987 (sources: 1980 U.S. Census and 1987 Census figures), surpassing only Leighton
Township slightly. In 1987, Dorr showed the lowest income level compared to the other
stated jurisdictions, and in both 1979 and 1987 Dorr Township fell below both county
and state averages·for per capita income. (Sec Table 5).
I1- .
JNN:>orrTpMP'-\89443
L.
26
�I
,r.
CHAPfER 5
EXISTING LAND USE AND ANALYSIS
r
This chapter describes the existing land uses in the Township and compares and analyzes
the land use changes which have occlllTCd since 1978, when a complete land use
inventory of the Township was completed through the Michigan Resource Information
System (MIRIS). This evaluation is a necessary tool in assessing the character 9f a
community, identifying problems and opportunities, and will also be very useful in
developing goals and objectives to guide future development Table 6 contains a tally of
acreage assigned to specific land uses, and changes which have occurred since 1978.
The existing land uses are illustrated on Map 6. This map was completed in August of
1990 using plat maps, field inspections, and through conversations with Township
officials. Structures under construction at the time of this land use survey were classified
as existing land uses.
Generally, the land developed for residential and commercial uses is concentrated near
the center of the Township at Dorr and on the east side of the Township at Moline. The
predominant land use in these areas is detached single family houses in subdivisions.
Other significant residential development has occlllTCd in the southwest quadrant, with
primarily single family homes located on parcels over one acre in size.
The existing land uses in the Township have been classified into a number of categories
which arc described as follows:
AGRICULTURE
This category includes those lands used for cropland, orchard, or pasture at the time of
the land use survey. The amount of land devoted to this use decreased appreciably since
1978, with a loss of 1010 acres, or 6.2% of the agricultural land existing in 1978. This
decrease can be directly related to the increase in residential land use, and to a lesser
extent the increase in commercial and industti.al land use.
However, over half of the Township (66.1 % ) is still designated as agricultural, with most
of that used as cropland. The majority of fannland lies in the upper one-half of the
Township and in the central portion of the southeast quadrant
L
l
Many parcels of land in the Township are enrolled in Public Act 116 of 1974, The
Fannland and Open Space Preservation Act, with a total of S,421 acres or 23.5% of the
. total land in the Township enrolled. Under this land, farmers or owners of large tracts of
open space forego the development rights to their land and continue to farm it or
maintain it as open space for a minimum enrollment period of ten years in exchange for
tax benefits.
~\119443
�Map 7 illustrates those areas of the Township enrolled in P.A. 116; large contiguous
areas of land enrolled in P.A. 116 occur in sections 8 and 9, and also in section 12.
RESIDENTIAL
This category includes detached single family houses, multi-family dwelling units and
mobile home parks. In the future, this category could also include condominiums which
can be constructed as either multi-family units or single family detached homes, both
owner occupied.
The Township has one multi-family apartment complex, located on Church Street, south
of the intersection of 18th Street and 142nd Avenue. The complex contains 16 units
housed in three buildings.
Two mobile home parks exist in the Township; one is located on 138th Avenue just east
of the Township boundary at 24th Street. It has room for 50 units. Another is located at
the eastern end of 143rd avenue where it intersects 17th Street, and also has room for 50
units.
The predominant residential land use in the Township is the detached single family
house, which comprises 8.0% of the total Township area or 1849 acres. This is nearly
double the acreage reported as residential in 1978. While most of the additional acreage
is a result of homes on parcels of over one acre in size, 121 acres is due to lots located in
platted subdivisions. When determining new residential acreage outside of platted
subdivisions, a parcel over 20 acres in size with a new home was considered to equal 5
new acres of residential land use; parcels of 20 acres or less were considered totally
residential in character.
As previously mentioned, most of the residential activity outside of platted subdivisions
has occurred in the southwest quadrant of the Township, nearly half of which is zoned
Rural Estate, which requires a minimum lot size of one acre. These acreage lots are
generally located along paved and unpaved county line roads, and many of these parcels
are narrow and very long. This type of land division results in lots which are often
unused or underused in the rear section, and may hinder the development of future
platted subdivisions by making road extensions and land assemblage difficult
JNN)onTpMp\aea\Jl9443
29
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(KEHT COUNTY)
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IHTH A\.f:.
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141ST A\£.
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HOPKINS TWP.
MAP 7
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:.;A,
DORR "TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN COUNTY
P.A. 116 LANDS
T
1990
Ltmlll;
-
P.A.
-
"!£AA OF EXPIRATION
1111 LANDS
- -.-......
_ .. _,r
...................
.. .......... -.... --~
--.. -.
�COMMERCIAL/OFFICE
This category includes those uses which provide retail goods and services and office
uses. Since 1978, commercial and office uses in the Township have nearly tripled,
increasing ~ 25 to 75 acres, yet still COIDplise only .3CJ> of the total land use.
Commercial uses in the Township are located along 142nd Avenue from east of 16th
street to 20th Street, and along 18th Street primarily just nonh and south of 142nd
Avenue. Commeicial development in the settlement of Dorr includes the Hillcrest Mall
completed in 1986, which provides a grocery store, restaurant, children's clothing store, a
bowling ally, and other available retail space. Other commcrcial uses in Dorr serve retail
and service needs of the local population. ·
Another small CODlmelcw area is located in Moline, just west of the Conrail Tracks and
nonh of 144th Avenue. These uses also serve the needs of local residents.
Along 142nd Avenue, the major east-west route in the Township, land is mned for
commcrcial use to a depth of 500 feet between 12th
Township to 20th ·street four· miles west. The result
commercial uses in a strip-development pattern. Currmdy,
office uses are found west of 16th Street to just west
142nd Avenue retains a rural residential and agricul
some industtial uses found west of the interchange at
the Township's eastern boundary. Concerns 10 be addlll!l6lii!liil• 8111Ufdilllll._
roadway should include the number and placement ot,
signs, and landscaping requirements for existing and furm.
•1111••1-••••
In Moline, the area mned for commcrcial uses includll
between the US 131 Expressway and 14th Street, the
US 131, and an area west of the Conrail Traclcs enena•
Avenue. The concerns mentioned above for 142nd Av,,ea•1■
of 144th Avenue zoned for CODJmeiew. Since
neighboring Leighton Township,
COIDiDeicw devel
impacted by similar development in Leighton 'IiC>WJUhifl·t •,11
policy concerning the futme of 144th Avenue will be
Another large one mile square area, section 30, is
Currendy, DO COIDWCICial uses exist in this section.
contains a greara, amount of forested land than any
· section is bounded on the west by 24th Stmet which is
Avenue which is a gravel road. No Olher public road
addition, with the exception of a mobile home part in
section, liuJe residendaJ. development JJu OCCUlled
conn11Cldal development in this an:a should tab Imo
access, the nnl cJmacu::rof the --.am1 die ....i
1'11111rztilli'UJli ill
�INDUSTRIAL
This category includes such uses as manufacturing, warehousing, and processing of
goods and materials as well as the outdoor storage of goods and materials. Extractive
operations, such as ~ gravel, and oil or gas mnoval may also be considered industrial
in nature.
•
uses in Dorr Township compdse only .3C1, of the total land use, but still show a
greater than tluce-fold increase since 1978. This increase is due to the development of
Industrial
industrial areas just west of the US 131 Interchange at 142nd Avenue and east of the
Conrail tracks north of Moline as well as to the presence of scattered smaller industrial
uses throughout the Township.
~ north of 144th Avenue between tbe US 131" ~ 111d
contains over SOO acres of land zoned far iPduadal use. A
dWIJllll'8IICIIII
near Moline will likely be served by die ez.i-rtna leW' Mndll!!lll. bat ftlllll,...,
development in the Township will ~ Jimiled by die •lwwe of
The
service.
one,.....
Some extractive uses also exist in the Towasbip, 111d while 1111d 111d .,,,.._ - • •
h a v e ~ in number since 1978, at leut
CII t&li
Avenue has continued to expand its ~ Mio. lefttal all •
operating in the southwest quadrant of tbe TOWllllaqt. mfie . . JJl:
PUBLIC/SEMI-PUBLIC
This category includes those areas and
park,s. and golf courses which are a --....._
uses are those used by a limited n
generally non-profit in nature such as
and medical or institutional facilities.
The Existing Land Use Map identifies dll ....,_
of the public/semi-public uses by symbol
As indicated in Table 6, the increase .
(by ten acres) resulting in essentially the
1978. The increase represents the
14th Street, and IDCft accurate ei.U.:-..~.tt;:;ii
~
........
.._.._...._l'tll_
�SCHOOLS
More than half of the Township, primarily the central and northeast paniom, is in die
Wayland Union Public School Disttict, while the remah•da- lies within the Hopkins
Public School District.
·
Wayland Union Schools maincain -an elcmemm:y ~ I on 18th Sa. in the •ldement
of Dorr, serving 500 lbJdents in grades IC-4th pade. The Den ElfllmDtlly Scbeol
completed an expansion propam in the fall of 1990 adctin1 fifteen ~ and a
gymnasium. Students in 5th and 6th grades attend the elementary school in Moline, in
neighboring Leighton Township. Population trends for this area indicate that die
elementary schools will condnue 10 expcricnce p)Wtb.
The Hopkins School Dillrict m,inudn1 die Sycamore BJeaauay School an 142nd
Avenue, in the west central section of tbe Township, 111d telWS audellls from botll Dorr
and Salem Townships. Tbe bnilctina homes 1.50 elementary ltWlents in fhe ftJGIDI,
functioning at grealBr than desip ClplCU)'. VOla'I recend)' tamed down a
bcmdlna
request for funding 1D expand the builctina, and 1be requea will be 1nupi Wen Ibo
voters again in the fall of 1990. Aa:mdina ID scbool ......... lft)Wdl in Darrad
Salem Townships exceeds powlh in tbe m,wining pon:iom of lbe ac:hool cllaic&.
Moline Christian School, knted in die leCdenent of Moline. hu a 1990 . . . . _
figure of 208 students in ll'ldes lC-9cb pade, plm 45 JD ICbool lOJden1L "nll . . _ hit
experienced a 25% incaase in e,__.lal)·lpcf Jtndeals OWl'lbe lllt . _ ,-a.llld
added portable classmams., accneaamaae tbe IIOWdl. Scbao1 .........._. ,._
stated that continued powtb will rel8lt in ID cffiJn to e+a..cl die ecilrina Wiff.
St Stanislaus Catholic School kJCaled It the ..,.dmn .....,. fl
Street enrolls 138 snldents in grades pre-school dnap 811P ..,.,
class in 1990 indicates p,wth far the IChoal. T.be . _ . lddecl
four of which are r uendy in w u ckt1.llhiDL TIie
expected growth in tbe . . . fDlln.,
RECREATION
The amount of land . ._Rllll!!ld
Local recreation
Dorr and Gries
acres. In addition,
south of 142nd A.ven.11111•~
•
recreational uses.
Elementary School
�TABLE 8
EXISTING LAND USE: CHANGES SINCE
. 1971
1990
Land Use
Residential
Acres
'5of
Tatal
U7I
Acres
ae,.
'5of
Tatal
Acns
lncrelse
1885
8.2
970
4.2
+915
+94.3
1849
7
29
8.0
•
.1
-
-
--
-
Commercial/Offices
73
.3
25
.1
+41
+192
Agricultural
(includes cropland
orchar~ and pasture)
15,227
66.1
16.237
70.5
-1010
-6.2
5,421
23.5
Industrial
58
.3
17
.1
+41
+241.2
Public/Semi-public
· eludes schools, parks,
.:metcries, outdoor
recreation, institutions,
government bldgs.)
65
.3
59
.3
,116
+10.2
Transportation
•Roads
•Rail
•Air
735
689
36
10
3.2
3.0
.2
Utilities
255
1.1
Extractive
26
.1
Open Water
16
.1
Total acres
in use
11,UG
•Single Family
•Multi-Family
•Mobile Homes
•P.A. 116
(farmland and
open space
preservation)
Fmested
•
-
Nece:
RelOIIII
�CHAPTER'
PLANNING ANALYSIS
This section of the Plan anal)'7,a populad.oa. traffic volume projectiom, exicdag land me
mix, growth trends and cmnouoity cbmc1eristics in order to de&ermine futl.n 1111d me:
needs for Dair Township. Tbroap this pmces., the Township Board 111d PJmmina
Commission will have a basic 11rideline to ·follow in detamining how macl land ii
needed to acc:nmn1oda1e future needs.
POPULATION PROJECl'IONS
When making popu1adon projecdons, usumptions are based on a combination of
historical trends and judpments made wida a knowledp of the local ara. PJojecdona
me only !dined esrimeea of fulln CGiditioas and it ii hq,nuible 10 pecilely foncut
the end result of the actions of individual ad public deciliom.
While recognizing the aocertaiotia in fanca-rin1 faun ,opuJadoa ......... it ia
reasonable to assume that the fon:es at wodc in die put will candnue imo fbe. llllill~
Table 7 illustraies popu)ation ptujectiom far the years 1995, 2000, and 2010 alias four
diffe:n:nt methods to calc11J11e futln populadom. An expJanadaa al each al dae four
methods used is also deac:ribed in dlis table. Far pmpmra of dlis ~~ D hu
been selected a it
iepaeae:ms
an awn., of line diffeaeat IIIBdlods of JIN.lecdna
~---Dll!l-
••••w. - -- --
popu1adon and integraaes bislnical powth .... Bwd • tllil
could be expected to experience an tncnue of 804 people by 1 year 2,000, and 3,m by die yell' 2010. AIP•n•ie,1 an .,,.._ tJI M - - ··
household, 1,110 new dwelling IIIIDI will be wrlod in lbe , - , 2018 • 11a1illllilliiDdl•-ll1W
projected popu)alioa.
RESIDENTIAL LAND USE NEBDS
--............
In DmT Tawnsbip, .._..,.. Gllllide.
ofl
dlcli
._,....,_
ia - - plats wDl . ........
lilefcrtre
�3.
4.
5.
The consauction of additional sanitary sewer may encourage more plat
development which uses less land per lot.
•
The advent of site_ condominium development will minimize the need 1D Cl9l1e
parcels in excess of ten (10) acres to cimimvent the Township and State of.
Michigan's land subdivision ~ o n s . Also, the Subdivision Conaml Act of
1967 which regulates the size and ti.ming of land divisions will likely
amended
within this planning period.
As land costs increase the demand for mulµ-family residential units (lpllWWW
or condominiums) will also increase resulting in more dwelling unm per acre,
thereby decreasing the average lot size in the Township.
It is assumed that the average lot size outside of platted subdivisio~s will deCreue from
five acres to two acres. It is also assumed that the average lot size for a plaued lat wiD
remain at .SO acres including road right-of-way. In light of these assumptioas dlll1. die
Plan suggests that the average lot size for future residential development in the TOWlllllip
will be approximately 1.25 acres. Based on these assumptions, the amoam tfl land
needed to accomoooate the projected number of new dwelling units can be
as follows:
1,110 dwelling units x 1.25 acres/dwelling unit• 1,388 acres
Thus, approximately 1,388 acres of land will be needed to accommodate is .,.....,
population of 9,226 people by the year 2010. While cunmt ~sidential land
stands at 1885 acres, the needs for 2010 will represent a 74., increase in ladlll
residential purposes. The existing land use inventory shows a total of 3,911
vacant or undeveloped land in the Township (forested plus open/banm) and
of agricultural land not enrolled in P .A 116. It wouJd appear that based
acreage, there is sufficient land in the Township for the projected residential Dela.
Consideration must also be given, however, to the sui1ability of these vac:u1
residential land use. Suitable soils, IOpOgraphy, wetlands, street type, traffiq
adjacent land uses and availability of public utilities will affect the feasi · ·
residential land uses.
�TABLE 7
DORR TOWNSHIP
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
1990
1995
2000
2010
Census
Est.
Est.
Est.
Alternative A
5,453
6,116
6,779
8,105
Alternative B
5.453
6,053
6,653
7,853
Alternative C
5,453
6,603
7,995
11,721
Alternative D
SAS3
6,257
7,142
9,226
Alternative "A" assumes an average of 39 new dwelling units consttucted per year with
an average of 3.4 persons per household.
Alternative "B" assumes yearly growth of 120 persons (based on the 1970-1990 average
annual growth projected mathematically).
Alternative "C" assumes increased in-migration 10 sustain the 1970-1990 growth rate of
3.9% per year (geometric progression).
Alternative "D" is the average of projections "A", "B", and "C"
OTHER LAND USE NEEDS
Commercial
The settlement of Dorr serves as a neighborhood shopping center for residents of the
Township. A neighborhood center provide.; for the sale of convenience goods (foods,
drugs, and sundries) and personal services Oaundry, dry cleaning, banking, barbering,
repair and professional services, etc.) for the day to day living needs of the adjacent
surrounding area. Such a center usually includes one super market.
The trade area for these types of commercial uses is generally within a three mile radius
which would include nearly all of Dorr Township since most of ~e commercial uses arc
centrally located.
JNN>orrTpMpwa\89443
37
�Also, since 4,000 people are generally considered the minimum number needed to
support a neighborhood shopping center, the existing population in the Township is
sufficient to sustain these uses. Even so, in the 1987 Survey of Attitudes conducted by
the Township, many residents indicated that they shop for routine household goods and
services in the Grand Rapids Metro area to the north in Kent County.
Currently, residents within this area travel to the Grand Rapids Metro area for non. convenience goods such as apparel, appliances, and hardware items. It is beyond the
scope of this study to determine if stores offering such goods would be economically
feasible in the Township. However, in the 1987 Survey of Attitudes, a majority of people
indicated that they thought Dorr Township needed more commercial businesses,
especially those that could provide household items such as appliances, fmniturc, clothes,
etc. Also indicated by the survey was a high desire for more businesses and professional
services such as finance, insurance, real estate, medical, dental, and legal services.
•
In addition, at the Public Workshop held on September 18th, 1990, citizens indicated a
need for downtown commercial growth., for more retail businesses, longer business
hours, and more service type businesses. As the Township continues to grow, the
demand for shopping opportunities will increase. By the year 2010, the local population
is estimated to be 9,226 people, or more than double the number needed to support a
single neighborhood shopping center. Additional retail uses will be needed to serve these
additional residents and 111Blket forces will likely determine the types of uses necessary.
Currently, the Township has about 73 acres of bmd which is used for commercial or
office use, and a total of 1,186 acres mned for commercial use, leaving about 1,113 acres
available for commercial development. Also some available retail space exists in the
Township. It would appear that there is more than sufficient land available to satisfy the
future commercial land use needs for this planning period. However, the land zoned
commercial should be examined to determine its feasibility for development, especially
the land in Section 30 which is primarily wooded and· not served by primary roads. It
should be noted that, without including the 640 acres mned for commercial use in
Section 30, 546 acres are available for this commercial use, primarily along 142nd
Avenue. Areas may exist which by vinue of existing or proposed adjacent land use, and
potential of being served by public utilities, are better suited for future commercial use.
JN.NlorrTpMpw:a\119443
38
�Industrial
Dorr Township currently bas 58 acres used for industrial purposes, which represents only
.3% of the total land in the Township. In the 1987 Survey of Attitudes, the respondents
indicated a desire for more ligh.t industries (light assembly, warehousing, etc.) and for
more research or "high tech" industries (robotics, electronics, biological, etc.).
Currently, approximately 480 acres in the northeast portion of the Township are zoned
for industrial use. This area of the Township is also served by the Pennsylvania Railroad
and the Dorr-Moline Sewer Authority. The existing system could accommodate some
manufacturing uses that have been proposed for the site, and additional industrial
potential will be determined in light of a sewer study presently being conducted by the
sewer authority.
The existing amount of land mned industrial appears to be sufficient to meet the stated
needs of Dorr citizens for the next 'five to ten years. Also, some light industrial uses have
developed west of the US-131 interchange at 142nd Avenue, indicating potential for this
area to accommodate further industrial uses. Toe key issues for additional industrial
development in the Township will be availability of a variety of sites served by either rail
or major highway access, and availability of public water and sewer service. As growth
occurs in the Grand Rapids Metro area, particularly in Byron ~ownship to the north, and
as sewer and water services are extended, the need for additional land mncd for
industrial use will need to be reexamined.
In addition, adjacent land in Byron Township to the north of Section 1 in Dorr Township
is also zoned for industrial use. Efforts to coordinate industrial development between the
two municipalities could benefit both communities.
Just east of Dorr Township's industrial mne in neighboring Leighton Township mning
will not accommodate industrial uses. Coordinating plans for industrial expansion
between the two comm.unities may also prove beneficial to both municipalities.
JNN)orrTpMp\lea\89443
39
�(
I
•
I
L
Parks and Recreation
Recreation space can be divided into two broad categories called local recreation space
and county or regional recreation space.
Local Recreation Spac:e is considered to be land that supports facilities designed to
serve populations at the local unit of government level or school district level. Local
recreation space can be further divided into the following levels:
Mini Parks-
Spccializ.cd facilities that serve a limited population or
group such as the elderly or small children. Standards
suggest .5 acres of these parks per 1000 population 1•
Neighborhood Parks •
Include tot lots, playgrounds, and neighborhood parks
intended primarily to serve small children and the
minimum recreation needs of neighborhoods. Facilities
include basic play equipment. ball fields, tennis courts, and
shaded rest areas.
These facilities, normally 1 to 4 acres in size, are generally
within easy walking distance and are often located in
conjunction with elementary schools.
The National Recreation and Park Association suggests that
in
with population concentrations that justify
neighborhood level parks, a standard of 2 acres per 1000
persons be provided.
areas
Community Parks -
Include playfields and community pub catering to
children, teenagers, and adults. Emphasis is placed on
active recreation, providing large sports fields, tennis and
basketball courts, and swimming pools. Parking lots and
picnic areas are also commonly found at this level
Minimum standards suggest such facilities be between 10
to SO acres in size and be located to serve a 5 to 10 mile
radius.
The National Recreation and Park Association suggest a
standard of 8 acres per 1,000 population be provided for
community level parks.
Taken collectively. the neighborhood and community park
land stan~ or local park land standards is 10 acres per
1,000 population. This is the same amount recommended
by the Michigan Recreation Opponunity Standards, and
generally excludes lands supporting school facilities.
1
Recreation Parks and Open Space Standards and Guidelines - 1983, National Reaeation and Park
Association.
JNN)orfl~\19443
40
�County or Regional Recreational Space
Is intended to serve the needs of families, large groups, and
adults from both within and outside the county. The range of
activities accommodated at this level is extremely broad;
however, the primary emphasis is on more passive pursuits,
many of which require sizeable tracts of land. Among the more
common facilities are picnic areas, boat ramps, overnight
campgrounds, large spons fields, parking lots; S)Vimming
beaches, motorized and non-motoriz.ed trails, wilderness areas,
and shelter buildings. Some recreation areas at this level are
retained in an almost pristine natural state without facilities of
any type with the possible exception of parking lots, picnic
areas, and natural trails.
Unique and aesthetic natural areas offer the best sites for county
or area-wide level recreation. Sites arc nonn.ally in excess of 50
acres, although 100 acres or more is preferred and should be
within a half hour's driving time.
The National Recreation and Parks Association suggests that
between 5 and 10 acres of regional or county level recreation
land be provided for each 1,000 persons residing within a given
county-wide service area.
Table 9 compares recreational facilities in Dorr Township with the recommended
standards which have been adopted by the State of Michigan. For purposes of this Plan,
both Dorr Township Park and Gries park arc considered community parks, while
playgrounds associated with elementary schools constitute neighborhood park space.
Because of its location within Allegan County, the Allegan State Game Area is
considered county or regional recreation space, as is the Hungry Horse Wilderness
Campground located within the Tqwnship. Although the Hungry Horse is located on a
nearly 100 acre parcel, only ten of those acres were considered to be actually improved
for recreational use.
Total Future Land Use Needs·
In total it is estimated that the Township will need approximately 1,388 additional acres
by the year 2010 to meet projected residential land use needs. If commercial and
industrial land uses increase by fifty percent over the next ten years, those needs will
require approximately 37 and 29 acres respectively. If deficiencies in recreational land
are brought into line with recommended standards, an additional 80 acres will be needed.
Table 8 summarizes the 2010 land use needs:
Table 8
2010 Land Use Needs
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Recreational
1,388
37
29
_..m
1,534 Total Acres
JNN>orrTpMp'laea'89443
41
�-,
,
·".'
'
'
-.
')
.
-~
'
.
Table 9
DORR TOWNSHIP RECREATION LAND
1
STANDARDS AND NEEDS 1990 • 2010
m•ow@wM•iiiiti■i■iriiiii\tlii
Mini Park
.5 Acre / 1000 Pop.
Neighborhood Park
2 Acres / 1000 Pop.
Community Park
8 Acres / 1000 Pop.
5 Acres/ 1000 Pop.
County or Regional Park
1
2
I
O
I
3
3
4
4
5
5
2
11
9
14
12
19
17
I
16
44
28
57
41
74
58
I
45,010
27
+44,983
36
+44,974
46
+44,964
Recreational Park and Open Space Standards and Guidelines - 1983
National Recreation and Park Association
2 Includes Allegan State Game Area Acreage
�Roads and Streets
r
'-
I
In order to analyze future traffic conditions, projections of traffic volumes to the year
2010 at selected locations were compared to their existing design capacity. These
comparisons are shown in Table 10.
The theoretical capacities, as determined by the state and local authorities, reflect the
amount of traffic the street was designed to accommodate daily and still provide a
relatively smooth flow of traffic. When daily traffic volumes are higher than the
capacity, motorists experience more frequent delays, reduced maneuverability,
congestion at intersections, lower overall speeds, and increased potential for accidents.
When the volume to capacity ratio exceeds 1.00, congestion occurs. When the volume to
capacity ratio exceeds 1.25 (125% of design~ street capacity), congestion can become
severe and alternatives should be evaluated to increase capacity or divert traffic to
another route. When volumes exceed 1.5 times their capacity. congestion can become
severe and frustrated motorists may select alternate routes, increasing traffic on those
streets. At that point, methods to increase the capacity of the street, provide an alternate
route, or divert some traffic to a new facility should be considered. At double the
capacity (a volume/capacity ratio of 2.0 or greater), traffic may be at a standstill during
certain periods of the day.
·.
Deterioration of a street's traffic-carrying capacity may also be measured in terms of
"level of service". This term is defined as a qualitative measme of the effect of a number
of factors which include speed and travel time, traffic interruptions, freedom to
maneuver, safety, driving comfort and convenience, and operating costs.
Levels of Service A through F, representing the best through the worst operating
conditions respectively, generally vary. between peak and non-peak traffic times on the
same street segment. Each of the levels of service is described as follows:
Level of Service A • represents virtually complete free-flow conditions in which the
speed of individual vehicles is controlled only by driver desires and prevailing
conditions, not by the presence or inteiference of other vehicles. Ability to maneuver
within the traffic stream is unrestricted.
Level or Service B, C, and D - represents increasing levels of flow rate with
correspondingly more inteiference between vehicles of the traffic stream. Averagc
running speed of the stream remains relatively constant through a portion of this range,
but the ability of individual drivers to freely select their speed becomes increasingly
restricted as the level of service worsens. Level of Service C (1.0 to 1.25 of capacity) is
normally considered an acceptable design for an area such as Dorr Township.
JNN>on-TpM~
43
�..
Level of Service E - (volumes are 1.25 to 1.50 of the "capacity") is representative of
operation at or near capacity conditions. Few gaps are available, the ability to maneuver
within the traffic stream is severely limited, and speeds are low. Operations at thisJevel
are unstable and a minor disruption may cause rapid deterioration of flow into Level of
Service F.
·
Level of Service F - represents forced or breakdown flow. At this level, stop-and-go
l_ -
patterns have already been set up in the traffic stteam, and operations at a given point
may vary widely from minute to minute, as will operations in short adjacent highway
segments as congestion increases through the traffic stream. Operations at this level are
highly unstable and unpredictable.
Table 10 shows that 142nd Avenue just east and west of the community of Dorr will
experience some capacity problems by the year 2000. On 142nd Avenue east of Dorr in
the year 2000 a·level of service E may be mached. This stretch may continue to decrease
in level of service toward 2010.
142nd Avenue west of Dorr will ma.ch a Level of Service E by the year 2005 according
to Table 10. These projections are based on a constant increase of four percent per year.
I.
!I
These projections indicate that traffic volumes and accidents on 142nd Avenue should be
monitored closely. Widening of this road may be necessary within ten to fifteen years.
However, an adequate level of service can be lengthened and road widening prolonged
by proper attention to access control measures such as left tum lanes, deceleration lanes,
limitations on number and location of curb cuts.
Improvements to the 18th
Avenue/142nd Avenue intersection may have to occur earlier as intersections will
become congested earlier due to more nnning movements and a greater volume of traffic.
Improving this intersection will therefore help to maintain or improve the level of service
along 142nd Avenue in the future.
·
The level of service for 18th Avenue is projected to be acceptable through the year 2010.
,.
L
Table 10
TRAFFIC VOLUME PROJECTIONS (24 Hour Period)
24 Hour
r-
L
r.
~
l ,
';
r
L ..
Location
142nd east of 18th
142nd west of 18th
18th Avenue
nonh of 142nd
18th Avenue
sou.th of 142nd
JNJ\OorrTpMp'\aQ\99443
Capacity
V/CRatio
2000
2005
8,000
8,300
6,998
10,098
8,514
12,286 14,947
10,359 12,603
8,000
5,141
6,255
7,610
9,259
1.15
8,000
3,432
4,175
5,080
6,181
.77
8,000
1995
44
2010
(2010}
1.86
1.57
�I -
I
l
Traffic accident information provided by the Allegan County Road Commission indicates
that in 1989 fifty-five accidents occurred along 142nd Avenue, and through June of 1990
twenty-eight accidents had occurred along the same roadway.
Likewise, while current traffic volumes on gravel roads may be well below the design
capacity of the roadway, the type of traffic and condition of the roads should also be
considered when determining future improvements to gravel surface roads.
JNJ\Don'I'pMpwea'\89443
45
�This chapter
in Dorr Town
management
evaluating zo ·
The To
·
Townshi
When prep
guide for phy
into the best
there is no sch
particular land
utilities, provisi
a particular land
factors, must be
land.
As background .
explanation of th
The relationship
basically the act
zoning is the act
of Michigan
the preparation
community.
The following
"zoning".
�Land Use Planning
The process of · ·
document is prep
factors relating to the
it is intended that a
health, safety, and
order," appearance
overcrowding of
adequate and effi
services. and
within the communi
Zoning
Z.Oning is one of the ·
administration of-......__
of the comprehensive llllllll
arc legislative and
relating to the impJ.CllllCIII
.. .
. PLAN CONCEPrS
The Future Land Use
Township. These
are intended to guide
•
The preserv
supported by
•
The cen
Moline.
•
The
plannin
~
·
�FUTURE LAND USE PLAN
The Future Land Use Map 8, recommends a number of different land use classifications.
The following descriptions of these future land use classifications explain the intended
uses, the general location for each classification and a brief explanation for the proposed
land use.
AGRICULTURE
Farming activities are the predominant uses within this classification, although single
family houses and related agricultural accessory support uses including food processing
would also be allowed.
types
The areas proposed for agricultural use are those where soil
are identified as being
prime for the cultivation of food and fiber crops. These farm soils are considered to be a
unique natural resource for Doff Township, and farming activities are considered to be
the highest and best use of this resource. In addition, soils in the areas recommended for
agricultural uses tend to be among those that are least suitable for development, primarily
due to increased water capacity.
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Other factors used in recommending agricultural use are the existence of bona fide
farming operations, proximity to non-farm uses, and enrollment of land in P.A. 116
(Farmland and Open Space Preservation). Areas in Dorr Township recommended for
Agriculture designation are the northern one-third of the Township west of the U.S. 131
expressway, and the southeastern portion of the Township, primarily south of 140th
Avenue and including most of the southern tier of Sections.
Preservation of prime farmland has been stated as a primary concept of the Dorr
Township Master Plan, yet CUITCnt zoning regulations do not actively protect these lands.
Present regulations require a minim1UI1 lot size of one acre and e minimum lot width of
200 feet in the agricultural zoning district. The numbers or sizes of these lots are not
further regulated except by the State of Michigan Subdivision Control Act of 1967,
which limits the number of lot splits- of ten or less acres in size to four in any given ten
year period.
A number of regulatory measures exist which may be effective in Dorr Township. These
include: The sliding scale approach, which bases the allowable number of lot splits on
the acreage of the parcel which is to be subdivided; the quarter/quarter zoning district
method which allows one lot split for a non-farm dwelling unit per each 40 acre parcel;
the exclusive agricultural zoning district method which does not permit non-farm
dwelling units; and the buffer district method which allows a transition from fann to
non-farm uses when development becomes desirable.
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�These methods are discussed in more detail in the implementation section of the plan.
and their integration . into the zoning ordinance is dependent upon the support of the
farming community.
RURAL ESTATE
This land use classification is designed to seive as a transition between the Low Density
Residential and Agricultural land use classifications. The minimum lot size would be
one acre with 200 ft. of lot width. This lot size will provide adequate area for septic
system placement and will result in fewer non-farm activities next to active farms than if
Low Density Residential uses were located next to Agriculture areas. Agricultural
activities would be permitted within this classification. The lot size and permitted uses
within this category are intended to satisfy a demand for a rural life style but on land
which is not considered to be prime agricultural due to soil type or proximity to existing
or planned residential areas. Rural Estate areas are not intended to be served by public
· water and sewer.
Areas designated for Rural Estate in Dorr Township arc found generally south of 144th
Avenue, west of 20th Street. and in an area between U.S. 131 and the more densely
developed eastern side of the settlement of Dorr. The areas designated have already
experienced substantial development in terms of non-farm dwellings on parcels one or
more acres in size, yet still retain areas of parcels with 40 or more acres in size, the
minimum number of acres necessary for most viable farm operations. While the
likelihood of increased residential development is high in these areas, they are not likely
to be scived by public water and sewer within the planning period.
I.
In Sections 14 and 24, the Rural Estate designation was determined to be an effective
transition between the Low Density Residential area east of Don- and between the
Industrial designations recommended near the U.S. 131 Interchange. A small area of
Rural Estate designation is found fronting on 12th Street in Section 13. Dctenninations
for this area were based on the fact that a 40 acre parcel in this area will remain in P.A.
116 for 90 years. substantially decreasing the likeliness for more intensive uses. Also,
the Rural Estate designation was determined to be an effective transition between the
Low Density Residential area south of the settlement of Moline, and the Industrial areas
planned around the U.S. 131 Interchange.
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
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Another major plan concept of the Dorr Township Master Plan is to centralize intensive
land uses around the communities of Dorr and Moline, thus enhancing a sense of
community. The Low Density Residential designation is intended to encompass the
already existing subdivisions around Dorr and Moline as well as future development that
will likely occur in platted subdivisions along with accompanying schools, libraries,
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parks, and churches. The predominant use within this classification will be single family
houses, although two family dwellings would be allowed along major roads.
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Lot sizes in this area would be a minimum of 15,000 square feet unless served by public
water and sewer, in which case a minimum size of 12,000 square feet would be allowed.
A minimum lot width of 100 feet will help ensure adequate separation for well and septic
systems as well as driveways.
Around the community of Dorr, the area designated as Low Density Residential is
bounded approximately by 144th Avenue pn the north, 140th Avenue on the south, by
20th Street on the west, and about one-half mile east of 16th Street on the east. Near
Moline, the Lo'! Density Residential area is recommended between U.S. 131 and 12th
Street extending north and south one-half mile in each direction from 144th. The higher
densities of residential development that will occur in this area will benefit by proximity
to services such as public water and sewer, street lightin$ and improved transportation
networks that are likely to be provided in areas of more intense devclopmenL The Plan
recognizes that public sanitary sewer service may someday be provided within the
community of Dorr and the existing sewer in the Moline area may also be expanded.
In both locations, the Low Density Residential acts as a transition from the more intense
,Medium Density Residential and commercial or office·uses found nearer the community
centers, to the areas planned for Rural Estate. Where residential uses do occur adjacent
to commercial or office uses, provisions for adequate buffering, such as greenbelts,
berms, or walls, should be required.
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MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
This classification is designed to accommodate multi-family dwelling units, mobile home
parks, offices and institutional uses such as hospitals, schools and funeral homes, as well
as single and two family dwellings. Medium Density Residential areas should be located
on paved streets to facilitate access by fire and police service. The types of dwelling
units envisioned in this category can serve as a transition zone between non-residential
uses and low density residential areas. Because public sewer is necessary to assure long
range public health, MDR areas should not be zoned or developed until sewer service and
roadways can be provided to serve this type of use.
In general, areas for which Medium Density Residential is recommended are found south
of the 142nd Avenue commercial conidor between Radstock and 14th Street and in other
locations within one-half mile of downtown Dorr, including an area west of 18th Street
and south of 142nd Avenue where existing multi-family dwellings are located. Also,
areas surrounding the two existing mobile home parks in the Township, one south of
143rd Avenue and the other in Section 30 in the southwest portion of the Township, have
been designated as Medium Density Residential. In Section 30, adequate space for park
expansion has been designated.
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�Medium Density Residential areas that are adjacent to areas planned for commercial use
along 142nd Avenue are envisioned as developing into office uses or multi-family.
Office would supply support services to both commercial uses and industrial uses that
may flourish near the U.S. 131 interchange while multi-family would provide housing
opportunities nearby for industrial workers. In Section 16 along '18th Street, an area is
planned for MDR as it is across from existing commercial uses, and also is located along
a major north-south arterial.
A small parcel on 142nd Avenue in Section 22 across from the cemetery has been
designed for MDR. The Plan recognizes the limited development potential of this site
but recommends MOR as it would accommodate a duplex or a small office building.
In Section 21, the MDR designation recognizes the multi-family development that has
occurred. Further multi-family development in the Township should only be permitted
as small scale projects (four to eight unit buildings) on private septic systems until public
sewer_ become a reality. Multi-family developments without public sewer could not
exceed a density of 4.35 units per acre. If public sewer or a community system is
provided the density could be increased to ten ( 10) units per acre.
•
COMMERCIAL/OFFICE
This classification includes both retail/service uses as well . as office uses. The
communities of Dorr and Moline will continue to provide shopping opponunities and
services for most Township residents. In addition, because of the nature of 142nd
Avenue and the presence of U.S. 131, the .Township will increasingly provide the
commercial needs of highway and transient traffic.
Commercial areas are designated both north and south of 142nd Avenue extending west
from 20th Street nearly continuously to the U.S. 131 interchange, excepting some areas
recommended for either public or residential use. Due to heavy truck traffic using 142nd
Avenue as a route to the City of Holland, fairly high vehicle speeds. the noise generated
by traffic, and the location of the freeway interchange, residential development was not
considered as a viable alternative for this section of 142nd Avenue. Also, 142nd Avenue
has an already established commercial character with various food establishments, a
grocery store, and other retail and service establishments cast of Dorr. Uses likely to
develop or increase here include those of a neighborhood/convenience shopping nature,
including food stores, pharmacies, and personal services such as dry cleaning and shoe
repair. These uses usually attract patrons within a 5-8 minute driving time.
In addition,-142nd Avenue may develop shopping opponunitics that will afford boch
residents of Dorr Township and passing motorists those retail items and services used
less frequently, such as stores offering household items and appliances, movie theatms,
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�repair garages, hardware stores, and specialty shops.
These types of uses generally
attract patrons within a 15-20 minute driving time.
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A small area on the south side of 142nd Avenue east of 18th Avenue in downtown DoIT
has been designated for office use. Four houses in good condition stand on this site, and
it is envisioned that over time these homes will conven to a non-residential use,
preferably office, since the limited setback. lack of on-site parking, and proximity to
other residential uses would restrict the use of this site for commercial purpose. It is also
envisioned that, if converted to offices, these structures would retain theh present
architectural character, thus enhancing the village atmosphere of downtown Dorr.
Commercial uses arc also recommended in the vicinity of the U.S. 131 expressway
interchange in anticipation of development generally refeITCd to as highway commercial,
including such uses as auto service stations, fast food restaurants, and overnight lodging.
A commercial area is also recommended for the east side of 18th Street nonh from 142nd
Avenue to 143rd Avenue. This designation recognizes current commercial zoning in this
area, some established commercial uses, and the fact that 18th Street is a major northsouth artery.
In Moline, commercial uses arc recommended adjacent to the Pennsylvania Railroad
tracks encompassing approximately four blocks in the area considered downtown
Moline. Commercial or service uses already established in Moline include a bank, U.S.
Post Office, and a grain elevator. Zoning in this area currently allows a wide range of
commercial uses including machine shops, storage buildings and yards, and some
manufacturing,
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Prior to this Master Planning process, all of Section 30 was zoned for commercial use.
There are no commercial uses in this Section however and the Plan does not envision this
as a viable commercial area due to the absence of good paved roads in the area, the
distance from 142nd and 18th Avenues and the distance from the planned and existing
population centers in the Township. This Section is now planned primarily for Rural
Estate, excepting the area around the mobile home park designated as Medium Density
Residential. Toe Rural Estate designation which requires a one acre lot size will help
preserve the existing wooded nature of this area and will not result in population
inappropriate to be served by the unpaved roads around this Section.
In each case of commercial development, consideration should be given to adjacent uses
particularly near residential development where sufficient landscaping. setbacks, buffers
and shielded lighting should be required.
Along 142nd Avenue, commercial
development will require specific access control measures such as service roads, shared
drives, access drives, deceleration lanes, turning lanes, and additional traffic control
measures to help ensure traffic and pedestrian safety.
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�INDUSTRIAL
This classification is intended to accommodate uses such as manufacturing and
processing, warehouses, and may allow as special uses such operations as refining,
distilling, rendering, and junk or salvage yards. Uses allowed will be evaluated on the
basis of compatibility with adjacent land uses and the potential for danger or offense to
nearby residents. While industrial uses may be allowed where served by private sewage
disposal systems and wells as approved by the Allegan County Health Department, the
Plan recommends that the industrial development occur in those areas where utilities
exist or arc planned for, with access to major arterials and railways. In order to promote
orderly and efficient industrial areas, industrial parks should be encouraged.
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In Dorr Township, industrial uses arc recommended for the area around the U.S. 131
interchange, and for the area north of Moline, between U.S. 131 and 12th Street (North
Division). Industrial development near the interchange will follow a pattern established
by other communities to the north of Dorr Township, which recognize the excellent·
access afforded by the expressway to major metropolitan centers such as Grand Rapids
and Kalamamo. In addition, Dorr Township offers excellent access to the Oty of
Holland via 142nd Avenue. Locating industrial uses near the intersection of these two
roads also helps confine trucks to major arteries that arc consttucted to withstand heavier
types of traffic. Property near the interchange that fronts Oli 142nd Avenue is currently
zoned to allow uses such as retailing and wholesaling of goods, warehousing, trucking
facilities, and limited fabrication of goods.
The area north of Moline is cmrcntly the site of several industrial uses,·and an industrial
park is proposed for the area. The Pennsylvania Railroad serves this area, and the
Moline-Dorr sewer system has the ability to handle additional capacity that will be
generated by the proposed park. The entire area designated for industrial uses is also.
zoned for industry.
The intensity of industrial development in the Township will be dependent upon the
extension of both water and sewer services. Of primary concern should be adequate site
development standards plus requirements for sufficient buffering between industrial uses
and other uses.
PUBLIC/SEMI - PUBLIC
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This category includes those areas and facilities such as schools, govcmmcnt building,
parks and golf courses which arc available for use by the general public. Semi-public
uses arc those used by a limited number of people with specific interests which arc
generally non-profit in nature such as churches, non-public schools~ private golf courses·
and medical or institutional facilities. The Plan recognizes that it is necessary to provide
for the establishment of certain non-residential land uses within residential amlS subject
to the implementation of measures which are designed to insure compatibility. Such nonJNN>on-TpMp>..'89443 .
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residential uses commonly include religious and educational institutions, recreational
uses such as parks, golf courses and play fields, public utility facilities and home
occupations. Traffic generation, noise, lighting and trespassing should be carefully
controlled in order to mitigate the negative impacts on residential uses.
The Future Land Use Map illusttatcs the major public/semi-public uses in the Township.
Expansion or location of these uses should depend upon compatibility with adjacent land
uses and the extent to which neighborhood character will be maintained.
STREETS
The Plan recommends the construction of one future street being the extension of 16th
Avenue between 142nd Avenue and 144th Avenue. This proposed two lane paved
roadway would provide access to the planned low density residential uses in Sections 14
and .15. By illustrating this road on the Future Land U:se Map the Planning Commission
is recommending that !lllY future development in this area incorporate this road into the
project.
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�CHAPTER 8
IMPLEMENTATION
In order for the Master Plan to serve as an effective guide to the continued develOPI••
of Dorr Township it must be implemented. Primary responsibility for implementing die
Plan rests with the Dorr Township Bori, the Planning Commission, and the Township
staff. This is done through a number of methods. These include ordinances, ~
and administrative procedures which are described in this chapter.
It is important to note that the Master Plan itself has no legal authority to re...,._
development in order to implement the recommendations of the Plan.
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implementation must come from the decisions of the Township Board and P1anmna
Commission to provide needed public improvements and to administer and estab.\illa
regulatory measures relative to the use of the land.
The private sector, including individual home and land owners, is also involved
fulfilling the recommendations of the Master Plan by the actual physical devel~
land uses and through the remning of land. The authority for this, however, comes
the Township. Cooperation between the public and private sectors is therefore ~
in successful implementation of the Master Plan.
ZONING
Zoning represents a legal means for the Township to regulate private ptoperty to ac,.-.-.
orderly land use relationships. It is the process most commonly used to. impllellllllL
community Master Plans. The mning process consists of an official mning
mning ordinance texL
The official mning map divides the community into different mnes or districts
which cenain uses are permitted and others are noL The mning ordinance text
uses which are permitted and establishes regulations to control densities, height,
setbacks, lot sizes, and accessory uses.
The zoning ordinance also sets forth procedures for special approval regulations
controls. These measures permit the Township to control the quality as well as
of development
Subsequent to the adoption of this Plan, the Township Planning CollDDllilliDI
Township Board should review and make any necessary revisions to die
regulations to ensure that the recommendations of the Plan as outlined in this
instituted.
JNN>on'l'pMiela'l9443
�The Plan recommends the following specific changes to the Township Z.Oning
Ordinance:
1.
Develop a separate zoning district for mobile home parks. This could be done by
eliminating the B-3 zoning district as a single family zone and incorporating the
existing B-3 regulations in the B-2 or A, Residential districts. The B-3 zone
could then be used as a mobile home· park zone.
2.
Amend the E, Commercial regulations so that those uses which are truly
industrial in nature are deleted. Consideration should also be given to deletion of
this chapter and incorporating the commercial uses into the C and D zoning
chapters with some uses allowed only as special uses. This may require changes
to the Zoning Map.
3.
Amend the Agricultural zoning regulations so that prime farmland can be
preserved. Several zoning methods to preserve prime farmland were briefly
discussed in the previous chapter. The Plan recommends that a committee be
formed (perhaps consisting of Township Board members and Planning
Commissioners) to work with the farming community to develop farmland
preservation zoning regulations. Such regulations will only be successful if they
are supported by farmers.
4.
Amend the Ordinance to address the problem of flag lots particularly in the
Agricultural zone.
5.
Adopt access control mcas\ll'CS to regulate the commercial development
recommended for 142nd Avenue. Such measures should address the number, size
and spacing of driveways, service drives or frontage roads, building setbacks,
deceleration lanes, and driveway alignment. The Commission should work with
the Allegan County Road Commission to enlist their cooperation in enforcing
such measures.
6.
Develop specific landscaping regulations for buffering between uses, and
improving the appearance of buildings and parking lots.
7.
Develop specific sign regulations for the size , location, and number of signs
permitted for each zoning district.
8.
Develop zoning ordinance provisions to regulate site condominiums.
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�Other Zonine; Considerations
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Review the Zoning Ordinance and discuss the need to retain the provision
allowing residential uses to be permitted in commercial and industrial zones
with a special use permit.
•
Review the industrial and commercial zoning regulations for the uses
permitted and to determine whether certain uses should only be permitted as
special uses.
•
The Planning Commission should sponsor amendments to the Zoning Map to
amend certain areas of the Map in accordance with the Future Land Use Plan.
Specifically. the commercially zone land in Section 30 and the commercially
zoned land on 144th west ofU.S.-131.
•
Review the entire Ordinance to determine the need for additional definitions
and regulations in light of the changes recommended by the Plan.
PREPARE AND ADOPT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM
•
Capital Improvements Programming is the first step in a comprehensive management
system designed to regulate priorities and programs to community goals and objectives.
It is a means of planning ahead for the funding and implementation of major construction
and land acquisition activities. The typical CIP is six years in length and updated yearly.
The first in each CIP contains the capital improvement budget. The program generally
includes a survey of the long-range needs of the entire governmental unit covering major
planned projects along with their expected cost and priority. The Township Board then
analyzes the projects, financing options. and the interrelationship between projects.
Finally, a project schedule is developed. Priority projects are included in the Capital
Improvements Program.
Low priority projects may be retained in a Capital
Improvements Schedule which may cover as long as 20 years.
The CIP is useful to the Township. private utilities, citizens, and investors, since it allows
coordination in activities and provides the general public with a view of future
expectations.
SEWER AND WATER STUDY
One of the major premises of this Plan is that the community of Dorr will be served by
public sanitary sewer and water within the planning period. Steps need to be taken now
to provide for this. The Plan recommends that study be conducted within the next two to
four years to determine the feasibility of public utilities in the DOIT area. Funding for this
study should be pursued through the State of Michigan Rural Grant Program
administered by the Department of Commerce. This program requires a ten percent local
JNJ\DorrTpMp\lca\89443
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mat.ch and should be applied for in 1991. This Plan will need to be submitted with the
grant application as evidence that there is community suppon for this project and that the
project is pan of an overall plan to accomplish a vision of the community.
RECREATION PLAN
The Plan recommends that the Township prepare a recreation plan in order to be eligible
for state recreation funding programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund. and Quality of Life Bond.
Assistance under these programs is available for planning, acquiring; and developing a
wide range of outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The programs are administered by
the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and are financed by funds appropriated
by the Federal Government and State Legislature. Under the•LWCF program, grants of
up to 50% of the cost of a project are available; under the MNRTF Program, 100%
funding may be obtained; and the Quality of Life Bond program will fund 75% of a
project.
Application for grants under these programs must first be submitted by April 1st of each
year but a community must have an approved recreation plan on file with the DNR in
order to apply for a grant.
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PLANNING EDUCATION
Planning Commissions should attend planning seminars to keep themselves informed of
planning issues and learn how to better carry out their duties and responsibilities as
Planning Commissioners. These seminars are regularly sponsored by the Michigan
Society of Planning Officials (MSPO) and the Michigan Township Association (MTA)
and are a valuable resource for Planning Commissions. There are also several planning •
publications which are a useful information tool for Planning Commissioners. The main
publications are Plannine and Zonine News and Michiean Planner Maeazine.
PUBLIC INFORMATION
It is important that the proposals of this Plan be discussed and understood by the citizens
of Dorr Township. Acceptance of this Plan by the public is essential to its successful
implementation. Steps should be taken to make Township residents aware of this Plan
and the continuing activities of the Planning Commission. This can be acc~plished
through newspaper reports of Planning Commission activity. Contact with local civic
and service organi7.ations is another method which can be used to promote the
Township's planning activities and objectives.
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�REVISIONS TO THE MASTER PLAN
The Master Plan should be updated periodically (minor review every one to two years.
major review every five to ten years) in order to be responsive to new growth trends and
current Township attitudes. As growth occurs over the years, the Master Plan goals, land
use information, population projections, and other pertinent data should be reviewed and
revised as necessary so the Plan can continue to serve as a valid guide to the growth of
the Township .
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�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Wyckoff Planning and Zoning Collection
Creator
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Planning & Zoning Center (Lansing, Mich.) (Organization)
Wyckoff, Mark A.
Description
An account of the resource
Municipal master plans and zoning ordinances from across the state of Michigan, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2020s. The bulk of the collection was compiled by urban planner Mark Wyckoff over the course of his career as the founder and principal planner of the Planning and Zoning Center in Lansing, Michigan. Some additions have been made to the collection by municipalities since it was transferred to Grand Valley State University.
Coverage
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Michigan
Date
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1960/2023
Source
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<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a>
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a>
Subject
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Michigan
Comprehensive plan publications
Master plan reports
Zoning--Michigan
Zoning--Maps
Maps
Land use--planning
Publisher
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Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
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RHC-240
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application/pdf
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Text
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eng
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Dorr-Twp_Master-Plan_1991
Creator
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Dorr Township Planning Commission, Dorr Township, Allegan County, Michigan
Date
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1991-05-21
Title
A name given to the resource
Dorr Township Master Plan
Description
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The Dorr Township Master Plan was prepared by the Dorr Township Planning Commission with the assistance of WW Engineering & Science, Inc. and was adopted on May 21, 1991.
Contributor
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WW Engineering & Science, Inc. (consultant)
Subject
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Master plan reports
Dorr Township (Mich.)
Allegan County (Mich.)
Source
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<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a>
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
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Text
Format
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application/pdf
Language
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eng
Publisher
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Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6c0aae5e72ced6d0362e0ffcfcc74d95.mp4
5d378ae9197d5c7bfc354528d89c0cbb
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/024ede69d6834100e00436a68a8d6b8b.pdf
2c827b36bd6e93c0a9b031a65acefe0e
PDF Text
Text
ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW
RICHARD DORSEY
Born: 1946 in Gary, Indiana
Resides: Belmont, Michigan
Interviewed by: James Smither PhD, GVSU Veterans History Project,
Transcribed by: Joan Raymer, March 13, 2012
Interviewer: To begin with Mr. Dorsey, can you tell us where and when you were
born?
I was born in 1946 in Gary, Indiana.
Interviewer: What did your family do for a living in those days?
My father and mother were both teachers in, especially in the music area.
Interviewer: Did you grow up in Gary or did you move somewhere else?
Yes I did, I grew up in Gary and after I was drafted from that location.
Interviewer: Did you go to private schools, or public ones?
Public schools
Interviewer: What was—what kind of a place was Gary, Indiana in the late fifties
and early sixties?
It was a thriving small metropolis, and of course, the center of its industry was the steel
industry. Things were booming then, at that time, and Gary was a very cultural, active
community and certainly vibrant with employment, and people made money, especially
those that weren’t skilled. 1:21
Interviewer: it was also a place; at least by the late sixties it had seen its share of
racial problems and other issues. Was there much of that going on before you left,
or were you aware of much of that?
1
�There was a racial divide, but I did not get exposed to that to any extent.
Interviewer: The high school that you went to, was that mostly while kids?
Yes it was
Interviewer: When did you receive your draft notice?
Actually, after I left high school I went and played around with college a little bit, but it
just wasn’t the right time for me, and I actually tried to join the Air Force, and I had a bad
knee so I couldn’t. 2:08 Six months later, when I was about twenty years old, the draft
sought me out and said my knee was fine. I was drafted at that time, in 1968.
Interviewer: Had you been working then and doing other things?
Yes, at the time, as a matter of fact, I was a lifeguard for the YMCA, as I recall.
Interviewer: What did you know about the Vietnam War before you were drafted?
I was somewhat naïve about the Vietnam Was, I knew it was going on, the spin on it
from the circles I ran in, was that it was good, that it was taking care of communist
aggression, so it was all the right twist at that time, again in the circles that I ran in. 3:01
Interviewer: For the most part, at least in 1966 and 1967, a lot of the news coverage
was still fairly positive, and we were winning.
Yes, exactly, and the problem was, at the time that I was drafted, the war was really
escalating, but of course, the spin on it was that we were doing great things and having
wins of battles and such as that.
Interviewer: Did you have relatives who had been in the service, or did you not
know much about that kind of thing?
My father was in the Navy, my brother was in the Air Force, and another brother was in
the Army.
2
�Interviewer: So, on some level going into the service was a fairly normal thing to
do?
The normal thing to do given the circles I ran in. It was the normal thing to do once the
country called you, you responded and so forth. As far as the political climate, especially
around Vietnam, I was oblivious to anything.
Interviewer: Where did they send you then for basic training?
Fort Bliss, Texas, and I initially went down to Kentucky, but they didn’t have enough
room. 4:06 As I said, the war was escalating, they were trying to draft a lot more
people, so they had to send me to Fort Bliss, Texas for my basic training.
Interviewer: Where in Texas is Fort Bliss?
Close to the Mexican border, about in the central part of the state.
Interviewer: Near El Paso?
Yes, exactly
Interviewer: That’s kind of off on one end there.
That’s my naivety; I thought it was in the central part of the state.
Interviewer: How would you describe the facility when you got there?
Very nice, very clean, and it was a good experience other than the bad connotations of
basic training, it was a very clean facility.
Interviewer: Did the facility have new buildings and things like that?
Relatively new, I would say relatively new.
Interviewer: So, you weren’t just stuck in a WWII vintage barracks or something
like that?
Exactly 5:05
3
�Interviewer: Now, What kind of a reception did you get when you arrived down at
Fort Bliss?
Oh, they were so glad to see me. It was the typical scenario where the drill sergeant, as
soon as you get off the bus he starts barking at you and the whole shot. It’s all designed
to break your previous mental position and be receptive to what they had in store for you.
I can look back and see that now.
Interviewer: How well, or quickly, did you adjust to that?
Well, it was a blur, to be honest with you, at the very start. I did not expect to be drafted
in the first place because I had just gotten rejected by the Air Force, but it was a bit of a
blur and of course, literally, you were run through lines to get shots and other things,
almost like a bunch of cattle, and very impersonal. 6:07
Interviewer: But, as far as you can tell you just went along with it?
Just went along and adjusted to it, and I finally got my arms around it a little bit.
Interviewer: Aside from just learning the discipline and following orders, what else
did basic consist of when you were in it?
What else did basic consist of?
Interviewer: Yeah
Discipline, again breaking—I personally didn’t have a lot of baggage to bring in, but
some did, and the program that they had was very adept at getting everybody in the same
mold at the most part. Where they were receptive to the training, horrible schedules, we
would get to bed late at night, early in the morning, the drill sergeants were ridiculous in
what they expected, and what they inspected. 7:07 The training was very demanding,
and I just remember being constantly tired all the time. We would have to go places in
4
�cattle trucks, literally standing up, rather than nice buses and all that. They had a lot to
do in a little bit of time. They had to get us ready for Vietnam is what it was, and so, they
put you through the mill.
Interviewer: Then did you get weapons training along with that?
Yes, some basic weapons training there, but it became more advanced in my advanced
infantry training from there at my next assignment.
Interviewer: Now, from the beginning were you using M16s and modern weapons,
or were you using older ones?
Primarily the M14s at that stage
Interviewer: Did they have you do a lot of physical training, a lot of marching and
hiking? 8:05
Marching, hiking, just a lot of physical conditioning, and all for a purpose, and that was
very demanding as well. I remember that, now that you bring it up.
Interviewer: Were you in reasonably good shape when you started, or did you have
to get in shape?
Actually I was, you know, I was a lifeguard at the YMCA, and that put me in incredible
shape because I had time between classes where I didn’t have to do a lot, so I swam a lot.
That exercise really prepared me much more than I realized, for that time, it really did.
Interviewer: Now, What kind of people were you training along side? How old
were they, and where were they from?
Close to my age, maybe a year younger, maybe a year older, and from the Gary area,
from the Chicago area, the northwest Indiana area, and that sort of thing, and quite a bit
from Chicago. 9:01
5
�Interviewer: So, it was a specific group taken out of particular region and brought
down, at least to train together?
Correct, that is correct
Interviewer: How long did the basic training last?
Eight weeks
Interviewer: Then you moved on to advanced training after that, and did you stay
at Fort Bliss or did you go somewhere else?
Someplace else, and I was assigned to the infantry, and I guess that was, they called it,
my MOS if I recall right. So, I went to Fort Polk, Louisiana for advanced infantry
training.
Interviewer: Was Fort Polk any different from Fort Bliss?
It was an older facility, a much older barracks, and it was, I’m sure, designed to replicate
what we would be facing in Vietnam. So, there were a lot of swampy conditions, humid
conditions, and the topography was very similar to what we encountered ultimately in
Vietnam.
Interviewer: Describe a little bit the actual training program. 10:01
Well, of course, it continued to be intensive, but of course as I recall, and I’m sure there’s
a lot that I have forgotten about, but certainly the advanced weapons mechanics retained
the M14, and all that surrounds that, but the machine gun, I got intensive training on that,
and also, the M16, and the 45 caliber pistol, so we got much more intensive training on
those things. On tactics, on evading the enemy if we were separated from our group in
Vietnam and how you did that. Survival training, and that sort of thing, as I recall. Very
6
�interesting scenarios, taking a chicken and taking it from catching it all the way to
cooking it and eating it, which wasn’t real appetizing. 11:08
Interviewer: Now, were your instructors, at that point, people who had been to
Vietnam?
Yes, that’s right
Interviewer: How much did they tell you, or what kinds of things did they tell you
to expect?
They didn’t say a whole lot, other than the fact that you knew that you were tentatively
facing a serious situation, and they meant business is what it amounted to.
Interviewer: AIT, was that another eight weeks, or was it longer than that?
It was another eight weeks, that is correct.
Interviewer: What happened when you finished that?
Then I got a brief respite, and then I was shipped over to Vietnam, which might have
been in June, and I don’t know if the time is right, but if my math is right that would have
put me just past the eight weeks, a little time to say goodbye to the family, and then
shipping out. 12:10
Interviewer: About June of 1968, or pretty close to that
Right
Interviewer: How did they get you physically to Vietnam?
I had to report to Chicago, where they flew me to Washington, the state of Washington,
and there I received my orders, how I was to be flown out, and what group I was to be
with. I cannot recall, but it was certainly a safe area—we flew to Japan for refueling, and
7
�then on to Vietnam, and it certainly was a safe area that I came into, and I can’t recall the
name of the city.
Interviewer: You don’t know whether you went to—some people went to the Saigon
area, some flew to Da Nang; some flew to Cam Ranh Bay.
Cam Ranh Bay sounds very familiar to me. 13:06
Interviewer: That, actually, might have been the safest option.
Right
Interviewer: Did they fly you in a commercial jet or a military one?
Commercial, yes
Interviewer: Was it all soldiers on that plane or were there civilians?
Yes, as a matter of fact, it was all soldiers, and very few amenities.
Interviewer: What was your first impression of Vietnam when you got off the
plane?
First impression of Vietnam—of course, landing in a safe area and the area we landed in
was not a jungle area, it was much more open, and at that point again, it was like a blur
because as soon as you landed you were shuffled through a number of stations, and then
finally carted out by helicopter to where you were to be assigned, so it was a quick blur
as well as I can remember. 14:05
Interviewer: Do you remember it being hot?
Very hot
Interviewer: Was there any kind of distinctive smell in the place where you got off?
Interesting—not there, not that I recall. There were other smells later on, in the air, that
I’ll never forget, but not there.
8
�Interviewer: Kind of away fro the agricultural zones and some of the others that
got interesting. So basically, they’re whisking you off in other directions, basically
follow us through that process, you get off the plane, they take you off the runway,
and do you stay in that area for a while to get assigned?
Just for a couple of days--until they could process your specific orders, and then be
assigned to a specific unit. If I recall right, it was relatively quick—a relatively short
time in Cam Ranh Bay before I was put on a larger helicopter and up to the DMZ, is
where I was assigned initially. 15:14
Interviewer: What unit were you assigned to?
The 1st Air Cavalry, the 2nd of the 7th, it’s called the Garryowen division, and
unfortunately after George Custer who lost everything in his battle, but that’s what it was.
Interviewer: So, 7th Cavalry, 1st Regiment, 7th Calvary Division
Right
Interviewer: The 1st Cavalry had—
It was 2nd Cav—no, 1st, no
Interviewer: 2nd Brigade—there are a lot of different numbers they juggled around
because they took battalions from different regiments and brigade them together
within the division.
I think you probably know it better than I do. [Maybe, but I screwed up in the interview-2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division]
Interviewer: But initially you’re with the 7th Cavalry, and that sticks with you at
that point. Discharge papers list you, at some point, with the 8th Cavalry.
9
�It wasn’t the 8th Cavalry, it must have been the 8th Brigade or even some other distinctive
group, but it was always 2nd of the 7th, yes. 16:16
Interviewer: You were with them—what condition was the unit in, as far as you
tell, when you joined it? Had they taken a lot of casualties or were they pretty close
to full strength?
When I joined it seemed relatively docile in the sense that they weren’t anxious about
enemy fire upon them, or being attacked, or whatever. It was just the unknown at the
time—what was I walking into? And sensing that it wasn’t a big deal, what I walked
into.
Interviewer: You were joining the unit basically as an individual, so the unit was
already there and you were going to join them in the field. Were there a lot of them
going at the same time?
There were two of us, as I recall, going to join that unit, on that day that were assigned to
that particular group. 17:13
Interviewer: So, you’re assigned to a particular platoon and squad, so you get
introduced to a certain group of men at that point?
It turned out, as I understand, we were replacing people that were being sent back home,
so the two of actually, almost got into the same squad, of the bigger unit. That was very
interesting.
Interviewer: What impression did you have of the men in the unit? You said they
didn’t seem to be too concerned about what was going on.
10
�Well, for the most part, somewhat impersonal, like, “Ok, here’s some new green troops
coming in, and I haven’t got time for you right now”, and that sort of thing. Not that they
were bad, they just didn’t go out of their way to welcome you. 18:01
Interviewer: Physically what were the conditions like? How would you describe the
area?
The area was quite open; not mountains, but hills, small hills, but a lot of flat land, and
somewhat dry, and, of course, warm.
Interviewer: What were your living conditions? Were you sleeping out in the open?
Living conditions—that was my biggest shock, initially, living conditions, because when
you first got supplied to get to your assignment, you were given some basic things, one of
which was an air mattress, and an air mattress is like gold, and it just wasn’t seen by
many people. I also had a poncho that served as half of a tent that I built with another
person, and we slept in that underneath those ponchos, that served as a tent, wherever we
were. 19:20 We were not in an area that had buildings, we were out in the field.
Interviewer: Were you dug in? Did you have foxholes or bunkers or things like
that?
Where we were, we had foxholes, not all the time, and sometimes we were so transient
we didn’t have time to dig them, and the necessity for them was very minimal because by
and large, unless we stayed in an area for several days, then we would dig foxholes, but
by and large we weren’t attacked by anybody up there. They had already seen a lot of
trouble and the area had been secured, but you ran into booby traps and a few snipers,
probably kids, and that was it. 20:07
Interviewer: What were the daily activities up there while you were by the DMZ?
11
�The daily activities, as strange as it sounds, something they didn’t teach you in training in
basic or advanced infantry training, is that you go to the bathroom out in the field. that
sounds rather silly, but the first time I thought, “What do I do?” So I went outside the
perimeter and did my little thing, and I saw a helicopter going over my head and thought,
“I wish they would go away”. Then very quickly you adjusted and became part of the
landscape and all of your functions then meshed with the environment that you were in,
at least for me.
Interviewer: Were you not supposed to go outside the perimeter?
Well, you were supposed to do it at restricted times, and in certain areas, because you
would typically have an outpost beyond the perimeter, so you could stay between the
outpost and the perimeter as long as long as there wasn’t any imminent danger. 21:18
Interviewer: But they hadn’t created any other kind of facilities for you?
No, you took your shovel and you dug a trench and you straddled it, and that was it. I
hope that was not too graphic.
Interviewer: In some of the places there was sort of, in the fortified camps and
things like that, there were other sorts of systems, latrines or things like that.
They did not have outhouses and it was very rustic.
Interviewer: Did you do a lot of patrolling or did you just stay in one place?
We did patrolling, as squads on a very limited basis, but we did patrolling, and ran into
very little resistance in that area.
Interviewer: What impression did you have of the leadership of the unit, from the
sergeants or lieutenants and things like that? 22:12
12
�The leadership—you were very detached from the lieutenants, and the captain, at least at
my level you were, and by and large people were somewhat impersonal. Although, they
grew more personal and warm to you the longer you stuck around and became one of the
group that was watching each other’s back, so to speak.
Interviewer: About how long did that process take, do you think?
Probably about a month, for me anyhow
Interviewer: So, you have that adjustment process and you’re still up in the DMZ
area. About how long did you stay in that sector?
About four months
Interviewer: Did the circumstances stay pretty much the same the whole time?
Absolutely, other than—probably the biggest challenge was the monsoons coming in and
dealing with that. 23:12 That was harder—although, there were incidents with booby
traps where men were killed with them, but they were few and far between.
Interviewer: Were the booby traps mainly in the form of mines?
Yes, mines in the ground or the type that would jump up and explode up in the air, just
above head height and that sort of thing.
Interviewer: Now eventually you get news that you’re moving out and going
somewhere else?
Yes
Interviewer: Where do you go next?
They put us in helicopters and took us down near Saigon; I think it was Da Nang [Da
Nang is still in the north, but they may have flown through there on the way down] as a
matter of fact. Then we regrouped there and very quickly, we weren’t there very long,
13
�quickly flew us in mass, with a number of Huey helicopters, out to what was called virgin
territory. Virgin in where no GI’s had ever been, out west of Saigon, on the Cambodian
boarder. 24:12
Interviewer: Was there a landing zone cleared for you or was it open country?
It wasn’t real open, the landing zone had not been cleared, and we established the landing
zone and created it from day one.
Interviewer: Was this sort of a new experience for you, to fly into enemy territory
like that, or had you been going places in helicopters before that?
To a small degree, you had a little bit of that experience up north, but when you flew into
the unit that was out in the field, it was pretty well secured. When we flew in down south
it was like—your eyes opened up and thinking, “What am I walking into?” Fortunately,
it was not what they call a hot LZ situation where you fly into all sort of enemy
resistance. 25:06 It was, for whatever reason, we received no resistance.
Interviewer: In this case they didn’t quite know you were coming, or if they did
they weren’t opposing you.
Apparently, right
Interviewer: Basically you get there, now, was this a whole battalion going together,
or company or squad?
That was primarily a company that went into that particular area.
Interviewer: Once you landed what did you do?
Then it was a matter of securing the area, making sure before anything was done we got
some outposts out to the outside of the perimeter we were trying to establish, by virtue of
digging foxholes and creating an area we would operate patrols out of in order to see if
14
�the area was clear, or if we were going to face resistance. 26:07 I also ultimately found
out we were close to the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and there was a design to start to see or
intercept some of the traffic coming down through that trail. When we landed we
immediately got some people out—once we realized we weren’t getting resistance, we
had a few people stationed in strategic areas and then proceeded to dig the foxholes and
have the little hootches made out of ponchos and all that, in order to start to create a
stable environment out of which to operate.
Interviewer: Now, did you have things like concertina wire or mines or things like
that as well?
We didn’t have concertina wire, but we did, after we established a little more stability
within the camp, we almost at the same time were putting out claymore mines and things
like that as preventive measures. 27:06
Interviewer: How long did it take for you to start to attract the enemy's attention?
Very quickly, as a matter of fact it turned out, and it was our squad that I was assigned to,
that had the first confrontation.
Interviewer: What happened at that point?
When they finally started to send out patrols, after things were established, our group was
the first one assigned to a patrol headed by a very green Lieutenant. Again, I didn’t find
out until later—he took us out and he got lost, and we went further than we were
supposed to go. Consequently, when he finally realized where we were, and where we
had to go to get back to the landing zone, as we started to walk back we walked right into
a major regiment of North Vietnamese, not just Vietcong, that was pretty well
15
�entrenched. 28:17 I’m sure they were surprised because I don’t think they expected us
to be quite out where we were.
Interviewer: So, basically once you bump into them, so do you try to get away from
them or what?
We were absolutely pinned down flat with fire, and I would say as close, frankly, to this
blue wall. Very thick jungle was this topography, and I remember not being able to
see—what was it 20-25 feet? I remember not being able to see anything, but the fire was
so intense and so low, you couldn’t even be in a sitting position, we had to be prone on
the ground. 29:08 With that being our first real conflict, nobody knew what to do,
frankly of our unit. Unfortunately the Lieutenant didn’t either, he was more scared than
we were, and he was in the back of the whole patrol, so we stuck initially. Then all of a
sudden—it’s very interesting that even with the lack of direction by this Lieutenant, all of
a sudden everybody started to regroup within themselves and then we started to act as a
unit, and putting into force all the training we had. It was more mechanical than
anything, so we started strategically plant machine gunners and spread out as much as
possible even though most of it was crawling, to protect ourselves, I do remember that.
30:02
Interviewer: How did that situation resolve its self then?
I remember that when we first ran into them our point man—it’s interesting, our point
man was a guy that I came into the country with. He got the point job and I got the
grenadier job and those are the two most hated jobs. The grenadier job because of all the
weight of all the bigger ammunition, and the point man, naturally, because you put
yourself in danger. He was shot immediately in the chest and I remember being on the
16
�left flank, totally pinned down and not knowing what was going on. At one point I
remember a projectile coming up over the canopy and I looked at it rather strangely and I
thought, “What was that?” All of a sudden it hit me-- it was an enemy grenade, and it
actually rolled towards me. Well, the enemy had cut down trees to build the bunkers, and
right next to me was a stump maybe three feet high. 31:07 Instinctively, I rolled over
behind the stump, it rolled to the other side and blew up, and of course nothing happened
to me other than I knew I was scared to death. At that time we finally realized that the
commander, who was a Captain, was coming out from the landing zone to help us. The
problem was, the enemy was between us and him, he didn’t know it, he got shot and
killed immediately, his radio operator got shot and killed immediately, and several others
were killed or wounded in that group. So, they couldn’t help us any more—this was a, as
I found out later of course, it was a crack North Vietnamese group. So, it turned out that
the man that was to replace our killed company commander happened to be flying in on a
helicopter to go to another unit. 32:14 He heard on the radio what was going on and
proceeded, with his helicopter sitting quite a bit above us, took and led us out and away
from the enemy, because we didn’t know where the enemy was and who was what
because the Lieutenant had no idea where we were.
Interviewer: But, he’s got a radio operator with him who can talk to the helicopter?
That is correct, and the radio operator talked with this Captain who was coming in for
another unit, was pulled back out and then we took a really roundabout way, even in the
dark at the last, to get back to the landing zone, and we were guided by this helicopter
because he could see where there was a probable safe way to go. 33:05 The enemy, for
whatever reason, did not want to engage us any more. As soon as we started to back off
17
�and the other rescuing group started to retreat as well, they let us go. I don’t know if they
were too small, I was told their group was quite large, but whether the group was too
small or not ready to attack, I don’t know what the problem was on their part. We then
made it back to the landing zone.
Interviewer: While you were out there did you have any kind of artillery or air
support?
No artillery, no air
Interviewer: Often, once the Americans knew where a large formation was, then
they would bring all of that in.
There were other skirmishes later where we had that, but the problem was there was so
many GI’s close to the enemy they couldn’t fire the artillery, and air support, I don’t even
remember any planes even coming overhead on that one. 34:04 The attack initially was
so small that they probably didn’t focus on that as a priority to send the planes out.
Interviewer: A larger enemy unit, once spotted, becomes a target and once you’re
out of view they pull away, and they may know that in any case. Well, that certainly
was a pretty dramatic initiation there all at once. Do you remember at all what you
felt like after you had gotten back out?
Somewhat shaken a bit, however it’s interesting, I think it put a resolve in the group and
stepped us up a couple levels above where we were, because all of a sudden we got
ready, we knew we were in something serious, and it wasn’t like the booby traps and
once in a while a sniper, like up north, here all of a sudden your training came back into
focus and it was ok, now let’s do it. 35:04 If I can add, it turns out that that captain that
was flying in for another unit, knew the captain that was killed, and asked to be
18
�reassigned to our unit, which he was, and he then took over the reins, and his—we’ll talk
about it later, but his leadership is what really helped us in our resolve, in our
organization and everything. He was a crack officer.
Interviewer: Do you have a sense of how old he was at the time?
Probably about six years older than me, probably about twenty-six, I believe.
Interviewer: At that time he would have seemed to you maybe, as kind of an older
guy?
An older guy and I hated him from the start. He was the father that was very dictatorial,
you do this, and you do this, and I don’t want any feedback, and if you didn’t understand
the whys and wherefores, it was just—you were to do what he said, and accept it for face
value without any understanding. 36:13 So, you grew quickly to dislike him because of
that.
Interviewer: So, after that first incident, were you pretty regularly in contact with
the enemy, or did you have longer periods of lulls, what were you doing basically?
We had pretty regular contact with the enemy from that point forward. There were
several other landing zones throughout the time that I was in Vietnam, that we created,
and for various purposes all along the Cambodian boarder, but we started running pretty
steady into other problems. Let me back up, and I forget which is the larger a brigade or
a battalion? 37:05
Interviewer: The brigade is larger.
Ok, the battalion, it was the battalion that established this landing zone, not the company.
There were four companies within this landing zone, that’s coming back to me, so forgive
me for forgetting that. By and large what turned out, and I’m getting far ahead, but we’ll
19
�come back to the various questions you have. We, as a company, B Company, Bravo
Company, very seldom had the first attack of all the companies. We were primarily, until
later on, the company that was saving the other companies. 37:59 And it became aware
to me as I became some seasoned, and certainly more mature with understanding after I
left Vietnam, that this commander that I really disliked, was really going solely by the
book, he was very sharp, very smart, very wise, and his strategies and methodologies
were so sharp, I think the enemy recognized that, and they knew better than to try to
attack him. The other companies were sloppy, and they were constantly being attacked,
and we would have to go out and rescue them, but it was a constant thing. The other
companies—well, we had our injuries, not too many deaths in our company, but the other
companies had a lot of deaths and a lot of injuries, and they constantly had to get replaced
for that. 39:00
Interviewer: Was your company essentially sent on the same kinds of assignments
and missions and they were?
Yes we were, yes we were, the same patrols, the same occasional search and destroy
missions, and all that. We had the same orders, the same marching orders, as the other
companies, as they went out in different geographic areas. Again, we found out later, we
were right by the enemy, and we discovered that later, but we were not attacked.
Interviewer: So, in this case, it wasn’t as if you were being held back by the
company commander to be the fire brigade, you just happened to be the one that
was in the position to help when they needed help?
That is correct
20
�Interviewer: Did you see evidence of developed enemy placements in the area? Did
they have a lot of—did they have tunnels, caves, underground bunkers and things
like that or were they moving around?
Fortunately I was too big to be the tunnel rat, so to speak. 40:05
I think that’s what
they called them, the person that would investigate the tunnels when we would discover
them. And they were frequent, as well as some of the bunker complexes, and much of
the time vacated. There were evidences, although there wasn’t any garbage or any other
evidence, it was just stumbling across these things. They were very clean with what they
did. I’m talking about either the Vietcong, or the North Vietnamese troops.
Interviewer: So, there were a lot of them around. How did you go about trying to
find the enemy? What—if you are doing a search and destroy mission, or
something like that, how does that seem to work?
Well, methodically, as I recall, we’d have short patrols, short—after establishing a
landing zone, short patrols, and then gradually widening the patrols, or a dedicated sweep
through an area that was a suspected enemy territory, or a trail that they used a lot. 41:12
Interviewer: When you were doing these things did they do any artillery, air
preparation or bombardment, or did you go in first?
Yes, frequently, we had artillery, on some occasions we had fighter that would come over
with napalm bombs and drop them just over our head onto the enemy that was attacking
our established positions, and probably, and this may be off—I can recall in my time
there, some B52 bomb strikes very, very close to us when there was, obviously, a very
large force out there to deal with
Interviewer: Ok, When the B52s hit, could you feel it where you were? 42:04
21
�It was incredible, you could never see the B52s unless you really strained. Of course,
you had orders to stay still because they had some navigation, which I didn’t know at the
time that let them know where to drop the bombs. They were incredibly accurate, but
they were so close to us that, literally, I would go a couple feet off the ground with the
explosions. That was just a couple times, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t every time they
dropped them, but I remember a couple were very close situations. With huge
encampments they had to do that.
Interviewer: Did the landing zones themselves come under attack either with
mortar fire or rockets, or sappers, or anything else? 43:03
It came under attack from those things, plus being assaulted by the enemy.
Interviewer: Do you remember any specific incidents out of those attacks or certain
characteristics of them that stick with you?
I just remember when the first incoming of any nature came into the camp it wasn’t
always followed by an attack by the enemy themselves, but you would dive into your
foxhole and hope for the best, and fortunately most of the time those attacks of mortars
and such, caused minimal physical damage to the men. Probably the best recollection I
have of being assaulted, although they never fully breached the perimeter. 44:04 I
remember the enemy troops were so high, I believe on marijuana, that you would almost
cut out their legs from under them and they would start crawling towards you until you
killed them. Just incredible, and that’s probably the most significant. Then the next day
you go out and there are dead enemy bodies all over, and you do what clearing and
collecting of things for intelligence and all that you need to, but a very interesting
situation.
22
�Interviewer: What opinion did you have of these people who were doing this to
you?
We had gained such an intense dislike for these people—they were not only not good, but
they were sneaky, they were doing things for the wrong reasons, we were the pure enemy
and out to do you in, and of course, that was the ultimate, is preservation of yourself,
beside the bigger political scene that was involved. 45:18
Interviewer: Did you have a certain sort of respect for somebody willing to do that
much or go that far to get rid of you, or did you not really think of it in those terms?
Actually, I had some respect on one hand, for many of the attacks that we had, and what
they went through, but I still hated them, all right, a strange element there. Other times
they were no better than a dog. I can remember that frequently it was very calm out, and
of course, it was very humid and very hot, we would be sitting in a landing zone in a
jungle area, and it was a distinctive marijuana smell—it’s a funny thing, and my son still
doesn’t believe me to this day, I have never had one marijuana smoke. 46:14 I’m not
saying good for me or anything like that, I just didn’t, because I was so concerned, in
Vietnam, in having my wits about me, I didn’t want anything affecting me. It isn’t a
noble thing at all; it’s just self-preservation. There was something so distinctive about
the marijuana smell, and it just floated through the air, and that usually preceded the
attacks the next day. That was at night that we would sense that, and we would be hit the
next day. A couple times we were hit at night, but not very often.
Interviewer: You mentioned that you got—the enemy is using marijuana etc., and
did the people out in the field, the American soldiers, did they do much in the way of
using drugs? 47:01
23
�Oh yeah, some of them were, and we had access. Villagers would come out and find us
even though we didn’t see the village, the villagers would find us, especially when we
were closer in our deployment to the villages. They would come out, and we would
never be under attack then, they come out and dress their kids up in all sorts of great
ways, and so on and so forth, and they would offer a lot to us. Many of the soldiers could
not deal with things, took them up on it, and bought whatever they could of the drugs that
they could take.
Interviewer: Now, was their enough of that sort of thing to cause problems within
the units?
If there was, I was never aware of it. It was pretty much kept under wraps, either ignored
or the ones using it were careful how they used it.
Interviewer: So, it wasn’t as if a unit was not functioning in a moment of crisis, or
when it needed to because of that? 48:04
You know, it’s a funny thing too—as I recall, most of the time the group I was with were
never under that influence, and again, I don’t know why, but we just weren’t. I suspect
that the others had been through so much garbage with the initial confrontations with the
enemy, they had to do it just to maintain their sanity, I don’t know.
Interviewer: Another issue that sort of comes up a lot with units in Vietnam is
racial or ethnic issues. What kind of mix of people did you have in you platoon?
The kind of mix of people--I would put it at probably seventy-five percent Caucasian,
and twenty-five percent African American.
Interviewer: Did the different groups mostly keep to themselves?
24
�Absolutely, when it was relaxing time, or down time, the blacks were off by themselves.
The whites were off by themselves, and even those groups had other splits too. 49:19
But, by and large, the blacks had the attitude, in our unit, that they weren’t going to
extend themselves for anything to endanger themselves, but they would obey the rules.
We tolerated each other until it came to a scrimmage, and all of a sudden there was no
color. It’s the funniest thing , it was distinctive, absolutely distinctive, once the fighting
started , and all of us, black and white, were drawn into the battle. You would have some
black and some white that would be chicken, hide in a foxhole behind us, the enemy's
foxhole, bunkers of the enemy behind us, and there wasn’t any distinction between black
and white. 50:19 There were some black and white up on the front line of the assault,
so it wasn’t a color thing it was an individual thing, but the ones that were really fighting,
you had no concern about the guy next to you, regardless of his color, doing what he had
to help you out and visa versa.
Interviewer: Now did you spend, pretty much, the rest of your time in Vietnam in
this particular sector, in this specific area?
Yes, primarily because it became such a hot area, it was recognized as a critical
encampment in a place, a trail, a primary trail, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, of which you
would get a lot of side trails off, and establishment of many, many enemy troops. 51:18
Interviewer: How long were you actually out there? Did you spend the whole year
in Vietnam, or did you leave early?
I spent one year in Vietnam, the whole year in the field.
Interviewer: So, you’re there in that sector the better part of eight months, or
something like that?
25
�That’s correct
Interviewer: Over the course of that time, did you have a lot of turnover in
personnel, were men going in and out, being wounded?
The biggest turnover of personnel we had because of wounded or killed in action. You
had some ready to leave because they put in a year, but that was a small percentage to be
honest. 52:07 Most did not see the full year for one reason or another, at least with the
group I was with.
Interviewer: Basically, but if people were in on their own sort of calendars, or
whatever, they would come in at different times and leave at different times?
Yes
Interviewer: Over the course of the year, most of your unit would have turned over
while you were there?
Yes, by virtue of the calendar most of the unit would have turned over, but it turned over
two to three times within that year, although that was the bigger perspective.
Interviewer: So, in that process, do you kind of move up in rank and seniority, get
promoted, or get assignments beyond being just a rifleman?
Yes, I did, and actually I became a radio operator, I was on a squad level finally, I was a
grenadier, then a rifleman, and then became a radio operator. 53:08 I liked that because
it kept me—I was more in the middle of the action of knowing what was going on, I’m
talking about, and by virtue of knowing what was going on you had to many times be
more up at the front of the action, with your boss, to determine what was going on, what
was needed and so on and so forth, but I liked that. I remember the radio operator for the
whole company, not just the platoon, but the company, had finished his year and was
26
�going home, and they pulled me up from squad level to company level with—surprised
me, and I didn’t know why, but obviously I was able to do some things that they were
comfortable with. 54:02 So, I came alongside this Captain I didn’t like, and actually
started to be his radio operator, for him, and over the other operators in the company.
Interviewer: By the time you became his radio operator, had you developed a
certain respect for him yet, or was he still disliked?
Oh, much more, and by virtue of being intimately in everything, by virtue of
communicating while we were on patrol, to the radio, or even being part of the strategy
with the key sergeants in the rest of the platoons and squads. I became much more
knowledgeable of what was going on, and really started to gain more respect for his
presence, his knowledge, and wisdom, the whole shot. 55:01
Interviewer: Now, were there particular operations that you did that were of a
larger scale than others? I mean, did you get involved with certain things and
brigade level actions, or was it pretty much all company, platoon, battalion stuff?
There were a handful of brigade sweeps, and there was one specific battalion sweep that
they put us on. I remember that they did not want the enemy to know where we were, so
we went quite a few days without any supplies being sent in as we started to go out on
this sweep. We started on that battalion sweep, again not running into much. There were
many other times before that, that we would either run into the enemy or villagers hiding
in the enemies bunkers and so on, so forth. 56:08 But, we started on the sweep, and the
Captain I mentioned to you was a very gung ho fellow. His father, it turns out, was a
General, was a three star General, so he had career in his mind for the military, and
already had that ingrained in him to a great degree. He wanted to get first hand into a
27
�battle instead of always coming in after a battle and trying to help out some other group,
which is frequently what we had to do. Let me back up if I may, Jim, because something
else came to mind. One of the larger engagements that we ran into—one company that
was the worst of all the companies in running into problems, and losing most of their
men, ran into a major force in one of their larger patrols. 57:11 It turns out they ran into
a massive hospital complex of the North Vietnamese, extremely massive, of underground
hospital rooms, and tunnels, and everything else extraordinary. The company was
probably, seventy-five percent wiped out from the standpoint of wounded or killed. Our
company, part of our company was selected to go in and rescue them in the midst of this
massive force. So, we finally go in there, in that area, in the dark, and we managed to
walk around, somehow anticipated, and somehow they knew what the safest way was to
get to this stranded company, what was left of it.. 58:10 We got to them, pulled them all
back in—there was a small area of bamboo, and other jungle that we were in, and all of a
sudden the word came down, everybody stay quiet, not engage the enemy, and don’t
move. We were a relatively small force, relatively, and it turns out, at that point,
probably thirty or forty feet away from us, the whole complex had been evacuated by the
enemy, probably right in front of us. If we had engaged them we would have all gotten
killed because there were so many of them. So, they let them go, we pulled—we sensed
they were out—we pulled back with the injured and dead company people, got them
made in the perimeter, and that’s when the B52 bomb strike came in. 59:11 That’s
when I was raised off the ground because it was so close to us, and that was by accident
because they had no idea that was there. So, that was the first one, and the second one
28
�was this other battalion sweep—I hope I’m not making this too long for you Jim?
Interviewer: Oh, no
The second battalion sweep—we were on the far edge with the rest of the battalion, and
we had already been going on it, as I recall, probably two or three days. When we went
through an area, our Captain told the first sergeant, “take the squad down over here, I’m
not sure what’s down in this lower area here to our side. No one else has been through,
but let’s make sure we have that cleared as we go through”, so we started going through
with the rest of the company. 60:00 This squad happened to run right into a bunker
complex of the enemy, and immediately our Captain ran off to rescue them, even ahead
of our troops, and, of course, I had to be with him as the radio operator. I remember him
running so fast, and me having all this weight on my body, thinking, “What are we
doing?” The first sergeant was injured, as well as a few others, and by that time we had
become a family in a sense, if you can understand that. The whole company went over,
followed the Captain, and it was the most unorganized focus I had ever seen him have. I
was concerned for the group he sent over there, and he had a real tizzy for the first
sergeant; it turns out, I was told later, who was sent there to make sure was protected
because they saw bigger and better things for him, bigger commands, all right? 1:09 As
well as the rest of the squad that was attacked, he was concerned about them, but he was
real excited about confronting, first hand, the enemy. I remember us getting down to that
area, with the whole company disorganization of chaotic, strategic movement, and he
identified where the squad was, and sent some of the company over to be with them, and
at the same time there was a bunker right in front of where we were at the moment. We
had already started to walk through the bunker complex—I remember even seeing clothes
29
�strung out, and they didn’t even know we were there. I remember, they just weren’t
expecting us. 2:04 So, they had quickly evacuated some of those bunkers, and we
started to walk through them without resistance. We ran up to one bunker that was firing
quite heavily at us, the Captain turned to the group, there was a group of about six of us
in the command group, and he turned to us and said, “I want to take this bunker”. He
looked at me and said, “Rich, you take a small group around and attack this entrance,
there’s another side entrance I’m going to go around to with a couple men”. We got out
of a jungle area into what was a clearing just before the bunker, and all of a sudden
everything blew. It is every interesting, one of the two fellows with me was a black
fellow from New Orleans it turns out. 3:03 He saw more in New Orleans than many of
us saw in Vietnam. He was a hardened street guy, very hardened; I mean scars on his
face from gang confrontations and all that. I mean, he had been through it, and he had
been put in the command post because he had two weeks to go before he was scheduled
to leave the country, and they wanted to keep him safe. Vividly, Jim, I remember him
turning to me, the strangest look in his eye, and he told me, “let’s go get em”. This was a
guy that did not stick his neck out for any other situation up to that point. That was part
of what made it so distinctive, along with his being what they called “a short timer”. We
proceeded to assault this bunker. 4:01 He went to one trail and I went to another trail,
and this fellow, his name was Hughie Williams, as a matter of fact, it turns out in a visit
to the Vietnam memorial, they have his section of the wall in Smithsonian, the strangest
thing, his name was there, and it just blew us all away. We had to get close together, on
this trail, before we got out in the clearing, and as soon as we got out in the clearing he
got shot in the head and thrown back into me. I proceeded to start to go, the other guy
30
�was also shot and killed, that was with me, and for some reason they didn’t have a clear
shot at me. Bullets started coming down the trail towards me, and I suspect you’ve heard
it before Jim; it’s incredible slow motion of what takes place. 5:01 It’s almost like b-ab-o-o-m, b-a-b-o-o-m, b-a-b-o-o-m, and if there could be a funny side to this—I saw the
bullets come down the trail, I don’t remember training for that, and I thought, and this is
my mentality of my upbringing, I thought, “What would John Wayne do?” That is not a
joke, that is honestly what I thought, and I thought, “get out of the way, stupid”, and so, I
flipped, and of course it was all happening very quick, and they got a bead on me and
shot at my head, knocked off my helmet, and grazed my head, didn’t penetrate my skull.
Well, I ended up on my back, my helmet off, my eyes open, and I thought, “I’m going to
pretend I’m dead”, and it was all instinctive. 6:00 The firing stopped within seconds
after that, and I then got up and ran behind a tree, and I remember the Captain being
brought by a medic over to me at that tree—how graphic am I supposed to get?
Interviewer: As much as you have to, to tell the story.
His arm was blown in half, and the medic had me hold together his arm while he put, and
I found out later, was a pressure bandage on to get him ready to be medivaced. At the
same time, he was continuing to give me orders, to call in medivac, call in support troops,
to get withdrawal to those who had other wounded and needed to get back to the area,
and then radio orders to the other sergeants, other platoon sergeants, of how to reposition
their troops and then how to finish attacking the enemy. 7:02 It turns out that he was in
a state of shock—I’m going to jump quite a bit ahead—1993 I got a call from a sergeant,
and he started to back down, and finally he said, “Were you in Vietnam with the 1st Air
Cav?” A long story short, it turns out the sergeant that I served with, and very closely
31
�served with, and he saw my name in a publication, and out of that thought he would try to
contact me, and that was the first contact I’d had. Right after that, the Captain I served
with, his life ended up being spared. He called me up and he was serving in the White
House as a drug czar in the 90’s under Clinton. He called me up and I was working at the
time with Cornerstone University here in Grand Rapids. 8:01 They came running back
from the switchboard and said, “the White House is on the phone and they want to speak
to you”, and I thought it was a joke or something, but they were dead serious, they were
stunned, well it turned out to be him, and he said, “I thought you were killed that day”.
He doesn’t remember me holding his arm together because he was in shock, but his mind
was so ingrained with his responsibilities, that he popped out the orders left and right. He
became the youngest four star General to be commissioned, unreal—his name is Barry
McCaffrey.
Interviewer: Oh, sure
A brilliant guy, and I didn’t know back when I hated him in Vietnam, when I was a kid, a
stupid, snot nosed kid. How brilliant this guy was, just extraordinary. 8:54 Ok, let me
back up, so, we put him together, started to go back, and I remember the medic saying
“there’s the enemy, shoot em”, and I looked around and said, “what, where?” He
grabbed my rifle and started to spray into the bunkers that were behind us and we were
going back to get to medivac. It turns out that several of our own men had gotten scared
and hid in those bunkers. Oh, I so detested them because they weren’t helping the
situation. So, the medivac could not land because it was such thick jungle. They had to
hoist him up, but they finally got him out and then some of the rest of us that weren’t so
drastically injured could finally be treated by the field hospital at that time. But, that was
32
�the most distinctive thing, what happened in the rest of the battalions, I don’t know. 9:55
But, in days ensuing, they ran into a massive force, maybe the company, and at least the
brigade of that battalion that was in that area, that was in the outskirts of the enemy.
Interviewer: How far into your tour was that? Do you have any sense?
That was March 9th, and I’ll never forget that day of 1969.
Interviewer: You were pretty well into it then, you had been out there for some
time?
Yes, correct
Interviewer: You’re spending a lot of time out there and you’re largely---did you
get breaks? Did you get R&R? Did you get to go out of the combat zone at all?
Not me up to that point in time. I was due for an R&R, by virtue of my seniority, to get
some place, and I frankly wanted to look at another round eyed person, and I asked for
Australia, everybody asked for Australia, so I had to wait until my seniority got to me,
and I eventually went there after that skirmish. 11:06 I can’t remember when it was, if
it was the end of March or April when I finally got to go. That would have been the first
break.
Interviewer: You never got to go back away from the front lines? You were pretty
much always in the field?
Always, and the only exception to that was right after that intensive skirmish where I was
injured and the captain was injured, and many others killed—I remember one guy, still
alive, had his face blown off at point blank range in that whole skirmish—I remember it
was just an intense time. We found out later we were at the edge of a huge force. Right
after that, I remember our unit was finally given some down time in the secured area
33
�outside Phuoc Vinh, I do remember the name of that town. 12:03 I spent a week in the
rear, they had stitched me up, and things finally—ended up they put me back out in the
field, and I was so jumpy, Jim, it was not funny. To the point where I thought artillery,
our own artillery going overhead, from way out in the field, I thought was incoming for
us, and I remember diving in, it must have been a six-foot foxhole that had been there for
a while, and I remember hurting my head because I landed on my head, but that’s how
jumpy I was. After that, I honestly don’t know if I was as effective as I was before.
Before, I really had it together by virtue of the training, not because I was so good, but by
virtue of the training, I’m talking about, and acting out what I was supposed to do,
listening to orders, and handling my responsibilities, and so on and so forth. 12:57
Interviewer: Now did you continue to serve as the company radio operator, or did
you do something else after that?
No, I did, I did, and it was distinctive. Of course when you become close to someone like
that it became, with this Captain, even in the two months I was serving with him. The
captain that replaced him, I just had trouble finding quite that same level of respect for
him, and I’m sure it was just because I was so attached to the other man, not that he was
bad; I just didn’t get very close to the other captain.
Interviewer: Over the course of time, that kind of intense experience does tend to
take it’s toll on you, and you felt like you weren’t as effective later on as you had
been for a certain stage there before that. Did you see that in the men around you,
or were you not really paying attention?
Yeah, I did, and you know, two things stand out. 13:58 I’m not afraid to say I was
scared, and I functioned, but it was under fear. I remember the distinctive marijuana
34
�smell, but the crack of the AK47’s that they primarily used, was distinctive, and that
crack, when I heard that crack—before I was injured—I mean I had a couple other mortar
round incidents, and I still got some shrapnel in me, but I mean serious injury. Before
that time that crack meant engage, and after that time that crack meant, “oh, no”, it was a
different kind of fear. The other was an attack fear, and this other was withdrawal fear.
14:56
Interviewer: Did you see that kind of thing in the men around you too, if they were
out there long enough?
Oh yeah, absolutely, absolutely, the ones I was with anyhow.
Interviewer: Another dimension of this, you mentioned a while back that there
were cases where you were near villages, and civilians would come out and sell you
things etc. How much contact, or how much did you actually see of the civilian
population, because you’re never in the cities or places like that?
Very little, and when we swept in an area that was close to a village it was a refreshing
time. You would get pop sold for ridiculous amounts of money, I mean it was a real
treat, and all of a sudden it was real people, and for whatever reason they put on a front as
being very friendly. They—of course having to live in that had to be a different kind of
experience for sure, but they were trying to take advantage as much as they could to
survive, and take advantage of the GI’s, and all this and that. 16:01 And, they dealt
with you at arms length, and tried to be warm at the same time, but it was purposeful
warmth, not to get close to you, but just to get out of you what they could. Very
infrequently would we do that, close enough to see the villages and that would be a real
treat.
35
�Interviewer: As far as you could tell the North Vietnamese weren’t really using the
villages as their bases of operations or anything?
Oh, there were some operations that we had intelligence that they were definitely,
especially the Viet Cong, were using villages, and we would sweep through some of
these villages, and I recall, my experiences when we did that, or even found some
villagers hiding in an enemy bunker out some places when we were doing a search and
destroy, and treating them with the utmost respect. 17:08 Totally different than what
came out of the My Lai incident, and the explosiveness of that incident to the people to
where we were all like that, and it just wasn’t like that, Jim. I never experienced it, I
never heard of it happening, and it was a very isolated situation, but unfortunately with
the unpopularity of the war, that was a great thing to take off on, and fuel all those
negative feelings.
Interviewer: It struck me at some point as opposed to the poster child of WWII, it
was Audie Murphy, and who was the poster child for Vietnam, it was William
Calley, and what was the most famous name of a soldier coming out of there, and
that could be it.
Interesting Jim, interesting
Interviewer: You didn’t have the same level of contact with the civilian population
as some of the people in the rear areas did and all that kind of stuff. It was just kind
of on occasions? 18:10
When I was injured and I spent some time in the rear, I became more aware of--the
military personnel were in the rear enjoying extraordinary comforts, cots, barbers, and
massages, and all this and that going on. Secure, scared they might get a mortar once in a
36
�great while, and I’m thinking, “What are you talking about? What are you scared for?
This is incredibly good”, but the small majority of us were out in the field, and I thought,
“that’s really not fair”, but I also felt proud about it at the same time, and I was ready to
do my duty, in spite of the strange feelings.
Interviewer: So, basically you went to a rear area hospital then after your head
injury in that incident. Basically what was the care like there, did they take good
care of you when you were back there, or what? 19:05
Oh yeah, good care, and certainly there was some physical healing, but I’m sure they
knew there was mental healing, and let me write some letters home, and that was started
because I was not married at that time, and I didn’t want my mother to know I was
injured and being that close to death, or many other times I had been involved in those
things, she didn’t know any of that stuff. But I was given an opportunity to write, and I
wrote to a sibling and told him to share with the others, and things like that. I was pretty
much alone as I recall. The others remained in the field, or were so severely injured they
had to go to Japan, or other places for work.
Interviewer: In general, did you communicate much with people at home? Did you
write regularly or get letters? 19:57
Yeah, and one of my fonder memories, when the moon would be full it was like daylight
when you were sitting in the foxhole standing guard, and you would sit there and write
and be able to see what you were writing, and I enjoyed that. I would frequently get
boxes, care boxes from home, and I had fun with that. You would cherish the letters that
would come out to the field with the supplies.
37
�Interviewer: Now, as you got towards the end of your year, were you counting
down how long you had to stay?
Big time, hugely counting down, and became more and more nervous as the time came
closer. Of course, we didn’t get into major battles or skirmishes to the point where it
would have been a problem for me. I remember being taken back to the secure area to
where we’d be processed out, and in a couple days I was on a commercial liner headed
back home, and thrilled to death. 21:00
Interviewer: Before we pick up on that, you got an R&R to actually go Australia.
Can you tell me about that experience?
Well, it was, as strange as it may sound, a wholesome experience. I stayed in the Sydney
area, went with a fellow that I knew in the company, and we were just going to stay
together, and we met some girls, and one of them was Oriental even though we went
there to try to be with some round-eyed women. She was part of a bigger family that
owned a ranch, and they took him back to the ranch, so he could spend time with the
family. The girl I was with was a wholesome girl, dumb naïve me, maybe there were
other things going on, but I just was the wholesome side. I saw what I wanted to see, and
experienced what I wanted to experience. I remember being clean in Sydney, oh yeah,
you experience some of the animals, so you can say you saw them, and send back some
boomerangs to the family, and things like that. 22:10 It was a total relax time. You
stuck out like a sore thumb, and people knew you were a GI, big time, even though you
tried to put civilian clothes on, it didn’t work, with the short haircut and the posture and
everything else.
Interviewer: How long did you get to be there?
38
�A week
Interviewer: What was it like having to go back?
Not fun, and a matter of fact, when I got back I was given orders to get on a helicopter to
go back to my unit, and I purposely, spent another, probably three days, reluctantly, know
what to do. I found some places to sleep, some barracks that weren’t occupied, to try to
determine what I was going to do. 23:02 Finally I sucked it up, and got on a helicopter
and went out, and they turned their back and said, “ok, you’re here, we’ll let it go”.
That’s what it amounted to, but I was not wanting to do that.
Interviewer: Are there particularly any recollections that you got in the field there
that you haven’t brought in, and want to add to the story before they take you
home, or do you thing you hit the main ones?
I had some that are standing out in my mind, but there were countless times, and specific
dates, in December and January, largely when we were rescuing other companies, that we
were in the middle of the thick of it trying to save them. 24:05 Sometimes it was just
trying to distract the enemy; so they could fall back, when they were between us and the
rest of our company—the rest of our battalion, yes battalion, from another company. So,
we were distracting and yet in incredibly close situations of life and death. I mean, just
real intense, and discovering even more so, from some of the many reunions that I’ve had
since 1993, It is the General who would bring us back together, especially some of us
sergeants, I retained the rank of sergeant obviously—move up, being the company RTO.
25:04 And we would recount things, and in almost everyone of those battles they
mention my name, the handful of guys that would always hide in the back, and I
remember them being reassigned to some of the companies needing to get their group
39
�larger again because of the casualties, and then becoming casualties because they were
useless people. I remember that, and I remember disliking them so much for not pulling
together like I thought we all were at that time. I’m trying to remember any distinctive
things, Jim. Just incredibly hot—I’m a person, even at that time when I was physically
fit, I think I was about 150 or 160 pounds, I think it was 160, I would carry the most
water of the whole company on me. 26:08 I would carry bladders, two gallons full,
five—a couple two gallons and three one gallons, at one point, one time we didn’t get
supplies, I remember there were five on my back. I didn’t care, I had to have fluid
because I sweat so much, but I remember the jungles being so incredibly thick, I
remember being impatient with the point man and taking over. The point man was taking
my machete and whacking through the undergrowth, and we’d finally start to move, very
humid, other than the monsoons up north, it was all very hot and humid weather down
below. We, one time went through a rubber plantation and we thought we had an enemy
group, and it turns out we didn’t encounter them, if there was they got away. This is
probably the most significant. 27:03 I remember several times, us finally having the
enemy, I’ll just call him that, on the run. I can’t tell you how many times we were told to
stop. We were given orders, from back in the rear; we’re not to go any further across the
border. I mean, we were so close to taking and destroying the enemy, it’s not funny, and
then we got into political games, and then there was huge frustration, Jim, huge
frustration. That was so disenheartening, but our captain was really good, he would
regroup us, and get us pumped up, and we would go and try to attack again.
40
�Interviewer: Now, aside from the question of the border, did you have issues with
rules of engagement, or were you mostly in free fire zones where you could fire
when you needed to? 28:00
Pretty much in free fire zones.
Interviewer: The DMZ is pretty much like that because there are civilians up there.
Yes
Interviewer: Then at least outside of those villages anyway
Yeah, I’m definitely talking about down by the—by Saigon, by the Cambodian boarder,
yeah.
Interviewer: Right
Except a couple time we went through villages, and we were told to be very careful.
Interviewer: Right
At those times—fortunately we didn’t engage the enemy, at least in what we recognized
as the enemy, and treated the others totally respectful, including the property and
everything else.
Interviewer: Over the course of that year, especially as you got to the last couple of
months of it, after your Captain had been hurt, did you think at all about whether
you were getting anywhere or making any progress? Did you feel like you were
kind of accomplishing things or was it just continuing on kind of a treadmill?
I felt like I was spinning wheels at that point in time, and I didn’t see any purpose to what
we were doing, other than pure survival, totally. 29:05 The impetus to be aggressive
against the enemy was gone at that point in time.
41
�Interviewer: Finally you do get your chance to get out, and you get to go home now.
They pulled you out of the rear, and how do they get you back to the states?
By commercial jet, I think it was American Airlines, or was it TWA? It may have been
at that time. A stripped down, very basic version, hardly—didn’t have anything to eat,
there were stewardesses, commercial airline stewardesses there, but they had extremely
little contact with us, but we were ecstatic, so we didn’t care about anything, other than it
being an extremely long flight, that’s how we got back. 30:00 I was flown into—oh
my—I think I was flown back to California, yeah, it was California I flew back to, and
then I got on a commercial—no, I got on a military flight and ended up ultimately, in
Gary, but I can’t remember.
Interviewer: Now, do you go home in uniform, or did you switch to civilian clothing
somewhere along the way somewhere?
Well, this is an area that’s probably the most difficult, other than some of the traumatic
things that I experienced in the war, was the experience when I got home. I remember
the plane landing in California, and I looked up and wondered, “Where are the people
going to be that are welcoming us home?” Got off the plane, went through the terminal,
didn’t have anybody spitting on me, but I had people walking over to the other side of the
corridor to stay away from me. 31:04 I thought, “What’s going on here?” Then, stupid
old me, because all I had over there was military communications of one sort or another,
and of course, they were always going to talk up the right stuff, then I realized that not
only was the war hated, but we were hated, and I’ve forgotten—forgiven, that may sound
too strong, but I don’t know if I’ve forgiven the people for that. That’s the most
disturbing thing. I’m not able to show much emotion and I’m having trouble dealing
42
�with that, but what will bring me the closest to tears is the welcoming of the other current
war veterans home. 31:56 I don’t begrudge them that, that’s not where I’m coming
from, but what I didn’t get, and I found out it was much more widespread, that General,
the Captain that became general, he got spit on in the face. In fact, he wrote a couple
books, and I got—that’s my claim to fame, I was in the books. He related that, after he
returned he was spit in the face when he, and his wife were walking into a government
building. It just really threw him off, but that’s probably the most difficult thing , dumb
as it sounds, and almost ahead of the war trauma, alright?
Interviewer: Now, you get yourself back home finally. What did you do then, once
you got back to Gary? 32:54
They gave me thirty days, and of course, the immediate family, they all, “it’s great,
you’re home, we’ll honor you”, but I never felt it. I didn’t feel it, I felt it was forced
more than anything, and just because they loved me, I was part of the family, and that
sort of thing. Nothing distinctive about the thirty days--I was assigned to D.C. from there
to go, according to my orders, to the Honor Guard. I thought, “oh, that’s nice”, a nice
little finish to my six months is what it was. I got there and they said, “you have to re-up
for two years”, and I said, “What are you talking about?” The said, “the training is six
months alone, for what you’ll have to do”, and I said, “I’m not re-upping for nothing, I’m
not going to stay in this army any longer than I have to”, so they made me a drill sergeant
at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, of all things, so that’s how I finished out my time, being
able to dish out to the new troops what I had to take. 33:58
So, I put on the hat of a
drill sergeant and I, unfortunately, played it up to the hilt, but with the design in mind that
43
�I knew many of them were going to face potentially dangerous situations, and I was
intent on them being ready for that.
Interviewer: Did you tell them much of anything about Vietnam, or did you just not
do that because that’s not what a drill sergeant does?
No, we did not, I remember putting on a demeanor of a true drill sergeant and being a real
jerk, is what it is. It was to the point that some of the recruits could have mopped up the
floor with me, and through a number of situations, they were told by another sergeant, to
take me out, and I remember them saying, “he’s crazy”, so my role was fulfilled. They
listened to everything I did from day one, but at the end of the cycle I was treating them
right too. 35:09 Once they finally finished accomplishing what they were supposed to
in that basic training.
Interviewer: Now, finally having—you get your discharge now, it’s early 1970 by
then, and what do you do in terms of picking up your life at that point?
I remember going back and knowing I had to get a job. When I left the army, I wanted to
leave the army, and any connection I had with it, and Vietnam behind me because I
became painfully aware of the feelings about that whole situation. Didn’t understand
them fully because I’d been taught like—this is right, they’re wrong, take care of them,
this aggression, da, da, da, and then hearing, we were all wet, so it was very confusing.
36:10 So, I thought—further, the distaste that I experienced with the Vietnam War, and
all that were in it together, I didn’t want people to know, so I stayed away from that
subject in my life like that was never a part of my life, to the extreme.
Interviewer: Did you go back to school or start working?
44
�Yeah, I started to work, and had some great experiences at work, ended going back, at
age thirty-five, to get a college degree with a family and a full time job, not the best way
to do it, but all of a sudden that finally became beneficial to me, it was fun to do, it was a
huge struggle, but it was an enormous satisfaction of the accomplishment because I was
ready to interact and all. 37:18 Of course, being a little older I could relate different
things, even though I felt funny with a largely standard college crowd, like they would
look like, “What are you doing here, old man?” You could relate to the professor in
much more of a life experience way, and that made it a rich time.
Interviewer: Where did you go to college?
Toledo University, as a matter of fact.
Interviewer: What kind of work had you been doing before you went to college?
I worked with the phone company. I became the district manager in four states over
hotels, with the Howard Johnson Company, back in their heyday, in the seventies.
Through a variety of things that occurred, I was going into college work, but I was
redirected to be the business manager, administrator is what I think they called me, of an
extremely large church and Christian school in Toledo in 1982. 38:23 they had a staff
of eight guys, and they needed somebody to head up the finance group, their
maintenance, their printers, their computers, the school, all the personnel, all the human
resources type thing, and all this and that, so the pastors could do their functions in a
spiritual way, and so, I guess that sounds like I did the unspiritual part, huh? So, I did
that for eight years, and then I was invited to Cornerstone University in 1990, and came
here to Grand Rapids for that. 38:59 I came as the director of estate planning, a totally
different field than what I had been in.
45
�Interviewer: Then do you also have a connection with the Salvation Army, is it?
No, I’m with the Salvation Army, doing essentially that work of—they have given me the
title of Planned Giving Director, of the division, Western Michigan, and Northern Indiana
Division, and it’s essentially estate planning work, but it’s raising deferred funds for the
Salvation Army, is what it is, Jim.
Interviewer: You wound up working for various religious organizations, or
institutions, was faith or spirituality part of your life back when you were out there
in Vietnam?
Absolutely not—it’s interesting—when, back when that came to me—came to, then
started rolling on the ground, I remember the machine gunner flying off to the side and
out of the way, me rolling over behind the stump, and I rolled back over. I thought, “I’m
ok, I went to church when I was young”, and my mother was always took me there.
40:10 My father died when I was about nine years old, and my mom raised me the rest
of the way, and she always took me to church. I thought, “ok, I know there’s a God, I’m
just going to pray to him”, but as soon as I started to pray I stopped because I thought, “I
don’t know God”. I went through all of Vietnam without any direct relations, if you
would call it that, with God. But, an unbelievable peace, strange in one sense, but I felt
comfortable, and as I said, I got a grenade would, I got shrapnel wounds, and I still got
some shrapnel in me. 41:07
I remember recruits saying, “One firefight, you were
dynamic. We never would have made it without your being so solid, and such under
fire”. We were off on the flank in one firefight. There was an enemy, some enemy
behind us we didn’t know about, and their tracers were white—tracers were coming right
over my head, but I didn’t know it, and I never told them I had no idea—I made them
46
�think I was really good, you know, and really tough. But, through all those things, many
close encounters, and obviously being shot in the head, just inch and I wouldn’t be here
talking with you, I know. Extraordinary situations, I went through all that without a faith,
one that I could identify, ok? 42:07
Interviewer: Now, if you had to look back over that whole experience in the
military, you’ve addressed parts of this already, but how would you say all of the
affected you or changed you? Were you different at all when you came out, or did
you know more when you came out than when you went in?
Know more about what?
Interviewer: Well, either yourself or the world around you in the one way, or do
you think you were a different person than you were when you went in?
I think, at least through the early nineties, I did a magnificent job of compartmentalizing
everything up to that point in time. I had a compartment of my association with the war,
and all that it did to me, and I locked the door and kept it in that little corner of my mind,
ok? 43:06 So, I functioned as a normal person, what you call normal, productive
person, let me put it that way, in society. I established a family, a good group of friends,
I was doing good work, both in the secular environment as well as a full time Christian
vocational environment, felt very satisfied until I was discovered in the early nineties,
and it has been, frankly, very hard since then until now. A lot of things have come back,
and that’s what I have trouble dealing with. 44:07 All of a sudden that door unlocked,
and I don’t know who got the key to unlock it, but it’s not been a fun ride. In the sense
that during the time that I was able to lock that door, and people close to me found out I
was a drill sergeant, they would say, “you’re not the kind of guy to ever be a drill
47
�sergeant”, they couldn’t picture me, but that was the way I was coming across to them.
The last few years have been real hard relationally. When people—I’m still married, it
didn’t cause a divorce, it certainly caused pressures. My wife didn’t understand, and
doesn’t to this day, not fully. She accepts some things, but she doesn’t understand.
45:01 I’m not faulting her for that, she just can’t. I’ve had a couple reunions, many
ones in southern Michigan, with some of the guys that I served with. I’ve had a couple
larger ones in Washington D.C., including an interesting reunion with that General,
which is, of course, emotional by itself, though I didn’t show it, it was, inside, very
emotional. Coming up to those reunions, I dreaded them, going to them, to the point that
I would even be late for the start time of those reunions. Yet, after I went to them I felt
encouraged because I got to share with other guys that went through some of the same
garbage. 45:58 You hear all sorts of different stories, and, of course, some of them it’s
everybody’s perspective, so I take it all with a grain of salt, but I still struggle profusely.
I just missed one in July, and I’ll miss one in D.C., probably in November, because I just
can’t face up to it. The General has invited me to it. He still has great connections and
we get to go to the Vietnam Center, it’s around Veterans Day, there’s a wall ceremony
and we get special front row seats, and recognized, and we can go to the wreath laying
ceremony, by the President, and he really treats us right and all that, but in spite of all that
good stuff, it’s still just really hard to deal with.
Interviewer: Well, given that, I would like to close and thank you for coming and
giving your time to tell me your story. You’ve done a good job and there’s a lot here
that people are going to learn from. Thank you very much. 47:05
Thank you, Jim.
48
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
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Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
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Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
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RHC-27
Language
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eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Dorsey, Richard (Interview transcript and video), 2010
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dorsey, Richard
Description
An account of the resource
Richard Dorsey was born in 1946 in Gary, Indiana. After graduating from high school and briefly attending college, Dorsey attempted to the join the Air Force, who denied him because of a bad knee, although the Army eventually drafted him. Following basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas and advanced training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Dorsey deployed to Vietnam in 1968 and was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division near the DMZ. After several months, the division moved south to an area near the Cambodian border and stayed there for the rest of his tour. Dorsey's company saw a lot of combat, and due to combat losses and troop rotation, he became a radio operator, and eventually his company commander's radio operator. After his tour, he served as a drill instructor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James (Interviewer)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
United States. Army
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
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Moving Image
Text
Relation
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Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
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2010-09-23
Identifier
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DorseyR
Source
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<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
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application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
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Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3b64fab5c2c59382ccace774efd51c68.mp4
a36394a28c0f0c151513341bdea715b0
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/49759ed0e37a3fce2144a8de4c0833b5.pdf
1beadcf4de4666249c86759d55cde22c
PDF Text
Text
Grand Valley State University
Veterans History Project
Vietnam War
Edward Dorstewitz
Interview Length: (00:49:47:00)
Interview conducted with Dorstewitz’s wife, Peggy
Pre-enlistment / Training (00:00:59:00)
Dorstewitz grew up in Coloma, Michigan and as far his wife knows, none of his family
members ever served in the military (00:00:59:00)
After graduating from Coloma High School, Dorstewitz attending Ferris State University,
opting to go to classes year-round, so he would finish early (00:01:42:00)
o Dorstewitz’s deferment lasted until late spring/early summer but because
Dorstewitz finished in January, he received his draft notice in January; however,
the Army gave Dorstewitz the option to wait, so although he was drafted in
January, Dorstewitz did not actually report until April (00:01:54:00)
o In the manner that Dorstewitz entered the military, it appeared he had enlisted
instead of having been drafted; therefore, Dorstewitz appeared to be a volunteer
as opposed to a draftee (00:02:33:00)
Dorstewitz served from April 1969 until November 1970, having received an early-out
because he chose to re-up and stay in Vietnam longer, which was a difficult decision;
however, in return for staying longer in Vietnam, when Dorstewitz came home, he was
discharged and did not have to receive an assignment in the United States (00:02:48:00)
o A typical deployment lasted twelve months but Dorstewitz’s lasted eighteen so he
could come home and immediately receive his discharge (00:03:16:00)
Dorstewitz went through basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky (00:03:28:00)
o Dorstewitz spoke of tests that all the soldiers had to take and he ended up going
into the infantry, although he ended up becoming a specialist within the infantry,
scoring high on his marksmanship tests; eventually, Dorstewitz received the
designation of being a mortarman (00:03:41:00)
Dorstewitz started his training in April and deployed to Vietnam in November but there
was a period of roughly a month where Dorstewitz was “in flux” and he spent the month
at Fort Lewis, Washington before actually shipping out (00:04:09:00)
When Dorstewitz deployed, he and the other soldiers deploying with him flew to
Vietnam; the flight took Dorstewitz and the other soldiers from Seattle to Anchorage,
Alaska, then to Hong Kong, and finally into Vietnam (00:04:33:00)
o Within the larger group of soldiers who Dorstewitz deployed with, there were a
couple of smaller groups of soldiers who deployed as a group but the majority
trickled off and went individually (00:06:03:00)
Deployment (00:06:12:00)
Once in Vietnam, Dorstewitz stayed with the same group of soldiers for the entire regular
part of his tour but when he chose to re-up, Dorstewitz left the group (00:06:12:00)
�
Dorstewitz arrived in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam and from there, went to Nam Penh, which
was where his unit was located (00:06:35:00)
o When Dorstewitz first joined unit, the unit was performing what Dorstewitz
described as “beating the brush”; the soldiers would be sent out on patrols in order
to find and engage the enemy (00:06:57:00)
Eventually, Dorstewitz received an assignment as a driver (00:07:16:00)
When the soldiers went out on a patrol, they would usually go out for the
day before setting up a position to spend the night; the positions would be
ringed with claymore mines and wire, with the soldiers inside and the next
day, the soldiers would take everything down and move on (00:07:25:00)
o The first assignment Dorstewitz’s unit had was patrolling along Highway 1 both
to make sure the highway stayed clear of the enemy and to maintain a military
presence along the highway (00:07:45:00)
o Overall, Dorstewitz’s unit did not have a lot of contact with the enemy, although
every now and then, there were some engagements (00:08:11:00)
o The soldiers searched for mines and Dorstewitz sent home photographs and letters
discussing how the soldiers took turns go out in front of the unit (00:08:16:00)
Dorstewitz’s unit had some Vietnamese defectors from the Viet Cong who
worked with the soldiers and knew what to look for; the defectors would
often walk ahead of the unit to look for the mines (00:08:25:00)
o Dorstewitz’s unit did not engage a lot of the enemy; when the unit was on the
highway, the enemy tended to stay away (00:08:55:00)
Apart from the Vietnamese defectors, later on, when Dorstewitz’s unit was camped
outside of Cambodia and would perform missions within Cambodia at night, the soldiers
worked with local Montagnard tribesmen (00:09:43:00)
In terms of the regular Vietnamese population, Dorstewitz believed that they were an
incredibly patient people, a fact which amazed him (00:10:33:00)
o The Vietnamese people who Dorstewitz ended up encountering were nice,
friendly, and kind towards him (00:10:55:00)
o As well, Dorstewitz really admired the Montagnards, who Dorstewitz felt were
incredible (00:11:04:00)
o Soldiers in Dorstewitz’s unit tended to not go into villages alone because the unit
was either in the bush or in camp; the soldiers did find enemy camps but every
time, the camps were empty (00:11:23:00)
There was always evidence of the enemy within the empty camps and
some times, the soldiers arrived just after the enemy had left; there would
be paperwork and other materials lying around to show that the enemy had
just left the camp (00:11:45:00)
From time to time, Dorstewitz’s unit would engage the enemy, especially if the unit was
out on a patrol and had set up in a position; the enemy tended to not bother the unit when
the unit was on the move but when the unit set up in a position, then the enemy would
engage them (00:12:05:00)
o When the enemy did engage, the soldiers would fire their weapons as well as try
to fire mortars and once the fighting was over, the soldiers would advance out in
order to overtake and capture any wounded enemy soldiers (00:12:20:00)
�
o At one point, while Dorstewitz’s unit was patrol along the highway, another unit
became involved in an engagement with the enemy, there were bodies left over
and Dorstewitz’s unit had to take care of the bodies (00:12:38:00)
The unit would spend weeks at a time in the field, although sometimes, it was longer,
maybe a month or more, to the point that the soldiers’ clothes would begin rotting off
their bodies (00:13:09:00)
o Eventually, the soldiers would be brought back into a base camp, which tended to
have modern amenities, including movie theaters; Dorstewitz thought it was neat
that one of the camps even had a “steakhouse” (00:13:22:00)
o On two separate occasions, when the unit came back into a base camp, Dorstewitz
and several other soldiers stayed in a structure they had built out of sandbags and
ammo boxes that had a rudimentary roof over it; typically, between seven and
nine soldiers stayed within the bunker (00:14:02:00)
Those soldiers were the group who Dorstewitz spent most of his time with
and at one point, he sent home a picture of the group to his mother; in the
picture, it was Christmas Eve and even though the soldiers were raggedy
looking, they had still set up a small Christmas tree (00:14:25:00)
In the picture, a couple of soldiers looked gaunt and raggedy while a
couple of other soldiers looked plump and fresh; according to Dorstewitz,
the later couple of soldiers were the replacements who had just arrived in
the unit and it still had not sunk in yet as to where they were and what they
were doing (00:15:04:00)
Whenever it was a replacement’s turn to stand watch, the older
soldiers did not allow the replacement to stand watch alone
because the replacement did not quite get what exactly they needed
to do (00:15:30:00)
Dorstewitz had his twenty-first birthday while he was in Vietnam and most of the other
soldiers in his group were of similar ages, although there were a couple who were older,
around twenty-four (00:16:01:00)
On one occasion, the soldiers felt that they were in a relatively stable area, so as they set
up their claymores and wire for the perimeter, Dorstewitz decided to take his boots off
because he had not had them off in weeks (00:16:40:00)
o Dorstewitz set up a cot and placed the boots underneath the cot; at some point, an
explosion blew Dorstewitz out of the cot, inflicting him a fairly large number of
shrapnel wounds (00:17:01:00)
Even for several years after Dorstewitz met his wife, pieces of shrapnel
would work their way to the surface, so Dorstewitz had to take a pair of
tweezers and pull the metal out (00:17:24:00)
o According to Dorstewitz, as soon as an enemy attack began, the mortarmen would
begin firing mortars, although it seemed like an eternity between the time the
mortars were fired until they impacted (00:17:55:00)
However, as soon as the first rounds landed, the enemy would disperse
because there was no cover from the impacting rounds (00:18:10:00)
The mortarmen’s goal was to lay down rounds as quick as they
could all around the perimeter; if there was firing in between, the
mortarmen would then adjust their fire accordingly (00:18:19:00)
�
During another encounter, the unit had set up in an a not-terrible good area but a general
was coming out to inspect the soldiers (00:18:55:00)
o The general came out by helicopter but the activity alerted the enemy that there
were soldiers in the area, so the enemy began firing at the soldiers (00:19:04:00)
o Everyone else frozen but Dorstewitz began running because the soldiers needed to
fire something; Dorstewitz was so low to the ground that he ended up hitting the
ankle of a soldier who was going with other way with his shoulder (00:19:22:00)
o Once at his mortar, Dorstewitz needed to get onto his knees to fire and although
the mortar was in an exposed area, Dorstewitz did the job anyway (00:19:55:00)
Dorstewitz always felt he had a weird kind of lucky because this and
several other times, he could have been wounded (00:20:12:00)
o Dorstewitz keep firing the mortar and once the rounds began to impact, he was
able to adjust his fire (00:20:22:00)
Whenever he communicated in letters home, Dorstewitz would just tell everyone that he
was fine, nothing was wrong, and to not worry about him (00:20:57:00)
o Dorstewitz’s wife has read some of the letters and it is difficult to comprehend
what Dorstewitz’s mother had been going through; Dorstewitz was the youngest
and she had to wait for letters that did not always come on time (00:21:20:00)
o Overall, most of the time, Dorstewitz was just trying to not make anyone worry
about him (00:21:42:00)
Dorstewitz also called home a couple of times using the MARS system; the soldiers did
not get to choose when they could call but put their names on a list (00:21:59:00)
o Dorstewitz was also supposed to be able to call home when he went on R&R but,
although the Army kept telling him he would be able to go, Dorstewitz never
went on an R&R (00:22:29:00)
Dorstewitz’s parents wanted Dorstewitz to try to get R&R to Hawaii and
their goal was to fly to Hawaii and see him; however, Dorstewitz reasoned
that would be difficult, so he instead put in a request for R&R in Hong
Kong, which someone had told his was cool (00:22:42:00)
However, the Army kept putting him off, so Dorstewitz finally put in a
request for Australia and received the R&R about a month before he was
scheduled to go home (00:23:02:00)
o In letters home, Dorstewitz wrote about all the letters and packages he received
from home, both from his family and friends of his mother (00:23:43:00)
In her Christmas package, Dorstewitz’s mother sent a wreath, a small
Christmas tree, and several other items (00:24:05:00)
Dorstewitz would also mention how every now and then, a soldier would
get down, but most because the soldier was homesick (00:24:27:00)
When Dorstewitz received his discharge in November, he was able to make it home in
time for Thanksgiving (00:24:44:00)
o During the last few months, Dorstewitz’s letters home showed he was beginning
to get nervous and Dorstewitz would say that it was really scary to be a shorttimer because that was when a lot of soldiers let their guard down (00:25:01:00)
However, Dorstewitz eventually began making plans for all the things he
was going to do once he finally got home, including traveling to Europe
with some of the other soldiers in the platoon (00:25:25:00)
�
o When Dorstewitz arrived back in the United States, he visited a friend from the
platoon who lived in San Francisco, which upset Dorstewitz’s parents, who
wanted him to come straight home (00:25:41:00)
Around the time he received his shrapnel wounds, Dorstewitz also received significant
hearing loss and while recovering from the shrapnel wounds, Dorstewitz did some
hearing tests and the doctor said his hear loss was profound and they recommended he
not be in an area with noise (00:26:04:00)
o However, it was a difficult recommendation for Dorstewitz because he was a
mortarman; instead, Dorstewitz was moved to a different platoon (00:26:28:00)
o Not only was Dorstewitz disappointed about losing his chance to see his friends
but he also lost an upcoming promotion to be a sergeant, which he would only
have received if he continued working as a mortarman (00:26:33:00)
o The mortarmen did not use any hearing protection and most times, the soldiers did
not even wear their helmets, which tended to be in the way (00:27:08:00)
According to Dorstewitz, the soldiers had pretty free access to marijuana and beer; in a
letter home, Dorstewitz wrote that the three things the soldiers had to drink were: soda,
water, and beer, although if a soldier appeared either drunk, hung over, or high, then there
were consequences (00:27:30:00)
When he left Vietnam, Dorstewitz returned via Fort Lewis (00:28:21:00)
o When he returned, Dorstewitz did not have much trouble with protestors at the
airport when he arrived (00:28:34:00)
Post-Military Live / Reflections (00:28:45:00)
Dorstewitz was from a small town and just by talking with him, one could not have
guessed that he had served in the military; for a lot of the time that Dorstewitz and his
wife were married, his wife got the impression that Dorstewitz felt he was lucky but that
he owed a lot because he had made it through but a lot of guys did not (00:28:45:00)
o Nevertheless, the experience still affected Dorstewitz and caused him to have
several variables, such as not having guns in the house and not going camping;
when Dorstewitz’s wife asked why he did not want to go camping, Dorstewitz
said that the last time he had camped, people were shooting at him (00:29:30:00)
o Another quirk Dorstewitz picked up was that he could not sleep in a room where
his head was near a window; Dorstewitz and his wife did not talk about it but it
reached the point where whenever they would go to a place, she would look to
make sure everything was set (00:30:47:00)
Even before he met his wife, Dorstewitz knew he was sick, although he did not know
what exactly from (00:31:32:00)
Growing up, Dorstewitz’s father had owned a business and all Dorstewitz wanted to do
was work with his father; therefore, when Dorstewitz went to college, he took courses
that would best serve him at the business, which made drafting supplies (00:31:44:00)
o However, when Dorstewitz left school, he was drafted, so the plan for working
with his father got put to the wayside (00:32:10:00)
o Initially, Dorstewitz’s brother was not interested in working at the business but
while Dorstewitz was in the military, his brother married and began working in
the business; thus, when Dorstewitz came home, there was no place in the
business for him (00:32:15:00)
�
Although their father tried to arrange it so both brothers could work in the
shop, it did not work out and because the older brother had already been
working there, he stayed in the job (00:32:31:00)
When Dorstewitz’s wife met him, he was working as a bouncer at a bar (00:32:47:00)
o Soon after the two met, Dorstewitz began looking for another job, although his
criteria confused his wife, although he eventually explained that he was looking
for the job with the best medical insurance (00:33:05:00)
o Not long after, Dorstewitz began presenting symptoms of Hodgkin’s disease,
which was always there; however, the disease in a way made the couple’s lives
better because they never took one day for granted (00:33:31:00)
When Dorstewitz was older, his brother started his own business and Dorstewitz’s father
asked him to come back to the business and Dorstewitz and his wife eventually ended up
purchasing the business (00:34:26:00)
While Dorstewitz’s unit had been patrolling along Highway 1, most of the area had been
deforested from “Agent Orange”, although the soldiers did not it (00:34:49:00)
o When Dorstewitz got sick, his family did not even know about “Agent Orange”
then either, although there was always a suspicion because even before his tour
ended, Dorstewitz was sick, having lost fifty pounds of weight (00:35:00:00)
When his symptoms started, Dorstewitz initially went to a local doctor before going to
the University of Michigan to undergo tests to determine the stage of the disease and
what treatment to use, which in Dorstewitz’s case was radiation (00:36:22:00)
o Dorstewitz finished radiation in August and in November, went to the V.A.; when
he initially came home, Dorstewitz went to the V.A., who said he had nothing
wrong with him, but this time, he had a definitive diagnosis (00:36:52:00)
o However, the V.A. said that although Dorstewitz had a Hodgkin’s diagnosis, there
was no correlation to Dorstewitz’s time in the service (00:37:42:00)
o Nevertheless, in 1979, the V.A. came out and reported that Hodgkin’s disease
could be caused by “Agent Orange” (00:38:01:00)
o Dorstewitz’s symptoms eventually reappeared and in 2003, while he was in the
hospital, Dorstewitz tried to have his case re-opened at the V.A. but they denied
him again (00:38:43:00)
After Dorstewitz passed away, his wife decided to apply again and after two years of
nearly constant work, Dorstewitz’s wife asked for a hearing, went to Detroit, and the
V.A. finally correlated Dorstewitz’s Hodgkin’s disease to “Agent Orange” (00:39:39:00)
o While Dorstewitz’s wife was waiting at an American Legion hall, a man from the
V.A. came over and said that he was going to walk Dorstewitz’s case through
because he should have never been denied (00:41:55:00)
As long as Dorstewitz’s wife knew him, Dorstewitz did not communicate with anyone
who he had served with, although she did come across a not book with address of some
of the soldiers (00:45:32:00)
o Nevertheless, when he initially returned home, Dorstewitz did receive some
letters from former comrades and he did end up hitch-hiking across Europe with
the soldier who lived in San Francisco (00:45:46:00)
When the duo reached Amsterdam, the other soldier met a lady, so
Dorstewitz continued the tour by himself (00:46:01:00)
When Dorstewitz passed away, he received a full military burial (00:46:32:00)
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Veterans History Project
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Grand Valley State University. History Department
Description
An account of the resource
The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
1914-
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Subject
The topic of the resource
Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American
Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American
Michigan--History, Military
Oral history
Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American
United States--History, Military
United States. Air Force
United States. Army
United States. Navy
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Smither, James
Boring, Frank
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-27
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a>
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dorstewitz, Peggy (Interview outline and video), 2010
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dorstewitz, Edward
Dorstewitz, Peggy
Description
An account of the resource
Interview with Peggy Dorstewitz about her husband Edward Dorstewitz. Edward grew up in Coloma, Michigan and after graduating from high school, attending Ferris State University, going year-round so he could finish his studies early. After completing his degree, Dorstewitz received his draft notification and went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for his training. Once he completed his training, Dorstewitz deployed to Vietnam and joined a unit patrolling along Highway 1, where he stayed for the remainder of his tour. Much later, after Dorstewitz had returned home, he became sick and it was eventually determined that his sickness resulted from contact with the chemical "Agent Orange".
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Massa, Richard (Interviewer)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States--History, Military
Michigan--History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
United States. Army
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Relation
A related resource
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2010-05-02
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DorstewitzE
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
video/mp4
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e0ab5950cbfc6d1342ad191c0c99d683.jpg
20eb4cb6233bc96222c86aa2afc90f8f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Decorated Publishers' Bindings
Subject
The topic of the resource
Book covers
Covers (Illustration)
Graphic arts
Publishers and publishing
Pictorial bindings
Description
An account of the resource
From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Seidman Rare Books Collection
Michigan Novels Collection
Regional Historical Collection
Lincoln and the Civil War Collection
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-08-30
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpg
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DC-01
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Source
Seidman Rare Books. PS3533.U53 D68 1906
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DC-01_Bindings0162
Title
A name given to the resource
Double Trouble, or, Every Hero His Own Villain
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Richardson, Rome (Designer)
Description
An account of the resource
Binding of Double Trouble, or, Every Hero His Own Villain, by Herbert Quick, published by Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1906.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Book covers
Covers (Illustration)
Graphic arts
Publishers and publishing
Pictorial bindings
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
image/jpeg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1906
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives