404 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/688540ee669b59031e5a329b2e0c5423.m4v d3e94411bc53105aa809998a6a934e7f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/02ca557c6609c6175c831a38f7d0c02f.pdf eeb3d8d3bb74a019091561a3a3b6306f PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Willard Van Essen Korean War 1 hour 21 seconds (00:00:11) Early Life -Born in 1927 in Nobles County, Minnesota -Part of a family of 11 people -Father had a 640-acre farm -Lost it in the Great Depression, but was able to work to get it back -Had dairy cows, steer, pigs, and chickens -Had three silos -Very active farm -One of the best in the community at the time -Their primary crop was corn, but they also grew wheat, oats, and flax -Able to stay on the farm and keep their animals during the Depression -A man from Iowa bought the farm and allowed them to stay and work on it (00:03:00) World War II -He was 14 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor -Family was in church when an Elder announced that Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor -Held a long prayer and everyone went home early -He was the youngest of four boys -They all talked about enlisting, but his father told them to wait and get drafted -Oldest two boys were drafted shortly after Pearl Harbor -One served in the Army in the European Theatre -He marched in General Patton’s funeral -Other brother was a Navy pilot stationed at Guam -Possibly shot down three or four Japanese fighter planes -Made Chief of Police on Guam due to health problems with flying -Brothers came home and worked on the farm (00:06:33) Calvin College -Wanted to go to college -Saw an advertisement to get his GED through the American School of Correspondence -Went to Minneapolis to take the test, but had trouble with algebra -Contacted Calvin College, because he wanted to study there since he was Christian Reformed -Had to prove he was serious because he hadn’t gone to high school -Had spent his teen years helping the farm transition from horses to tractors -Invited to visit Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan -A dean interviewed him and told Willard he would give him a chance -Took four courses as a trial period and proved he could handle college -Paid $65 a semester �-Didn’t have any problems adjusting to college -Wanted to be a teacher, so he had to take two foreign languages -Studied Spanish and took three years of Greek -Having Greek would allow to go into the ministry if he so chose -Wanted to be an elementary teacher -Ultimately graduated from Calvin College with a teaching degree (00:12:28) Teaching & Getting Drafted -Got a job at East Martin Christian School in Martin, Michigan -Taught there for a year -He received his draft notice -Had taught grades 6th – 8th and was also the principal (00:14:08) Army Reserve Pt. 1 -After his draft enlistment, he joined the Army Reserve, recommended by lieutenant -Paid for his studies at Michigan State University -Due to prior teaching experience, he was made the professor of one of his classes -Allowed the original professor to return to the University of Kansas -Worked out well for him -Also took courses through the University of Michigan -Offered a chance to become part of the staff at MSU, but declined -Completed his doctorate in communication and cultures (00:17:58) Basic Training -Got drafted in 1951 -Sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for his basic training -Went there by train -Had two sergeants overseeing the recruits and they were drunk the whole time -Got stuck in Memphis for three days -Group of recruits walked to a nearby diner to get food -Owner refused to serve the black recruit in the group -A recruit grabbed the owner and told him he would serve everyone -After three days, they finally proceeded to Augusta, Georgia -Received accelerated training because the Army needed soldiers for the Korean War -Did an infiltration course at day and at night -Crawling under barbed wire while live machinegun rounds were fired overhead -Went on a 30-mile hike -Physical training -Received rifle and bazooka training -Did a lot of marching and always marched with a rifle and various necessities -Watched all the instruction videos provided by the Army (00:23:37) Assignment to Records Department at Fort Gordon -Offered an officer’s commission several times, but he declined -Pulled aside the day before his unit went to Korea and told to report to a sergeant in records -Interviewed and told he could take over as the sergeant of records at Fort Gordon -Allowed it so that his wife could join him, so he took the job �-The next day, his company shipped out to Korea (00:26:08) Stationed at Fort Gordon -Started his duty as records sergeant greeting new recruits coming into Fort Gordon -Three weeks later, he received the dog tags of the men from his company killed in action -As soon as they got to Korea they were sent to the frontline -The men killed had fought and died at the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge -When his wife arrived at Fort Gordon, she got them a room in town -Willard went to eat dinner and stay with her -In the middle of the night, Military Police showed up at the room -Demanded proof that they were indeed a married couple -Fortunately, his wife had brought her marriage license with her -She had aspired to be a doctor, but her father forbade it due to traditionalism -Instead, she became a medical technician at Butterworth Hospital -She was able to get a job at Augusta University -Taught medical students there for three years until Willard’s discharge -She was firm and commanded the respect of her students -His job involved handling the records of incoming recruits -Had eight men working for him -Sorted recruits into training companies for basic training -Gave the recruits lectures about Fort Gordon, what to expect, and specialized training -Military Police Training, Radio Training, or Infantry Training -Sorted recruits into that training based on interest and prior experience -They didn’t have a choice, but their input was considered (00:35:18) Filling Deployment Orders -Filled deployment orders for the Korean War, stations in Alaska, and in France -Majority of the new recruits went to Korea -He had to make that call and never took it lightly -His lieutenant colonel gave him moral support for those tough decisions -Had a new graduating class every week -Because of the influx of recruits, he got ten more soldiers to help him -Several factors determined where a soldier would be deployed -Most of the men didn’t have a college education, so that was determinate -Were they married? Have families? Were they fit enough for combat? -Talked with company commanders about recommendations for their troops -Received a commendation for the record work he did at Fort Gordon -Stationed at Fort Gordon until he was discharged (00:39:09) Segregation & Race Relations -Hadn’t experienced or witnessed segregation until he came to the South -Ordered Army bus drivers to take black recruits -Felt they shouldn’t be discriminated against, especially since they were in the Army -Unfortunately, he had no power over civilian bus drivers in that regard -Wife saw discrimination at the hospital in Augusta -Some soldiers were afraid of segregation, and many Northerners didn’t understand it �-Had a couple black recruits from the North -Got recruits from the Midwest who had never seen a black person before -He never witnessed any racial tensions in the Army (00:42:53) Specialized Training at Fort Gordon -Had an excellent Radio School at Fort Gordon -After his service, a man approached him and asked Willard if he’d been at Fort Gordon -Thanked Willard for assigning him to Radio School -This man had been able to get a civilian job due to that experience -The Radio School at Fort Gordon was surrounded by barbed wire -Nobody could get in without security clearance -He was allowed to go in to interview soldiers -Asking if they felt Radio School was a good fit for them -Tried to reassign soldiers who wanted to be Military Police or Infantry -The instructors stayed with their own groups of trainees -There were four sections of the Radio School -Had pole linemen who were trained how to climb poles and work on radio lines (00:45:50) Relations with Other Soldiers -He didn’t want to make friends with any of the recruits -Couldn’t get attached to them if they were going into a warzone -Befriended some of the instructors -Organized volleyball teams (00:47:02) Contact with Civilians -Had no problems with the civilians in Augusta -Instructed not to wear uniform in downtown Augusta -Didn’t want to create a gap between civilians and military personnel (00:47:50) Army Reserve Pt. 2 & Life after Service Pt. 1 -Always felt indebted to the 1st lieutenant who recognized his good work and gave him advice -Advised him to join the Army Reserve and take advantage of all available benefits -For example, the GI Bill paid for his master’s degree and majority of doctorate -Stayed in the Army Reserve for eight years -Once a month, he would go to Battle Creek or Houghton, Michigan for a weekend of training -Once he got a teaching job, he didn’t have to go on active duty -Got a job at West Side Christian School in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Offered a job at Sylvan Christian School also in Grand Rapids -Worked there for 38 years -Did well with that job -Graduated 4,200 students -Taught classes at Grand Valley State University, Michigan State, and Calvin College -Preparing students for student teaching (00:50:57) Reflections on Service -Led a very secluded life until he joined the Army -Made him more independent and capable of making his own decisions �(00:51:50) Life after Service Pt. 2 -Got into a severe car accident with his wife near Louisville in 1999 -Taken by aero med to a nearby hospital where his wife died shortly thereafter -Sons came to the hospital -Family decided not to see her before she was cremated -Wanted to remember her alive, not as a corpse -Plans on being cremated and buried with her ashes -One son is in the Army and, as of the interview, is a captain being promoted to major -One son is a dentist, and a captain in the Army -Granddaughter is a Judge Advocate General (JAG; judicial division of the military) -A grandson served a tour in Afghanistan and graduated from West Point -Served as a company commander -His children and grandchildren chose the Army to help pay for their college education -Another grandson is studying at Michigan Tech to become a doctor � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_VanEssenW2092V Title A name given to the resource VanEssen, Willard (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-01-12 Description An account of the resource Willard Van Essen was born in Nobles County, Minnesota, in 1927. He was drafted in 1951 and received his basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. At the end of basic training, he was selected to become the new sergeant in charge of the records department at Fort Gordon. During his time at Fort Gordon he processed incoming recruits, sorted recruits into training companies, sorted them into specialized training (radio, military police, or infantry) and ultimately decided where men were sent for their deployments. Many of the men had to be sent to fight in Korea. He was discharged from the Army in 1954, but served in the Army Reserve for an additional eight years going to drill at Battle Creek and Houghton, Michigan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource VanEssen, Willard 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 Veterans Video recordings Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fa4cb048ca5960295bc1128842dfe817.m4v 6e5954bd6b3d83dbf3084bf8619d4ced https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/835ede6e82c1bcd3128b50232a958032.pdf 1dd42c2bbba6b986a1888517e9c85291 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Vernon Swim Cold War; Vietnam War 23 minutes 56 seconds *Note: Times in outline correspond with timecode on tape (00:59:21) Early Life & Becoming a Chaplain -Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1935 -Entered the Army as a chaplain in 1962 -Army chaplain came to his church during his senior year of high school -Inspired Vernon to enlist in the Army as a chaplain -Had to complete college, seminary, and do two years of ministry before that -Going into the chaplaincy was something new for his denomination -Completed seminary in 1961 -Had to wait to be called into the chaplaincy by the Army -Pastored at a church in Orangevale, California, for a year -Army contacted him and said there was a spot open if he wanted to become a chaplain -Asked his superintendent for permission, and it was granted (01:03:00) Training & First Assignment in South Korea -Sent to Fort Slocum, New York, for the basic chaplain’s course -Originally assigned to the Presidio of San Francisco -Orders were changed for South Korea -Stationed in Korea from 1964 to early 1965 -Part of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division as the brigade chaplain -Very close to the demilitarized zone -Started off with 2nd battalion (an armored unit) before becoming the brigade chaplain (01:05:01) Stationed at Fort Carson -After his tour in Korea, he was assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado -Easy transition, and happy to be back in the United States -Became the artillery chaplain at Fort Carson -Learned about the 105mm, 155mm, and 8 in. howitzers (01:06:44) Stationed at 98th General Hospital, West Germany -Next assignment was in West Germany -Able to go to West Germany with his wife -They’d met at Fort Carson because she was an Army nurse -Got married so they could go to Germany together -Assigned to the 98th General Hospital as the hospital chaplain for three years -Worked with his wife in the hospital -There was a train that stopped next to the hospital and went to other Army hospitals -Way to evacuate wounded personnel in the event of a Soviet invasion �(01:08:26) Tour in Vietnam – Long Binh Jail -During his tour in Vietnam, he was assigned to the Long Binh Jail -Held American soldiers serving time in Vietnam -Half of the prisoners were white, and half of the prisoners were black -Led to some racial tensions in the jail -Moved into the new prison facilities during his time there -Had a very nice chapel -Always packed with prisoners for Sunday services -Most likely because the chapel had eight air conditioners -Noticed some of the prisoners had musical talent -Brought some instruments to the prison so the prisoners could play during services -His chaplain’s assistant was an excellent guitarist -Played music for the prisoners -Therapeutic, especially for the soldiers in solitary confinement -Army learned that the chaplain’s assistant was planning on writing an article about Long Binh -Led to the soldier being reassigned, but the article still got published -Didn’t cause Vernon any problems (01:13:00) Family Counselling Pt. 1 -After Vietnam, he was sent to the American Institute of Family Relations -Sent there to get his master’s degree in marriage and family therapy -One Catholic priest decided to leave the priesthood and get married -Went there around the end of the Vietnam War -Army needed counsellors to help with family conflicts after soldiers returned from deployments -Women had become independent which shocked the men after they came home (01:15:35) Stationed at Fort Lee -Assigned to Fort Lee, Virginia -Worked in the main post chapel -Specialized in family counselling and marriage therapy -Pre-marriage counselling and divorce counselling -Did some work with an in-patient drug and alcohol abuse program -Held parenting classes -Those were especially popular and he always had a waiting list (01:16:35) Family Counselling Pt. 2 -His experience with family counselling helped him later in his career -Stationed at Walter Reed Hospital, but lacked clinical pastoral education -Note: CPE is for chaplains that plan on serving in hospitals -Family counselling counted as a strong substitute -Made the chief of the department at Walter Reed -Had other personnel to help him, too -While at the 98th General Hospital the Army was experimenting with CPE -Had a pilot program -Chaplains working with medical staff from other hospitals �(01:18:37) Stationed at Berchtesgaden, West Germany -Ultimately did 24 years of active duty -Had good assignments throughout his career -One of his best assignments was in Europe -Personnel staff from the chief of chaplains told Vernon he would be assigned to Europe -Vernon had wanted to be assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia -Told Vernon he would be assigned to the retreat center in Berchtesgaden -Berchtesgaden was a great assignment at a beautiful location -Coveted position with at least 50 chaplains requesting it each year -Never worked harder than during that assignment -Every denomination came to Berchtesgaden for their retreats -Best musicians, clergy, etc. from the chaplaincy -Baptized his oldest child in Berchtesgaden (01:21:52) Reflections on Service -Glad he was in the Army chaplaincy when he was in it -Has heard rumors that the Army has become more restrictive with the chaplaincy -Loves the chaplaincy as a form of ministry (prison, hospital, police, industrial, etc.) -Loved being in the Army chaplaincy � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SwimV2073V Title A name given to the resource Swim, Vernon G (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-26 Description An account of the resource Vernon Swim was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1935. He entered the Army chaplaincy in 1962 and completed his basic chaplain's course at Fort Slocum, New York. His first assignment was in South Korea with the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, and he served there from 1964 to early 1965. Upon returning to the United States, he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, as the artillery chaplain. After Fort Carson, he served at the 98th General Hospital in West Germany for three years with his wife who was an Army nurse. Vernon served a tour in Vietnam as the chaplain at Long Binh Jail, working with the American soldiers imprisoned there. After his tour in Vietnam he was sent to the American Institute of Family Relations to get his master's degree in marriage and family therapy, which allowed him to be a family and marriage counsellor at Fort Lee, Virginia, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He did a second tour in Germany at a retreat center in Berchtesgaden. He ultimately served in the Army chaplaincy for 24 years (most likely retiring in 1986). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Swim, Vernon G. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0f777a5130f9a82c2272dd300caf8d45.m4v 4b027893246fe0e69114431b96b093fd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7ef1a72cd287d93d25fa444e50049ac1.pdf f008e89c57a457e2f48f83503c58e822 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Harriet Sturim Wife of Air Force Veteran, Veterans' Organization Volunteer 42 minutes 5 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life Pt. 1 -Born in the Bronx in New York City -First generation American -Both parents migrated from Germany, fleeing Nazi persecution of Jewish persons -Maternal grandparents were murdered at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp (00:01:15) Father's Military Service -Father was drafted into the United States Army -Parents came to the United States in the early 1930s (1933 or later) -Parents met in New York City -Father was drafted when Harriet was three months old -Sent to Texas for basic training -Had been a butcher's apprentice in Germany -Meant he served in the Army as a cook -Sent to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation -38 years old and one of the oldest men in his unit -Helped as a translator -Commanding officer wanted him to stay in the Army -Refused to sign his discharge paperwork -Wound up having to hide his discharge paperwork in other paperwork to get it signed -Served as a cook and also managed supplies in the kitchen (00:04:44) Early Life Pt. 2 -Born in 1943 -Mother and her moved to Texas to be close to father -Traveled by train -Traveled with troops -They missed their own children and took care of her -Father went on to own a business and work as a butcher in New York City (00:05:45) Meeting Her Husband (Rick Sturim) & Getting Married -In a Jewish youth group together via their synagogue -She got sick and they didn't see each other for eight years -Reconnected in college and got engaged -Graduated from college on June 10, 1965 -Got married on June 12, 1965 (00:06:50) Living at Chanute Air Force Base -Moved to Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois on June 13, 1965 -Rented a small house together -Rick went to classes every day -Had a good time living at Chanute Air Force Base -Had a family next door -Little girl wished she and Rick had brought a daughter to befriend -Befriended other Air Force families -Stayed at Chanute Air Force Base until August 1965 �(00:08:12) Living in Puerto Rico Pt. 1 -Sent to Boston to wait for Rick's new orders -Received orders to be stationed in Puerto Rico -Families weren't happy that they would be in Puerto Rico -Had grown up with Puerto Ricans in New York City -Didn't have good experiences with them -Flew to Puerto Rico on August 13, 1965 -En route to the base the Air Force broke down due to a bad battery -Driver called for help and Puerto Rican men came out of nearby shacks -Pushed the bus until the engine restarted -Totally changed her perception of Puerto Ricans -Placed in the Visiting Officers' Quarters when they arrived at midnight -Commanding officer came and asked if they wanted to move into their new house -House was already set up: dishes, groceries, pots and pans, etc. -Worked for the Department of Defense schools as a speech therapist -Majored in speech therapy in college (00�:12:23) Anti-war/Anti-Military Activity Pt. 1 -Never saw any anti-war/anti-military activity in college -Husband encountered protests while he was in college (00�:12:50) Living in Puerto Rico Pt. 2 -Went to Puerto Rico because of her mother's courage -Left Germany as an 18 year old knowing she'd probably never see her parents again -Enjoyed working in the school in Puerto Rico -Experienced an earthquake -Remembers lizards were everywhere -Little boy brought in one tied to a string as his “pet” (00:14:18) Teaching in Puerto Rico -Taught children of service personnel -Majority of them were Caucasian -Puerto Ricans lived off-base and sent their children to public schools outside of the base -Taught children of enlisted and commissioned (officers) personnel (00:15:11) Wives' Club -Part of a Wives' Club via the Officers' Club -Only two lieutenants on the base -Majority of officers were colonels or generals -Traveled to San Juan, Mayaguez, and Aguadilla with the other wives -Introduced her to Puerto Rico -Wives taught her the unwritten, informal rules about how to conduct herself as an officer's wife -Emphasis on, and celebration of, their husbands' service to the United States (00:17:10) Puerto Rico-Off Base -Aguadilla was the closest town to the base -Note: Means that the base they lived at was Ramey Air Force Base -Made some friends in Aguadilla -Some American personnel never left the base -She and Rick only stayed on the base during times of civil unrest -For example, when there were plebiscites about Puerto Rico gaining statehood -Puerto Ricans welcomed the base because it stimulated the economy and provided jobs -Had a Puerto Rican maid �(00:18:21) Leaving Puerto Rico -Had her first child in December 1967 while they were still in Puerto Rico -Knew Rick was being reassigned sometime in 1968 -Rick's father had a serious heart attack in the summer of 1968 -Rick received his permanent change of station paperwork -Left Puerto Rico within 24 hours of receiving that paperwork -Never returned to Puerto Rico (00:19:07) Living at Kincheloe Air Force Base -Sent to Kincheloe Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan -Arrived at the base in August 1968 -Didn't expect the amount of snow they received -Snow so high that it reached the top of cars -Put orange ping-pong balls on the car antennas -Allowed them to see cars approaching around snow banks -Had snow until the Fourth of July -Lived in a wonderful house -Two-family residence -Had the base golf course as their backyard -Stayed at home and took care of their child -Ran errands and did base activities with the other officers' wives -Adjusted to being out in the heavy snow and the dry cold -Snow was pretty and clean as opposed to the dirty snow she was used to in the city -Glad to leave when the time came, but she enjoyed her time there -Stayed at Kincheloe Air Force Base for a year (00:21:57) Anti-War/Anti-Military Activity Pt. 2 -Living on a military base insulated them from the protests of the late 1960s -Knew the sentiments existed, but didn't affect her or Rick -Didn't focus on the anti-war/anti-military movement(s) because there were none in the community -Usually found out about protests in the country a week after they happened (00:23:27) Women's Movement -Paid more attention to the women's movement in the 1960s -Read books by Betty Friedan (writer, activist, and feminist) -Women's movement made more sense to her than the anti-war/anti-military protests -Empowering -Minimal female service personnel while Rick was in the Air Force -Mostly did clerical work -No pilots or copilots -No contact with female service personnel (00:25:03) Rick's End of Service & Living in Pennsylvania -Rick was discharged from the Air Force in 1969 -Rick had worked for TRW Crescent Wire & Cable before enlisting in the Air Force -Company held a job for him, but in a different city -Lived in Pittsburgh for four years while Rick worked -Did engineering work -Got a promotion with a better salary -Had their second child in Pittsburgh -Moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania -Rick got a job with Corning Glass -She got a job with the Easter Seals preschool doing speech therapy �(00:26:47) Living in New Jersey -Moved to Mercerville, New Jersey -Third child, their daughter, was born there (00:27:03) Living in Michigan -Rick found a new job with a golf equipment company in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Moved to Michigan in 1977 -Experienced the Blizzard of 1978 (“The White Hurricane”) -One of the worst snow storms on record -Grand Rapids area was a good place to raise children -Lived in Wyoming, Michigan; a suburb of Grand Rapids -Children were the only Jewish children in the Wyoming school district -Sent the children to Hebrew School through Temple Emanuel -Open about her family's Jewish faith and heritage -Predominantly Dutch, Christian-Reformed community at the time -Aware of the religion and culture in Fair Lawn, New Jersey (where she grew up) -Only 2% of the population was Jewish in Grand Rapids (00:30:53) Veterans' Organizations -Rick became involved with veterans' organizations -Slowly became involved with the American Legion -In 2012 Kentwood, Michigan she helped organize the Cost of Freedom Tribute -Traveling replica of the Vietnam War Memorial -Served as the chairwoman of the event -Met the Patriot Guard Riders -Motorcyclists that honor veterans and escorted the Cost of Freedom Tribute -Met with Vietnam War veterans -Learned about efforts taken by them to insure new veterans are treated better -Volunteers with numerous veterans' organizations in the Grand Rapids area -Grand Rapids Home for Veterans -Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic in Wyoming, Michigan -Part of the “No Veteran Dies Alone” program at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans -Many veterans at the home don't have family members in the area -Makes sure someone is with the veteran when their life is at an end -Always a new veterans' cause to get involved with -Newest efforts are helping female veterans, especially those dealing with sexual trauma -Works within the female veterans circle -No infrastructure in the military to deal with things like harassment or rape -Female veterans are gaining a voice -It's been a long process of getting women into the military -Female, World War II veterans support younger female veterans at Stand Downs -Show them VA benefits, assistance programs, and non-VA veterans' groups/benefits -Help transition women into civilian life and the civilian workplace -State of Michigan does a good job integrating military experience into civilian work -Examples: a medic can become an EMT or a convoy driver can become a truck driver (00:39:25) Reflections -All life's experiences influence you for better, or for worse -Realized that her life has always been impacted by veterans -Daughter of a WWII veteran, wife of a veteran, and mother of an Air Force veteran -Has been to Israel three times -Believes in respecting all people provided they respect her back (in terms of race, religion, etc.) �-Americans served in the military and during war regardless of race, religion, or gender -Things are changing in the military and it needs to be recognized and accepted � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SturinH1854V Title A name given to the resource Sturim, Harriet (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-07-09 Description An account of the resource Harriet Sturim was born in the Bronx, New York City, New York in 1943 to German immigrants that had fled the Nazi persecution of Jewish citizens in the 1930s. She met her husband, Rick Sturim, in a Jewish youth group as teenagers and reconnected while in college. They married on June 12, 1965 and moved to Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois the next day (where Rick was receiving Aircraft Maintenance Training). She moved to Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico with Rick and worked at the Department of Defense school as a speech therapist and was part of the Wives' Club (extension of the Officers' Club). They stayed at Ramey Air Force Base until August 1968 and then moved to Kincheloe Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where she continued to do activities with other officers' wives. Rick was discharged in 1969 and they eventually moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1977. She has been involved with numerous veterans' organizations in the Grand Rapids area including the Cost of Freedom Tribute (Vietnam War memorial movement), the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, the Veterans' Affairs Clinic in Wyoming, Michigan, and the "No Veteran Dies Alone" program at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sturim, Harriet 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 Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5ed059593e6593c3fec5e20e931e7e0f.m4v f748134c0f462287ccb52e1925c10c94 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e9988e39f025d6fe67bd11b17488b840.pdf 2e7e51e81140e5b886f42cb0efed04a6 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Rick Sturim Cold War-Vietnam War Era 1 hour 3 minutes 32 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life -Born in Brooklyn, New York on October 21, 1942 -Lived in Brooklyn until he was about five, or six years old -Family moved to Hawthorne, New Jersey -Lived there for four years -Moved to Fair Lawn, New Jersey -Mother and father were from Hell's Kitchen in New York City -Father served in the Navy during World War II -Stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia -Father worked in printing & silk, ran a hobby shop, and worked for Curtiss-Wright until retirement -Graduated from high school in 1960 (00:03:05) College & Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps Pt. 1 -Went to Newark College of Engineering (now called the New Jersey Institute of Technology) -Studied there for four years -Majored in mechanical engineering -Joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) -In his junior year of college he selected mechanical engineering as his main focus -Only able to join the Air Force ROTC because it was the only ROTC offered at the college -Had always been interested in automobiles and mechanical devices -Didn't pay a lot of attention to the Cold War during college -Went to Otis Air Force Base (now Otis Air National Guard Base), Massachusetts for summer training -Met President Kennedy -Saw how much the presidency had aged him -Shortly after that visit, President Kennedy was assassinated -Commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and received his orders in 1964 -Originally supposed to receive training as a weatherman -He was captain of the ROTC rifle and the college rifle team -Part of a local fraternity (00:06:23) Jewish Heritage & Population -Never experienced any religious or ethnic discrimination due to being Jewish -Family name was originally Sturimski, but was changed to Sturim at Ellis Island -Parents had grown up in a Jewish and European community in the United States -There was a sizable Jewish population in Fair Lawn, New Jersey (00:08:14) Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps Pt. 2 -Not a lot of traditional military training in the ROTC -Taught protocol in the Air Force -Didn't do a lot of marching -Had to keep your uniform clean and presentable -Not a lot of preparation for military life (00:08:53) Training at Chanute Air Force Base -Reported to Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois in December 1964 -Placed in an older barracks �-Stopped at the Officers' Club to establish his bearings -Tried to order a beer available on the East Coast, and the bartender had no idea what it was -The next day he and the other officers met at the Officers' Club to go to classes -Two sessions of classes -Started in the early morning and got done at noon -Second session was from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. -Received training as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer -Repair and maintenance training -Learned how to remove the engines -Flew a Lockheed T-33 and a Lockheed Constellation with a trainer -Had not signed up to be a pilot -Mother didn't want him to fly out of concern for his safety -Trained for seven months at Chanute Air Force Base -Led marches during Pass-in-Review (marching past an officer for inspection) -Did it during the warmer weather -Led the enlisted men during the Pass-in-Review (00:13:42) Getting Married -Got married to Harriet (Sturim) in the last six weeks of training at Chanute Air Force Base -Note: Based on Harriet's interview they got married on June 12, 1965 -Married for 50 years as of the interview -Met at a Jewish youth group as adolescents -Went to the same middle school and high school -Separate social circles -Attended separate colleges -Met up again in Fair Lawn, New Jersey between his junior and senior year of college -Started dating after that (00:15:58) Assignment to Chanute Air Force Base & Ramey Air Force Base -Original orders to become a meteorologist changed which led to training at Chanute Air Force Base -Got a month off after completing training at Chanute Air Force Base -Had honeymoon with Harriet while he waited for his new orders -Flew to Puerto Rico on August 13, 1965 -Landed at San Juan -Flew in his Air Force dress uniform -Bused from San Juan to Ramey Air Force Base -Bus broke down due to battery problems -Driver called for help and Puerto Rican men came out of shacks to push the bus -Pushed it until the battery restarted -Changed his perception of Puerto Ricans (00:18:46) Anti-War/Anti-Military Protests Pt. 1 -Encountered anti-war/anti-military sentiments while in college -Wore his ROTC uniform around college and encountered harassment (00:20:30) Vietnam War Pt. 1 -Not aware of the escalation of the conflict in Vietnam in the early 1960s -Didn't pay attention to the Vietnam War while at Chanute Air Force Base (00:21:00) Stationed at Ramey Air Force Base Pt. 1 -Placed in the Visiting Officers' Quarters at Ramey Air Force Base -Squadron commander invited him and Harriet to go to their house -Duplex house and ready for them to move in when they arrived -Two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen �-Had an outdoor laundry room -Stationed in Puerto Rico for three years -Base needed aircraft maintenance officers -Started out as the flight-line maintenance officer -Went from plane to plan to see if work needed to be done on them -Had a wide variety of aircraft -16 B-52Gs (nuclear loaded bombers) -16 KC-135s (tankers) -2 U-3As (communications aircraft) -2 C-54s (transport aircraft; flown during the Berlin Airlift relief mission) -Also had C-45 CAPs (utility aircraft) -Oversaw maintenance of the base aircraft -Insured repairs were done if necessary -Signed-off on forms allowing for flight -Worked with good men -Many of them veterans of WWII -He was in the Organizational Maintenance Squadron -Coordinated maintenance with other maintenance squadrons -Had three markings to designate aircraft flight readiness -Red / meant it needed repair, red x meant it was unsafe for flight, – meant it was safe to fly -Up to him if an aircraft was safe to fly (00:26:40) Non-commissioned Officers & Commissioned Officers at Ramey Air Force Base Pt. 1 -One man flew in the China-Burma-India Theater in WWII -One man flew in a B-17 bomber as a gunner and shot down a German Me-109 fighter plane -One man flew a P-51 fighter plane during the war -Rick was a young, new officer and had the least experience -Worked with senior sergeants who had years of experience -Learned about aircraft through them -Had one senior master sergeant that made that rank before Rick was born -Had served nine months during World War II -Had to have respect for his non-commissioned officers -Officers that didn't respect the NCOs didn't do well as officers -Had officers that he reported to -His superior, squadron commander, and administrative officer -Worked with two other flight-line maintenance officers (00:30:28) Stationed at Ramey Air Force Base Pt. 2 -Had six bombers, and six tankers on alert at all times -Outfitted for electronic warfare and carried nuclear weapons -Rest of the bombers flew training missions every third day -Had to provide status for every aircraft (00:31:45) Non-commissioned Officers & Commissioned Officers at Ramey Air Force Base Pt. 2 -Worked closely with enlisted men a lot of the time because they did a lot of the work -Had to respect and cooperate with the enlisted men -Had a work relationship similar to a civilian workplace -Listened to the non-commissioned officers for advice -Lower in rank, but they had more experience -Went from the rank of 2nd lieutenant, to 1st lieutenant, to captain while in Puerto Rico -Normal for a junior officer to be stationed at a base for three years -Chance for a new officer to gain experience �(00:33:58) Cold War Pt. 1 -Had alerts -Bomber and tanker crews went to their aircraft and turned on the engines -Sometimes taxied onto the runway -Had to be ready at all times -He was part of the Mobility Team -In the event of nuclear war the B-52s took off first, followed by the KC-135 tankers -Mobility Team flew to a civilian airbase to wait for a tanker with maintenance equipment -Flew them to a foreign country's airport -Repair and refuel B-52s after a bombing run to get back to the U.S. -B-52Gs did flights from Puerto Rico to the Mediterranean Sea and flew around that area -Refueled twice during the flight -Flight took 27 hours -Two B-52s flew at a time and were armed with nuclear weapons -In case one dropped out, another B-52 could join the first (00:37:15) Aircraft at Ramey Air Force Base -Refueled the SR-71 Blackbird and U-2 spy planes -Refueled B-25s from Venezuela -Serviced National Guard F-84s, F-86s, Canberra bombers, and F-104s -Puerto Rican pilots trained with the F-104s -Did training missions “attacking” the B-52s -A few of the pilots crashed their F-104s in the ocean -Difficult aircraft to handle (00:38:22) Dominican Republic Revolution -A pilot from the Dominican Republic flew his P-51 to Puerto Rico to seek asylum -There was civil unrest and revolution in 1965 and 1966 -Note: U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division was eventually deployed to the country -Relatively little activity at Ramey Air Force base during the revolution -Wouldn't have used nuclear weapons in that situation, but they were placed on alert (00:39:56) Cold War Pt. 2 -U-2 spy planes flew out of Ramey Air Force Base -Conducting “high altitude weather monitoring” -Coincidentally, the spy planes always flew over Cuba (00:40:14) B-52 Crash -Remembers a B-52 crashing off the coast of Puerto Rico -Three, out of seven, crewmen survived -He was placed on the accident investigation team -Learned about the details of the crash later in life -Life raft inflated and pushed the copilot into the plane's controls -At 1,500 feet there was no chance to recover (00:42:54) Vietnam War Pt. 1 -Vietnam War escalated during his time at Ramey Air Force Base -Supported the war with KC-135 tankers and sent over B-52 bomber crew -Talked with the bomber crews after they returned from missions in Vietnam (00:44:00) Stationed at Kincheloe Air Force Base -Sent to Kincheloe Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan -Would've been sent to Vietnam if he stayed in the Air Force -Didn't go to Vietnam because the B-52Gs were nuclear bombers, not conventional bombers -In August 1968 he and Harriet moved to Kincheloe Air Force Base �-Maintenance supervisor at Kincheloe Air Force Base -Had five officers and 177 enlisted men in his command -Sought out the non-commissioned officers and asked for their advice -Had cherry-pickers with heaters to de-ice the aircraft during the winter -Worked with WWII and Korean War veterans -Shared his office with one non-commissioned officer -During the Christmas of 1968 the base got hit with heavy snow -Had to move the aircraft to one side of the runway, clear it, then move it back -That non-commissioned officer helped him with that job -Had mutual respect for each other (00:48:23) Morale of the Men -Had 22 year old crew chiefs working on the KC-135s and B-52s in Puerto Rico -Took responsibility for aircraft and took care of their planes on their time-off -Took pride in their work -Enlisted men worked well -Had practical skills and knowledge from civilian life prior to Air Force service -Technical sergeants and higher-ranking sergeants effectively ran things at air bases (00:50:00) Aero-Club -Part the Aero-Club in Puerto Rico as a maintenance officer -Got his private pilot's license -Had Puerto Rican nationals working on the civilian aircraft in the Aero-Club (00:50:43) Operational Readiness Inspections -Had Operational Readiness Inspections (ORIs) at random while at Ramey Air Force Base -Mobility Team had its equipment checked -Made sure the planes were ready to fly missions -Ramey Air Force Base passed its ORI with flying colors -Celebrated with the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men -Proud of them at the time, and is still proud of them (00:53:10) Non-commissioned Officers Pt. 3 & Other Airmen -Enlisted men had chosen Air Force because they felt it was the best branch -Worked with Thomas Ferebee -Bombardier on the Enola Gay when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima (00:54:00) Son's Air Force Service -One of his sons served in the Air Force -Got a regular commission with the ROTC at Northwestern University -Had to be in top 10% of class to get a regular commission as opposed to reserve commission -Served 25 years in the Air Force -Worked with NATO -Served at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida -Helped with the SEEK EAGLE Program -Certifying weapons, suspension equipment, tanks, and pods on aircraft (00:54:43) Vietnam War Pt. 2 -In 1968 the war turned political as opposed to military -Placed limits on military movement and combat in Vietnam -Discussed the war while at Kincheloe Air Force Base -Men just wanted the military to be able to do its job in the war without restraint (00:56:03) Race in the Air Force -Had one black, chief master sergeant in his squadron -He was a nice man, but had a little problem passing physical tests �-Didn't see any racial tension, specifically -Some issues existed with the Puerto Rican servicemen due to a language barrier -Some of the enlisted Puerto Rican servicemen lacked dedication (00:58:07) End of Service -Oldest son, first child, was born in Puerto Rico in 1967 at the base hospital at Ramey Air Force Base -Having a child, and more children, influenced his decision to get out of the Air Force -He was a non-rated officer which meant he didn't have wings which means he couldn't fly -Couldn't take the squadron commander's position -Vietnam War was winding down which meant less work for the military -In August 1969 he was released from active duty (00:59:17) Life after Service -Moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -Had a job with Continental Can while in college -Got his job back with them and worked as a project engineer -Lived there for four years -Moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania and worked for Corning Glass -Moved to New Jersey and worked for Crescent Wire & Cable -Moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Got a job with Walter Hagen Golf Gear -Got a job at Cascade Engineering -Got a job with the Domtar Mine (gypsum mining company) -Started an auto-repair business named Steve's Antique Auto Repair -Named after his middle son -Started off as a hobby and turned into a business -Works on cars made in 1972 or older (01:00:59) Reflections on Service -Initially, he didn't think his time in the Air Force would affect him as much as it did (01:00:17) Veterans' Organizations -Involved with the American Legion -Served as post commander for two years -Wife served as the post auxiliary chaplain and as the 5th District auxiliary chaplain -Works with younger veterans coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq -Part of American Legion Post 409 -Friendly post, and hospitable -Sent 150 care packages to soldiers deployed overseas -Volunteers at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans -Wife helps at the Veterans' Affairs Clinic in Wyoming, Michigan -Also helps with the “No Veteran Dies Alone” program -Insures that no aging veteran dies alone in the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SturinF1855V Title A name given to the resource Sturim, Frederick P (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-07-09 Description An account of the resource Rick Sturim was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 21, 1942. He attended college at the Newark College of Engineering and joined the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He graduated in 1964 and was commissioned in that same year as a 2nd lieutenant. He was trained as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer at Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois from December 1964 through June 1965. In August 1965 he was assigned to Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico where he helped maintain the nuclear weapon-armed B-52 bombers at that base. In August 1968 he was assigned to Kincheloe Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and stayed there until August 1969 when he was discharged from the Air Force. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sturim, Frederick P. 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 Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3bfae76fccfb895828ed60a42186a0d8.m4v 62904d6dea8a566fbd878a4d4922f2ff https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2545f4466aa4494effa13c82876cf654.pdf 6c34eb22e1b9b675b4505a87918ae140 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Gulf War Robert Stauffer Length of interview: (43:19) (00:00) Early Life    Robert was born on May 4, 1971 in Lansing, Michigan He spend the entirety of his childhood in Caledonia, Michigan o His mother was a part-time secretary at a local church and his father sold insurance o He worked at a hardware store and then at McDonalds After he graduated from Caledonia High School, he joined the navy o He chose the navy over other branches of the military because he didn’t want to get shot at and he felt that the navy offered better educational opportunities (2:40) Navy Life         Robert had a friend in the navy, who inspired him to enlist He scored high on his placement test and got into the “Nuke Program” which required two years of schooling followed by four years of active duty. o When he was completing his basic training, he decided not to continue with the Nuke Program. o Since he was good at math, he became a payroll clerk As a free-spirited 19 year old, Robert found military life difficult to adjust to (4:30) Robert was assigned to a ship (USS Underwood) whose captain kept them out at sea for 24 out of Robert’s first 27 months in the military (Adriatic Sea and Indian Ocean) The ship’s main purpose was submarine warfare as well as security for larger ships o Destroyers and aircraft carriers composed battle groups with smaller FFGs (ships similar to the Underwood) protecting them o The FFGs were essentially “dummy targets”, they would take missile fire instead of the larger ships o Additionally, they were searching for enemy submarines There were 200 enlisted men and 12 officers on the USS Underwood. Since Robert was in charge of payroll, he knew everyone by name (10:30) There was a 5 inch cannon on the ship as well as a large Gatling Gun o The Gatling gun was computerized and had a sensor on it that picked up movement. When they tested it, no one was allowed on deck. On one occasion, they received a distress signal from a ship that had sunk in the Indian Ocean �             o All hands were called to the decks because the sunken ship went down in mine infested waters o Fortunately, the Underwood was able to rescue all 14 of the survivors. Robert was proud that he was part of something that allowed him to perform deeds such as this rescue mission Robert’s primary communication with his family was through letters Another hostile force that they worried about (especially when rescuing people) were sea snakes o What made them so intimidating was the fact that they were extremely deadly. If you were bitten, you had about an hour to live; there was no available anti-venom (16:30) The Gulf War ended shortly after he finished basic training and disembarked on the USS Underwood for the first time. o They returned to the U.S. and docked in Jacksonville, Florida o His parents came down and visited him. It was tough because he didn’t have a girlfriend or wife like many of the men that he served with During his time in the service, Robert only shot at one enemy boat o His job wasn’t much different from a civilian banker. In, general, military life wasn’t much different from civilian life His time in the military gave him a strong sense of honor, discipline, and respect The politics of the military was unattractive to Robert, promotions were very difficult to achieve o Robert also wanted to see the Pacific (areas such as Guam and Japan). He says that he might have stayed in the navy longer if he had been transferred (22:00) The Most disappointing thing that happened during Robert’s time in the navy was in regards to the rescue mission they went on. o When the Underwood got word that there were people stranded at sea, they contacted Washington D.C. for permission to perform the rescue; however, they received no response so the captain decided to perform the rescue without orders. o The crew of the Underwood put their captain in for a humanitarian award but since they did not receive approval to carry out the mission, they were denied In regards to the Nuke Program, Robert felt that it would be best to get a different assignment because the program had a drop-out rate of 80 percent o In total, Robert did four years of active and four years of inactive duty When he was in the Adriatic Sea when a sailboat got too close to his ship o He was on a 50-caliber machine gun and was ordered to shoot near the boat to dissuade those aboard from getting any closer (30:10) During the last six months of his time in the service, Robert was stationed on the USS Saratoga (aircraft carrier with a crew of 7,000) The men slept in bunks stacked in groups of three, everyone wanted to sleep in the middle bunk Every man was paid at least $750 per month. Since none of them had to for food or rent, most of this money was pocketed. On one occasion, Robert was out to sea in the Caribbean for 90 days on a drug operation. �     o They spent the entire time looking for one boat. When they finally found it, the crew were trying to sink the drugs to the bottom of the ocean; however, they were caught on camera. No one on Robert’s ship jumped off into the ocean to swim due to the sharks and snakes (36:25) When they crossed the equator, they took part in the King Neptune ceremony o It began at 4am, the Pollywogs (those who hadn’t been across before) were on their hands and knees all day. Those who had already been across (Shellbacks) walked around with pieces of hose to hit them and eggs to throw at them. o Large fans that were used to get rid of smoke on the flight deck were filled with Tabasco Sauce and the Pollywogs went through When they went golfing near a base in Panama, Robert and his comrades left their clubs and their cart in a nearby lake o Their Captain thought it was funny and only gave them 30 days of hard duty; since they were out at sea anyway, it wasn’t that bad His favorite port was at Palma, Spain. It was nice because it wasn’t very militarized and he was able to experience Spanish culture o The worst place he visited was Norfolk, Virginia. Even though the city had a lot of military personnel, Robert found that the civilians were not very kind to them (41:30) Robert was able to see the aftermath of the Gulf War o He remembers the smell and smoke from the bombs would overcome the crew when they got close to land � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StaufferR1828V Title A name given to the resource Stauffer, Robert J (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-18 Description An account of the resource Robert Stauffer was born on May 4, 1971 in Lansing, Michigan. After graduating high school in Caledonia, Michigan, he joined the United States Navy. Throughout the majority of his time in the service, he was a payroll clerk on the USS Underwood. He took part in drug operations as well as rescue missions. Robert also discusses the aftermath of the Gulf War, and the various duties he had while at sea. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stauffer, Robert J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hamp, Travis (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4430e8935008efab15184a77897dd8fc.m4v 56bf3dfd71da984d5d06bf8bad9b4699 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e076eea5d8b8ef8f5517fadb572817a9.pdf 8e1da8773f7a1218df1fb0d377b951fd PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Gordon Siggins World War II 1 hour 40 minutes 27 seconds (00:00:13) Early Life -Born in Highland Park, Michigan -Moved to Lansing, Michigan -Quit school after the ninth grade -Wanted to see what work was like before he joined the military -Born in 1925 -Father worked for Lansing Lithograph -Steady work during the Great Depression -Made good money, but he drank a lot -Had two sisters (00:01:26) Start of the War Pt. 1 -Remembers a lot of young men quitting school to enlist in the military -Went down to the train station and saw pine boxes being unloaded from the train -Bodies of soldiers coming home after being killed in the Pacific Theater (00:02:18) War Work Pt. 1 -Worked at the Willow Run Bomber Plant outside of Detroit -Made good money -Went to work at Willow Run in the summer of 1942 (00:03:25) Start of the War Pt. 2 -Learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor on the radio -Mother called him inside and told him the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor -Saw newsreels at the movie theaters -Informing citizens about the fighting in Europe and Asia (00:04:52) War Work Pt. 2 -Went to Ypsilanti, Michigan to work at the Willow Run Bomber Plant -Found a room for rent in Ypsilanti -Lived with 22 other people in the boarding house -Had to share his room -A lot of young women lived in the boarding house, which was good -Worked at Willow Run for a year -Remembers the first day he went into the factory -Had a dreamlike quality; the building was so long he couldn't see the end of it -Worked mostly with women -He worked as a 'bucker' on the bomber assembly line -Bucked rivets (reinforcing the bombers so as to absorb vibration and increase expansion) -Had to take a bus back to Lansing to visit his family due to gas rationing -Too expensive to drive a car from Ypsilanti to Lansing -Able to build a new B-24 bomber every hour -Once a bomber was complete, three or four men would test fly the bomber -If it passed, two Women Air Force Service Pilots flew the bomber to a base -Worked eight hours a day -Able to work days as opposed to nights �-Good place to work -He was 17 years old at the time, so he wasn't at risk of being drafted yet -Could have gotten a deferment by working at Willow Run -His roommate took up the offer and did his service by working at the factory (00�:10:07) Getting Drafted -Registered for the draft when he turned 18 years old -Recruiters from all of the service branches tried to convince him to join their branch -He picked the Marine Corps -In retrospect wishes he joined the Navy instead -Would have avoided harsh living conditions -Felt the Marines had the best to offer him (00�:11:15) Basic Training -Training began in October 1943 -Sent to San Diego, California for basic training -Took a train to San Diego -Four days from Michigan to California -On the first day the recruits were told what they should do, and what they would do -Also told that Marines always washed their own clothes -On the second day they were assembled for another meeting -Saw a Navy Grumman fighter plane flying overhead -A P-38 Army Air Force fighter plane roared over their heads -The two planes did acrobatics until they suffered a midair collision -The Navy pilot bailed out, but the P-38 pilot died when his plane hit the ocean -Basic training was fairly tough, but the average person could keep up with the rigor -One heavier man had trouble climbing over obstacles -Drill sergeant solved that by kicking him in the butt -Went to the rifle range -Four categories: qualifying, marksman, sharpshooter, and expert -10% scored expert, 20% sharpshooter, 40% marksman, and 10-20% qualifying -Didn't feel basic training was too bad -If you received a package from home you had to open it in front of a drill sergeant -Allowed to keep letters and other personal effects, but no cookies or candies -Drill sergeants confiscated the sweets, and most likely ate them -Noticed the drill sergeants got heavier when packages started arriving -Whatever the drill sergeants said, you did -Had no trouble adjusting to the discipline of the Marines -Some men couldn't take orders and received a court-martial -Lasted six weeks (00:17:50) Joining the Marine Raiders -Made the rank of private first class -Meant he was eligible to apply for the Marine Raiders -The Marine Raiders were the special forces of the Marine Corps in World War II -Note: Became the Marine Special Operations Regiment and renamed the Marine Raider Regiment in 2015 -Used the Raiders for advance raids on Japanese positions in “hit and run” style attacks -For example: knock out a small Japanese outpost and destroy the radio station -He was accepted into the Raiders -Issued special gear including a Marine Raider Stiletto -Sent to Camp Elliott, California for more training �(00:19:48) Deployment to the Pacific Theater -Boarded the USS President Polk (AP-103) -Remembers a sergeant being incredibly seasick during the voyage -There were 40 Marines in a 20 foot long room -Bunks were stacked six high -No porthole and not much (if any) artificial light -Knew that if the ship was torpedoed he would probably drown -Hundreds of Marines on the ship -Pulled out of San Diego as part of a convoy -Took three and a half weeks to reach their destination -Had to be towed back to San Diego due to engine trouble -After the engine repairs they sailed alone -Crossed the Equator and took part in the King Neptune Ceremony -Paddled by “Shellbacks” (men that have crossed the equator) -Those that had not crossed the Equator were considered “Pollywogs” -Shortly after the Ceremony they noticed a periscope to the ship's left -Called to general quarters -Ordered to put on life vests and never mind putting on uniforms -Periscope vanished -After the submarine scare they zig-zagged the rest of the way (00:24:30) New Caledonia -Reached a large island called New Caledonia -Island to the west of Australia, French possession -Got to the docks and unloaded -Felt good to be back on dry land -Went up into the hills -Island looked like paradise -Lush foliage, clear and cold streams -The Natives were dark-skinned people, but they had red hair and blonde hair -Combination of sunlight and mixing with the French -Spent a month at New Caledonia -Received more Raider training -Went in small rubber boats with outboard motors -Half of the motors never worked -Climbed over walls and learned how to move through foliage (00:28:14) Battle of Peleliu-Prelude -Went to Peleliu (modern day Palau) in September 1944 to liberate it from Japanese control -The Battle of Peleliu was a terrible fight and he knew from the start it was going to be bad -Prior to the Battle of Peleliu he was in the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion -The Raiders were disbanded in early 1944 -He was transferred to C Battery of the 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division -He was assigned to be a machine gunner defending the 75mm howitzers -Had no idea where they were going -A day before they got to Peleliu, Tokyo Rose told the Marines they were going to Peleliu -Note: Tokyo Rose (mentioned later as well) was an English speaking propaganda organ of Japan to demoralize American soldiers during WWII (00:31:02) Battle of Peleliu-Invasion -On 7 AM on September 15, 1944 he and the other Marines climbed down the ship into landing craft -Climbed into the landing craft and the seas were rough �-A lot of men fell and broke their legs and ankles -The Navy bombarded the island before the invasion, and it was nothing but fire and smoke -Couldn't believe anyone survived the bombardment -Landing craft advanced toward shore, but got stuck on underwater barbed wire -Japanese artillery opened fire on the landing craft -Marines jumped overboard and got caught in the barbed wire -Remembers the men screaming for help, but no one could save them -Only 100 Marines made it to shore -His landing craft returned to the larger ship and waited for their orders -While the landing craft bobbed in the rough seas he got seasick with the other Marines -Combination of the rolling motion, heat, and nerves -Alligator (LVT) and Buffalo (LVT-2) tracked landing craft approached the ships -Had to go from the regular landing craft into the tracked landing craft -The amphibious vehicle he entered was towing an ammunition trailer -When they reached the shore the trailer got stuck on the barbed wire -While taking fire, a few sailors managed to get the trailer off the barbed wire -Got onto the beachhead at Peleliu in the late afternoon -Went ashore near the landing strip -Moved along of the landing strip and staying low to avoid enemy fire -Found a destroyed Japanese pickup truck and crawled under it for cover -Spent the night there -Longest night he ever experienced -Took artillery and mortar fire as well as sporadic small arms fire throughout the night -Morning broke and he saw a dead, mangled Japanese soldiers -Learned that it was an Imperial Marine -Marines were disorganized and there were no officers around -Took more fire from the Japanese throughout the second day -Sat in a bomb crater and ate C Rations (00:42:20) Battle of Peleliu – Battle -On the third of fourth day he rejoined his unit -Saw Japanese tanks torn apart by the bombardment -The island was a mix of coral and sand, flat, save for the mountains -A third of C Battery was killed or wounded in the battle -8,500 Marines went ashore -4,000 Marines survived -Set up machine guns around the howitzers -One night, a few Japanese soldiers tried to attack the artillery positions -He killed four or five stragglers trying to attack his position -During the battle the artillery had it a little better than the infantrymen -Artillery fired day and night -Moved often because they had the smaller 75mm howitzers as opposed to the larger 105mm howitzers -Knew the battle wasn't going well -After two weeks Japanese resistance hadn't broken -Took a month to capture the island -Note: Battle went from September 15, 1944 to November 27, 1944, so over two months -In the second week of the battle Army units arrived to assist the Marines -The Japanese had artillery pieces hidden in the mountains behind thick, steel doors -Rolled out on tracks to fire on the infantry, then retreated into the mountains during air strikes -Sailors went into the mountains with acetylene torches to seal the steel doors �-American forces advanced across the island neutralizing pockets of Japanese resistance -A third of the soldiers were killed because they weren't prepared for combat (00:53:00) Rest on Pavuvu -After the Japanese were routed on Peleliu the 1st Marine Division was pulled off the island -Went to a rest camp on Pavuvu -Expected beer and milkshakes -It was a former French colony filled with coconut groves -They were, basically, the only humans on the island -It was muddy and infested with rats -Some rats were as big as cats -Used rubber bags to store fresh water, but the heat caused the rubber to leech into the water -Made the water taste like rubber -Trucks and Marines got stuck in the mud as they tried to move around the island -Stayed there for a month -The French proprietors charged the US government $125 for every tree damaged by the Marines -A 2nd lieutenant wanted the Marines to clean up the island and put the coconuts into neat piles -French proprietors wanted the coconuts scattered -If they were in piles then the piles attracted rats -Japanese had occupied the island, but abandoned it -American Navy used it briefly as a supply depot, but also abandoned it -The Navy turned the island over to the Marines to use as a rest area (00:58:29) Battle of Okinawa-Invasion -Went to Guadalcanal to receive more training -Also rebuild the unit after losses incurred on Peleliu -Boarded another trip -When they were two or three days away from Okinawa, Tokyo Rose made another broadcast -Told the Marines to expect an easy invasion compared to Peleliu -Went ashore and faced minimal resistance from the Japanese -On the third day the Japanese unleashed everything they had on the American forces -Couldn't believe the number of ships used for the invasion of Okinawa (01:01:08) Battle of Okinawa-Battle Pt. 1 -As they moved inland the Japanese resistance got worse -Set up the howitzers and machine guns on a small knoll overlooking the ocean -Hundreds of American ships and the sky was filled with antiaircraft fire -Remembers a Japanese Zero flying so low over his position that he could see the pilot in the cockpit -Zero passed over his position and attacked the American ships -The pilot strafed the ships then passed over the howitzers -Returned to ships and strafed again -Dodged antiaircraft fire -On the Zero's last pass a 20mm round hit the plane -Turned into a fireball and fell into the ocean -One of 15 Japanese planes he saw during the Battle of Okinawa -Never saw any kamikazes -The 7th Marine Regiment got stuck on one part of the island -After the third day of the battle Japanese resistance increased -His unit was on the move, but had to move slow because they were an artillery unit -Never had enough flares during the battle -One night a flare went up and he saw bushes moving just beyond the perimeter -He told the lieutenant to fire another flare to illuminate the area �-Lieutenant informed him they only had three flares until the next day -Another flare went up and he and the automatic rifle gunner opened fire -All he could see was laser-like red tracers cutting through the darkness -The next morning there were 14 dead Japanese soldiers near his position -Japanese soldiers put foliage on their helmets and uniforms as camouflage (01:08:08) Battle of Okinawa-Typhoon -Experienced a typhoon during the Battle of Okinawa -There were concrete docks offshore tethered with massive steel chains -The storm caused the steel chains to snap -The winds blew away their tents and their newly built latrine -The latrine blew into the ocean -Remembers that all he could see were tents and materiel blowing in the wind -Had foxholes to hunker down in during the storm (01�:10:12) Battle of Okinawa-Battle Pt. 2 -Told no information about the progress of the battle -Remembers eight days before they moved to a new position they got a “mail call” -One of the men in his unit loved his wife and always talked about her -On that mail call he received a 'Dear John' letter from her (breaking up with him) -She also included a photograph of herself, eight or nine months pregnant -He had been overseas for at least a year and a half -Remembers seeing some of the dead Japanese soldiers -Committed suicide rather than be taken prisoner -Three weeks before the battle ended he was clearing brush -Marine with the cheating wife offered to help him -A Japanese soldier popped out of a spider hole and threw a grenade at them -Gordon dropped and covered himself while the Marine took the full brunt of the blast -The grenade blew him apart and put an end to his suffering -Japanese forces on Okinawa surrendered on June 22, 1945 (01:13:16) Post-War Duty in China-Deployment -Received word that he would be sent back to the United States -Too many troops on Okinawa -Made sure to get rid of any contraband before he boarded the ship -Sold a beautiful pistol for only $12 so it wasn't on him -Later learned that that was unnecessary -Soldiers with 50 points were being sent back to the United States -He had 58 points -Points awarded on length of service, rank, dependents, and combat -Assigned to a ship to return home -Thought he was finally going home after a year and a half overseas -Learned that the ship was going to China before he could go home -Wound up spending six months in China -Didn't get back to the United States until February 27, 1946 -Had gone overseas on February 28, 1944 (01:16:26) Post-War Duty in China-Police Duty -Worked on the ship as a Shore Patrolman -Went ashore in China and was assigned to the Military Police -Spent a lot of time just wandering around -Stationed in a town outside of Tientsin (now Tianjin) -Moved around China on trains �-Loading Japanese soldiers onto trains to be taken back to ports and loaded onto ships -Did that for three months -In the winter temperatures dropped to zero degrees -Chinese Communists were taking control of China from the Nationalists -Heard bullets snapping past him -One Marine fired back at a communist soldier -Apparently hit the soldier -Informed that they were not allowed to return fire with rifles -Issued shotguns and buckshot -Totally ineffective except in close combat -Only had summer clothing during the winter -Quartered in the old French barracks in Tientsin -Traveled all over China on trains -Thought the Japanese soldiers he encountered were nice men -Some of the Marines took personal items from the Japanese soldiers -He never did that because he empathized with them and saw them as equals (01:22:10) Post-War Duty in China-Chinese Civilians, Crime, and Commerce -Remembers the Chinese civilians were smart people -Remembers an old Chinese man doing magic tricks for the Marines -On guard duty one night and an old man approached him -Wanted to sell his ring for only $1 -$1 was the equivalent of 3800 yuan -It was a 14 karat gold ring with a jade stone -Everything was cheap in China -Aunt sent him a diamond, onyx, and 14 karat gold ring and a beautiful money clip -Someone stole both things -Saw Chinese families in long boats on the river -Most likely lived in the boats -Marines did get in trouble in China, but not as much trouble as they could have -Only issued $12 a month while in China -Kept prices low and the Marines out of trouble (01:27:38) Coming Home -Completed his duty in China and was placed on another ship -Sailed to California -Took only a week and a half to get back to the United States -Landed at San Diego -Took a train to Chicago -Parents had moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan while he was in the Marines -Took a bus from Chicago to Grand Rapids (01:29:55) Working for Oldsmobile (Prior to Marines) -Before reporting for basic training he got a job working for Oldsmobile -Worked for Oldsmobile for a month -Worked third shift -Remembers going to the Westgate Tavern after work -Served beer despite being 17 years old -There was a girl he worked with that was 20 years old, but was turning 21 years old soon -He brought her to the Westgate after work and she tried to order a glass of wine -Turned away even though she was turning 21 the next day �(01:31:54) Life after the War -Got to Grand Rapids and wanted to go back to work at Oldsmobile -Bought a used car that frequently broke down -Wasn't able to get over to Oldsmobile to reapply for the job -Got a job at Dickinson Lithograph -Same shop his father worked at -Got a better job at Michigan Lithograph -Worked there for 40 years (01:33:13) Reflections on Service -There were a lot of bad times, but there were also really good times too -Some things were terrible, but he's able to look back on it as an overall positive experience -Especially his time in China after the war ended -Doesn't feel that the war changed him -Able to retain his personality despite everything he saw (01:35:10) Spirit of Grand Rapids Honor Flight -Went on the Spirit of Grand Rapids Honor Flight on May 16, 2015 -Chance for local veterans to be treated to a flight to Washington DC -Toured the capitol and honored for their service -Talked with Dick DeVos on the flight to Washington DC -Got back to Grand Rapids at 11 PM -Completely worn out, but agreed to go to the final part of the event -Went to East Kentwood High School for the conclusion of the day -Couldn't believe how many people were there to greet the returning veterans -Greeted by firefighters and police officers -Thousands of people welcoming them home and thanking them for their service -His wife, daughter, and grandson were there to greet him -It was a long day, but a good day � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SigginsG1920V Title A name given to the resource Siggins, Gordon Donald (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-02-11 Description An account of the resource Gordon Siggins was born in Highland Park, Michigan in 1925. Prior to serving he worked at the Willow Run Bomber Plant outside of Detroit from summer 1942 to summer 1943. He registered for the draft when he turned 18 and joined the Marine Corps. He took basic training in San Diego which began in October 1943. Upon completion of basic training he joined the Marine Raiders and trained at Camp Elliot, California. On February 28, 1944 he deployed to the Pacific Theater with the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion and trained at New Caledonia for a month. The Raiders were disbanded and he was assigned to C Battery of the 11th Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division. He took part in the invasion and battle of Peleliu from September 15, 1944 to November 27, 1944. After resting on Puvavu and training on Guadalcanal he took part in the invasion of Okinawa and the battle for that island from April 1, 1945 to June 22, 1945. After Japan surrendered in August 1945 he went to Tientsin, China in September 1945. From China he returned to the United States, landing in San Diego, California on February 27, 1946. Shortly after getting back to the U.S. he was discharged from the Marines. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Siggins, Gordon Donald 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 Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/abb595cb9058916130e50fd3ff7560f3.m4v 544228da9118372f9d694375d6f64b49 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a07a40f3bf0d89818558eb26b56a2601.pdf d0b8d98ab6e36d265e1471bf33133e1c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Gelmer Romeyn World War II 1 hour 1 minute 12 seconds (00:00:47) Early Life -Born on March 24, 1923 in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Moved to Zuni, New Mexico when he was two years old -Started school at an Indian Reservation Mission School -Transferred to a public school in Zuni -One-room schoolhouse -Teacher wasn't friendly -On his first day he tried to run away from school -8th grade student was sent out to get him back -After a while he adjusted to school -Rode to school in an old truck -Still had to walk to a place where he could pick up the truck -Remembers the beginning of the Great Depression -Mother died as a result of childbirth in June 1929 -Father sent him and his baby sister back to Grand Rapids in June 1929 -Lived with grandparents in Grand Rapids -Remembers milkmen, icemen, hucksters, street cars, and horse-drawn garbage carts -During the Great Depression had to be conscious about money -Never felt poor or like they went without enough necessities -Father came to Grand Rapids in 1932 -Remembers the election between Hoover and Roosevelt -Father supported Hoover -Remembers New Deal programs like the WPA, CCC, and the Civilian Training Corps -He joined the Civilian Training Corps in high school -Received training at Camp Custer, Michigan -Attended Ottawa Hills High School -Transferred to South High School -Graduated from there in 1941 (00:08:43) Start of the War -In October 1940 the 126th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division was federalized -Sent to Louisiana for training -Michigan State Troops were created to fill the void after the National Guard left -He and his father joined the Michigan State Troops -Remembers December 7, 1941 -Came home after a date and didn't know that Pearl Harbor had been attacked -Stepmother told him that he had to go to the Grand Rapids Airport immediately -He and his father pulled guard duty that night -Didn't realize the severity of the attack on Pearl Harbor -He was attending Grand Rapids Junior College (now Community College) when the war began -Pulled guard duty at the airport four days of the week -College was lenient and understood that he had a job to do �(00:10:51) Enlisting in the Army Air Force -Enlisted in the Army Air Force for pilot training -His father, a World War I veteran, was not pleased with Gelmer's decision -Enlisted in November 1942 -Remembers sitting in physics class and being told he had a letter from Washington D.C. -Had been called to service -Said goodbye to his classmates and left class (00�:12:22) Basic Training & College Training -Boarded a train in Grand Rapids, went to Chicago, then to Miami Beach, Florida -Reported in February 1943 -Quartered in the Metropol Hotel in Miami Beach -Basic training lasted 30 days -Originally needed two years of college to be a pilot -Army relaxed the requirement and sent cadets to colleges to fulfill that requirement -He went to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh as part of the College Training Detachment -Started as a private getting paid $21 a month -Had prior military experience and made the mistake of correcting an instructor -Wore regular Army uniforms in Florida -Took a troop train to Pittsburgh -Dirty, slow moving, and smokey -Had civilian teachers at Duquesne University -Took math, English, and science courses and received further military training -Pittsburgh welcomed military personnel -Went to a Presbyterian church and met an old, wealthy widow -She invited him to Easter dinner -After that he visited her whenever he had a weekend off -She threw a going away party for him and the other cadets -He stayed in touch with her after he went overseas -Spent five months at Duquesne University (00:18:14) Pilot Classification -Sent to a Classification Center in Nashville, Tennessee -Took tests and went through a psychological evaluation -Options were to be a pilot, bombardier, or navigator -He was selected for pilot training (00:19:25) Pre-Flight Training -Sent to Maxwell Field, Alabama for Pre-Flight Training -More classroom work -He was made a cadet officer -Responsible for leading other cadets on inspections -Remember a cadet being kicked out of Pre-Flight Training for cheating on a test -Got gigged for minor infractions -For example, not having shoes shined or lying about having his shoes shined (00:22:08) Basic Flight Training -After Pre-Flight Training he progressed to Basic Flight Training -Trained with the Stearman, a biplane -Flew with an instructor for eight hours then flew solo -Had a civilian instructor that had been a barnstormer before the war -Remembers on one training flight the instructor fell out of the plane -Fortunately, he had a parachute �-Sent to Shaw Field, South Carolina where he trained with the BT-13 Valiant -Had radios on the BT-13 -Remembers one flight instructor that used a lot of profanity -He requested the instructor mind his language -Prompted the instructor to swear even more -On one training flight the engine cut out -He thought it was the instructor doing a test -Gelmer did the proper procedures and got the engine running again -When they landed he realized it had been a mechanical problem -After that, the instructor swore less around him (00:27:09) Advanced Flight Training -Sent to Moody Field, Georgia for Advanced Flight Training -Trained with the AT-10, a twin-engine aircraft -Remembers a plane hitting a tree on landing and resulting in a crash -The cadet was killed, but the instructor survived -Graduated on May 22, 1944 -Commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and was now a pilot -Received leave and spent two weeks in Grand Rapids (00:29:15) Transition School -Originally assigned to be a Tactical Officer training cadets -Requested a different assignment Sent to St. Joseph, Missouri for Transition School -Trained for 30 days on the C-47 transport plane (00:29:58) Operating out of Casablanca -Went to Miami Beach and flew to Casablanca, Morocco -Entirely new and different culture -Billeted at the airport -Note: Most likely Nouasseur Air Base -Spent six months in Casablanca -Arrived in August 1944 during the invasion of southern France -Flew to Naples and Rome on supply missions -Moving personnel and cargo -Brought a platoon of Women's Army Corps personnel and USO performers to Italy -On one mission he stopped in Benghazi, Libya -Found a British motorcycle in a dump and brought it back to Casablanca -Rode it for a while then his commander forbade it -Continued to ride it until he was caught -Saw USO Shows in Casablanca -Saw Frank Sinatra perform -Met him in the Officers' Club -Flew a brigadier general on one mission (00:35:29) Italian Prisoners of War -Had Italian prisoners of war held near Casablanca -Did menial work at the barracks -Italian prisoners knew that the C-47s flew supply missions to Italy -Found an Italian prisoner trying to catch a ride to Italy on his C-47 -Understood why the man wanted to go home (00:37:36) End of the War -He was transferred to Oran, Algeria �-Went to First Pilot School in Marrakesh, Morocco before going to Oran -He was in Oran on May 8, 1945 when Germany surrendered -Sent to First Pilot School in Cairo, Egypt to train on the C-46 transport plane -Hot and unpleasant training -Didn't like the C-46 -Found it unsophisticated -Only flew it in training -Returned to Oran -Had plans to go to the China-Burma-India Theater -Japan surrendered before he went out -Stayed in Oran -Had a paternal grandfather living in the Netherlands -Given a ten day temporary assignment to Brussels so he could visit his grandfather -Traveled to Enschede, Netherlands -Met his uncle and his paternal grandfather for the first time -Spent four days there exploring the area -The Dutch had no use for the Germans -The Dutch in the north appreciated the British because they liberated the area (00:42:50) Coming Home & End of Service -Returned to North Africa and originally planned on flying a plane back to the United States -He had spent 26 days in Europe, not the approved ten days -Orders were canceled and he had to sail back to the United States -Spent Christmas and New Year's Eve on the ship -He was quartered in the center of the ship, so he didn't get seasick -Left North Africa in December 1945 -Landed at Newport News, Virginia -Discharged there -Took a bus back to Grand Rapids -He was technically on active duty until February 1946 (00:44:57) Army Air Force Reserve & National Guard Service -Stayed in the Army Air Force Reserve -Part of the unit at Grand Rapids aiport -Flew AT-6 aircraft -Flew up to McBain, Michigan to visit relatives -Reserve unit was transferred to Selfridge Field near Detroit -Stayed in the Reserve for a year after that, then left -Joined the National Guard as a 1st lieutenant in the infantry -Went to Fort Benning, Georgia for training -Stayed in for two years (00:46:50) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Returned to college -Got into business in Benton Harbor, Michigan selling prefabricated houses -Did that for two years -Got a job with a law office as an investigator -Got a job with an insurance company as a claims manager -Started his own business as a claims manager (00:47:53) Reflections on Service -Broadened his worldview -Didn't fly after getting out of the Army Air Force Reserve �(00:49:20) Life after the War Pt. 2 -Married after meeting his wife in a Christian singles club -Had two daughters -One of his daughters enlisted in the Marines -First to experience “the Crucible” (marching 58 miles in 48 hours) -Stayed in for nearly three years -Medically discharged due to leg problems Interview ends at 52:08 � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_RomeynG0701V Title A name given to the resource Romeyn, Gelmer W (Interview outline and video), 2005 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-04-17 Description An account of the resource Gelmer Romeyn was born on March 24, 1923 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the early 1940s he joined the Michigan State Troops (a state defense force) and in November 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Force. He reported for basic training at Miami Beach, Florida in February 1943 then received college training at Duquesne University, Pennsylvania. He was classified as a pilot and received flight training at Maxwell Field, Alabama Shaw Field, South Carolina and Moody Field, Georgia. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and a pilot on May 22, 1944. He trained on the C-47 transport plane. He spent six months in Casablanca, Morocco flying transport missions to Italy. He was transferred to Oran, Algeria for the remainder of his time overseas. He returned to the United States in December 1945. He was discharged at Newport News, Virginia and was released from active duty in February 1946. Gelmer remained in the Army Air Force Reserve and then served with the National Guard as a 1st lieutenant for two years. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Romeyn, Gelmer Willis Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Collins, Charles (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/90b4ee88455c0dc1172ff7e7a63d17f3.m4v 64dcc507fb1a5fadfdf9d04d019f4942 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/61894893fa98b438dd3c7dfc1529be5d.pdf 508e671d7a16542f7f69196d575cf759 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Sherman Reed Cold War; Post-Cold War 28 minutes 11 seconds *Note: Times in outline correspond with timecode on interview (00:30:57) Early Life -Born on a farm near Jasonville, Indiana, on June 24, 1941 (00:31:14) Overview of Military Service -Started in the Air Force -Did four years of active duty, and three years of inactive reserve -Served as an interceptor weapons control officer -Spent 23 years in the Army Reserve -Retired in 2000 -Picked up by the Chief of Army Reserve to serve as the chaplain ambassador (00:31:45) Seminary -Studied at the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri -Started in 1967 and graduated in 1971 (00:32:13) Air Force Service -Graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University -Sent to Keesler Air Force Base, Missouri -Train in the Interceptor Weapons Control Course -Part of the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) -Note: Collecting radar information to coordinate responses with NORAD th -Sent to the 848 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Norton Air Force Base, California -Part of NORAD and Air Defense Command -Enjoyed that work -During his time there, he met an Air Force chaplain -Discussed the possibility of becoming a chaplain in the Air Force -Gave Sherman some advice about doing that and what to consider -Got engaged, then married in June 1965 -Five months later, he received orders for the Philippines -Still part of the 848th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron -Supporting the buildup of forces in Vietnam -Trained in the manual program -Based seven hours north of Clark Field -Worked with other special missions and the interceptor control airspace (00:35:08) Becoming a Chaplain & Joining the Army -Decided that he wanted to go to seminary -Wrote to his denomination requesting a chance to go to seminary �-They approved, which allowed him to get out of active duty -Relocated with his wife to the Midwest to study at the Nazarene Theological Seminary -Notified the Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base that he was part of the active reserve -Three weeks later, he checked in and was told he couldn’t be a chaplain -Due to his job, the Air Force considered him too valuable -Still went to seminary and graduated in May 1971 -Air Force still hadn’t called him up for active duty -2 ½ years later, the Air Force sent him a letter outlining his options -He could either continue with active reserve, or go active duty (but not be a chaplain) -Decided to resign his commission instead -Shortly thereafter, an Army chaplain from Fort Sam Houston came to talk with him -Asked Sherman if he was still interested in becoming a chaplain -Told him that he could get him a direct appointment as a chaplain in the Army -Six months later, he became a chaplain in the Army Reserve -Turns out, the men he had coffee with in town were part of the Army Reserve -Learned about his desire to be a chaplain and got the process going -There were very few Nazarene chaplains, so the denomination wasn’t sure about protocol -Relied on other chaplains, from other denominations, when he first entered the Army (00:41:33) Tour in West Germany – Civil Affairs & Exercise Reforger -He was assigned to the 308th Civil Affairs Brigade -Had to qualify as a civil affairs officer -Meant that he worked with local civilian populations -Worked during Exercise Reforger -Annual exercise conducted by NATO forces to ensure rapid response to Soviet attack (00:42:08) Tour in West Germany – Chapel in the Woods -He was in 5th Corps, and was given an interpreter and driver -Visited American and German soldiers in the field -Met with local clergy and residents -During one outing, his interpreter or driver(?), brought him to a wooded place in the country -Went down a small trail to a clearing occupied by a small, wooden chapel -It had been built sometime between 1750 and 1800 -A local couple was expecting their first child when the woman fell ill -It was a difficult birth, and the mother and child were in poor health -The husband prayed for his wife and child’s recovery -They got better, and in return, he built the chapel in the woods -There was a local woman at the chapel cleaning the place when they visited -Said she felt no fear around Sherman -Somehow, she knew he was a chaplain despite a lack of insignia (00:47:44) Tour in West Germany – Dairy Farm -During his time in Germany, he tried to get acquainted with German units during field exercises -At first, they were hesitant of his presence, because they didn’t know why he was there -On one occasion, he went to a German unit camped at a dairy farm on the edge of a small town -They had occupied the dairy barn and set up a generator �-The farm woman was upset because the generator caused one of her cows to go crazy -Local veterinarian told her it would have to be euthanized -Sherman met with the woman to talk with her, and offer her guidance and comfort -She was deeply moved because she thought the Army sent him specifically for her -German commander paid for the euthanasia and for the lost cow (00:54:05) Reserve Officers Association -He now visits Europe twice a year -National chaplain for the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) -He is also part of the Congress of International Officers of Reserve -Otherwise known as the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers -NATO-affiliated, non-political, non-profit organization -He is on the Partnership for Peace Committee (00:55:52) First Army Assignment – Fort Carson -His first Army assignment was at Fort Carson, Colorado in 1977 and 1978 -Assigned to the post chapel and worked with the rabbi -Remembers a woman stationed at Fort Carson came to the chapel, visibly distraught -Her husband was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma -They had been promised by the Army that they could be stationed together -Sherman got her information and told her to come back in 24 hours -Didn’t know what he would be able to do to help her -Rabbi told him that as chaplains, they had extensive power to resolve situations like this -All he had to do was call the commander at Fort Sill and explain the situation < Tape ends before the interview concludes > � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_ReedS2068V Title A name given to the resource Reed, Sherman R (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-26 Description An account of the resource Sherman Reed was born in Jasonville, Indiana, on June 24, 1941. He originally served in the Air Force before becoming an Army chaplain. He received his interceptor weapons control training at Keesler Air Force Base, Missouri, then was assigned to the 848th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Norton Air Force Base, California. During his time with the 848th, he was deployed to a base north of Clark Field in the Philippines to assist with the buildup in Vietnam. He decided to become a minister, and he attended the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated from there in May 1971. While at seminary he was part of the reserve at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base. He resigned his commission with the Air Force and began the process of becoming a chaplain in the Army in 1977 He served at Fort Carson, Colorado, and worked with the 308th Civil Affairs Brigade in West Germany. Sherman retired from the Army in 2000, and as of 2016 is national chaplain for the Reserve Officers Association. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reed, Sherman Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b3ec85f92960ca44a0c72521ea183ea4.m4v ed442c2d3bd4e4bab0edf4d832658700 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d326e14d8d00e2fb6a3190af3dfeb3b0.pdf 18f8c189183b6137bcf8d168ad699529 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project John Rasmussen Cold War (Vietnam Era); Cold War (Post-Vietnam); Gulf War 30 minutes 33 seconds (00:00:18) Early Life -Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on February 24, 1942 -Family moved to the West Coast and moved around a lot -Yakima, Washington; Richland, Washington; Union Gap, Washington; Los Angeles; Palo Alto, California; and Portland, Oregon -Father worked for the government on top secret projects -Lived in Richland during a government test on the civilian populace -Exposed to iodine-131 to see the effects on people (00:02:02) Becoming a Chaplain -Family service in the military inspired him to enlist -Two uncles had served as Air Force chaplains in the Korean War -Influenced his decision to become a chaplain -Attended college in Portland, Oregon, and at Foothill College in Los Altos Hill, California -Completed his bachelor’s degree at Concordia University -Attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana -Endorsed by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod -Enlisted in the Army on February 24, 1968 -Part of the chaplain staff specialist program, and in the chaplain candidate program -Graduated from seminary and got married in June 1968 -Sent to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for his first church -Shortly after the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination in April, and felt the tension -Completed the basic course for chaplains (00:06:40) First Reserve Assignment & Active Duty -Attached to an Army Reserve engineer battalion in Wallace, Idaho -Elected to go on active duty on July 1, 1973 -Note: Later in the interview he says January 1, 1973 -Had gone down to Fort Bliss, Texas, for training with his reserve unit -Received more education -Went to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for a year (00:08:36) Tour in Thailand -Sent to Thailand in February 1974 -Assigned to do spiritual coverage for the Central Identification Laboratory -Working to identify the bodies and remains of soldiers lost in Indochina -As of the interview, there are still three bodies that need identification -Remains returned to the U.S. a year after he left Thailand -Located near U-Tapao Air Base �(00:11:03) Sons in the Military -All four sons served in the military -Youngest son is still in the military -Served as a combat medic and saw the whole gamut of wounds (00:11:44) Stationed at Madigan Army Medical Center -Sent to Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington -Worked with the hospital chaplain -Became the medical center chaplain -Went there in 1975 -No more casualties from the Vietnam War -Combat had ceased in 1973, and wounded had gone out to different hospitals -Interesting experience -Got some experience with neo-natal care (00:14:37) Return to Civilian Ministry -Returned to parish ministries after Madigan Army Medical Center -Worked in Libby, Montana, as a parish pastor -Wanted to go to Alaska, but that never happened -Enjoyed the mountains of Montana (00:15:50) Medical Issue -Before he left Madigan, he was diagnosed with a cyst on his heart -Developed after returning from Thailand -Excised without incident (00:16:15) Army Reserve Personnel Center -Worked in Libby for four years -Chief of Chaplains announced a new position -Army Reserve Personnel Center in St. Louis, Missouri -Got that position -Got to know the Army Reserve chaplains and some of the chaplain candidates -Worked in St. Louis for a couple years -Did mostly office work (00:18:40) Chaplain School -Went to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for the Chaplain School -Stayed there for 4 ½ - 5 years (00:19:00) Return to Active Duty -Went back on active duty as Active Guard Reserve (AGR) tour -AGR tour lasted seven years -Continued to work with Army Reservists and National Guard forces (00:21:41) Gulf War -Served in the area-of-operations during, and after, the Gulf War -Tasked with checking on the morale of troops -Went to prisoner-of-war camps to check on the guards -Ensuring they were abiding by international rules of warfare -In one camp, the Muslim and Christian prisoners were kept separate �-Christians were using ration boxes to do the Stations of the Cross -Felt some unit commanders deserved to be relieved of command for their incompetence -Tour in the Middle East lasted a couple months -Military Police were the only units composed entirely of Army Reservists (enlisted and officers) (00:24:50) End of Service -Retired on September 1, 1995 -Retired with the rank of colonel -Worked at the Chaplain School -Worked at the Pentagon for four years -Old office was destroyed on September 11, 2001 -Worked with Army Reserve components (00:26:57) Reflections on Service -Had some deeply gratifying moments during his career -Being selected for the duties he had as a chaplain -Doing honest work -Testifying before Congress for a special committee supported by Colin Powell -Disappointed to hear the secretary of defense say 50,000 lives were wasted in Vietnam -Understand what the secretary meant, but it still stung to hear coming from leadership � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_RasmussenJ2066V Title A name given to the resource Rasmussen, John A (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-28 Description An account of the resource John Rasmussen was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on February 24, 1942. He attended Concordia Theological Seminary, enlisted in the Army on February 24, 1968, and graduated from seminary in June 1968. His first assignment was with an Army Reserve engineer battalion in Wallace, Idaho. On July 1, 1973, he volunteered for active duty. He spent a year at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, then deployed to Thailand in February 1974. In Thailand, he provided spiritual coverage for the Central Identification Laboratory which worked on identifying the remains and bodies of soldiers lost during the Vietnam War. From Thailand, he went to Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington, and after that returned to the civilian ministry for four years. He returned to service at the Army Reserve Personnel Center in St. Louis, Missouri then served at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for about five years. He was deployed to Middle East during the Gulf War, where he checked on the morale of troops and guards at prisoner-of-war camps. He retired on September 1, 1995, with the rank of colonel. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rasmussen, John A. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b87e18557d22a541a3e52951b34f0733.m4v 31e6b8e68bc7292f8a60459fb15b59ca https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ec455675dcba65513dcd5626d7b572b8.pdf 8f801d5171ce1546e4584e64fc35a9a7 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Charles Press World War II 58 minutes 52 seconds (00:00:10) Early Life -Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 12, 1922 -Father was a minister and edited a church newspaper -Had relatives live with them for three years during the Great Depression -Father brought in enough money to support two families -Graduated from high school in January 1940 -Largest high school in St. Louis at the time -Strictly segregated -Attended Elmhurst College in Illinois -Primary college for the Evangelical & Reformed Church -One uncle was the head of the seminary and another negotiated the merger of the sects -Now known as the United Church of Christ (00:03:24) Start of the War & Getting Drafted -He was at Elmhurst College when Pearl Harbor was attacked -Got the news in the afternoon -Remembers it being quiet, and dim at dinnertime -Thought the war would only last two years -Most young men knew they’d either get drafted or enlist -At first, he was considered for “limited service” due to a lazy right eye -During his time at Elmhurst, he was the editor of a college newspaper -Wrote editorials about the war before the United States entered it -Followed the fighting in Europe and Asia -Some students enlisted after the attack on Pearl Harbor -Remembers one seminary student enlisting -Got a draft notice for the Army and reported to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri (00:07:19) Basic Training -Remembers doing a lot of marching during basic training, and his unit got pretty good at it -Mixture of recruits from all over the country -Helped collect personal information from recruits that were illiterate -There were a lot of men from the Ozarks -Stayed away from the drill sergeants and never had trouble with them -Reported for basic training in 1943 (00:10:07) Assignment to Army Air Force & Stationed in St. Louis -Transferred to the Army Air Force -He was assigned to a headquarters unit for a larger medical unit, based in St. Louis -This headquarters unit oversaw units scattered across the Midwest �-Stayed with them for three or four months -He mostly handled changing out old medical regulations for new regulations -Colonel in charge of the headquarters was a flight surgeon -Worked in an administrative capacity -Felt uneasy and guilty serving in his own hometown -Wanted to go out and do something -Sergeant advised him against it, but he persisted (00:13:05) Training at Chanute Field -Took a mathematics test -If you passed the test, you’d go into one field: cryptography or meteorology -He passed and was selected for training at Chanute Field -Received his meteorology training at Chanute -More relaxed than basic training -Due to the social environment and the trainees being college draftees -Learned how to estimate cloud height and distances in fog for bomber pilots -Received in depth instruction on dew point, temperature, and transmission of data -Used a special communication tool to share meteorological information with other bases -Trained at Chanute for two or three months (00:18:25) Stationed at Harding Army Air Field -Sent to Harding Army Air Field near Baton Rouge, Louisiana -Baton Rouge was crowded with servicemen -Meant the community wasn’t always hospitable -Sometimes played golf and went out to eat in the city -Always rained in the afternoon -Helped him decide he wouldn’t want to live in the South because of the climate (00:20:53) Deployment to the Pacific Theatre -Sent to Salt Lake City for a brief time then to Seattle -Boarded a ship in Seattle with no naval escorts or other defenses -Thought they were going to Alaska until heard Hawaiian music on the radio -Slept on the deck of the ship -Sailed over on a Victory Ship -Tightly packed -Used saltwater for showers, but had freshwater for drinking -Stopped at Hawaii and was stationed at Hickam Field for a week (00:22:57) Stationed on Saipan Pt. 1 -*Note: Based on information later in the interview, he most likely arrived in September 1944 -Flew to Saipan in a cargo plane -There were still Japanese troops hiding on the island when he arrived -They hid in the hills -During one instance, his tent mate accepted the surrender of a Japanese soldier -When he arrived, there were still debris and abandoned materials scattered all over the island (00:23:46) Enemy Contact Pt. 1 -Japanese aircraft from Iwo Jima raided nearby Pagan Island �-Destroyed a handful of B-29s (00:24:14) Stationed on Saipan Pt. 2 -Part of a small outfit of 14 men and they moved around the island -Worked with a land-based Navy unit, and an all-black unit -The black soldiers knew how to make Spam taste better with various spices -Saw ships bound for Iwo Jima during the invasion in February 1945 -Always thought they would accompany other invasions like Palau or Okinawa -Monitored the weather on Saipan and gathered more data from pilots -Compiled the information and turned it over to forecasters -Tyrone Power, a movie star, was on Saipan one time when Charles was stationed there -Managed to get some butter and popcorn one time -Got sick from it because his stomach wasn’t used to rich food like that (00:29:03) End of the War -After the war ended, he just collected his points and waited to be sent home -*Note: Points were assigned based on rank, length of service, dependents, and combat -Remembers ships going to San Francisco for Navy Day on October 27, 1945 -One man in his unit was a photographer and developed aerial pictures for pilots -A crewman asked for a picture to be developed of Nagasaki after the bombing -Charles got a copy and later donated the original to the Truman Library (00:32:04) Enemy Contact Pt. 2 -One night, a returning B-29 failed to signal and he thought it was a Japanese troop carrier -Feared Japanese paratroopers would be dropped on the island -Had a contingent of Marines to help defend against airborne attacks -Once American forces took Iwo Jima, Japanese air raids ceased -There were Black Widow aircraft defending the island from Japanese aircraft -Black Widows were night fighters and precursor to stealth fighters -Remembers watching antiaircraft crews trying to shoot down Japanese aircraft -Remembers jumping into a dugout when Japanese aircraft strafed the island -Always stayed aware of potential hiding places (00:34:30) Stationed on Saipan Pt. 3 -Drove around the island with almost total freedom -There was only one route through the island that was closed -Had free gasoline and access to jeeps -Saw a lot of aircraft crashes on the island during his time stationed there -Spent a lot of time doing nothing and waiting for the war to end -Traded beer for supplies -One sought after item was a funnel to collect water from tents -Had a powerful storm blow through and in that storm he lost his tent -He was driving his jeep and got stuck in a ditch during the storm -A passing truck towed him out of the ditch and sent him on his way -Always remembered that tremendous sense of camaraderie (00:38:07) End of Service & Coming Home -Left Saipan in early December 1945 �-There was a rumor they were to be discharged at Goldsboro, North Carolina -This was so that a certain general could retain his rank -There was a rush of men trying to get out of the military at the same time -Offered a chance to reenlist or join the Reserves, but he declined -Discharged at Goldsboro -Went there via troop train -No dining car -Troops jumped off the train at towns to get something to eat -Stopped in Chicago for eight hours -Remembers passing through Nebraska -Salesmen were selling candy bars for 25 cents each -At the time, one candy bar cost, on average, 5 cents -Felt the demobilization of the military was disorganized and rushed -Had gone from Saipan to San Francisco -Discharged on December 17, 1945 (00:43:00) Life after the War -Wanted to visit some famous jazz clubs in New York, but wanted to go home for Christmas -Returned to college at University of Missouri -Studied there for two years -Hitchhiked to Oregon and worked for a newspaper as a printer for a year -Moved to Chicago -Attended the University of Minnesota to study political science -Had met his wife in Chicago, so she was with him there and they started a family -Got a job at North Dakota State University and taught therefor two years -Met someone from Michigan State University -Offered a job to conduct a metropolitan area study -Spent a year teaching in Wisconsin then got called by Michigan State for a job -He had obtained his doctorate in Minnesota -Settled in at MSU -Taught courses on state government and federalism -Eventually became the department chair -Stayed at MSU until he retired -Started the London and Australia foreign study programs -Worked in conjunction with University of New South Wales -Did six trips to Australia -Wife had worked as a school social worker with mentally handicapped children -Bought a cottage on Lake Michigan paid for with profits he made from textbooks he wrote (00:52:45) Reflections on Service -Made him skeptical about the worship of the Army -Effective, but inefficient organization due to its size and duties -For example, he saw tremendous amount of waste in the Army -Admires the soldiers, but not the management of the soldiers -He disliked the inherent hierarchy of the Army �(00:55:04) Reflections on War -Experienced some antiwar marches at Michigan State -Remembers one graduate student came with the intent of being a protest organizer -Thought President Johnson would have been a realist with the Vietnam War -Disappointed that Johnson didn’t know when it was time to quit -Supported the war at its beginning, but in retrospect believes it was a wrong war -Supported the Korean War -He was skeptical about the Iraq War and is inclined to say he didn’t support it � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PressC2087V Title A name given to the resource Press, Charles (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-01-04 Description An account of the resource Charles Press was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 12, 1922. He was drafted in 1943 and received his basic training at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was then transferred to the Army Air Force and was part of a medical unit's headquarters in St. Louis where he helped with administrative duties. After three (or four) months, he took a test and qualified for Meteorology Training at Chanute Field, Illinois. That training lasted two months and he was assigned to Harding Field, Louisiana, where he was stationed for four (or five) months gathering meteorological data and sharing it with other fields in the United States. In September 1944, he was deployed to Saipan, and stayed on the island gathering meteorological information to assist forecasters in planning missions for aircraft. He left Saipan in early December 1945, and was discharged in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on December 17, 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Press, Charles 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 Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Air Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cd92e9182c7155b9becd94a208a71fcc.m4v 9726b362f63255c75ebd66acd40bb9f5 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f9fde659d26ff19e55d27801fc5d2b18.pdf 4273dd959c29afae085d82b662a9707e PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Lloyd Powell World War II 31 minutes 14 seconds (00:00:12) Early Life Pt. 1 -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on February 22, 1927 -Family lived in Grand Rapids -Eventually moved to Ada, Michigan then to the area south of Lowell, Michigan -Father died shortly before Lloyd joined the service (00:00:59) Enlisting in the Navy Pt. 1 -Father served in the Army during World War I -Advised Lloyd to enlist in the Navy instead of getting drafted -Had suffered as an infantryman in the trenches and didn't want that for his son -Lloyd enlisted in the Navy in the summer of 1944 -Called to active duty in fall 1944 (00:01:45) Early Life Pt. 2 -Father worked as a carpenter -Sick for a long time -Had worked in the Pennsylvania coal mines as a young boy and had lung problems -Family received welfare -Lloyd worked on a neighbor's farm to help the family -Started working when he was only 12 years old (00:02:23) Enlisting in the Navy Pt. 2 -Needed his mother's signature to join the Navy -She didn't want to approve, but she knew he would get drafted when he turned 18 -Would rather have him in the Navy than in the infantry -Made sure most of his money was sent home to help his family -Contributed to him getting out of the Navy early because he had dependents (00:03:33) Basic Training -Went to Great Lakes Naval Training, Illinois for basic training -Had to march everywhere you went -Did tow target training with 20mm antiaircraft guns -A plane towed a target and the men shot at the target -Spent the winter of 1944 at Great Lakes Naval Training -Had to shovel spaces where they could march -Received classroom training -Identifying ships and aircraft from the Allied and Axis powers -Tested on the material they learned in the classroom -Didn't have any trouble adjusting to the Navy -Didn't get homesick -Used to being away from home for a while -When he started working on the farm he only saw his family on Sundays -Never had any trouble following orders -Basic training lasted three months -Went into Chicago one night to unload trucks -Worked all night �-Got paid -Not allowed to go into the city to have fun (00:07:13) Assignment to USS LST-509 -Sent to Norfolk, Virginia to wait for his ship -Assigned to the USS LST-509 -Went to Norfolk via troop train -Had a mess car for food -Had bunks for sleeping -Had to stop in towns to let other trains go by -Stayed in Norfolk for about two or three months to wait for the ship to get back -Stayed busy with marching -Sent to Camp Little Creek, Virginia -Slept in tents -So cold that he slept with his clothes on and under the mattress -Received more classroom training -The LST-509 was a Landing Ship Tank -Large amphibious cargo ship capable of carrying troops, vehicles, and supplies -Had two large doors on the front that would open right onto a landing zone (00:11:08) Service on the USS LST-509 -He was assigned to work as a regular sailor on the ship -After about a month he was placed in charge of a group of six sailors and two marines -Had to keep the marines busy so they wouldn't try to avoid working -Hid in lifeboats so they didn't have to work -Placed in charge of the boatswain's locker -Put to sea pretty quickly -Sailed up and down the East Coast -Took a crew from New England to Florida -Pulled into Wainwright Shipyard near Panama City, Florida -Took a week to sail from New England to Florida -Sailed alone -Only threat was rough weather around Virginia -Remembers springing a leak when they were hauling a supply of experimental torpedoes -The ship's front doors sprung a leak and they used a mattress to stop up the leak -The experimental torpedoes would be dropped off then a passing ship would activate it -Had a crew of about 70 men -One of his duties was on the ship's wheel -Worked four hours on the wheel -Half hour on and half hour off -Had to keep his eyes on the ship's scope to keep it on a straight path -Always had a lookout on the bow to watch for obstructions (00:18:02) Downtime on the USS LST-509 -Could go off the ship in Wainwright Shipyard -All you had to do was hitchhike into town -In Key West the baker got drunk while on leave -Took a gun from a police officer and shot a few holes in the floor of a bar -Spent 30 days in the brig for that outburst (00:19:28) Food -Food on the ship was good most of the time -One time they pulled into Camp Little Creek to get a food supply �-The cable broke and the supply went into the water -Lost a month's worth of food supplies -Had to live off of spaghetti for a month (00:20:43) End of the War Pt. 1 -In Key West the ship got a camouflage pattern and a Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) -Note: LCVP were landing craft capable of carrying troops or armored vehicles -Preparing for the invasion of Japan -After the war ended they dumped 500 tons of ammunition overboard because they didn't need it (00:23:05) The Crew -Most of the crewmen were new sailors like himself -The skipper was a lieutenant -He did a good job and was a friendly man -Befriended an ensign from Ohio that liked to play cards with the enlisted men -He and Lloyd were the only fans of the Detroit Tigers on the ship -Exciting when the Tigers won the World Series (00:25:28) Places they Visited -Saw Key West and Miami in Florida -Never got to see places in New England or New York -Didn't have money to go ashore anyway because he was sending it home for his family (00:26:16) Contact with Home -Wrote home a lot -Didn't have a lot of friends to write to (00:27:12) End of the War Pt. 2 -In Camp Little Creek, Virginia when they received word that the war was over -Made confetti out of toilet paper and used the ship's fans to blow it around -Wound up covering an admiral's ship in the confetti -No one knew that it was his ship that did that (00:28:27) End of Service -He had more points because he was taking care of his family -Navy wanted him out because he was costing the Navy extra money -He was taking care of his siblings and mother, so they were his dependents -Because of that the Navy had to pay him extra money -Didn't resist getting out -Discharged in April 1946 -Discharged at Norfolk, Virginia (00:29:10) Life after the War -Went back to Lowell, Michigan and worked various odd jobs -Got a job at King Milling Company in Lowell -Worked as a semi-truck driver -Full time for 46 years and six years part time -52 years all toll (00:29:55) Reflections on Service -Didn't feel that the Navy changed him too much as a person -Only two years older -Probably learned something, he just can't remember what he learned (00:30:17) Spirit of Grand Rapids/Talons Out Honor Flight -Went on the Spirit of Grand Rapids/Talons Out Honor Flight in May 2015 -Chance to treat veterans to a trip to Washington DC and honor them for their service -Got a great send off to DC and a wonderful welcome home �-Able to bring his daughter with him � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PowellL1925V Title A name given to the resource Powell, Lloyd G (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-02-23 Description An account of the resource Lloyd Powell was born on February 22, 1927 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy in summer 1944 and was called to active duty in fall 1944. He received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois then went to Camp Little Creek, Virginia and on to Norfolk, Virginia where he boarded the USS LST-509. He worked as a regular sailor, oversaw a work detail of sailors and marines, and pulled shifts on the ship's helm. They sailed up and down the East Coast moving personnel and supplies from New England to Key West, Miami, and Wainwright Shipyard in Florida. Near the end of the war the ship was outfitted for the invasion of Japan, and when Japan surrendered they were in Camp Little Creek, Virginia. Lloyd stayed with the ship until he was discharged in Norfolk in April 1946. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powell, Lloyd G. 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 Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d4efd1569c575b6dde612149cfa8bbed.m4v a1f17016b739860bc9f092dcbc95e013 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c3041d5fccba1e526ab69c2375c0463e.pdf a4566188417be7a6015f2632efac67b1 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project James O’Malley Korean War 1 hour 19 minutes 47 seconds (00:00:13) Early Life -Born in Chicago in October 1932 -After nine years, his family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin -Father ran a nightclub -Lived there until he joined the military -Parents lived there until he returned from the military -Moved back to Chicago -Uncle had owned the club and convinced James’s father to move to Appleton -Lied and told James’s father that he could become the owner of the club -His father had worked as a car salesman before the Great Depression -During the Great Depression, the milkman delivered milk regardless of pay -Believes that the milkman’s kindness probably kept him from starving as a baby (00:02:02) World War II -Remembers hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor -Heard the news on the radio -He was nine years old and didn’t fully understand the level of devastation -Played “war” with his friends -One side was American, the other German, and the Americans always won -The older he got, the more attention he paid to the war -The war dominated the news and movies (00:03:10) Enlisting in the Navy -Graduated from high school in 1950 -Received a football scholarship for St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin -Studied there for a semester -Played as a defensive specialist, but was too small to be effective -Lost his scholarship -The Korean War had begun in June 1950, and the draft was active -Didn’t want to get drafted into the Army -Decided to enlist in the Navy in early 1951 -Inducted in April 1951 (00:04:37) Basic Training -Sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for basic training -Not as strict or difficult as Army or the Marine Corps �-Did a lot of marching -A lot of classroom instruction -Knot tying -Navigation -Received rifle training with the M1 Garand rifle -Received some Morse code training -Everybody got basic instruction with it -Adjusted well to life in the Navy -Didn’t get homesick -High emphasis on discipline and following orders -A lot of men were destined for smaller units where obedience was key -More interaction with officers -Basic training lasted about six (or eight) weeks (00:07:55) Pre-Flight School -No choice given to select advanced training, just went where you were ordered -At the beginning of basic training, he took a series of aptitude tests -Designed to figure out intellectual strengths for a good assignment -Didn’t always work out that way, though -For example, he got an assignment for heavy mechanical training -Received orders for Pre-Flight School at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida -Learned about flight regulations, Morse code, and some physics courses -Emphasized the importance of safety around aircraft -Told that a running propeller on an airplane would kill a man -Received some radar training -Learned about flight operations, specifically how to use the radio -Not taught how to fly an airplane -Taught how and when to abandon an aircraft -Only abandon the plane if it was on fire -Try to avoid ditching a plane over water -In the P2V-5 Neptune, you had seven minutes before it sank -Fuselage was thin enough to cut through with a knife -Allowed to go off the base on liberty -Had classes in the day and most nights off -Pre-Flight School lasted three months (00:13:08) Aviation Electronics School -Sent to Aviation Electronics School at Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee -Learned how to operate and repair electronics equipment -Training lasted three months -Grew more confident with technical work as he did it -Using simple electronics at the time �-Learned about radar, radio, general electronics operation and repair (00:15:16) Segregation -Noticed the segregation in the South -Went into Memphis for USO Shows -He and a friend were on a bus and they took a seat in the back -Driver stopped the bus and told them to move to the front -Back seats were only for black passengers -James and his friend refused to move -Driver got a police officer who told them to move, leave, or go to jail -James and his friend decided to just walk -Noticed the “white” and “colored” drinking fountains and business entrances -Difficult for him to understand segregation -The armed forces were technically integrated -Segregation and discrimination still existed -For example, black servicemen were given menial roles -It took a while for segregation to practically come to an end (00:18:30) Stationed in Hawaii & Assignment to Squadron VP-22 -Given a choice: be stationed at Norfolk, Virginia, or Hawaii -Heard that the community in Norfolk was anti-Navy and knew Hawaii was beautiful -Decided to go to Hawaii -Sailed to Hawaii -First time on a large ship -Assigned to Squadron VP-22 at Naval Air Station Barbers Point on Oahu, Hawaii -He was assigned to an aircrew on a P2V-5 Neptune -Served as the radar operator -The P2V-5 Neptune served as an anti-submarine patrol bomber -Twin-engine, land-based aircraft -Had two, 20mm cannons, two .50 caliber machineguns, and other turrets -11-man crew for longer missions, and 7-man crew for shorter missions -Had radar, sonar-buoys, and sonar on the plane (inaccurate at the time) -Had a 500-pound magnetic mine -Stationed at Naval Air Station Barbers Point for five months -Did training flights every third day -Each one lasted one to three hours -The rest of the time on duty he helped maintain aircraft and the base -Allowed to go on liberty -Hawaii was the best place for liberty -Half-hour drive to Honolulu -Flew to, and over, Hawaiian Islands -Saw the Mauna Loa volcano from the air �-Went to the resort on Waikiki Beach -Remembers spending Sunday mornings watching the ocean, drink in hand -Some civilians didn’t like the military personnel because they caused trouble sometimes (00:25:24) Stationed on Okinawa Pt. 1 & Recon Missions -Sent to Okinawa and flew missions off that island -Patrolled the Chinese coast -Acted as a spy plane because neither China or North Korea had submarines -Reported shipping and troop movements -Chinese had antiaircraft batteries along the coast -Learned to fly out of range of Chinese .50 caliber machineguns -Chinese replaced those guns with 37mm cannons -His aircraft came under fire, but was never hit -Regularly took antiaircraft fire on missions -On one night patrol, they wound up deep inland -Flying without visuals because light would have given away their position -Avoided Chinese MiG-15s and YAKs (Soviet version of the P-51 Mustang) -Antiaircraft was more of a threat -Chinese pilots usually just taunted them and made obscene gestures at them -Seldom flew over land, and when they did it was by mistake -On the night patrol, they got blown off course -Had to fly at 500 feet to stay below Chinese radar -Got 50 or 70 miles inland -It was pitch dark and they were in a mountainous area -He used his bomb radar to help guide the plane out of the region -45 minutes later they were back over ocean and out of Chinese airspace -Scariest patrol even without enemy contact -Saw the runs along the coast as more adventurous than threatening (00:34:16) Casualties -Lost some planes during patrols -Missed one patrol, and the plane he was supposed to be on was shot down -Lost two or three planes due to antiaircraft fire -He was supposed to be on the plane that was shot down -Saved by going to the Philippines and having too much fun there -Punished by flying back to Okinawa in the cramped nose turret -Activated a cyst in his spine -Stayed in the hospital for a bit, but nobody talked to him -Nobody wanted to tell him the plane had been shot down (00:37:38) Taiwan -Flew around Taiwan, and landed there one time -The Taiwanese didn’t trust Americans �-Ordered to stay by their aircraft -Placed under guard by Taiwanese soldiers -Flew patrols looking for signs of hostility between China and Taiwan -Supposed to stop an invasion if the Communists or Nationalists tried to attack the other -He felt their chances of stopping an invasion were slim to none (00:39:58) The Korean War -Followed the course of the Korean War -If something happened in Korea, it affected them -Remembers President Truman firing General MacArthur -Servicemen were either disappointed or jubilant -The World War II veteran were happy with the decision -Still on Okinawa when the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953 -Tension decreased -Chinese stopped shooting at American aircraft -Shortly after the armistice, his squadron returned to Hawaii (00:41:48) Downtime on Okinawa Pt. 1 -Spent eight months on Okinawa -There wasn’t a lot to do when they weren’t flying missions -There were brothels outside the base, but he didn’t partake -Whiskey only cost $5 a gallon -Beer was available too -Had some theatres on the island -There were post-exchanges (PXs) to buy simple luxury goods (candy, cigarettes, etc.) (00:42:48) Civilians on Okinawa -Had civilians working on the base at Okinawa -Worked in the mess hall as servers, dish washers, and janitors -Cut the grass -Long lines of people using shears to cut the grass -The Ryukyuans were like the Japanese, but considered themselves different people -They were hardworking people -The Okinawans liked the Americans -Remembered the brutality of the Japanese occupation -Okinawans were massacred by Japanese soldiers near the end of WWII -Americans were viewed as liberators by the Okinawans (00:45:11) Stationed on Okinawa Pt. 2 -Did a lot of training on Okinawa -Did gunnery training on Okinawa with riot guns (modified shotguns) -Shot skeet and had perfect scores because of the widespread of shot -He and two other friends got lost returning from gunnery training -Walked through a village and the villagers lined the street to watch them walk through �-Learned later that it was the only communist village on Okinawa -Villagers were afraid of armed Americans coming through their village (00:46:54) Downtime on Okinawa Pt. 2 -Saw one USO Show during his time on Okinawa -Tennessee Ernie Ford with Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich (famous drummers) (00:47:38) Reassignment to Naval Air Station Glenview -Retuned to Hawaii after the Korean War -Stayed there for a couple months -Father wrote to him to say that his mother was dying -His father petitioned the Red Cross to get him reassigned -Would have taken six months to get reassigned -His father wrote to a friend, which led to contacting the Chief of Naval Operations -James received transfer orders to Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois -Signed by Senator Joseph McCarthy -Good to Wisconsinites, bad for America -Worked in the electronics shop at NAS Glenview and also stood guard -Sometimes worked as the chauffeur for Admiral Daniel Gallery -Remembers Admiral Gallery giving orders to the fleet from the backseat of the car -James completed 24 combat missions qualifying him for an Air Medal -Other members of Squadron VP-22 were simply handed their Air Medals -James was awarded his Air Medal by Admiral Gallery during a ceremony -While at NAS Glenview, he realized that he was ready to be done with the Navy -He was one of the few regular Navy personnel stationed at NAS Glenview -Near the end of his time there, Chicago was hit by a bad snowstorm -Navy personnel were used to plow the streets of Chicago (00:53:40) Stationed at Naval Air Station Glynco & End of Service -Sent to Naval Air Station Glynco near Brunswick, Georgia, as his final duty station -Checked in at NAS Glynco and the personnel officer reviewed his record -He was the only serviceman qualified to operate a snowplow in Georgia -There were only two aircraft at NAS Glynco and only two pilots -One was a regular plane and the other was a helicopter -He added some electronics to the helicopter and to the headquarters building -Played a lot of football -NAS Glynco was a LORAN base -Primitive version of a global communications network developed in WWII -The LORAN transmitter was on a ten story-high blimp hangar -One of his jobs was checking on the transmitter -Had to climb a ladder to get to the roof -Worst job that he had in the Navy, since he hated heights -Navy occasionally brought out the blimps for missions �-Had been used as antisubmarine aircraft -NAS Glynco was in a beautiful part of the country -Near Jekyll Island and places popular with millionaires -Fifty miles north of the Florida border -Easy to drive down to Florida and enjoy the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico (00:57:35) End of Service -There wasn’t a lot of pressure to reenlist -When he was being discharged, he was asked about his plans after the Navy -Said that he wanted to return to college, which ended discussion about reenlisting (00:58:20) Life after Service -Returned to Chicago to study at Loyola University -Studied English and intended on becoming a teacher -At the end of his course work, he was told he would need to stay another year -This would have been to get his teaching certificate -Was married, had one child, and had another child on the way -Decided that he didn’t want to spend any more time in school -Moved to Michigan and worked for a variety of companies -Did sales management and advertising management -In 1996, he visited a friend who was the principal at Lake Michigan Catholic School -Secretary asked if James would teach, but he explained he didn’t have a certificate -Told he could be a substitute teacher for 90 hours, then become permanent -Eventually became a permanent teacher at Lake Michigan Catholic -He also coached track and football (01:00:27) Reflections on Service -Felt that the Navy was good for him -Believes that it helped him mature -Learned there were more serious things than being good at football -It was a positive experience for him -Learned that the harder he worked, the better off he was -Didn’t change his core personality (01:01:15) Maneuver Accident -In Hawaii, the Navy wanted to create a plan to prevent being caught off guard again -Memories of Pearl Harbor were still fresh -Plan was to send three American submarines out to sea, then sneak into Pearl Harbor -The 7th Fleet was tasked with finding and “destroying” the “enemy” subs -Squadron VP-22 was to lead the maneuver since they were an antisubmarine unit -James was on radar when he saw a blip on the screen -No “friendly” ships supposed to be at the blip’s location -Asked the plane commander to verify the target, which he did -They then began circling the target �-The copilot had an extremely bright searchlight -Once they got low enough, he turned on the light -Discovered it was the SS Lurline, flagship of the Matson Line -All the people on deck were temporarily blinded by the searchlight -They had wandered into the maneuver zone by accident -When they returned to base they were greeted by very unhappy high-ranking officers -Expected to be sent to prison -Matson Line clarified that they had made a mistake, not James’s plane -Saved James and the rest of his crew from being punished (01:05:25) Misidentified Targets -One night, a military cargo plane spotted a possible enemy submarine near Hawaii -James and the rest of the crew got out of bed around 3 a.m. then took off to investigate -Once they had a visual, they discovered that it was a whale -Cargo crew was sufficiently embarrassed -Would’ve found the situation funny if he hadn’t been so tired -On another patrol, they found an actual submarine -Discovered it by pure luck -Contacted the submarine on radio and ordered them to identify themselves -Came back as an American ship (01:07:42) Supply Drop Mission -There was a troopship bound for Japan when it experienced a cholera outbreak -James’s plane was tasked with flying the medicine out to the ship -The flight was so long they had to stop at Midway to refuel -Successfully dropped off the medicine and returned to base (01:08:45) Flight Specifics -On regular, non-recon flights, they flew higher than 500 feet -Usually flew at about 1,000 – 2,000 feet, and sometimes even higher (01:09:30) Getting a New Plane in Oakland -Sent to Oakland, California, to get a new P2V-5 Neptune -Flew to California in a Martin JRM Mars seaplane -The officers got to be in the passenger area, and the enlisted men stayed in the hold -Cold, couldn’t smoke, and didn’t have regular seats -Halfway through the flight, their pilot came down to tell them about the passenger area -James decided to go up to see if the radar operator wanted a break -Gave James a chance to have a smoke and sit in an actual seat -Radar operator came back so James could nap in a bunk -Returned to the hold and was greeted by disgruntled crewmates -Angry that he left them in the hold, but eventually forgave him -Once they got to Oakland they had to test the plane -He was smaller, so he was placed in the nose turret for the test flight �-He rotated the turret down, and it felt like he was going forward off the plane -Thought it hadn’t been tethered to the aircraft and he was falling -Turned out the pilot had put the plane in a shallow dive -James then went up and told the pilot to never do that again -This pilot wasn’t very good, anyway -On another flight, he landed a plane without landing gear (01:13:46) Pilots, Officers & Enlisted Men -Most of the pilots he worked with were good and competent men -Some of the officers were egotistical and let it get in the way of their service -One night, James was placed on guard duty to watch over the aircraft -Out of the dark, a jeep races up to an aircraft, a man gets out and gets in the plane -James ran over, cocked his pistol, and ordered the man out of the plane -Man handed over his ID and James inspected it -He was a pilot, but didn’t have the right to do that -James told him to leave -Pilot wanted to prosecute, but couldn’t because he was wrong -Had to fly with that pilot once and it was very tense -Remembers a friend of his setting fire to a dumpster -Walked around the building to call in the fire -Received a commendation for spotting the fire and reporting it -One of his jobs at the end of a flight was to get out of the plane and lock the landing gear -This was to prevent them folding under the aircraft’s weight -One night, he flew with the egotistical pilot who tried to take a plane -They landed and James jumped out of the plane -Blinded by bright, white headlights -He almost stumbled into a running propeller -Pilot had left his jeep parked with the lights on facing the landing area -James got back on the plane and berated the pilot for the mistake -Could’ve gotten killed -The pilot he usually flew with was a good man -He was a lieutenant junior grade -Most respected pilot in VP-22 -His regular copilot had served in WWII -His regular pilot was extremely calm, even in tense situations -During the mission in the Chinese mountains he stayed cool and collected -On one flight at Hawaii they lost an engine -Remained calm and casual as he requested an emergency landing � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_OMalleyJ2096V Title A name given to the resource O'Malley, James M (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-01-24 Description An account of the resource James O'Malley was born in Chicago in October 1932. In April 1951, he enlisted in the Navy. He received his basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, then went to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, for Pre-Flight School. He then went to Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee, for Aviation Electronics School. James was sent to Naval Air Station Barbers Point on Oahu, Hawaii, and joined Squadron VP-22, an antisubmarine patrol squadron. He served aboard a P2V-5 Neptune and conducted antisubmarine patrols around Hawaii. In spring 1952, Squadron VP-22 was sent to Okinawa to fly reconnaissance missions along the Chinese coast as part of the Korean War. His plane took antiaircraft fire on multiple occasions and they encountered Chinese fighter planes. After the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, he returned to Hawaii and was then reassigned to Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois. His final duty station was at Naval Air Station Glynco, Georgia, and he was discharged from there. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource O'Malley, James M. 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 Veterans Video recordings Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/64cc7151ae3a3318bb1dfdc6eca8bc3c.m4v 2061b7b0928ebda60a833a8cd767b651 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e2eaddbbdc1705305a7abf9b424a07b4.pdf 68019f43dd3af15b9003b9737c73ec8f PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Jacob Mol War in Iraq and War in Afghanistan 1 hour 32 minutes 9 seconds (00:00:39) Early Life -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on December 15, 1986 -Lived on the West Side of Grand Rapids -Had four brothers and a half sister -Moved north to Cedar Springs, Michigan -Graduated from Cedar Springs High School -Father worked as an electrician all over the United States -Jacob traveled with him -Mother stayed at home, but also did dental assistant jobs -Worked various jobs after high school -Decided to forgo college because of the cost (00:02:28) Enlisting in the Marines -Decided to enlist in the Marines in May 2006 -Sworn in on September 11, 2006 -Part of a delayed entry program because he wanted to work on aircraft -Had been in the Young Marines when he was younger -Taught how to march and be in formation, values, and leadership skills (00:04:08) Basic Training -Sent to San Diego for basic training in February 2007 -It was cold at night and hot during the day -Boarded buses and taken to the base -Drill instructors got on the bus and started screaming at the recruits -Got off the bus and stood at attention waiting for further orders -Gathered gear, had their heads shaved, and moved quickly -Waiting to get sorted into their training unit -Arrived at 10 PM -Woke up the next day at 7 AM -Kind of expected the craziness of the first few days -Knew that if he followed orders he would be fine -Part of Platoon 2134 of Fox Company -Had one senior drill instructor and three other drill instructors -Three of the drill instructors were veterans and one of the drill instructors was new -Didn't know much about any of them -Phase One of basic training lasted a month -Starting physical training -Taught Marine Corps history -Received First Aid training and learned the basics of rifles -Phase Two of basic training was at Camp Pendleton, California -Received Field Training while at Camp Pendleton -Did two weeks of rifle training -One week of classroom work -Some men had never handled a rifle before in their entire life �-After a week of class they spent a week on the rifle range -Completed rifle training with qualifications -Did outdoor training at Camp Pendleton -Did “the Crucible” -Three or four days of night navigation training -Obstacle courses -Completed by running up the hill called “Reaper” and getting dog tags -Trained with the M16A2 rifle -Had iron sights -Accurate up to 500 yards -For night navigation training they were given a flashlight, compass, and a map -Worked with a team of five men and tried to avoid getting “captured” -His fire team did not get “captured” -Phase Three focused on physical training and uniform protocol -Taught how to take care of their uniforms -Did swimming qualification -Martial arts qualification -Trained with a lot of men from California, Texas, Ohio, and Michigan -There were a lot of Hispanic recruits -Befriended a lot of the men he trained with -There were no women training with them at San Diego -Only women he ever saw there were the Navy corpsmen doing medical work -Basic training lasted about three months, give or take a week -Assigned Marine Occupational Specialty 6213: fixed-wing aircraft mechanic (00:15:23) Marine Combat Training -Went home for two weeks of leave -Spent one week with his family -Spent another week working with recruiter -Getting new recruits ready for basic training and trying to get people to join -Sent to Camp Pendleton for Marine Combat Training -Abbreviated version of the School of Infantry that Marine riflemen went through -Advanced rifle training -Learning how to move forward while firing at targets set at varying distances -Trained with different weapons -M240 grenade launcher, .50 caliber machine gun, other larger weapons, and hand grenades -Received more land navigation training -One day of Day Navigation -Had to move from one point to the next while staying concealed -One night of Night Navigation -More difficult because they had to move through the mountains -Pretty much everyone passed Marine Combat Training -Men only got held back due to medical reasons (00:20:10) Engine Training -Sent to Pensacola, Florida for “A School” -Taught how to work on aircraft engines -Three months of classes -Similar to a college course -Taught by civilian and Navy instructors -Learned about jet engines, helicopter engines, and turboprop engines �-The higher your class ranking, the more choice you had about what aircraft you would work on -He was #2 in his class -He selected EA-6B Prowler work -The Prowler was a fixed-wing jet aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder -Used extensively in the Vietnam War -Used for electronic warfare -Jam radar, conceal aircraft, and pick up enemy communications -Core of most of the aircraft was 20 to 50 years old -Fun to work on (00:24:53) Prowler Training -Sent to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington to learn how to work on the Prowler -Part of a Marine Corps and Navy joint training squadron -Learned about the fuel system, engine, oil system, and landing system of the aircraft -Taught how to do flight inspections -Trained there from October through November 2007 -Able to go home for Thanksgiving 2007 (00:26:47) Downtime during Training -Allowed to go off the base when he was at Pensacola -No vehicles allowed -When he was at NAS Whidbey Island he was allowed to have a car -His cousin let him borrow his car, so he could go into Seattle (00:27:47) Stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point -Assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina -Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) -VMAQ-3 was getting ready to deploy in 20 days, so he was swapped into VMAQ-2 -Learning how they worked in a VMAQ -VMAQ-2 was basically the same as VMAQ-3 just with a different command -Squadrons were on a six month rotation at the time -The squadrons worked together at Cherry Point -He was with VMAQ-2 for a few months -Transferred to VMAQ-4 for a month -Transferred back to VMAQ-3 when they got back from their deployment -Because he moved between squadrons so much, he received some training multiple times -For example, he had to go through gas chamber training multiple times -This involves putting on a gas mask and other gear to protect from WMDs -You then go into a room that is sealed and filled with tear gas -Once the room is full, you remove your gas mask and inhale the gas -The objective is to give you an idea of what a gas attack would be like (00:32:22) Deployment to Iraq & Arrival in Iraq -Deployed to Iraq in August 2009 with VMAQ-3 -Orders for Al Asad Air Base in Iraq -Didn't know what to expect going into Iraq -They were on the south side of the air base -Lived in huts made out of shipping containers -Had doors, windows, and air conditioning -Had a gym, chapel, and a general store on the base -Before deploying they went to a base in Nevada for pre-deployment training -Spent a month there getting used to a desert climate -Got used to working 12 hour shifts �-He always worked at night -Didn't receive any cultural training -Wouldn't have much contact with the Iraqis anyway -Left the United States on C-130s and flew to Germany -Spent a day in Germany -Took a commercial airliner to Kuwait and boarded C-130s again to fly into Iraq -First thing he noticed about Iraq was how hot, dry, windy, and sandy it was -Daytime temperatures averaged at 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit -Didn't deploy as a whole squadron -Prowlers and a forward unit went over two weeks earlier than the rest of the squadron -Ironically, Jacob's group got there earlier because one of the Prowlers got delayed -When they arrived, VMAQ-1 was still there (00:38:17) Stationed at Al Asad Air Base -Had concrete bunkers that the aircraft could be stored inside -Huge blast doors on the outside and dual tunnels that led out onto the runway -VMAQ-1 had a similar bunker about an eighth of a mile down the runway -Nice to have an enclosed space to work in -Out of the sun and safe from small arms fire or mortars -Never attacked when he was in Iraq -They were about 100 kilometers west of Baghdad -Basically in the middle of nowhere -Built around an oasis -Knew almost nothing about the Iraq War or Al Asad Air Base's history before arriving -Heard stories about Saddam's treatment of the Iraqi people -Knew Al Asad had been some kind of leisure and sports compound during Saddam's regime -Note: Originally named Qadisiyah Airbase and built during the 1980s -Worked from 5 PM to 7 AM, plus or minus a half hour -Had evening meal as breakfast then briefed on what needed to be done during the shift -Usually sent out aircraft on night missions -Did an inspection of the Prowlers then got them ready to fly -Sent out two aircraft at a time -If there was nothing else to do then they could just sit around for the remaining six hours -Had internet and computers to pass the time -Able to get their work done at a relaxed pace, most of the time (00:44:56) End of Deployment in Iraq -Deployment ended in February 2010 -Last Marine air unit in Iraq -They were relieved by the Navy -Worked with the Navy personnel when they came to help shut down the air base -Had to gather up any left over Marine gear -Had been in Iraq for seven or eight months (00:46:30) Technical Problems in Iraq -Had to do oil changes on the aircraft almost every time they came back from a mission -Very repetitive task -If they didn't have to do an oil change then they still had to do an oil inspection -Basically making sure there wasn't too much dust and sand in the oil -Air frames of the aircraft always broke because they were so old -Washed the Prowlers every couple days to keep them dust free -Also made sure they stayed dry so no dust or sand could stick to the plane �(00:49:20) Morale in Iraq & Contact with Home -Morale was affected due to the length of the shifts -Noticed that halfway through the deployment tensions flared -Near the end of the deployment everyone started to calm down again -Worked out at the gym to deal with frustration -Slept a lot to pass the time -Wore headphones when he slept and listened to classical music to drown out the aircraft noise -Able to Skype his family once a week -Chance to let them know that he was okay and how life was in Iraq (00:52:19) Returning to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point -Left Iraq in February 2010 and got 20 days of leave -Returned to Michigan and went to the Upper Peninsula with his family to go snowmobiling -Returned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point -Took the Prowlers apart for in depth inspections and to clean their components -Some of the aircraft needed their engines swapped out -More in depth maintenance after returning to the States than deploying to Iraq (00:54:23) Deployment to Afghanistan -There was a rumor they would be deployed to Japan for a shorter, three month deployment -A month later their orders were changed to Afghanistan -Did pre-deployment training in Yuma, Arizona -Different because he had a higher rank and there were new men in the unit -VMAQ-3 received another Prowler and about 30 new Marines to maintain said Prowler -Passed through Germany, again, en route to Afghanistan -Flew from Germany to Kyrgyzstan -Got to spend the day there -Interesting place -A lot of vendors selling old Soviet gear -He bought $200 worth of Soviet stuff and sent it back home -Boarded a commercial airliner and flew to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan (00:58:20) Stationed at Bagram Air Base -He was stationed at Bagram for his entire deployment in Afghanistan -Bagram was huge compared to Al Asad -His unit was quartered next to the emergency evacuation helicopters, C-130s, and the hospital -More of a sense that he was in a war zone -Every two or three days militants shot rockets or mortars at Bagram, usually at 2 AM or 9 PM -Came out of batteries in the city or in the hills near the base -Most of the time the rockets hit nothing, but when they found their mark they caused damage -When they took mortar/rocket fire they went into bunkers scattered around the base -Concrete enclosures capable of taking a direct hit -In retaliation, attack helicopters went out to search and destroy the enemy batteries -Missions took about an hour, which meant they had to sit in the bunkers for an hour -Worked day and night shifts at Bagram -Noon to midnight for half of his deployment then midnight to noon for the other half -Never worried about small arms fire (01:02:09) Living Conditions at Bagram -Sleeping arrangements were worse at Bagram than in Iraq -Slept in wooden shacks with screen windows -City of Bagram was a quarter mile away, but they were not allowed to go into the city -Bagram was primarily used as an R&R base for soldiers in Afghanistan �-Had cheerleaders and comedians tour the base to entertain the troops -He didn't go to those shows because he felt the combat troops needed them more -Had a bazaar on base that acted as a sort of local shopping center -Remembers they had furs for sale that were illegal to buy in the United States -There were Afghan food vendors and a Pizza Hut -The chow hall (dining hall) at Bagram was better than the one at Al Asad -Wider variety of choices (01:06:16) Security in Afghanistan -Never went off base -There was a school on the base for Afghan children, so he was able to visit that -Remembers the children were friendly and wanted candy -During the last two months he was placed on security detail because he hurt his back -Gave him a chance to see the security measures put in place on their end of the base -Had a guard shack with a rotating security camera -Marine(s) patrolled the area near the guard shack with Air Force guards in towers -Had T-walls (steel-reinforced concrete walls topped with razor wire) -Also had old Soviet landmines scattered around the perimeter of the base (01:09:10) End of Deployment in Afghanistan Pt. 1 & Getting Wounded -On the last day in Afghanistan he got wounded -He had everything packed up except for his rifle -Shells started landing near the building he was in, so he ran outside toward a bunker -Once inside someone pointed out to him that his arm was bleeding -He had taken a small piece of shrapnel in his arm -Closest encounter he had with combat (01:11:29) Progress of War in Afghanistan -Friend told him they had taken more mortars following the execution of Osama bin Laden on 5/2/2011 -Learned that VMAQ-3 had sent out aircraft to support the raid -The bombardment in which he got wounded led to a delay in leaving Afghanistan -Needed to repair the holes in the runway -Knew something big happened whenever there was a lot of activity at the hospital -Saw men missing arms and legs -Able to watch the news, but he usually knew more about what happened than the news talked about (01:15:36) End of Deployment in Afghanistan Pt. 2 & End of Enlistment Pt. 1 -Came home in May 2011 -Enlistment was for five years, so that was coming to an end as well -Placed in an old C-130 hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point -Did not lose any aircraft on either deployment -Only one aircraft got hit by enemy fire in Afghanistan and it was a fairly easy repair -When he got back to the States in May he had nine months left in his enlistment -Could have gone on another deployment, but the rotation schedule changed -Prowlers were being replaced by the EA-18G Growler (variation of the F/A-18F Super Hornet) -He felt the Prowlers were better for electronic warfare because they were simpler aircraft -EA-18Gs had problems with jamming their own electronics -Decided at the beginning of his enlistment not to make a career out of the Marines -Wanted to serve his country, serve his family, and qualify for the GI Bill (01:22:00) September 11, 2001 -He was 15 years old when the September 11th Attacks happened -Remembers being at school, it was 9 AM, and he was in health class -Teacher got a call and turned on the news �-Watched in real time as the jet hit the second World Trade Center Tower -Feels that it had a little influence on his decision to enlist -Wanted to do his part to defend his country and his loved ones (01:23:52) End of Enlistment Pt. 2 -Not much encouragement for him to reenlist -Military was downsizing at the time -Iraq War was coming to an end -War in Afghanistan was slowing down -Discharged in February 2012 (01:24:42) Life after Service -Moved back to Michigan and moved in with one of his brothers -Tried to get a job working on aircraft, but nobody was hiring at the time -Got hired at the plastics factory that his brother worked at -Worked there for two months -Hired by Loomis Armored (a cash handling company) -Applied to Grand Valley State University in mid/late 2013 -Majored in electrical engineering -Feels the Marines prepared him for hands-on work, taught him discipline, and multitasking -Also made him a little too picky when it came to irrelevant details -Wasn't too hard for him to readjust to civilian life -Didn't want to be around too many people for a while -Took a year to return to his “old self” -Even after a year school came as a bit of a shock -Noticed a definite gap between the civilian students and the veteran students -Hard time relating to the younger students (01:31:24) Reflections on Service -Feels that his time in the Marines made him more responsible -Changed him for the better -Appreciates everything that he got out of his time in the Marines -Enjoyed the work he did in the Marines and the people he worked with � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_MolJ1778V Title A name given to the resource Mol, Jacob (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-06-18 Description An account of the resource Jacob Mol was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on December 15, 1986. In May 2006 he decided to enlist in the Marines and was sworn in on September 11, 2006. He began basic training in San Diego in February 2007 then received Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton, California. He was designated as a fixed-wing aircraft mechanic and trained on aircraft engines in Pensacola, Florida. He graduated second in his class and volunteered to work on EA-6B Prowlers. He received training with those aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington then joined Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. He deployed to Iraq in August 2009 and was stationed at Al Asad Air Base until February 2010 then deployed to Afghanistan in fall or winter 2010 and was stationed at Bagram Air Base until May 2011. He completed his enlistment at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and was discharged in February 2012. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mol, Jacob Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/61195af4b514dd7a7c13f7e9ed0af2ec.m4v 87cfaafd424e4e180601a36332bc37c0 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/73d686f0c72daa014779c0d5ab955589.pdf 8342838519e8570b0a056bd68d516749 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Marjorie Matthews World War II – Red Cross (Stateside) 41 minutes 27 seconds (00:00:33) Early Life -Born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1922 -Moved to North Muskegon when she was a year old -Father owned a tea company -Grew up in North Muskegon -Had two older brothers and two older sisters -Wonderful schooling experience -History teacher taught the students how to dance -Played basketball for five years -Played games against other schools in the area -Really enjoyed journalism (00:02:50) Start of World War II -Not too aware of the events unfolding in Europe and Asia during the 1930s -In retrospect, she’s surprised that she wasn’t more aware of those events -Remembers the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 -Oldest brother couldn’t enlist because he was too old, but her other brother enlisted -He served in North Africa, but returned to the United States after being in combat -Had to psychologically recover at the hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan -She worked in the office for Seal Power -Newspaper boys went past the office in the morning -One way she kept up with the news of the war -At the beginning of the war, the news wasn’t good for the United States -Suffered a series of major losses in the Pacific Theater -Once rationing went into effect you had to make your own butter -Rationing applied to every good that could be used for the war effort -Nylon, cigarettes, and gasoline, to name a few items -Went to an assigned ration distribution center to gather supplies -Her place was the post office in Muskegon -Everything that was rationed went to the soldiers -Drank more tea than coffee because tea was easier to get (00:08:00) Joining the Red Cross -Felt she needed to be part of the war effort -Joined the Red Cross -Had weekly meetings in Muskegon -Assigned a Red Cross uniform (dress, nylons, and high heels) -Joined the Red Cross with a friend from Seal Power �(00:09:33) Red Cross Motor Corps -She wanted to be in the Motor Corps, and got in -Delivered magazines to the military hospital in Battle Creek -Allowed her to visit her brother who was recovering in that hospital -Took a test to join the Motor Corps -Had to know how to change a tire -Received training from the Red Cross -Had to drive well -Brought a sailor to the hospital at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Knew how to drive before she joined the Red Cross Motor Corps -Knowing how to drive was a prerequisite to joining the Motor Corps -Went to meetings at Hackley Park -Marched at the park with other Red Cross volunteers -Worked during the day and went to Red Cross meetings at night -Women had to work because most of the men were in the military -Had Red Cross meetings Monday through Saturday, and had Sunday off (00:15:05) News of the War Pt. 1 -Had a radio at home -Allowed her to listen to USO Shows with Bob Hope and Jack Benny -Went to the movies to see the newsreels -Kept civilians up to date about the war -News about actors serving overseas -Got a lot of information from the newsreels before the movies -Had an almost constant stream of information about the war via the newsreels (00:17:22) Family Members’ Service -Her future husband served in the Army as a captain -Got some information from him -Brother-in-law served in the Army Air Force -He was killed-in-action when he was shot down over the Zuiderzee, Netherlands -Kept in touch with her brother via letters until he was sent to Battle Creek -Brother couldn’t psychologically cope with combat and seeing men killed -Had a nervous breakdown -Stayed at Battle Creek for three or four years recovering from his episode -Capable of recognizing Marjorie when she visited, but he didn’t talk much -Eventually recovered and did window art for Hardy-Herpolsheimer’s in Muskegon (00:22:05) Fellow Red Cross Workers & Social Life Pt. 1 -Didn’t have much interaction with the other Red Cross workers -Did different work for the Red Cross -Worked with her friend from Sealed Power -Social life was very different during the war -Not a lot of young men around (00:23:44) News of the War Pt. 2 -Just waited to hear the news and didn’t think much about the progress of the war �-Waiting for it to finally end -It was a tragic time (00:24:24) Casualties -Brought magazines to the wounded men recovering at the hospital in Battle Creek -Wounded men from Michigan went to Battle Creek to recover -A lot of her high school classmates were killed-in-action (00:25:45) End of the War -Remembers Victory in Japan Day (August 15, 1945) -Went into downtown Muskegon to celebrate -People poured into the street -Everyone was overjoyed that the war was over -Sense of elation after years of hardship and suffering -Bars were filled with people -It took a while for things to return to normal -Get the soldiers home -Rationing ended in 1946 -Shortly after the war’s end she left the Red Cross (00:31:00) Working at Sealed Power -Had 200 – 250 women working at Seal Power during the war -Remembers Sealed Power held a party for the women workers at the hotel in Muskegon -Sealed Power made piston rings for the war effort -She worked as a switchboard operator for Seal Power (00:32:48) Social Life Pt. 2 -Big bands came to Fruitport, Michigan -Wonderful time -Saw the Glenn Miller Band play in Fruitport -Band played during her wedding (without Miller; killed-in-action 1944) (00:34:41) Reflections Pt. 1 -Being in the Red Cross gave her something to do besides work -It was a fast life during the war -Never knew what was going to happen -Felt she played a small part, but it took a lot of small parts to achieve victory (00:36:40) Death of President Roosevelt & the Atomic Bombs -Remembers working the switchboard when she heard President Roosevelt died (April 12, 1945) -Everyone working the switchboard got the news at the same time -Knew he was sick, but it came as a shock that he died -Remembers the dropping of the atomic bomb -Didn’t know how horrendous it was at the time -Didn’t agree with the bombing, but knew it helped end the war with Japan (00:38:40) Reflections Pt. 2 -Experience during the war had a profound impact on her -It was a hard time, and she hopes we don’t have to go through that again -Hopes her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and future generations can grow without wars � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_MatthewsM1954V Title A name given to the resource Matthews, Marjorie (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-09-27 Description An account of the resource Marjorie Matthews was born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1922. Shortly after America's entry into the Second World War she joined the Red Cross and served as a driver in the Motor Corps in Muskegon. Her duties ranged from the transportation of servicemen to delivering magazines to the military hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan. She also worked for Seal Power in Muskegon (a company that was part of the war effort) as a switchboard operator. Marjorie left the Red Cross after the war's end in 1945, and she worked for Seal Power for a total of 13 years. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Matthews, Marjorie Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9cfbda3aab441a94659ff2a0baba46f4.m4v 64fc47310662c650a85ed6140eb16a01 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ccecabe8fbead858b809e7ab0c69206d.pdf bb90889f957a9a363a63b1e104840ac2 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Lawrence Koster Length of interview: (54:58) (00:37) Early Life       Lawrence (Larry) was born on May 13, 1935 in Grand Rapids Michigan His father was an auto mechanic and his mother was a housekeeper o Lawrence had an older brother and a younger sister o Three of his uncles served in World War Two; two served in Europe and one served in the far east He remembers that most goods were rationed during the war. He graduated high school in June 1953 o Though the Korean war was going on, he didn’t think that he would be drafted After graduating, he went to Calvin College for two years and took math and science courses o One of the classes he took was a correspondence course. He learned about radio theory and television Larry couldn’t continue with this type of coursework at Calvin but he saw that he could do similar work in the military o He decided to enlist for three years; eleven months of his enlistment was going to consist of schooling (5:15) Military Life     Larry was able to select his job in the military as long as he could manage the work He reported for duty on April 26, 1956 o He traveled by train to Detroit and from there, they were taken to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri o There they were placed in a coal-heated barracks and issued army cloths. While they were at Leonard Wood, they had to complete tedious tasks such as leveling off large piles of rocks After three to four days, they were sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training o Fort Hood was located in a desolate area. Larry was placed in Company C (out of four training companies) (10:10) The training consisted of marching, learning how to follow rules, exercising, and firing weapons o Drill sergeants yelled at them frequently in order to keep the men in line. Some of the instructors were veterans of the Korean War o During the months he was training (May and June), Fort Hood was extremely hot. He had to opportunity to go off base but he wasn’t interested in leaving �        o Though he was assigned to the 4th Armored Division, he didn’t receive any armor training After eight weeks of training, Larry returned to Grand Rapids for a short leave (14:10) When his leave was up, he was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas for Air Defense School o He bunked in a large room with eight other men. The buildings were nice than the ones at Fort Hood The schooling began with basic math o The men taking the classes ranged from high school to college graduates. A lot of them had little knowledge of basic math so the first 12 weeks were spent on core skills o After the basic skills, he went on to complete an additional 30 weeks of schooling. This additional schooling was for learning the computer system of the Nike Ajax Missile o There were a series of tests that determined what sort of problems the system was having. Vacuum tubes caused the most problems. Although there were a lot of dust storms in the area, the equipment stayed relatively clean and secure from the weather The Nike Ajax was an air defense system o It had a radar that showed all aircraft in a particular area. An additional radar allowed the operators to lock on to a particular aircraft and follow its course. When the missile was fired, the radar would lock on to the target, allowing the missile to hit its mark (21:55) The schooling was more relaxed that basic training o Larry attended classes for 40 hours a week and when they transitioned to the Ajax System, his class time decreased o They didn’t go out to the range at all during the schooling. It was comparable to attending civilian college. He wrote a lot of letters to his girlfriend Nancy and exercised at the gym When he was sent home on leave for Christmas, Larry married his girlfriend Nancy o There were no accommodations for married couples on base so he rented a small house located several miles from Fort Bliss o Lawrence’s wife had worked as a secretary at an insurance company in Grand Rapids; this experience allowed he to land a job at Prudential Insurance Company in El Paso People in El Paso treated servicemen well Larry completed his training in June 1957 o A lot of the men were given the opportunity to go to different Ajax sites around the United States. he was given the chance to stay in El Paso, and he accepted o He was assigned to a radar park, which was a large field where a lot of the radar systems were located. There were three large vans (large trailers) where each type of radar was placed o They tracked aircraft flying near the El Paso Airport and Biggs Army Airfield but they weren’t working with live missiles �     (30:40) During this time, the Soviet Union was creating its own missile systems o When Sputnik was launched, Larry and his group was put on alert. There was speculation that the carrier part of the rocket would land in the south western part of the United States. Larry and several other men watched for several hours to see where it would land; however, they never saw it In the radar park, there were five or six men assigned to each radar set o The men worked in shifts. Every day, they went out and checked the equipment to make sure everything was functioning properly for each class that came in o The people he worked with were from various backgrounds and not all of them were college graduates He taught students how to maintain the Ajax system. He showed them how to run diagnostics and pinpoint particular issues On several occasions, he would cause issues to occur so that the students could learn how to fix them o This was often done by installing a bad vacuum tube. He sometimes exited the vans from a window and disconnected a wire outside. It took the students some time to figure out how to solve the problem (39:40) When his time was up, he was encouraged to reenlist but decided to finish college instead o A year after Larry was married, his wife gave birth to a baby girl o In April 1959, his time in the service was up. Three months before that, the army started to offer proficiency pay to those who qualified. Larry took a proficiency test and got the highest score in his battalion. This earned him an additional 30 dollars (42:20) Post-Army Life    After leaving the military, he accepted a job at IBM o He had to go to Kingston, New York for five months of training. The training was done on the Sage Computer, an air defense system built by IBM and operated by the air force. o IBM had a contract with the air force to maintain the system (some of the largest computers ever built). Larry worked for IBM for 36 years full-time o He worked in Syracuse for a year and worked on a large system that consisted of two computers working together for air defense o He eventually got into software programming and was able to code his own programs. o After his son was born, he transferred to Poughkeepsie, New York and worked in a lab. He also finished his degree in mathematics While he was working in the lab, he helped research new computer chip technologies In 1984, the software organization he was with moved to North Carolina o Larry worked in computer design and programming. In the late 1980s, several overseas companies started to make products with similar codes as IBM. He was involved in litigations work until his retirement from IBM in 1995 �o   In 1996, he continued to work three days a week at IBM In 2010, he and his wife moved to Michigan to be closer to their children Larry is grateful for his time in the military because he met a lot of good people and it allowed him to have a career at IBM � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_KosterL1763V Title A name given to the resource Koster, Lawrence R (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-14 Description An account of the resource Lawrence Koster was born on May 13, 1935 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After attending Calvin College for two year, he enlisted in the army with the idea that he would be allowed to finish his degree. Since his test scores were high, he was given special training to maintain the Nike Ajax Missile system. Once he completed his training, he was stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas where he trained recruits in the maintenance of the Ajax Missile System. He discusses the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during this time. When he left the military, Lawrence took advantage of his electronics experience and went to work for IBM. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Koster, Lawrence R. 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 Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/02a33e0d11e84786e6917df5db6fc1c5.m4v 762eadfcb326f7151fc7716b6e34ee14 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fd690ff8c4fbe94b316a094a290317f9.pdf 78c9a96e40294955733a5f7f93d6fc52 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Robert Knight Cold War-Post Korean War 1 hour 1 minutes 32 seconds (00:01:50) Early Life Pt. 1 -Born in Decatur, Michigan on March 28, 1933 -Ancestors settled in Decatur in 1828 (00:02:08) Service in the Air Force -Enlisted in the Air Force -Discharged from the Air Force with the rank of staff sergeant (00:02:22) Grand Rapids Home for Veterans -Resident at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Arrived three months prior to the interview date -Doesn't enjoy living there -Nothing in common with the other residents (00:03:10) Early Life Pt. 2 -Went to school in Decatur -Started school in 1939 -Father owned and operated the family's 2,000 acre farm -Father came from a wealthy family -Lost a lot of money during the Great Depression and people asking for money -Farm buildings are still standing as of interview date (2016) -Father studied at an older college in the eastern United States -Also studied at the University of Notre Dame -Graduated from high school in June 1951 -After high school he worked in Kalamazoo, Michigan at the Gilmore Brothers Department Store -Worked there for one year -Moved to Chicago to learn how to asses antique pewter and silver items for Marshall Field & Co. -Worked as an assistant buyer of antiques -Did it because it interested him and he enjoyed the work despite it not paying well (00:06:56) Life after Service Pt. 1 -Managed contracts for Loyola University -Did that for ten years after the Air Force -Mostly did grants for the medical school (00:07:33) Enlisting in the Air Force -Enlisted in the Air Force on March 3, 1953 -Didn't want to be drafted into the Army (00:08:05) Basic Training -Sent to Sampson Air Force Base for basic training -Near Geneva, New York -No heat in the barracks, so it was very cold -Base was located on Seneca Lake -Didn't enjoy the military very much, but would rather be in the Air Force than the Army -Recruits came from all over the United States, but most were from the Midwest -Most of the training instructors (Air Force equivalent of drill sergeant) were good men -Remembers one TI that he didn't like �-Rural background, uneducated, and generally unlikable -Basic training lasted eight weeks (00�:10:26) Technical School -Sent to technical school at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne, Wyoming -Old base built in 1867 -Quartered in some of the original buildings -Trained there for two or three months -Studied property accounting and material services for the Air Force (00:11:40) Joining the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron -Sent to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida to train with a guided-missile unit -Stationed there until he was deployed to West Germany -Unit size was 600 men -He was part of the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron -Later attached to the 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing (00:13:29) Stationed at Bitburg Air Base Pt. 1 -Deployed to Bitburg Air Base, West Germany in March 1954 -Near the ancient city of Trier -Located in western Germany -Known for wine making (00:14:58) Promotions in the Air Force -1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron was relatively new which led to easy promotions -Quickly ascended through the ranks -At the end of his enlistment he was offered a $2,000 reenlistment bonus -Declined because he had no interest in staying in the Air Force (00:15:40) Stationed at Bitburg Air Base Pt. 2 -He worked in the supply section -Ordered supplies, parts, and equipments for the squadron -Had a manual to go by for ordering materiel -Squadron had B-61A Matador missiles -Stationed at Bitburg Air Base for two and a half years (00:16:38) Travel in Europe -Traveled all over West Germany -Met some interesting people and old German families -Old aristocratic families -Had never seen extravagant houses like that -Befriended some family members from the von dder Marwitz noble family -Often a guest at their home on the Rhine River -Learned that members of the old aristocracy hadn't had to fight in World War II -Visited family friends and relatives that lived in a suburb of Copenhagen -Part of an Air Force program called, “Meet the Danes” -Danes had wonderful food and wine -Stayed with the Bjerregaard family that was from Jutland, Denmark -Wife of the family was an accomplished pianist -Family had served as part of the Danish Resistance -Spied against the German occupation forces -Lived in a small house -Good gardeners and cooks -Spent every major holiday with them and bought presents for the children -Learned about the ancient Norse mythology �-Visited Rome with a priest who served as a courier to the Vatican -Spent two weeks in Rome and ate his dinners in fine restaurants (00:24:54) Maneuvers -Went on maneuvers while at Bitburg Air Base -Enjoyed the rations until he got sick on them -Went on maneuvers around Bitburg -Had gone on maneuvers in the United States, so it didn't come as a shock to him (00:25:35) Deployment to Germany -Sailed to West Germany on the USS General Harry Taylor -Troop transport -In service until 1993 -High waves meant they had to stay inside the ship, or risk getting swept overboard -Had to hold onto food trays, or risk losing your food during a meal -Had to find something to hold onto while taking a shower, or risk falling onto the tile -Took nine or ten days to cross the Atlantic Ocean -High winds during the voyage (00:27:50) Stationed at Bitburg Air Base Pt. 3 -Bitburg had been the location of a German base from World War II -Quartered in one of the barracks -Across from the base chapel and it was a good, clean building -Base was expanded during his time there -Squadron grew from 600 men to 1,000 men (00:29:13) Missile Testing in Libya -Tested missiles in the Sahara Desert -Remembers going swimming in the morning before it got too hot in the afternoon -Squadron asked for volunteers to go to Libya and he decided to go -Sent to Tripoli -Very old city -Forbidden to go into certain parts of the city -Went anyway out of curiosity -Arabs were friendly people, but easily offended -Operated out of Wheelus Air Base (now Mitiga International Airport) -Former Italian air base called Mellaha Air Base, used by the Luftwaffe in World War II -Had problems with Libyans sneaking onto the base and stealing supplies -Stationed in Libya for one month -Made sure the unit had enough supplies for missile testing -Ordered parts while at Bitburg -Parts had to be shipped over from the United States (00:34:13) Food -Had some German food served at the mess hall in Bitburg Air Base -Allowed to go into Bitburg to eat -Tried Bitburger Premium Pils beer -Food at the mess hall was pretty good -Had German cooks and some could speak English (00:35:50) German Civilians Pt. 1 -German women gravitated toward American servicemen and saw them as potential husbands -Some German women served as informants for the German government -Most German civilians didn't express negative opinions about the U.S. to American servicemen -Remembers going into a bar patronized by Germany Army veterans �-Not friendly and didn't go back -Bitburg had been frequented by Nazi officials during the Second World War -There were some people in Bitburg that still had sympathies for the Nazi regime -Predominantly Catholic population in Bitburg (00:38:33) Commendations -Awarded the Good Conduct Medal -Awarded the Army of Occupation Medal (00:39:05) Cold War Politics -Some German women worked as informants for the East German government -Tried to get American servicemen to tell secrets -Bitburg Air Base was in far western Germany near Luxembourg -Distant from Berlin and relatively removed from Cold War issues on the border (00:40:05) Contact with Home -Wrote to his mother -Father was dead by then -Wrote to friends from high school -Communicated by way of letters because they were virtually free -Could call home, but it cost money, and he enjoyed writing letters -Wasn't too bothered about being away from home -Enjoyed seeing the places where his family came from (00:41:17) Prostitution Pt. 1 -Luxembourg was popular with servicemen due to prostitution -Some prostitutes in Bitburg also worked as informants -Shunned by the community (00:42:13) Downtime in Bitburg -Spent time at the Non-commissioned Officers' Club -Had excellent food, beer, and wine -Better than the Officers' Club -Excellent wine country in Bitburg -A lot of white wine due to red wine required a lot of sunlight (00:44:20) Prostitution Pt. 2 -Other airmen invited him to Luxembourg -He went a few times, but wanted to save his money and didn't like the idea of paying for sex (00:44:59) Fellow Airmen -One of his bunk mates was from the American South -Had a few girlfriends in Luxembourg -Another one of his bunk mates had a Luxembourgian girlfriend, but was married -Non-commissioned officers were allowed to have alcohol in their barracks -He kept a case of beer under his bed and had a beer when he got up in the morning -Good man despite some of his dysfunctions -Remembers his third bunk mate was nicknamed, “Peanuts” (00:47:17) German Civilians Pt. 2 -Had a girlfriend who was from East Berlin -Frowned upon by the Air Force -Maternal grandmother was from Germany -Learned how to speak High German through her -Impressed and surprised Germans with his fluency in German (00:49:44) End of Service & Coming Home -Left as individuals according to their enlistment length �-Got discharged early and was home in time for Christmas 1956 -Left Bitburg Air Base and was discharged in New York in December 1956 (00:50:45) Life after Service Pt. 2 -Returned to Decatur, Michigan -Studied at Michigan State University for two years -Excelled in languages and social studies, but disliked complex mathematics -Majored in language and literature -Studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts -Went back to work for Marshall Field & Company as an assistant buyer -Did it because he enjoyed the work -Worked at the Michigan Avenue store in downtown Chicago -Remembers a work was stealing from the company and selling it to another business -Robert discovered a secret set of duplicate keys -Man had worked for Marshall Field & Co. for a long time -Ultimately got fired, but was not arrested -Worked at Morningside Antiques in Santa Fe, New Mexico -Helped them get organized -Worked for them for several years after leaving Chicago � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_KnightR1937V Title A name given to the resource Knight, Robert James (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-03-31 Description An account of the resource Robert Knight was born in Decatur, Michigan on March 28, 1933. He enlisted in the Air Force on March 3, 1953 and received his basic training at Sampson Air Force Base, New York. He received property accounting and material services training at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming and then went on to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida where he was assigned to the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron. The squadron was attached to the 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing and was deployed to Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, in March 1954. He worked in the supply section at the base, went on maneuvers, and went to Wheelus Air Base, Libya for missile testing in the Sahara Desert. He left Bitburg Air Base in December 1956 and was discharged in New York in that same month. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Knight, Robert Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Erichsen, Wallace (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ecae43eab3405843dafa7ff7069708e7.m4v 2492e61fdb717bb64225f1f9309df4b6 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4f8c667b453020ca1931fa787066f47e.pdf fa29c40bc8952ab37e9421fef8184146 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Herb Kitchens Cold War (Post-Vietnam War) 12 minutes 29 seconds *Note: Times on the outline correspond with the interview’s timecode (02:48:40) Early Life -Born on October 24, 1940, in Bauxite, Arkansas -Grew up in Arkansas -Attended college in Arkansas and served a pastor in Arkansas for 12 years before enlisting -Attended the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas -Became a pastor part of the American Baptist Association -Got a lot of experience as a pastor before joining the Army (02:50:22) Enlisting in the Army -He was attending graduate school and a friend planned on becoming a Navy chaplain -Herb talked with his friend about the chaplaincy and some of the benefits -Wanted to work with soldiers, and felt he had a patriotic duty to fulfill -He was in seminary during the Vietnam War, so he couldn’t serve -First considered joining the Air Force, because Little Rock Air Force Base was nearby -Turned down because the Air Force had already met its quota of chaplains -Navy didn’t appeal to him because he couldn’t swim -Decided to join the Army in 1974 (02:52:10) Basic Chaplain’s Course & Stationed at Fort Hood -Attended the basic chaplain’s course at Fort Wadsworth, New York (after being at Fort Hood) -Took nine weeks to complete that course -Went on active duty after having a medical complication dealt with -Sent to Fort Hood, Texas, without a uniform and before he took the basic chaplain’s course -Signed into Fort Hood in October 1974, didn’t go to the course until January 1975 -Not unusual for chaplains to do that at the time -Spent his first three years in the Army at Fort Hood (aside from training) -Assistant chaplain in the division artillery of the 2nd Armored Division (02:54:56) Stationed in West Germany -Sent to West Germany in 1977 -Part of the 12th Engineer Battalion (attached to the 8th Infantry Division) on the Rhine River -Tour in Germany lasted three years -He loved his time in Germany -Learned how to drive a bulldozer so he could help the engineers -Inadvertently drove through a tank firing range, fortunately nothing happened -Gave him and his family a chance to travel around Europe and see the famous cathedrals -Part of a great unit �-He was made the post chaplain at Anderson Barracks near Dexheim, Germany -Worked with the German civilian clergy (02:57:40) Advanced Chaplain’s Course -Returned to the United States in the summer of 1980 -Went to the advanced chaplain’s course at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey -Lasted from the summer of 1980 to around Christmas 1980 (02:59:03) Stationed at Fort Hood (Second Time) -Sent back to Fort Hood, Texas, and was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division -Made the 2nd Brigade chaplain -Did that for three years -First time being a supervisory chaplain -Good learning experience -Formed long-lasting friendships at Fort Hood during his second time there (03:00:22) Chaplain’s School -Received orders to go to the Chaplain’s School to serve with the staff and faculty -Had to get a master’s degree in education to be able to work at the Chaplain’s School -Choice of studying near Fort Hood, or near Fort Monmouth <Tape ends before the interview is completed> � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_KitchensH2063V Title A name given to the resource Kitchens, Herbert E (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-27 Description An account of the resource Herb Kitchens was born on October 24, 1940, in Bauxite, Arkansas. Prior to joining the Army, he attended the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas, and served as a pastor for 12 years. He joined the Army as a chaplain in 1974. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, in October 1974, but didn't take his basic chaplain's course at Fort Wadsworth, New York, until January 1975. He spent his first three years in the Army at Fort Hood and served as an assistant chaplain in the division artillery of the 2nd Armored Division. He was sent to West Germany in 1977 and was assigned to the 12th Engineer Battalion at Anderson Barracks near Dexheim, Germany. He returned to the United States in the summer of 1980 and took the advanced chaplain's course at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. He returned to Fort Hood and served as the brigade chaplain of 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division for three years. After Fort Hood, he received orders to go to the Chaplain's School and serve as part of the staff and faculty. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kitchens, Herbert Earl Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988--Personal narratives, American Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b1cc9806fc2cec87c3205977e084abd3.m4v b6b6edf2adcdcd0aae2e3d1fed2ce5ad https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/97eede2a9c060131799b4dacc098f930.pdf 3893e56022381b149c971ed92bcc8813 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Herman Keizer (FB 2015) Vietnam War & Stateside Service 1 hour 40 minutes 16 seconds (00:00:48) Early Life -Born in Chicago on May 21, 1938 (00:01:30) Getting Drafted -Oldest of seven children and had to pay for his college tuition -Went broke in his third year in college which meant he had to drop out -When he dropped out he lost his draft deferment -Shortly after leaving college he got drafted (00:02:02) Becoming a Chaplain -When he got drafted he spent two years in the Army as a Chaplain's Assistant -Served at Fort Belvoir, Virginia from 1962 to 1964 -Served in the Army Reserves while studying at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Attended the Calvin Theological Seminary in 1968 -Commissioned as a chaplain in the Army (00:02:32) Vietnam War & Just War Theory -Vietnam War was getting unpopular and he wanted to get out of the Army -Professor wanted him to stay in and be an advocate for the soldiers -Had learned about the Just War Theory while at Calvin -Three part theory: -1. Justice Before War: Avoid war at all costs until war is the last resort -2. Justice in War -Discrimination (only fight and kill enemy combatants, not civilians) -Proportionality (no use of excessive force in war) -3. Justice After War -How do you foster peace following the war? -War reparations and establishing a new government -Most ambiguous part of the Just War Theory (00:05:35) Serving in Lai Khe with the 1st Infantry Division -Assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division -1st Infantry Division was slated to go home, which meant a reduction in chaplains -He was made the chaplain for the 3rd Brigade -Served with another Protestant chaplain and a Catholic chaplain -Based out of Lai Khe -Surrounded by combat zones -Lai Khe took rocket fire all the time -Flew out to firebases with the troops -Artillery outposts away from major bases -Supporting units in the field -During one operation they had to call in artillery fire -Lost a few men due to friendly fire -Volunteered to go into the field so he could be with his troops -Troops knew that he had served before -Respected him because of that �(00�:10:05) Cambodian Campaign -Went into Cambodia in the spring of 1970 -Got wounded during his time in Cambodia -Helping establish a firebase with four companies -Went out on a patrol with the first company -Discovered a Vietnamese medical center and a training area for sappers -Sappers: Combat engineers tasked with destroying fortifications -Knew they would get attacked within a matter of days -A few nights later their firebase got attacked by Vietnamese forces -Concussion of a rocket blast ruptured his air mattress -He sustained a concussion and a skull fracture -Helped get the wounded to safety -Treated a wounded man who had the back of his head blown away -Urged to get out of the field and get treated for his wounds -Refused, and stayed in the field to conduct memorial services for the dead -Put in for a Silver Star, but got a Bronze Star with a 'V' (valor) device -During his ten months in Vietnam he received multiple Bronze Stars (00:14:13) Convoy Incident -He was in a convoy, and in each truck there was at least one man with a loaded rifle for security -A little girl ran up to the first truck in the convoy and threw a grenade into the truck -A soldier in Herman's truck shot and killed the little girl -The soldier began sobbing because he had his own daughter back home -Herman stayed up with him all night and talked with him (00:15:35) Service in An Khe with the 4th Infantry Division -The 4th Infantry Division in An Khe needed a chaplain -Herman volunteered for the position -Sent to Pleiku -Created an amnesty program for drug users in the 4th Infantry Division -Joined the 1st Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment -Slogan of the 22nd Infantry Regiment was, “It's the regulars, by God!” -Found the slogan funny because it was painted on his chaplain's jeep (00:17:34) Drug Problems in Vietnam -A lot of men in the 4th Infantry Division were getting addicted to heroin -In Vietnam, the heroin was about 99% pure -In Vietnam, a daily heroin habit cost approximately $10 -In the United States, such a habit could cost $100, if not more -Objective was to get the men sober in Vietnam before returning to the United States -If they returned home with the habit they could resort to crime -Most dangerous drug in Vietnam was heroin -Men turned to drugs for escapism -War had turned increasingly unpopular with the public from 1968 to 1970 -Men were frustrated with fighting a war that the public did not support -Frustrated with fighting a war in South Vietnam as opposed to in North Vietnam -Destroying and killing in the country they were supposed to defend (00:20:14) Moral Issues with the Vietnam War -Disagreed with tactics and overall strategy employed by the U.S. in Vietnam -Indiscriminate killing of noncombatants -Search & Destroy missions -Going into suspected villages and then destroying them �-Lack of morality in fighting the war -Men were being forced to fight a war they didn't believe in -No formal political recourse to protest the war -Could be drafted at 18 years old, but had to be 21 years old to vote (prior to 1971) -Three soldiers came to him to get conscientious objector status -One sergeant was opposed to the tactics being used in Vietnam, but not the mission of the war -Herman helped him file the paperwork to receive conscientious objector status -Government rejected the proposal -Eventually refused to fight and was imprisoned -The other two soldiers also opposed the tactics being used -One soldier refused to fight and was imprisoned -The other soldier refused to fire his weapon during a firefight and lost two friends -Saw Vietnamese prisoners-of-war thrown from helicopters for refusing to divulge information -Enlisted men and junior officers fought the war, not the high-ranking officers or politicians (00:28:08) Helicopter Crash -An Khe had originally been a base for the 1st Cavalry Division -Helicopter-oriented unit, which meant the base had helipads -One helipad was awkwardly placed which prompted the 4th Infantry Division to build a new one -Herman was riding in a helicopter and the pilot went to land -Forgot how to land at the new helipad which resulted in the pilot hitting high-tension wires -Destroyed the rear rotor blades and put the helicopter into a tailspin -Force of the tailspin threw Herman from the helicopter at a height of about 175 feet -Landed in elephant grass which helped cushion the fall -Rolled 50 or 60 meters before coming to a rest -Broke both of his arms because they took the brunt of the force (00:30:45) Recovery from Helicopter Crash -Took five months to recover from the crash -Once he was stabilized in Vietnam he was sent to Camp Zama, Japan -After Camp Zama he went to Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Chicago -Parents lived in Chicago, but his wife was in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Had survivor guilt -Felt he should be with his troops in Vietnam -Reflected on the randomness of life and death in war -He survived a fall that should have killed him -Another man was sniped, and killed, just for lighting a cigarette at night -Met his baby son for the first time while recovering at Great Lakes Naval Hospital -Humiliating experience -Couldn't feed himself or clean himself (00:33:49) Stationed at Fort Carson -Made the hospital chaplain at Fort Carson, Colorado -Stationed there from 1971 to 1972 -Administered to the sick -Some cancer patients -Remembers one terminal cancer patient -He was going to be transferred to Denver, but wanted to stay at Fort Carson -Herman helped the patient stay at Fort Carson to be close to his family -Once the man died, he helped the man's wife clean his body for the funeral -Followed the news on the Vietnam War -Began to work on Selective Conscientious Objection �-Wrote several papers to be presented to Congress -If there is an unjust war, then you must reject it on moral and legal grounds -Wanted to help people recognize the immorality of the Vietnam War -Some officers at Fort Carson objected -His commanding officer understood because his father had been a chaplain commander (00:39:43) Drug & Alcohol Program -Started at Drug & Alcohol Program while stationed at Fort Carson -Recommended AA meetings for his commanding officer's deputy, a one star general -Stayed sober for ten years until he relapsed and died in a car crash in Germany -Herman's program because the basis for the Army's larger drug & alcohol program (00:41:27) Overview of Army Career -Planned on staying in the Army until he retired after 20 years of service -A new protocol allowed him to stay in for 30 years, if he so chose -Reached the 30 year mark and was technically supposed to retire -Working on a sexual harassment case at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds -His commander wanted him to stay in -He “retired” Herman, then brought him back in to continue his work -Planned on staying in for two more years then retiring -Secretary of Defense wanted him to stay in for two or three more years after that -Needed Herman's help with the State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom (00:44:17) Sexual Harassment in the Military -First major case of sexual harassment that he worked on was at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (1996) -Male non-commissioned and commissioned officers were assaulting women in their showers -Abusing power they held over female soldiers -Read the reports then wrote a plan to deal with the issue -Put together a team of doctors and lawyers to deal with the problem -Worked for a week putting together the plan -Briefed the Chief of Staff of the Army and his secretary -Briefed the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee -Military was chauvinistic and gender-segregated at the time -Women were a minority in the military -Felt the military needed a separate and impartial tribunal to deal with sexual harassment cases -His advice, as of the interview (2015), is still being debated (00:50:51) September 11th Attacks -He was working at the State Department on September 11, 2001 -Heard that a jet had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center -Turned on a TV and watched the jet hit the South Tower -State Department was ordered to evacuate due to a bomb threat -During the evacuation he important hard drives in his safe -Advised the staff at the State Department to go home -Take separate subways -Felt they would be safer at home and easier to contact -Walked over the Memorial Bridge to the Pentagon -Helped cordon off an area to put the dead until a mobile morgue could be set up -Went into the central courtyard of the Pentagon to help administer to the first responders -Visited hospitals in the area -Lost 45 friends on September 11th -Went into the State Department the next day -Called and told that Secretary of State Colin Powell wanted to speak with him �-Congratulated Herman for sending staff home and getting them to safety -Secretary of Army needed a chaplain to help coordinate living arrangements for families of Reservists -Created a plan for families to stay in a hotel close to the base rather than in the base (00:57:21) Moral Health of Soldiers -Always concerned about the moral health of soldiers -Especially Reservists because they don't have a permanent network of support (00:58:34) Truth Commission on Conscience in War & Moral Injury in War -In 2009, two women from the West Coast approached him to put together a commission -Truth Commission on Conscience in War -He was suggested as a person to help them and he accepted -Had worked on a similar project before -Met with 80 or 90 commissioners at the Riverside Church in New York City -By 2009 they learned they could deal with psychological problems -Couldn't handle philosophical/religious questions soldiers had -Put together an “Eight Step Protocol” -Similar to the penance used by the Catholic Church during the Roman Empire -Christians couldn't serve in the Roman Army -Meant swearing allegiance to the emperor -Roman soldiers were allowed to convert to Christianity -Had to do nine months of penance -Navajo tribe had a similar integration process for its warriors -Knew a Vietnam War veteran that went through it -Both were ways for soldiers to rejoin their communities -Veterans need to tell their stories and tell it to an interested and empathetic community -Religious communities could help expedite that process -Has written on the concept of Moral Injury in War -Wrote a grant request for the Truth Commission -Granted $650,000 by the Lilly Endowment -Drew on his pastoral experience from the Vietnam War -Remembers being on Highway 1 and talking to a tank crew -Learned none of them had taken communion since arriving in Vietnam -Performed communion -Symbol of God's understanding and experience of human suffering -Used the Psalms as a source of inspiration -Psalms that expressed anger and frustration with God or the writer's enemy -Psalms of Lament -Psalms were a touchstone for soldiers in Vietnam -African tribes perform(ed) a similar ritual of reintegration for their warriors (01:10:23) Moral Effect on Soldiers & Community Pt. 1 -War is an alienating experience and distances soldiers from the self and from their communities -Soldiers experience a tremendous sense of loss upon coming home -Loss of unit, loss of mission importance, and loss of security -Loss culminates in grief which turns into guilt or shame -Guilt is more common with Vietnam War veterans -Shame is more common with veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan -All-volunteer military makes soldiers feel bitterness toward, and alienation from, their communities -A lot of Vietnam War veterans have returned to Vietnam -Feel that they need to make restitution, or make amends with the Vietnamese -Many Vietnamese neither remember, or are affected by, the war �-As a result, any American gesture is good, but not solving anything -Has noticed that a lot of new veterans go into intense, civil service careers -Firefighters, police, etc. -High rate of veterans wanting to go back to the war, even if they are incapable -Glad that we no longer blame soldiers for the war anymore -Herman was called a “baby killer” and was spit on when he was in the Army (01:19:55) Political & Social Nature of War -Every conflict since World War II has been an undeclared war -Lacking in strategy and lacking in legal, popular (Congressional) declaration -Lack of support from the Veterans Affairs -Soldiers need to rejoin their communities, not anesthetize themselves with alcohol or medications -American leadership has abandoned its moral agency in war, and by default it's placed on soldiers -It is a problem that has historical and moral precedents -We should not go lightly into war -Americans need to open a dialogue about about what war destroys -And if something is destroyed, can it be brought back, if ever? -Society has become materialistic and self-aggrandizing (01:29:48) Military-Industrial Complex -A new question is what if we begin to dismantle the military-industrial complex? -Basically, what if we downsized our military and disarmed? -American society is largely based on the manufacture and trade of weapons -Civilian manufacturing has been replaced with military manufacturing -The militarization of the police only fuels the military-industrial complex -Universities focus too much on science and mathematics -Lucrative fields that can support research & development for the military -Doctors of psychiatry endorsed, or excused, the torture of Iraqi prisoners -Soldiers, American citizens, and foreign citizens suffer for the profit of the wealthy (01:34:06) Moral Effect on Soldiers & Community Pt. 2 -Americans need to reestablish a sense of community to discuss pressing topics -Everything from starting a war to human sexuality -There is no discussion between parents and children or between neighbors -Soldiers come home to an isolated and disingenuous society -Soldiers need to tell their stories and be tangibly repaid for their service -Not walk in parades or be given a quick “thank you” in passing -Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are coming back with different kinds of trauma -For example, soldiers that deal with the recovery of the remains of soldiers killed by explosives -There is usually little, if anything, remaining to be sent home � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_KeizerH1723V Title A name given to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-01-16 Description An account of the resource Herman Keizer was born in Chicago on May 21, 1938. He was drafted into the Army in 1962 and served as a Chaplain's Assistant at Fort Belvoir, Virginia until 1964. He studied at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and also attended the Calvin Theological Seminary in 1968. He was commissioned as a chaplain in the Army and was deployed to Vietnam. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division and operated out of Lai Khe. He went into Cambodia in the spring of 1970, and due to actions there received a Bronze Star for valor. He joined the 4th Infantry Division in An Khe where he developed an amnesty program for soldiers suffering from drug addictions. While at An Khe, he broke both of his arms in a helicopter crash. He recovered at Camp Zama, Japan, and at Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Chicago. He served as the hospital chaplain at Fort Carson, Colorado, from 1971 to 1972 where he wrote an essay on Selective Conscientious Objection and wrote the basis for the Army's drug and alcohol program. He also worked on a case dealing with sexual harassment in the Army. He served at the State Department and helped with evacuation of personnel during the September 11th Attacks. After he retired from the Army he has stayed active with support groups for veterans, and helped with the Truth Commission on Conscience in War, and has also written on Moral Injury in War. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Vega, Nikki (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c2cc37fe55f82d5c0636e3c660e382cd.m4v 315533310f586ba2703039cac688576a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2a0e4ac1680d613e25570f86efdfc951.pdf 3091b92eec2e298cf76384f5100b623c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Robert Keegstra World War II 40 minutes 55 seconds (00:00:32) Early Life -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 20, 1919 -Grew up in Grand Rapids -Lived in several different houses that his father built -Father worked in the retail lumber business -Started his own company, Keegstra Lumber Company, in Grand Rapids -The Great Depression was difficult for his family -Father only brought home $25 a week, the rest went to keeping the company open -Had customers -Those that couldn't pay worked off their debt -Attended three different grade schools -Graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School in 1937 -Took a year off after he graduated -Worked for his father -Hitchhiked around the United States -Saw the East Coast -Went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids -Studied there for two years -Majored in economics and business -Decided to transfer to Northwestern University in Chicago -Prior to transferring to Northwestern, he went to a program in Indiana about selling Bibles -Tried to sell Bibles in small towns in Texas, but he didn't make any money doing that -Attended Northwestern University for one year (00:04:55) Enlisting in the Navy -Got drafted when he was at Northwestern University -Had tried to enlist in the Army Air Force in Detroit -Turned away because he didn't meet all of the physical requirements -On the day he was supposed to report for the draft he went to Detroit and joined the Navy -Enlisted on August 7, 1941 (00:06:22) Basic Training -Went to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois for basic training -Part of basic training was figuring out where you would work the best -Accepted that, either way, he had to serve (00:07:02) Yeoman School -He knew how to type, so he volunteered for Yeoman School -Meant he would be doing secretarial-type work -Keeping track of where sailors were on base and filing other paperwork -Note: A wide range of administrative and clerical duties -Sent to Toledo, Ohio for Yeoman School -That school lasted 16 weeks -Graduated and made the rank of yeoman �(00:07:54) Stationed at Naval Air Station Glenview Pt. 1 -He did so well in Yeoman School that he could select where he wanted to be assigned -Selected Naval Air Station (NAS) Glenview in Glenview, Illinois -Near where his girlfriend lived -While stationed at NAS Glenview, he lived at his girlfriend's house and hitchhiked to the base (00:08:38) Start of the War -Remembers hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor on the news -Came as a shock because he hadn't followed fighting in Europe and Asia since 1939 -Knew that it was the beginning of America's involvement in the Second World War -Noticed food and gas rationing go into effect -Remembers blackouts at night -Either had to turn off your lights or put up thick curtains to block out light -Meant Axis bombers couldn't see where their targets were if they made it to the U.S. -On the coasts it was so enemy subs couldn't see the silhouettes of ships (00:09:57) Stationed at Naval Air Station Glenview Pt. 2 -Worked at Glenview as a yeoman -It was not a large base -Place where Naval Aviators trained (00�:10:34) U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School -Had three years of college and decided that he wanted to advance himself in the Navy -Sent in paperwork for U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School (officer training) -Sent to Abbott Hall at Northwestern University for his officer training -Lasted 16 weeks -Studied navigation and gunnery -Received physical training -Learned about the different components of the Navy -Did so well with his school that he stayed at Abbott Hall and served as a navigation instructor -Graduated from U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School on the morning of October 30, 1942 -Promoted to the rank of ensign -Got married that same night -Served at Abbott Hall as an instructor for a year (00:15:15) Stationed in Hollywood, Florida Pt. 1 -In January 1944 he was sent to Hollywood, Florida to serve as a navigation instructor -Wife and daughter were able to go with him to Florida -Lived off the base -Instructed there for a year and a half (00:15:48) Getting Married -Had a military wedding -All of his groomsmen were officers that trained at Northwestern University -His best man was his roommate when he went through officer training (00:16:26) Stationed in Hollywood, Florida Pt. 2 -Hollywood is south of Fort Lauderdale -On the coast of the Atlantic Ocean -Meant they had to have blackouts at night -Remembers a tornado went through Hollywood -Filled the hotel on Hollywood Beach with sand -Students lived in the hotel -He and his family lived in an apartment two or three blocks from the hotel -Lived in the city of Hollywood in the winter, and lived at Hollywood Beach in the summer �-Had maid service in the apartment -Knew U-Boats were near the coast -Naval Aviators and ships did training maneuvers off the coast -Most likely kept the German submarines away -Took students out on the water navigation training -Sailed to Nassau, Bahamas -Borrowed two boats from the Coast Guard and sailed to Havana, Cuba for the day -Training for the students, but recreation for the instructors -Mix of classroom work and practical training concerning navigation -Didn't do too much gunnery training -He didn't have a car at first when he moved to Hollywood -Went up to Grand Rapids, bought a used car, and drove it back down to Florida -Wife stayed in the apartment and took care of their daughter -The navigation school in Hollywood closed after a year and a half (00:21:19) Assignment to the USS Savannah (CL-42) -Assigned to the USS Savannah (CL-42) -A light cruiser -Went to New York City to board the ship -When he arrived he discovered it was in dry dock receiving repairs -After a few days of waiting around he received new orders -Sent back to Hollywood, Florida for Radar Training -Wife visited him for a few days -Received one month of training -Went to Rhode Island to bard the ship -Joined the ship in early March 1945 (00:23:07) Duty aboard the USS Savannah -Worked in the Combat Information Center (CIC) -Tactical center of a warship that processes information for the ship's area of operations -Received further radar training aboard the Savannah -If a plane was coming he could see it on the radar scope -Went to the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida for training -Chance for pilots to get used to being launched off the ship's catapult -Operated in the Gulf of Mexico for the remainder of the war -Had been on a larger ship on a larger body of water before -Took a passenger ship across Lake Michigan to Chicago when he was a boy -He didn't get seasick on the Savannah but his stomach felt uneasy at first (00:26:12) Possible Transfer to Pacific Theater -Considered requesting a transfer to the Pacific Theater -Wrote to a friend serving in that area and asked him what he thought about that idea -Advised Robert not to do that (00:26:37) Rationing -Everyone, civilian and military, was treated the same during the war concerning rationing -Had grocery stores for military personnel at the places he served at -Wives were allowed to shop there -Could also go to Miami to get groceries when he was stationed at Hollywood, Florida (00:27:39) Stationed in Hollywood, Florida Pt. 3 -His duty in Hollywood was similar to a regular civilian job -Pulled guard duty at the dorms some nights -Never had any intruders or troublemakers when he pulled guard duty �-Navy moved families into the hotel when the tornado happened -One family to a room with one bed -Meant a four-person family had to share a one bed hotel room (00:29:38) Visiting Havana, Cuba in the Navy -Allowed to get off the Savannah at the various ports the ship stopped at -Remembers going ashore at Havana, Cuba -Able to explore the city -All of the Cubans he encountered were friendly people -In 1945 there were no signs of revolutionary activity (00:30:36) Visiting Havana, Cuba as a Civilian -Visited Havana again in the 1950s while the revolution was underway -Fidel was gaining power throughout the country -Armed guards everywhere -Not allowed to take pictures (00:31:34) End of Service -Discharged from the USS Savannah on October 22, 1945 in New Orleans -Sent north to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois for his final discharge -Asked if he wanted to stay in the Navy Reserve, but he declined (00:32:48) Life after the War -Went back to Northwestern University -Graduated with a degree in business marketing -GI Bill helped him get through college -Got a job with an electric company in Chicago -Managed various railroad accounts and filled their orders -After two or three years he was transferred to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Worked for the electric company for a total of three or four years -Father planned on retiring from running Keegstra Lumber Company -Robert wanted to stay in Grand Rapids to raise his children -He quit the electric company job and bought Keegstra Lumber Company from his father -Managed the family business for over 25 years until he sold it and retired -Kept in touch with his best man -Lived in Marquette, Michigan, so he was able to drive up and visit him once in a while (00:36:06) Spirit of Grand Rapids Honor Flight -Event began around 5 AM on May 16, 2015 -Served breakfast at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids -Chartered plane was filled with veterans and their sponsors -As well as prominent local politicians and business leaders -Had been to Washington DC before, but never got to see the nation's memorials like he did on that trip -Had a wonderful time and felt they were all taken care of well -Had dinner in Washington DC in a WWII mess tent -Returned to Grand Rapids and went to East Kentwood High School -3,000 people welcomed them home and thanked them for their service (00:38:43) Reflections on Service -Felt he had very good duty because he didn't have to go overseas or see combat -Feels that he did his share by helping to train other servicemen -Recognizes that a lot of men had it terrible during the war -Believes that fighting a war effectively means this: -90% of your manpower is dedicated to logistics and training, 10% is dedicated to fighting -Very thankful that he enlisted in the Navy �� 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_KeegstraR1930V Title A name given to the resource Keegstra, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-02-27 Description An account of the resource Robert Keegstra was born on April 20, 1919 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy on August 7, 1941 and received his basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. He went to Yeoman School and after 16 weeks graduated as a yeoman in the Navy. He was stationed at Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois when the war began. In the summer of 1942 he went to U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School at Abbott Hall at Northwestern University and graduated from that training on October 30, 1942 with the rank of ensign. He stayed there and worked as an instructor for a little over a year, then was transferred in January 1944 to Hollywood, Florida where he worked as a navigation instructor. In March 1945 he joined the crew of the USS Savannah (CL-42) and trained in the Gulf of Mexico through the summer and early fall of 1945. On October 22, 1945 he left the ship in New Orleans and shortly thereafter was discharged from the Navy at Great Lakes Naval Station. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keegstra, Robert Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jones, Adam (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bb68308bcef85da3eaca912660ef29b0.m4v f08b147bd6d2833a7b1e7899a5f54992 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7b458e21fb624306ba8a1fe3aed51a20.pdf e4dc53e55c581131532b2627cebad78e PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Richard Johnson Vietnam War; Cold War 20 minutes 45 seconds *Note: Times in the outline correspond with the timecode (02:27:42) Early Life & Enlisted Service -Born in Lincoln, Kansas, in January 1932 -Drafted into the Army in October 1953 -Served in the Army for two years -Got an early discharge so he could go to seminary -Didn’t want to go back into the Army after his time as an enlisted man (02:28:30) Becoming a Chaplain -After completing seminary, he worked as a pastor -National Guard needed a chaplain -He took the job for the extra money -Enjoyed working as a chaplain in the National Guard -Served with them for three years (02:29:03) Active Duty & Stationed at Fort Riley -Decided to go on active duty -Assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, in October 1965 -Originally assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, but it was being prepared to go to Vietnam -Transferred to the 2nd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division (02:29:40) Tour in Vietnam -In January 1967, he was deployed to Vietnam -With the 9th Infantry Division for his entire tour in Vietnam -Transferred to the 1st Brigade -Operated in the southernmost part of Vietnam in the Mekong River Delta -Had mechanized infantry -Went to Bearcat Base -Part of a ready reaction force in the area -He tended to three battalions and worked with the Catholic chaplain -Did that for his entire tour -Left Vietnam on January 2, 1968, barely missing the Tet Offensive in late-January -Watched tracked vehicles from his unit getting destroyed on live TV in Saigon -Knew the exact vehicles and the men in those vehicles -He wanted to go back to Vietnam to be with them -Felt like he couldn’t do anything to help them -Held services in the field and at Bearcat Base during stand downs -Usually held six services on Sunday �-Flew out to companies in the field using the battalion commander’s helicopter -If he couldn’t use that helicopter on Sunday, he went during the week -Whenever the chaplain showed up, it was “Sunday” -Flew out of brigade headquarters -On one Sunday, he was at Bearcat Base after doing four services in the area -In the mess hall eating lunch with the helicopter pilot -Planned on going to the hacienda base at the rubber plantation -Note: Most likely the Michelin rubber plantation near Saigon -Heard the alarm go off at the airfield -There was a firefight north of Bearcat and his pilot had to leave -Meant that Richard would have to drive to the plantation in a jeep -There had been an ambush on the road to the plantation -Decided to go with the chaplain’s assistant and Catholic chaplain -Made it to the plantation without incident -Saw where the ambush had happened -Reminded that he was in a combat zone when he had to deal with soldiers killed-in-action -Mostly lost soldiers to ambushes -Held 30 memorial services during his time in Vietnam -Fewer services than the average because his unit had tracked vehicles -Armored and heavily-armed; kept the enemy away (02:40:52) Coming Home & Stationed at Fort Ord -Good to come home after Vietnam -Assigned to Fort Ord, California, to work with basic trainees -A lot of them were from Los Angeles and opposed the Vietnam War -One man was gay and wanted to get out of the Army -Counselled him, and he eventually reconciled being gay in the Army -Reconnected with his family -Read Dr. Seuss books to his children every night (02:45:29) Stationed at New Cumberland Defense Depot -Stationed at New Cumberland Defense Depot near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania -Made the post chaplain at that depot -Worked with the military and civilian personnel -Held Bible studies -Felt like having a civilian church -Being at New Cumberland was one of the best assignments he had (02:46:34) Reflections on Service -Feels that the biggest contribution of the chaplaincy is helping soldiers with moral dilemmas -Helping the men understand the nature of good and evil in the world -Understanding the complexities of the world and the necessity of fighting evil -Felt more prepared for the chaplaincy than for the ministry after seminary -Had seven years of experience as a pastor, and two years of military service � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_JohnsonR2062V Title A name given to the resource Johnson, Richard H (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-26 Description An account of the resource Richard Johnson was born in Lincoln, Kansas, in January 1932. He first served in the Army as a draftee and was inducted in October 1953. He served for two years before getting an early discharge to go to seminary. Upon completion of seminary he joined the National Guard and served as a chaplain for three years before deciding to go on active duty. He was assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, in October 1965 and originally worked with the 1st Infantry Division then was transferred to the 2nd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division. In January 1967 he was deployed to Vietnam and served with the 9th Infantry Division. He mostly tended to troops in the Mekong River Delta, conducting services in the field and at Bearcat Base. He left Vietnam on January 2, 1968, and was stationed at Fort Ord, California. He was also stationed at the New Cumberland Defense Depot, Pennsylvania, and served as the post chaplain. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Johnson, Richard H Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6118a9682d44d06bac564b406a594497.m4v 6730bea2b3a189061abea05102197ab2 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/135cc00d5d00aa7f6ebcdee77f93e70a.pdf dd07be137732f4ec412addf827a57c12 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Donald Jansen Cold War; Vietnam War 28 minutes 9 seconds *Note: Times in outline correspond with timecode on video (01:59:23) Early Life -Born in Holland, Michigan, on May 6, 1937 -Grew up in Holland and lived there until he was 29 years old -Moved back to Holland in 2011 (02:00:07) Joining the Army & Becoming a Chaplain -Joined the Army in 1967 -Graduated from seminary in June 1967 -Spent the summer at Detroit General Hospital studying clinical pastoral education -There during the riots -Ordained in September 1967 -Went on active duty at Fort Hamilton, New York, in October 1967 -Part of the Reformed Church in America -Graduated from Western Theological Seminary -Took his basic chaplain’s course at Fort Hamilton (02:01:00) Stationed at Fort Bliss -Sent to Fort Bliss, Texas -Assigned to basic training brigade and had some duties at the reception center -Most soldiers went to advanced infantry training, and the majority went on to Vietnam -Caused the men and their families a lot of stress and anxiety -Parents called to ask questions, and the some of the men were married -He did more individual counselling than marriage counselling -Spent a year at Fort Bliss (02:02:23) Tour in Vietnam -Deployed to Vietnam in fall 1968 -Assigned to the 184th Ordnance Battalion -Second largest ammunition dump in Vietnam (had 120 “pads” of ammunition) -Supplied outlying areas -He had area coverage including a maintenance battalion and the 84th Combat Engineers -Travelled by convoy or helicopter -Went to Dak To on the Cambodian border -Base was located southwest of Qui Nhon -Travelled as far north as An Khe and Pleiku -Experienced ambushes on convoys -Travelled in a ¼ ton jeep covered in sandbags �-Went through the Mang Yang Pass -Viet Cong stayed on the cliffs and dropped grenades on the convoy -Travelled via the 8th Transportation Group -Gun trucks went with the convoy to offer better protection -Never stopped to engage the enemy, just kept shooting and driving -Their base camp was vulnerable to sappers -One night, they lost $20-30 million worth of ammo, and a lot of troops -Constantly dealt with penetrations -Rocket and mortar attacks -Saw the devastating aftermath of the Tet Offensive -Not safe anywhere in Vietnam -Had friends in the infantry who experienced a lot of combat -The best memory of Vietnam was the camaraderie he experienced with the troops -Saw evidence of PTSD long before effective treatment was implemented -He is active with the Vietnam Veterans of America and veterans’ support groups (02:07:54) First Tour in West Germany -Sent to West Germany and attached to the largest armored maneuver brigade in the Army -Had four battalions of armor, artillery, and other support units -A lot of the men had been to Vietnam and suffered from PTSD -No treatment options available to them in Germany -Operated 30 miles north of Frankfurt -Did a lot of field duty -Tanks from his unit were sent to the Middle East during a conflict -Note: Most likely the Jordanian-Palestinian Civil War -Stationed in Germany for three years (02:09:23) Stationed at Fort McPherson -Due to his interest in training and the war on drugs, he was sent to Fort McPherson, Georgia -Took drug & alcohol abuse classes, and developed a treatment and prevention program -Got his doctorate of ministry degree with a focus on pastoral counselling -Focused primarily on family counselling -Paid for by the GI Bill -At Fort McPherson at the beginning of the all-volunteer Army -Felt that it shouldn’t have happened -Saw a lot of soldiers take advantage of the high enlistment bonuses (02:11:14) Advanced Chaplain’s Course and South Korea -Sent to the advanced chaplain’s course at Fort Wadsworth, New York -Deployed to South Korea for two years (02:11:41) More CPE & Stationed at Fort Sam Houston -Sent to Yale New Haven Hospital, Connecticut, for further clinical pastoral education -Utilized that training at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas -Spent most of his time in the burn ward -Had 75 beds -Felt like being back in combat �-Nothing more horrifying than severe burns -Sent to the main post chapel at Fort Sam Houston -Served there for six (or eight) months (02:12:33) Final Tour in Germany -Returned to Germany for his final tour -Attached to the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (largest MI unit in the Army at the time) -Had a battalion that flew out of an airport near Stuttgart for recon flights -Had a human intelligence battalion -Monitored communications -Served with the 207th for three years -Served at the Pattonville chapel for most of a year -Note: Pattonville was a large housing area for Army personnel near Stuttgart -Had a community of 5,000 residents during his time there -1,000 students attended the local school -The 207th gathered top secret information from East Germans and other communist states -Sifted through the raw intelligence to try and find anything noteworthy -He did a lot of family counselling and held a lot of family retreats -Had a “rolling retreat” for the soldiers -Started with a prayer breakfast, then a tour down the Autobahn to Munich -Pointing out different kinds of religious architecture -Always stopped at the Dachau concentration camp -Never got any easier to see that place -Worked with Lieutenant Colonel John Koehler -Became the White House Director of Communications during the Reagan administration -Learned a lot about the lives of the troops he ministered to -Multi-ethnic, multi-religious environment and he thrived in it (02:17:25) Life after Service Pt. 1 -Retired from the Army in late 1987 after 20 years of service -Ministered at three churches over the span of 10 years -There was an opening at the VA Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan, so he took it -Worked there for 10 years then permanently retired -Saw the VA make progress -Veterans received good care, but still had to wait a long time to actually get that care -Mostly did psychological work -Had four nursing homes -Two that specialized in hospice and dementia/Alzheimer’s care -State-of-the art facilities -Had a psychological ward -Dealt with PTSD and substance abuse -Learned a lot from the veterans -Incorporated skills he’d learned in the chaplaincy to connect with them (02:20:50) Work with the 3rd Armored Division & Memory from German Tour -Worked with a lieutenant colonel in the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Armored Division �-Went on to become the commander of forces in Europe -Had a high expectation of the chaplains under his command -Expected them to know the Bible and preach a positive message -During a tour in Germany, he remembers when his chapel almost burned down -His chaplain’s assistant accidentally left the stove on while they were gone -When they returned, the stove pipe was red hot and the room felt like an oven (02:23:22) Reflections -Feels it’s important for chaplains and other troops to tell their stories -Helps humanize soldiers and remind people that soldiers have lives before the military -Always played on softball teams as a way of bonding with troops -Needed good stamina as a chaplain to keep up with the rest of the soldiers (02:25:04) Marriages -Married to his first wife 19 or 20 years, but divorced 10 years after he left the Army -Single for 13 or 14 years, then he married a former Army chaplain -Have been married for 12 years (as of the interview) -She worked on the Family Advocacy Council and taught noncommissioned officers -Did that for 12 years in the Army -Still a very patriotic couple (02:26:10) Life after Service Pt. 2 -Still does committal (burial) services for the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion -Remembers doing 30 committal services in two months at the VA Hospital in Battle Creek -There was a national cemetery conveniently located next to the hospital -At one time, he had four remains in need of a burial -Not one family member came to claim them or be part of the burial -Always committed to ensuring those veterans were buried with full military honors < Tape ends before the interview does > � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_JansenD2061V Title A name given to the resource Jansen, Donald J (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-29 Description An account of the resource Donald Jansen was born in Holland, Michigan, on May 6, 1937. He graduated from Western Theological Seminary in June 1967, was ordained in September, and went on active duty at Fort Hamilton, New York, in October 1967. He was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, to serve as the chaplain for a basic training brigade and did that until he was deployed to Vietnam in the fall of 1968. He served with the 184th Ordnance Battalion and operated out of Qui Nhon. He ministered to soldiers in his unit as well as troops in a maintenance battalion and the 84th Combat Engineers. Despite being a chaplain, he experienced ambushes on convoys, rocket and mortar attacks on the base, and sapper attacks. After Vietnam, he was sent to West Germany for three years, then returned to the United States for service at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He also served at Fort Wadsworth, New York, and in South Korea for two years. Donald served at Brooke Army Medical Center then at the main post chapel in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, before doing a final tour in West Germany with the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade. He retired in 1987. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jansen, Donald J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/76c221eb74b4089f54800ffffcdff7a0.m4v 391eb6acb104e0ac0c1e1be33f87b716 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/207c503e7154d2859a28c86fedd118a1.pdf b39cdda8d8b4606b9385221c1ccd3762 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project John Hoogland Cold War (Pre-Vietnam); Vietnam War; Cold War (Post-Vietnam) 1 hour 19 minutes xx seconds (00:00:39) Early Life -Born on April 20, 1934, in Decatur, Michigan -Father was a minister -He was the third of four children -Moved around Michigan because his father had three separate churches -One in Decatur, one in Muskegon, and one in Grand Rapids -World War II was a big event for his childhood -Father followed the news of the war and shared the news with John -Showed John on a map where battles occurred -Church had a flag with stars representing the men from the church in the military -Each gold star represented the men killed-in-action -Graduated from high school in 1952 -Attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Majored in English and philosophy -Considered becoming a minister, but he didn’t feel the call -Attended the University of Michigan to get his master’s degree in comparative literature -Returned to the Calvin College Seminary -Eventually graduated from that in 1959 (00:03:30) Enlisting in the Army as a Chaplain -After his first year of seminary he wanted to try being a chaplain -Got a commission as a 2nd lieutenant – staff specialist -Chance to get ministerial experience in the Army instead of in a church -Attended the Chaplain’s School to see if he even wanted to be one -Nine-week course -Decided he wanted to become a chaplain after completing seminary -Went to the Chaplain’s School at a base near New York City -Didn’t have an Army commitment yet -Learning the basics of being a soldier (marching, saluting, wearing the uniform) -Returned to Calvin and completed his seminary work -Volunteered for two years of service (00:06:22) Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood Pt. 1 -Sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for one year as his first assignment -Received orders to go to West Germany while stationed at Fort Leonard Wood -Placed on active duty as a reserve officer -Served with combat engineers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood -Held regular services on Sunday �-Went with men to the field for exercises -Like being a minister, just in a different atmosphere -Did counselling for soldiers -Helping soldiers that received break-up letters from their girlfriends -Preventing suicide and men going AWOL -Held Sunday evening film showings -Took two or three men aside to ask them to help watch out for at-risk soldiers -Held Wednesday night open counselling -Had some World War II veterans on active duty, but Korean War veterans were more common -Talked about their experiences, the humorous and sad ones -Helped prepare him for his future tour in Vietnam -Knew what questions to ask soldiers in Vietnam and make them comfortable -Wife lived with him at Fort Leonard Wood -They’d gotten married after his first year of seminary (00:11:27) First Tour in Germany Pt. 1 -Wife was excited to go to Germany with John -Paid for by the Army -Chance for their children to see a different country -Made sure to drive them through Switzerland -Positive attitude about being in Europe -Good the children’s emotional well-being, too -Stationed in Kitzingen -Stationed in West Germany from 1960 through 1963 -Cold War tensions ran high -He was with the 3rd Infantry Division -Soviets could have attacked through three routes: -Via the Netherlands, via Austria, or through the Fulda Gap -3rd Infantry Division defended the Fulda Gap -He went to the field during alerts, and never knew if it was a drill or the start of a war -Berlin Wall went up in August 1961, and the Cuban Missile Crisis happened in October 1962 -During both events, it was business as usual, but with a heightened sense of alertness -During alerts, they assembled and waited for further orders -Had war broken out, he would’ve gone to war and his family would’ve been evacuated -Combination of fear there would be a war, or optimism nothing would happen (00:15:54) Officer’s Commission -Ultimately, he spent 30 years in the Army -After his first tour in Germany he decided he wanted to make a career out of the Army -Applied for a regular commission as an officer in the Army -Granted him job security in the Army (00:17:30) First Tour in Germany Pt. 2 -The Germans treated the American soldiers well -Understood the American presence -Knew the Soviet world was not a good place to live �-People were desperate to escape East Germany -He passed through East Germany on his way to Berlin -Vehicles were inspected by East German border guards -Trying to see if he was smuggling people out of East Germany -Knew that he had to be courteous and complacent with the East German guards -Brought family with him to see Berlin -Wonderful experience -Life in Germany was roughly similar to life on a base in the United States -Some soldiers had trouble with the local Germans -John had to deal with the fallout from some of those negative encounters -If a soldier got a bad letter from home it was harder emotionally for that soldier -The large distance made it more difficult -He helped soldiers secure emergency funds if they needed extra money -Able to speak a little German -Wife and children also picked up some German -School on base had German and American children -Chance for an exchange of languages to happen -First tour in Germany lasted three years (00:21:51) Stationed at Fort Dix -After his tour in Germany he was assigned to Fort Dix, New Jersey -Worked with basic trainees -Stationed at Fort Dix from 1963 through 1966 -Vietnam War had started to heat up -Trainees were concerned about being sent into combat -Wanted to talk to John about being deployed -Visited New York City -Family enjoyed living at Fort Dix (00:24:04) Deployment to Vietnam -Received orders to deploy to Vietnam in 1966 -Family accepted it -He worried the most about his four-year old son -While in Vietnam he addressed a lot of his letters to his son -Promising what they would do together when he got home -Later, he asked his son if he remembered those letters -His son confessed he never believed a word of them -“Why couldn’t he (John) just drive home to do those things?” -Didn’t understand how far away Vietnam was -Flew to Vietnam in a chartered civilian aircraft -Stopped in California, Hawaii, and Okinawa before landing in Vietnam -Landed at Saigon at Tan Son Nhut Airbase (00:30:09) Working in Vietnam -Worked with American advisors operating in four provinces in South Vietnam -Operated from the Mekong River, to Cambodian border, to South China Sea �-Had the radio call sign of “Thinbuster 6” -Flew out to Special Forces outposts on the Cambodian border -There were 200 advisors in his unit spread out over four provinces -40 soldiers at headquarters, and four soldiers at each outpost -Remembers ordering communion wine -Thought he ordered six – eight bottles of wine, he got six – eight cases of wine -Distributed the excess to Protestant and Catholic Vietnamese clergy -Never ran out of communion wine, and it built community relations -His first impression of Vietnam was that it was a foreign country with foreign people -Got to know the Protestant minister in My Tho (location of the unit’s headquarters) -Minister was trying to build an orphanage/school in My Tho -John gathered donations for that project -Never saw it completed, but it was completed after the war -There were four advisors to a company of South Vietnamese soldiers -Advisors knew how to do multiple tasks including radio use and first aid -John knew everyone except for the brand-new soldiers in the area (00:37:08) Casualties in Vietnam -Three months into his tour, his commander requested his help -Two men had been killed-in-action, and he needed John to sign off on the body bag tags -John still visits the Vietnam War Memorial to see the names of those men -Between ten and fifteen men were killed during John’s tour in Vietnam (00:38:50) Travel in Vietnam -When he went to the field he travelled by helicopter, and two gunships provided cover -If those gunships were shot down he would’ve been defenseless -Had a jeep, but only allowed to use it in My Tho -Too dangerous to travel on his own -Commanding chaplain forbade him from travelling alone outside of My Tho (00:40:28) Contact with Vietnamese -He had no contact with the South Vietnamese soldiers -Had some contact with Vietnamese civilians via the local clergy -Wonderful and devout people (00:40:58) Opinion of the Vietnam War -He didn’t want to discuss the politics of the war during his tour -He favored the war, because he felt the Vietnam War shared parallels with the Korean War -Defending the defenseless South Vietnam from North Vietnam -North Vietnam was backed by China and the Soviet Union -Felt it was a good war, but it was still a war the United States lost (00:42:11) Mortar Attacks -Occasionally took mortar rounds at My Tho -Knew where bunkers were on base -Practiced how to get from wherever he was to the nearest bunker -During the first mortar attack he got to a bunker and couldn’t get the door opened -Didn’t realize the door didn’t open like on the rest of the bunkers �-After a mortar attack he inspected some fragments and discovered they had been made in China (00:43:53) Stationed at Fort Hood Pt. 1 -After his tour in Vietnam he was sent to Fort Hood, Texas -Part of the 1st Armored Division as the brigade chaplain -During a meeting, a 2-star general requested to see John -John thought he was in serious trouble -Met with the general and two other chaplains that served in Vietnam -General wanted them to deliver the bad news to families in the area -He never enjoyed going to some small town to find a family to tell them their son was dead -Remembers telling an elderly woman that her son had been killed in Vietnam -Had to go find the woman’s husband at a local bar -He walked into the bar wearing his chaplain uniform and the bar fell silent -As soon as the father saw him, the man burst into tears -Experiences like that still follow him years after the war (00:49:57) Coming Home from Vietnam -When he came from Vietnam his wife and daughters came running to him, but his son held back -Did everything with his son that he promised to do when he got home from the war (00:50:53) Stationed at Fort Hood Pt. 2 -Sent to Fort Hood, Texas, after his tour in Vietnam -Stationed at Fort Hood for three years -Racial and military tensions on the base -Didn’t want his services to be racially divided -Ensured his services were integrated across racial and gender lines (00:52:31) Advanced Chaplain Work -Sent to the University of Wisconsin to get a master’s degree in journalism and communication -Allowed him to teach at the Chaplain’s School -Studied at the University of Wisconsin for 1 ½ years -Went to the Chaplain Board -Got involved with character guidance lectures and workshops -Made the editor of a new, nonexistent chaplain’s journal -He started the Military Chaplain Review -Lasted until its spending was cut -Living at Fort Meade, Maryland, when he got involved with higher-ranking chaplain work (00:54:30) Stationed at Fort Hood Pt. 3 -Had black soldiers help him with services at Fort Hood -Regularly included the minorities and women in his services at Fort Hood -Also made no distinction between enlisted and commissioned soldiers during services -Young and old soldiers (00:55:54) Stationed at Fort Monmouth Pt. 1 -Became the post chaplain at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey -Stationed there after his second tour in West Germany -Continued to ensure his services were egalitarian and welcoming �(00:56:40) Stationed at Fort Hood Pt. 4 -Drugs were an issue at Fort Hood -Hope open-door Wednesday night counselling -Counselled couples struggling with addiction problems -Visited local AA meetings and brought soldiers to them that wanted help -Put together four-man groups for movie committees -Teaching those soldiers group work and how to think independently on projects -1st sergeants could refer soldiers to get counselling from John -Confidential counselling -Continued to recruit soldiers at Fort Hood to watch out for soldiers having emotional crises (01:01:58) Second Tour in West Germany -His second tour in West Germany lasted from 1974 through 1978 -Stationed at a corps headquarters in Stuttgart -Travelled around the corps area meeting with chaplains and touching base with them -Worked with Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish chaplains -Ran services at the chapel at headquarters -Children attended high school in Germany -Capable of travelling around Europe on their own -Knew how to use the passport and railroad system -Always encouraged his children to have a positive attitude about going to Europe -Cold War wasn’t as tense and a Soviet invasion seemed improbable -Still had alerts to measure the readiness of the troops in the event of an attack -Most men reported to assembly areas without problem -Fewer morale and discipline problems in West Germany during his second tour -He was less connected with soldiers, though, because he was at headquarters -German civilians still had a good attitude about the Americans -Lived off-base -Chance for children to experience German and German culture -Remembers a German woman bursting into tears when she saw John -He looked like her brother who most likely died in Soviet captivity during WWII -For the most part, the Germans and the Americans got along well (01:08:45) Stationed at Fort Monmouth Pt. 2 -Sent to Fort Monmouth after his second tour in West Germany -Reported to Fort Monmouth as a lieutenant colonel -Promoted to colonel after three or four months -Good duty -Served as post chaplain for three years -Capable of making progressive influence, especially for women and African-Americans -Held neutral Protestant services -Continued to incorporate soldiers from every walk of life regardless of rank (01:10:30) Director of Personnel Office – The Pentagon -Wanted to extend his time at Fort Monmouth for another year -Almost had it, but his commander moved him to a different assignment �-Became the Director of Personnel for chaplains at the Pentagon -In charge of 1,400 chaplains around the world and where to send them -Gained a reputation as having tremendous control over the chaplains -He didn’t understand because he wasn’t power-hungry, just doing his job -Didn’t like sending soldiers to unsavory posts -Worked at the Pentagon for four years (01:14:40) Life after Service -Went to Midland Park, New Jersey -Served as a Christian Reformed minister for 13 years -Helped at a religious center at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey -Worked with Catholic and Jewish clergy -Served as a minister there for eight years -Returned to Grand Rapids, Michigan, at his children’s encouragement -As of the interview, he lives in an active senior community -Enjoys spending his time doing exercising classes (01:17:35) Reflections on Service -Gave him a broader perspective than he would’ve gotten as a civilian minister -Experience with people from different backgrounds -Chance to work with Catholic priests and Jewish rabbis -Exposed him to war and all its horrifying effects on people and the human psyche -The psychological impacts last long after the initial event -Feels he made the right choice making a 30-year career as a chaplain in the Army � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_HooglandJ1952V Title A name given to the resource Hoogland, John J (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-09-22 Description An account of the resource John Hoogland was born in Decatur, Michigan, on April 20, 1934. During his first year in seminary he attended the Chaplain School and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant - staff specialist, then returned to Calvin Seminary to complete his seminary work. His first assignment was at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he held regular services and worked with the men on the base. He received orders for West Germany and was placed on active duty as a reserve officer. During his first tour in West Germany, he was stationed at Kitzingen with the 3rd Infantry Division from 1960 through 1963. After his first tour in Germany he applied for, and was granted a regular commission as an officer in the Army. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, from 1963 to 1966 and received orders to deploy to Vietnam in 1966. John worked with American special forces advisors in the southernmost part of South Vietnam and operated out of My Tho. After his tour in Vietnam he went to Fort Hood, Texas, and served as a brigade chaplain in the 1st Armored Division for three years. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hoogland, John J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9a9bb5e27591dccd2bf7c643d9b1d92c.m4v ea254e3d4539a01341488bb7eae8660d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/345e391257c8cc97dc6543cbb991ba8b.m4v 7d743b1e1935bab9346333cfb6b7747e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/24228e225e062e173fad8ded1b031296.pdf 517e5d9de74ef28429c67c5913144944 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Kyle Herring War in Afghanistan Part 1 – 48 minutes 52 seconds (00:00:17) Early Life -Born in Frederick, Maryland on October 11, 1987 -Lived there for one or two years -Moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Parents were originally from Maryland -Lived on the southeast side of the city near Kalamazoo Avenue -Moved to Kentwood, Michigan when he was in middle school -Suburb of Grand Rapids -Attended East Kentwood High School -Last class to graduate early -Graduated in February 2006 -Father worked as an aerospace engineer for General Electric -Mother worked in healthcare for Spectrum Healthcare (00:01:20) September 11th Attacks & Start of the War on Terror -He was in eighth grade when the September 11th attacks happened in 2001 -Didn't have TVs on in the morning -Teachers came in around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. and told the students the U.S. had been attacked -Rest of the day watched the news reports coming in from New York and Washington D.C. -Aware of the severity of the attacks -Possibly more aware than other students because his family served in the military -Father served in the Marines and mother served in the Army -Father had fought in the Gulf War -Thought the U.S. would be invaded following the attacks (00:03:39) Enlisting in the National Guard -September 11th attacks contributed to his decision to join the military -Had always wanted to be a soldier -Wanted to serve in the Marines like his father -Father advised against it -Felt that Kyle would get more out of a different branch of the military -Wanted to do something with technology -When he was 16 years old he started talking with Marine recruiters -When he turned 17 the recruiters asked him to sign the paperwork -Kyle wanted to be an aircraft controller -Recruiters told him he could be in the infantry or the engineers -Friend enlisted in the Michigan National Guard -Got the job he wanted and an enlistment bonus -Talked to a National Guard recruiter and watched some different videos about technology jobs -Decided he wanted to be a multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainer -Military Occupational Specialty code: 25 Quebec -Enlisted in the spring of 2005 (00:05:40) Drilling with the National Guard -Able to start drilling with the National Guard before completing basic training �-In the summer of 2005 he visited Europe and saw London, Paris, and Barcelona -When he returned from the Europe trip he started doing drills with the National Guard -One weekend a month through the summer and his senior year (00:06:35) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Benning, Georgia on January 1, 2006 for basic training -Left Lansing, Michigan early in the morning -Landed at Atlanta and told to go to the clock tower in the airport and wait for a bus -At 9 p.m. a woman came to the tower and told him to follow him if he was a recruit -Very informal greeting -There with 100 or 200 other recruits -Pulled up to Fort Benning and drill sergeant boarded the bus -Told if they listened to him they would be fine -Went through processing at 10 or 11 p.m. -Given sweatshirts and sweatpants and ordered to change into them -Didn't sleep much the first night there -First week was spent processing -Basic training wasn't too difficult -Expected it to be like the basic training in the film, Full Metal Jacket -Disappointed that it wasn't tough -Felt prepared from hearing about his parents' experiences in the military -Graduated from basic training in April 2006 -Drill sergeants yelled at them, but not to an extreme degree -Spent most days exercising, sleeping, or going to classes -Remembers one exercise called “belly, back, and feet” -Push-ups, flutter kicks, and jogging in place -Had to change exercises when the drill sergeant commanded -A few men had trouble adjusting to the military -Trained with other slightly older recruits -Only three or four men didn't pass basic training -One of his bunk mates had to be medically discharged due to heart problems -Remembers a group of Ohioans didn't adjust well to the discipline, but they made it through -Sundays were cleaning day -One of the Ohioan recruits hid in a wall locker and slept all day on Sundays -Did a lot of weapons training, physical training, and marches with full packs -Basic infantry training -Firing a rifle, digging a foxhole, basic first aid, and using a radio (00:14:08) Signal Training -Sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia for Signal Training -Lasted 21 weeks -Trained with truck-mounted radios and satellite radios -Trained with old technology and new technology -Radios used by the French in the 1990s -French radios were set to OCONUS -Overseas radio setting, and permanent unless rewired -Learned how to rewire those radios to be used in the United States -Second part of training consisted of satellite communications (00:16:21) Joining the 156th Signal Battalion -Returned to Grand Rapids and was assigned to C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion -Stationed at Grand Valley Armory in Wyoming, Michigan (suburb of Grand Rapids) �-Did drills one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer -Attended Grand Rapids Community College while not drilling with the National Guard -Did the basic weekend/month and two weeks/summer schedule for two years -Enjoyed drilling in the National Guard -Bond forming and team building -Everyone worked well together and did a good job together (00:17:48) Medic Training -Discovered that he didn't enjoy communications work -In early 2008 the 156th Signal Battalion became part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -This resulted in the creation of a combat medic position -He wanted to become a medic, requested the position, and got it -Sent to Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (Camp Parks), California in the summer of 2008 -Base was situated in the middle of a wealthy area -Close enough to San Francisco that they could take a train there -Medic training usually took six months, but they did it in three months -14 hours of training for a while -Studied a chapter in class and read the next chapter at night -The next day took a test on the material they studied in class -Took the National Registry of EMTs Exam and half of the trainees failed it on the first attempt -Second time they took the test three quarters of them passed -Got practical training -Trained with practice mannequins, learned how to give shots, and place IVs -Rode in a civilian ambulance in Oakland, California -Treated an old woman, a homeless man, an infant, and responded to a car accident -Did that all in one, eight hour shift -Resuscitated a man in the emergency room and pronounced an infant dead an hour later -Doing practical work like that gave him confidence he hadn't had before -First half of medic training focused on basic EMT skills -Second half of medic training focused on Army medicine -For example: properly using tourniquets and moving litters -Did field exercises in the desert -Remembers on one exercise he didn't drink water until 5 p.m. -Acting squad leader and made sure the other soldiers stayed hydrated -He just forgot to do the same for himself (00:24:19 Pre-Deployment Training & Preparation -Returned to Grand Valley Armory -Alerted for mobilization -In early 2009 they received equipment and started their training -Went to Vermont for mountaineer training with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -Fun -Learned how to walk horizontally across a steep grade -Did a 20 foot rappel -On the first rappel he was carrying a 50 pound aid bag -Had to do his first rappel with the pound bag -Did a 150 foot rappel down a cliff face -Returned to Michigan after mountaineer training in Vermont -Started dating his future wife -Dated a few months and decide to try for a long term, long distance, relationship -Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana for combat training �-Three weeks -Ran practice convoys -Worked in an aid station -Did that in September 2009 -On December 3, 2009 they received their federal orders -Bused to Camp Atterbury, Indiana -Did three or four days of processing -Vaccinations and various physical tests -Land navigation training and a brief introduction of what to expect in Afghanistan -Medics received Brigade Combat Tactical Training -One week of intense medical training -Trained by special forces medics and surgeons -Learned about what IEDs could do to a person -By 2009 the Army knew more about IEDs and damage potential -Learned that they had to go back to Fort Polk because they missed a training step -Three more weeks of combat training -He was originally assigned to a Military Police platoon with brigade headquarters -Platoon got reassigned to the 1st Squadron of the 172nd Cavalry Regiment -Part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -Did field exercises in the woods in Fort Polk -Taught the Rules of Land Warfare -What a soldier can/cannot do in combat -At Fort Polk they had fake enemies and fake civilians -Lived and operated in a fake Afghan city -Had Afghan nationals and fake reporters -Rifles with blank rounds, fake bombs, and helicopters -Pre-deployment training was worse than the actual tour in Afghanistan (00:33:23) Deployment to Afghanistan -Received orders to fly directly from Fort Polk to Afghanistan -Given 24 hours of leave -He and the other men went to Bourbon Street in New Orleans -Last time they could drink before being deployed to Afghanistan -Stayed at Fort Polk for a few days then flew out of Louisiana at 3 a.m. -Flew to Afghanistan on a chartered civilian flight -Stopped in Canada, Iceland, Ireland, and Germany to refuel -Allowed to get off the plane in Germany -Place for soldiers to eat, stretch their legs, and buy souvenirs -There were political issues with Russia which altered their flight path to Afghanistan -Flown to Kyrgyzstan -Landed at a Soviet-era airport -Beautiful and cold country -Bought an Iranian cell phone that worked in the Middle East -Boarded a C-130 and flew to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan (00:36:20) Arrival in Afghanistan -Received two days of training at Bagram Air Base -Boarded another C-130 and flew to Sharana, Afghanistan to get to Ghazni -Had to do a combat landing at night because the base took fire on a regular basis -Plane corkscrewed down to the runway -C-130 dropped the ramp and they were ordered to march off the plane �-Only had 15-20 rounds of ammunition and it was pitch black -Told to go to a reception area at the other end of the runway -Went into a transient tent -Disgusting and one of the worst places he had to stay -Contacted the unit they were replacing in Ghazni -Needed more ammunition before they they moved -In RC-East (NATO designation for eastern portion of Afghanistan) -Unit they were replacing came to pick them up from Sharana -Traveled in Cougar Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored transports -Brought them a trailer full of ammunition -Told to watch out for IEDs en route to Ghazni (00:39:45) First Contact with Enemy Troops -Reached a place called Four Corners en route to Ghazni -Afghan police were taking fire and the American forces were ordered to assist them -Got out of the MRAP and went to the left of the road -Told to watch out for a man riding a red moped -Afghan forces were taking fire on the right side of the road -Walked forward 100 or 200 yards -The red moped showed up -Everyone pointed their rifles at the man and he quickly turned around -Not the target -Took cover behind a berm and returned fire -He was ordered to stay down and hold his fire -If he, the medic, got wounded then who would take care of him? -Taking small arms fire -After 10 or 15 minutes the militants scattered and they proceeded toward Ghazni (00:42:25) Stationed in Ghazni -Final destination was Forward Operating Base (FOB) Vulcan in Ghazni -Ghazni is the capital of Ghazni Province -There was another FOB, called FOB Ghazni in the city -Provincial reconstruction, helicopter base, and a forward surgical team -FOB Vulcan was a former Soviet base from the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s -Shared it with an Afghan battalion -Minimal enemy contact -FOB Ghazni got hit by mortars and rockets on a regular basis -FOB Vulcan wasn't a large base -150 Americans stationed there -Shared the base with Polish forces -NATO commander was Polish and had a Polish 155mm artillery unit (00:44:20) Patrols in Afghanistan -Started their mission after a week of being at FOB Vulcan -Mission was to train Afghan police in the area -Went to the towns of Waghaz and Qarabagh -First time at Waghaz they took mortar fire from the mountains -Established contact with the town chieftain -Moved to Qarabagh after patrols in Waghaz -Stayed there for a few nights -Lived on Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and trained the Afghan police -Pulled security at night �-Set up a post on top of an old prison -If they saw movement they had orders to retreat -Had only 20 men at Qarabagh and couldn't taken on an enemy force -Arrived in Afghanistan in March 2010 and started conducting patrols soon -Had Thursdays off because Friday is the Muslim holy day (00:46:50) Fighting around Waghaz -The second time they went into Waghaz they took mortar fire, again -Brought a TOW missile launcher and a forward observer to call in artillery support -Fired the TOW at the enemy position and it flew into a group of trees -Mortars were landing around the compound -Knew the militants were bad shots, but they could eventually get a direct hit -Called in Polish artillery to knock out the mortar position -Lieutenant was fairly incompetent -Called in the wrong coordinates -Resulted in the artillery hitting 1,000 yards off target Part 2 – 45 minutes 39 seconds Note: Separate DVD, but time code continues (00:49:33) Fighting around Waghaz -Polish artillery was off the mark -United States artillery procedure is to fire to the right of the impact area -Polish artillery procedure is to fire to the left of the impact area -Shot again and were even more off the mark than the first time -Decided to get into MRAPs and go into the hills to find the mortars -Had F-16 fighter aircraft providing air support -Went up to a little bridge in the hills -Good chance there would be IEDs -He was in the third vehicle in line -Two of the MRAPs got across the bridge without incident -His MRAP shifted to the right and hit an IED -It was two antitank mines stacked on top of each other -Blew off a tire -Militants had been planning an ambush on the convoy -Disable a vehicle then attack with machine guns and rockets -F-16s scared them off -No one in his vehicle was injured -A few men sustained minor concussions -Recovery vehicles took forever to reach them -Traveling at one kilometer/hour (or a little over ½ mile/hour) -F-16s ran out of gas and had to leave the area -B-1 strategic bomber came to provide air support -Stayed there for a while -Pilot radioed the recovery convoy and told them to go faster -Getting bored and wanted to leave -Finally got picked up and his MRAP was repaired within a few days (00:53:30) Leaving Ghazni -Spent three months in Ghazni �-Only American forces in the area, and they were a small force -Got replaced by a larger American force -Ghazni hadn't been a bad place to be stationed -Had internet, hot food, showers, and civilians did their laundry (00:54:15) Ambushed outside of Qarabagh -Wanted to go to Qarabagh to say good bye to the Afghan police chief -Bitter and nervous that the Americans would leave and not be replaced -Stayed overnight in Qarabagh and ate breakfast with the police the next day -Left Qarabagh and he was in the last vehicle in the convoy -MRAP in front of him hit a 500 pound IED -Blast threw vehicle into the air and flipped it over -Gunner survived because he bent down to pick up a bottle of a water -Felt the shock wave in his truck -The gunner in his MRAP returned fire with machine gun and grenade launcher -His truck took three rocket propelled grenades -After each blast the gunner got back up and returned fire -MRAP caught fire and had to be evacuated -Made his way to the destroyed MRAP -Half of the vehicles in the convoy were damaged or immobilized -Ran through the blast zone and the IED produced a crater in the highway -Everyone in the destroyed MRAP was out of the truck and were wounded -Six wounded -Inside of that MRAP was covered in blood -Started treating the wounded -One soldier had internal bleeding -Told the platoon sergeant they needed to get the wounded out of the area -Other soldiers went off the road to hunt down the militants -Polish sent in helicopters to pick up the wounded -He didn't know the Polish were sending in helicopters -Saw a Mi-24 Hind fly overhead -Same helicopter used by the Russians -Astounded at the sight and didn't know what to expect next -Militants retreated -Helicopter pilot saw the blast crater and decided to land in the adjacent field -Helped get the wounded to the helicopter -Told the flight medic about the situation -Another helicopter showed up -Thought there were six litter wounded, not ambulatory -Polish armored vehicles came to support them -Patrolled the area and found a few weapons -Got into a new convoy and went to FOB Ghazni -Ate and got cleaned up -Visited the wounded -Let him put three of the more severely wounded into a helicopter -One of the men went to Germany and two went to Bagram Air Base (01:04:55) Stationed at FOB Lightning -Flown to FOB Lightning in Gardez -Spent two weeks at FOB Lightning -Worked with the 82nd Airborne Division �-Did patrols and went on a convoy to a FOB near Pakistan -FOB Lightning was a larger base -Had a mess hall open at all times with iced coffee and a panini machine -Had internet access -Could contact his family and his fiancee (01:06:20) Stationed at Charikar -Sent to Bagram Air Base for one week to await further orders -101st Airborne Division replaced them -Sent to the city of Charikar near Bagram -Worked with United Arab Emirates soldiers -Stationed at the police station in Charikar -Shared the barracks with Afghan police -Went on two foot patrols each day -Did two, three hour shifts of guard duty -One of his jobs was to bleach the water used for showering -Built up area -Civilians were allowed to go into the police station -Medium-sized city with three-story buildings -Able to send the interpreter into town to get local food -Had french fries and kebabs -American dollar was very strong -Avoided eating cold food and dairy products -Spent six months in Charikar out of a total of nine months in Afghanistan -Did the same routine every day -Brought a firearm with him everywhere he went -Got comfortable carrying a firearm with him -Never fired his rifle in anger -Medic shouldn't have to return fire in a combat situation (01:12:30) Enemy Contact in Charikar -One night they were sleeping and someone fired a rocket propelled grenade at the station -Local that angry about a political decision made by the U.S. military -No wounded and no killed -Pulled guard duty at night because he enjoyed the coolness of the evening -One night he heard fire on Route 1 -Went into the tactical operations center (TOC) -Told NATO Macedonian forces had been attacked -Being sent to Charikar -When the Macedonians arrived they were on edge -Jumped out of the trucks and pointing their rifles -An American unit near them hit an IED and lost their medic (01:14:52) U.S. Ambassador visit to Charikar -U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan came to Charikar to visit the provincial governor -Had jets, layers of security, and Secretary of State security forces -Afghan police were on the road in front of the governor's compound -Remembers a blue tanker truck coming up to the compound -Afghan police let it go through the roadblock -Secretary of State security thought it was a suicide truck -Turned out to be fine -Ready for it to explode and deal with the consequences �(01:16:52) United Nations Presence -United Nations World Food Program operated in the area -Used white vans and SUVs with no armor -Drove around Charikar -Never made sense to him why they'd use civilian vehicles -Never got attacked (01:17:50) Contact with Afghan Civilians -A lot of contact with Afghan civilians -Patrolled the markets in Charikar -There was a canal next to the police compound -Threw candy to children who stood on the other side of the canal -A sucker hit a little girl in the head -Brought her and her father over to the compound -Gave her another sucker, and a stuffed animal, and bandages -Father was happy and understood that it was an accident -Afghans knew that he was a medic and less intimidating than the other soldiers -Thought he had magic pills that could treat anything -Remembers in Qarabagh a man approached him and said his leg hurt -Couldn't give him pain pills because he could be allergic -Gave him a red Tic-Tac -Man came back a week later complaining of leg pain again -Gave him a yellow Tic-Tac and the man requested a red one -There was a blind man in Charikar that asked to be healed -Couldn't grasp that Kyle wasn't a doctor or a miracle worker -Apologized to the man and gave him some American money for his trouble -Treated one Afghan policeman with an infected ankle from wearing his boots wrong -Took a picture together -Trusted the Afghan interpreter because he was in just as much danger as they were -Gave him a first aid kit and a shotgun or an AK-47 rifle if they had a spare (01:22:50) Mystery Weapons Cache -He was on guard duty one night and an Afghan police cargo truck came into the compound -Truck was filled with crates of rifles, ammunition, rocket launchers, and rockets -Helped the Afghan police unload the truck -Went into a basement on the compound and it was filled with weapons and ammunition -Didn't know it existed -Had no idea why the Afghan police had it -Radioed 86th Brigade headquarters and told them about the weapons cache -They didn't know it existed either -Piles of Chinese, Egyptian, Soviet, and unmarked weapons (01:25:37) End of Deployment & Coming Home -Deployment ended in December 2010 -Stayed at Bagram Air Base for one week -in Thanksgiving 2010 President Obama came to Bagram Air Base -Delayed coming home -Out processed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana -Came home to Grand Rapids and was greeted by the community -Stopped at Kyrgyzstan en route to the United States -One soldier broke his ankle walking out to the plane �-Had two choices: fly home with a broken ankle, or stay behind for treatment -Decided to fly home with the broken ankle -Took a year to get his ankle fixed (01:27:02) Assignment to the 126th Cavalry Regiment & Current National Guard Service -While on his deployment he was promoted to the rank of sergeant (E-5) -Spent three more months with C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion -Moved across the hall at Grand Valley Armory and was reassigned to 126th Cavalry Regiment -Placed on full-time orders for a couple years then became Active Guard Reserve (AGR, career) -Worked for eight months as a National Guard recruiter at Grand Valley Armory -Went back to work as medical readiness sergeant with the 126th Cavalry Regiment -Job as of time of interview -Managing medical documents -Overseeing a platoon of medics -Administering flu shots -Medical exams -General healthcare of soldiers (01:28:15) Reflections on Service -Made him a calmer individual -More confident -More to life -Drinks less after his deployment -Appreciates life more -Spent nine months without TV, cell phone, and limited internet -Misses the order and routine of Afghanistan -Still maintains a routine as a civilian (01:29:46) Wounded in Ghazni -In Ghazni after the 500 pound IED explosion -He was in the mess hall and the FOB started taking rocket fire -Ran toward bunkers and a rocket exploded in front of him -Attack happened near Easter 2010 -Doesn't remember the blast, but remembers getting up from the ground -Saw a man lying in the middle of the road -Acted without thinking -Base was still taking rocket fire -Wounded man was a Navy corpsman -Entire right side was peppered with shrapnel -Polish ambulance came to help treat the corpsman -Helped the Polish soldiers treat the man -Reunited with his platoon -One week later he found the corpsman survived and was being treated in Germany -Spent three months in therapy due to sustaining a traumatic brain injury -Didn't qualify for a Purple Heart -Placed on rest for two days and ordered to relax -Still has ringing in his ears and memory problems -Works with a lot of soldiers that have traumatic brain injuries -Is able to relate with them � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_HerringK1933V Title A name given to the resource Herring, Kyle (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-03-17 Description An account of the resource Kyle Herring was born in Frederick, Maryland on October 11, 1987, but grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Michigan National Guard when he was 17 years old in spring 2005 and drilled during his senior year. In January 2006 he received basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia then went to Fort Gordon, Georgia for signal training. He joined C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion at the Grand Valley Armory in Wyoming, Michigan. In early 2008 a medic slot opened and he volunteered for it. He received medic training at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, California. In early 2009 they received deployment orders and spent most of 2009 training in Vermont Camp Atterbury, Indiana and Fort Polk, Louisiana. He was attached to 1st Squadron of the 172nd Cavalry Regiment of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. They deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010 and he was stationed at Forward Operating Base Vulcan (Ghazni) for three months working with local police in Waghaz and Qarabagh. He suffered a concussive injury in Ghazni. He was also stationed at FOB Lighting (Gardez) and at the police station in Charikar for six months. In December 2010 the deployment ended and he returned home. After three months he joined the 126th Cavalry Regiment and went on full-time, active duty as the medical readiness non-commissioned officer. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Herring, Kyle Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jones, Adam (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American United States. National Guard Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f5f4f3709edbac807c9294c862ea6fb8.m4v 824b0779830da12e22bad39b3da6d887 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/73edb6b94b7cb12aed0dfb6caf66e05f.pdf aa1502059f8fea763b5250d015cce51a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Billy Hayes Vietnam War; Cold War (Post-Vietnam) 18 minutes 46 seconds *Note: Times are referring to the time code at the tape’s start (01:40:19) Deployment to Vietnam -Assigned to the 27th Surgical Hospital while at Fort Lewis, Washington -Originally planned on deploying to Vietnam in November 1967 -Got moved to spring 1968 -Allowed him to see the birth of his daughter -Enough time to move his wife and daughter to southern California -Flew to southern California and boarded the USNS Geiger -Set sail for Vietnam on March 5, 1968 -Arrived in Vietnam on March 26, 1968 -Chance to get acquainted with the men in the 27th Surgical Hospital -Hadn’t gotten that chance while at Fort Lewis -Sailed over with a Navy chaplain and three other Army chaplains (01:43:14) Arrival in Vietnam -First offloaded an artillery battalion at Nha Trang before he disembarked at Da Nang -Learned about the Tet Offensive that had happened in late-January 1968 -Forces at Da Nang were still recovering from the attack (01:44:03) Stationed at Chu Lai -Sailed down the coast in a Landing Ship, Tank, to Chu Lai -The 27th occupied the abandoned Marine hospital while their hospital was built -Six weeks later moved into their new hospital near Highway 1 -He stayed at Chu Lai until late-November 1968 (01:45:12) Stationed at Phu Bai -Swapped units with plans to be stationed at the base on the old Michelin rubber plantation -Swapped units again and was assigned to the hospital at Phu Bai (01:46:26) Casualties -Saw a lot of casualties serving as a hospital chaplain -Focused on doing his tasks and trying to ignore the blood and gore -Stayed with men while they were in the operating room -Answered their questions, eased their anxieties, and prayed with them -Remembers one African-American Marine who had lost his leg above the knee -Stayed with him, on and off, for several days -The man’s stoicism and faith helped ease Billy’s anxieties about seeing wounded men (01:48:44) Easter Service 1968 -Held an Easter sunrise service in Chu Lai �-The Americal Division was holding their own Easter sunrise service nearby -As he finished his service, a soldier came up to him and said a chaplain had been wounded -Billy went to see the wounded chaplain in the operating room -The man had given the prayer invocation and sat down when a bullet hit his arm -A bullet had fallen out of the sky and hit with just enough force to break skin -Nothing too serious, but serious enough to warrant a Purple Heart (01:51:49) Stationed at Fort Gordon -After his tour in Vietnam, he was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia -Served as the basic training chaplain and worked with soldiers bound for Vietnam -Transferred to the garrison side of the base after the basic training program ended -Worked with the post chaplain and as the religious education chaplain -Worked with a rabbi, Catholics and their programs, and the Sunday school -Spent about 2 ½ years at Fort Gordon (01:53:35) Chaplain Career – Stateside -Accepted to the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas -Studied there for a year and got his master’s degree in religious education -Went to Fort Lewis, Washington -Managed their religious education program for three years -By this time the Vietnam War had ended -Served there for 3 ½ years -Attended the Chaplain Advanced Career Course at Fort Wadsworth, New York, for a year (01:54:54) Service in West Germany -Sent to West Germany -Served with the 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division for a year -Became the brigade chaplain and served at Ray Barracks, Friedberg, Germany for two years (01:55:55) End of Service -Returned to the United States and went to the Army Chaplain’s School to be in the faculty -Worked in various capacities at the school for three years -Focus on combat and logistical exercises -Final assignment was at Fort Ord, California -Nearing his 20-year mark, and as a reservist he would’ve had to retire -Wife convinced him to get out of the Army -Better chance of getting a job as a Baptist minister at 45 years old -Wonderful way to end his career (01:57:32) Reflections on Service -Exposed him to other Christian denominations and made him more openminded -Realized other Christians were just as faithful and convinced of their beliefs -Privilege to administer and help the wounded soldiers in physical and emotional pain -Found he had more in common with other sects than he thought he did � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_HayesB2059V Title A name given to the resource Hayes, Billy M (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-28 Description An account of the resource Billy Hayes deployed to Vietnam with the 27th Surgical Hospital on March 5, 1968, and departed by ship out of San Diego. He arrived at Da Nang on March 26, 1968, then sailed down the coast to Chu Lai. He served at the hospital there until late-November 1968 and was reassigned to Phu Bai. Upon completion of his tour in Vietnam he returned to the United States and was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, for 2 1/2 years. Over the course of his career he studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary worked at Fort Lewis, Washington, in the religious education program attended the Chaplain Advanced Career Course at Fort Wadsworth, New York served in West Germany with the 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division. He returned to the United States and served at the Army Chaplain's School as part of the faculty, and completed his 20-year career at Fort Ord, California. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hayes, Billy M. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text 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> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf