451 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ef7a68847f23f55905e3428bed36a34d.mp4 c18ee040821f7774a7c7be2d33b6bf72 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/085400fb4589b370ea5f95639e53a602.pdf 92d9fde3e3c0e31071bb29bd16410b0a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Donald Katt (01:01:33) (00:20) Background Information • • • • • • • • • Donald was born in Ferrysberg, Michigan on November 28, 1925 His parents and grandparents had lived in the small town for all their lives He had 8 brothers and sisters and his dad died in 1931 when he was only 5 years old Life was pretty hard during the depression, but they always had enough to eat because his mother received lots of help from other family members His father had previously owned a grocery store, but it burned down months after his death Donald went to Grand Haven Christian School and then Grand Haven High School, graduating in 1943 He never attempted to get into college because he assumed that he would be drafted into the service Many people that he went to school had been enlisting and he received his draft card in 1943 after graduation No one wanted to skip the draft because they were all anxious to fight the Germans and Japanese (3:30) Basic Training • Donald trained in Florida for 17 weeks • He then went to Alabama for advanced training • In October of 1944 he went to New York for his shipment overseas • They traveled in a convoy and the trip lasted 13 days (4:20) England • They arrived in England on November 28, 1944 and stayed there for one month • They took a ship called the Cheshire across the channel, heading for the Battle of the Bulge • They arrived in France and their duty was to contain 50,000 Germans in one area; there was a lot of artillery fighting and he often went on night patrols • The men slept in fox holes and it was very cold during the winter months • Donald and his men fought with about 40,000 French troops • He was in Europe for about 9 months and earned a combat infantry badge • The whole time he was there he kept a diary, which he was not supposed to do in case it fell into the wrong hands • His division still meets for reunions every 2 years (11:30) Pearl Harbor • When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Donald was only 16 years old and a sophomore in high school �• • • • The attack was a big shock to everyone; no one thought that they would be attacked by the Japanese Afterwards, many young men wanted to join the military He remembers when many goods and food products were beginning to be rationed, such as wheat, oil, and tin; gas was the hardest to cut back on Donald had two brothers in the Army, with one in New Guinea and the other in Singapore (16:00) Donald is Called to Active Duty • Donald went to Chicago to the Great Lakes base for testing, but found out that men were only needed in the infantry at the time • Donald had very strict training in Florida and was often on KP • He went through weapons training with an M-1 and eventually got a sharp-shooter medal • They went on 25-mile hikes at 10 pm that lasted until 6 am • They also had to be able to run for 45 miles • Donald had gained 15 pounds of muscle in his 17 weeks of training (21:25) Training in Alabama • This was more bivouacking work • They would go about 30 miles into the bush and work with machine guns • The training was much more intense, heavy military training • Donald trained altogether from February until October in 1944 (23:10) The Trip Overseas • She ship carried 8,000 men and was called the USS George Washington; it was a converted cruise ship • The living quarters were very tight • The whole time they had to zigzag to avoid German submarines • Donald was often on guard duty while on the trip • They traveled with a 13 ship convoy, but none of the ships were as big as the one that Donald traveled on • There were about 12,000 people altogether traveling in the convoy • The trip took place in November and there were many storms that made lots of people sick (27:15) Southampton • They convoy arrived in England on November 28, but the supply ship had fallen behind and they did not have much food for quite a few days • They left on Christmas Eve towards France on the Cheshire ship and the other ship, the Leopold, hand been sunk along the way • They traveled in box cars to an airfield in France (31:35) French Troops • They had been working with about 40,000 French troops and it had been hard to communicate �• • • The American men bartered with French civilians, trading US soap and cigarettes for French food The Americans got along well with the French troops The French did not have as many weapons as the Americans and they were not uniform (35:40) The Army of Occupation • Donald lived in a nice area near a river in Germany, where they just had to watch over Germans during the occupation • Donald was there for four months and then he went to a “tent city” in Marseilles to wait for Americans to be sent to fight in the Pacific • He then went to Austria for 8 months to once again serve in the Army of Occupation • He had time off to learn to ski, traveling to Switzerland • They had often been guarding a railroad station from attacks and got to know many Austrians • Donald was discharged on June 6 • While in Europe he wrote to his mom, friends, and girlfriend about three times a week each (44:30) Life After the Service • Donald took some classes in office management and learned a lot about accounting • He got a job in a small shop with only about 15 other employees • He then started a business with a friend, but they ended up not getting along and Donald sold his share • He then took classes at Davenport College in Grand Rapids, MI • He received his Associates degree in office management • Donald was working with concrete products in Ferrysberg and Muskegon • He became the township treasurer in 1955 and held the position for 38 years, retiring in 1992 (49:20) 50th Reunion Tour • Donald traveled with his wife and division to Amsterdam, Nicoise, Marseille, and Paris • They attended a ceremony near the Eiffel Tower • They went to many nice restaurants, ate great food, and drank lots of wine • The tour lasted 2 weeks and the French Navy took them out on their ships • They visited towns where previous battles had been fought and were awarded new medals � 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 KattD Title A name given to the resource Katt, Donald G. (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Katt, Donald G. Description An account of the resource Donald Katt served with the 66th Infantry Division during WW II. He was drafted in 1943, trained mostly in Alabama, and went to Europe late in 1944. He served in France and Germany. Most of his comments are on training, working with French troops, and serving on occupation duty in Germany. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource McCauslin, Kelly (Interviewer) Spring Lake District Library (Spring Lake, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) Video recordings United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-01-08 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ba99682e0486d836f1923e1fe9917eed.pdf 6ec6459ff2027337039390da15079f9a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of Interviewee: Ernie Kaufman Name of War: Other veterans & civilians Length of Interview: (00:33:05) Background  Comments on the differences from his childhood to the present o “We weren’t at horse and buggies, we had cars, but not much else has changed since then.” (00:37)  used to live in a house on Lincoln Lake Rd. were he farmed a farm (01:22)  Describes a story about a group of Indians that came down and set up camp near where his family had their farm o Were just stories, he never witnessed them (02:02)  Lives on Clyde River Dr. o Dug out an Indian Burial ground while putting in a sewer system 10 years prior (02:25)  Comments on the schools o Had lots of smaller schools in his day, not one big one o Teachers seemed a lot more strict as well, “but times change” (03:27) Enlistment  Drafted in the 11th grade o He wanted to go serve anyway, After the attack on Pearl Harbor (04:20)  He didn’t think too much about Pearl Harbor after it had happened (04:50)  November of 1945 went for his physical, didn’t think he would have been drafted o He was drafted by the beginning of April (05:33) Training  Went to boot camp in Texas (06:02)  Not angry at being drafted, he was doing his duty (06:12)  It was his chance to get out and see the world (06:28)  Was at boot camp for a few weeks (06:45)  At one point he couldn’t remember his serial number and was sent to KP for a few days  Regular routine training at the boot camp, marching etc. (07:40) Deployment  Shipped out of Amarilla by train to Biloxi Mississippi to a radar school (08:00)  Volunteered to go to a certain place o Went to the South Pacific (08:14)  Didn’t want to go to Europe, he wanted to see the world (08:32)  Went to Camp Stone (**) in San Francisco  There for a week (08:50)  Put on a troop ship to Hawaii o Unloaded 2/3 of the cargo there (09:00) �  The ship held a lot of cargo, and it took them seven days to unload what they needed to get off (09:17) Went to Wake Island o Not there for very long at all, maybe a day (09:30) Guam  Went to Guam o Got sea sickness on the ride over a lot (09:40)  Hit a typhoon on the way to Guam (10:00)  Got to Guam, put in trucks and went to North West Field (?) (10:37)  Everything was torn t pieces when they arrived, Sea Bees were sent in to build barracks and get generators up (11:00)  “Guam was not a country, just a big rock with jungle all over it” (11:49)  Set up places for soldiers to stay when it rained, not there to help rebuild the towns and villages (12:04)  It rained almost once every day (12:17)  Stayed away from locals (12:33)  They were told not to talk to the locals (12:45)  Stayed in North West field for around two months (13:01)  Sent to the North air and sea rescue base o Had 17 good boats (13:13)  North West field was converted into a B29 base (13:31)  Hot, sticky weather, always wet (13:41)  Locals not hostile  No place to go on the island so they really couldn’t  There were a lot of bases on the island, with little huts dispersed throughout (14:09)  The Locals would go through the bases trash all the time (14:57)  Working on a runway that had a drop off near the end of it, he saw a man jump off the side (15:33)  Was in Guam for about a year (16:05) Sapien  Went to Sapien on a plane  Flew in turned around and flew back out, doesn’t know why (16:17)  His job on the plane was to check the landing gear (17:05)  Everything he did he had volunteered to do (17:25)  Was with the Air and Sea Rescue Headquarters message squadron  He liked it because he knew what was going on before anyone else did (17:30)  A typical day went as follows: Got up around 5 a.m., went to chow, went to their job, left around 1 p.m. for chow, then went to an assigned job around the base (18:08)  They were assigned different jobs in the afternoons (19:01)  Didn’t so much rescuing, everything was going smoothly (19:39)  He saw them do drops o The drops had enough food for 10 men for 30 days (20:06) �      Stayed with the message center for most of his stay in Guam (20:36) He got into trouble with his officials a lot (21:36) Glad he wasn’t in Guam for the actual fighting during the war (22:39) The Japanese were well fortified (22:41) They went out into the jungle when they were bored (23:00) They built all their own runways and barracks, because there wasn’t anything there before (23:57)  Explains the leper colony o No one on the base caught leprosy (25:11)  Dark-skinned people were in the colony o Explains how people get dark skin (26:00)  People in colony came from the islands (26:40) Discharge/ Life After the War  Got out of the Service in 1948 (27:00)  Put into Camp Stoneman prior to discharge and was placed on guard duty, picked up garbage (27:44)  Explained the brig and how it worked (30:37)  He was stationed here on guard duty for a month (31:03)  He couldn’t be discharged until his physical and dental work came back, and they were really sow about the dental work (31:20)  Went back to Grand Rapids area after he was discharged (31:44)  Worked for “Generous Motors,” [General Motors] (31:54)  Life back in Michigan was nice until his first winter, he liked the warm weather in the South Pacific (32:00)  Glad he got home (32:36) � 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 KaufmanE Title A name given to the resource Kaufman, Ernie (Interview outline), 2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kaufman, Earnest W. Description An account of the resource Ernie Kaufman grew up in Lowell, Michigan, and was drafted into the army in 1946. He trained in Texas and Mississippi, and was then shipped to Guam. He did construction work on bases there, and then transferred to Air/Sea Rescue, where he worked in the message headquarters section. He was discharged in 1948. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lowell Area Historical Museum (Lowell, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004-06-26 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d0075df70f9e50e16913c98f752b33c0.jpg 01c304462d6d8b88aecb0ce1e14354fd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KaufmanJLee_Photo01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Kaufman, J. Lee Description An account of the resource J. Lee Kaufman, English Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/854718326a495f26feeffb189de54ff8.jpg 8b923aad216a4d17c490b4e5fc96481f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KaufmanJLee_Photo02 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Kaufman, J. Lee Description An account of the resource J. Lee Kaufman, English Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bf26c14d46636d1186326e79abfe6a30.jpg b2f81fff5cb8a3bcff8b3e73dba2ae69 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KaufmanJLee_Photo03 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Kaufman, J. Lee Description An account of the resource J. Lee Kaufman, English Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8cab97a449db5ad67207f506b58324a1.jpg 8a1c55618ad3e5f2c03d035ed510c37d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KaufmanJLee_Photo04 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Kaufman, J. Lee Description An account of the resource J. Lee Kaufman, English Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a1226aa302f98069dd84b9e829229e4c.jpg a4d16e67f85176bdfb3f1dc5e2cb9ea2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KavanaughMichael Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Kavanaugh, Michael Description An account of the resource Michael Kavanaugh, Engineering Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College teachers Universities and colleges – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/282d9b9c75e20927c1274c30117c15a2.mp3 900ea39730111dd2e22988ea9522bba8 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/daefc470a1e1648f835bb14d87bf5411.pdf ef295a322d0c140022eabaff06d7e163 PDF Text Text GV043-07 Connected Exhibit Interviews Interviewee: Kayla Clarke Interviewers: Gayle Schaub, Cara Cadena Date: May 23, 2016 Gayle: Kayla: We can start anywhere you want, if you want to talk about the experience of transitioning to Grand Valley? How you came, why you came to Grand Valley? Whatever. 00:11 Okay, so I actually came here, my husband’s still active duty in the military, he’s in the Marine Corps still, and we actually kind of were just thrown in Michigan. So, we got, he’s in the Wyoming area, that’s where he’s working out of and I just knew after I got out of that military I’m going to go straight to college somewhere and Grand Valley was just kind of there, you know? And it just happened to be the one I picked, it wasn’t like…I didn’t really have any preference because I didn’t know I was going to Michigan, so we thought we were going to Florida so I had had another idea in my mind of where I was going so, but I was really happy cause I didn’t realize how welcoming they were with the veterans and stuff. However, I didn’t really discover the veteran resources until I, I think I ran into Troy who works…he works with Steve I can’t remember his last name, but anyways he just like mentioned something like “oh yeah, the Veteran’s Office” so, then I kind of ran into Steven and that’s how I really got involved with the Veteran Network. But, I realized there’s a lot of helpful resources for us. So, I came here and I was originally going to be a social…or no a sociology -- actually it was, I was doing exercise science then I turned to sociology pretty quickly, then I realized “no, I don’t like sociology” so now I’m in the liberal art program which I actually like, and I’ll be done Gayle: Lib studies? Kayla: Yeah. Gayle: Okay. Kayla: 2:01 So I’ll actually be finishing this summer, and I’ll have three courses after. Cara: Oh, nice. Kayla: So, I’m almost done, kind of, but…I don’t really know where to go from here now… Gayle: When you say you got involved with the veteran’s program what are you, I don’t know, what are you involved in? Kayla: 2:23 Ah yes, I’m actually interning with Steven Lipnicki. I’m basically just trying to get the resources out there, trying to get more veterans at Grand Valley where the community, and the resources that are offered at Grand Valley and outside of Grand Valley, and just even trying to help them find jobs, and maybe even living arrangements. �Gayle: Kayla: Is that the kind of resources you’re talking about? Are you talking about academic resources, or financial, or all? 3:00 Yeah, like all of it. The academic resources, you know, would be pretty much like any student but we would be able to personally direct them, and have them involved because Marq, who works with Steven, that’s his main job; to work with veterans, specifically. And he’s a veteran also so there’s this sense of, like community there, and you know “oh yeah, you’re a part, like, you understand” and you know it’s easier for veterans, some veterans it’s easier for them to talk to other veterans because there’s… Cara: a bond Gayle: A shared history Kayla: 3:41 Cara: Kayla: (agrees) Were you in the Marine Corps too? 3:58 Cara: Kayla: Yeah, I was in the Marine Corps and for me personally the transition wasn’t nearly as, I don’t feel like it was too bad. I mean, I feel like this was a little bit more challenging, considering I hadn’t been in college for probably five years, and I was at a really small southern community college which is way different. So, my transition was a little challenging in the aspect of I didn’t feel like I was academically prepared, it was more challenging for me, but I figured out “ok, what do I need to do?” and I just worked hard. Where is the Veteran’s Office? 4:51 Gayle: Kayla: Yeah, a shared…so, a lot of students don’t know that so we’re trying to get that out there and trying to like figure out ways - “how can we get students aware of..?” Especially transitioning out of the military, I guess I could talk about that? It’s like, actually well the Career Center here, at this downtown campus. So it’s here. I think they even have, well when you first come here you have to go to the Admissions Building there’s the veteran representative side, and I’m hoping that we can maybe get where they, since they’re they first people they go to that they can give them like a welcome package so then they kind of know where to go. We’ve been working on a checklist so then they at least know “oh, these are the things we need to do.” Because in the military we are used to being kind of directive like “this is what you need to do” and when you come out it’s kind of like getting, being an adult in the civilian world, okay you’re free; go be a grown up. Huh? Sorry. 5:57 Oh no, I was just going to say that I think the most challenging position is getting used to doing everything without being babysat, and having somebody tell you “Ok, this is what you’re going to do and what you need to do.” And you kind of really have to find stuff, and as easy as it seems, I think it might be challenging for new students coming in that are veterans, finding those resources. �Gayle: Kayla: Well, and adjusting to a new set of expectations, because the expectations in the military are that you’ll follow directions. 6:28 Gayle: Kayla: So you entered the military not right out of high school then? 7:09 Cara: Kayla: 7:52 Yeah, we deployed together so we actually met when we were in Thailand so that’s kind of how everything happened. I got out, he stayed in and he’s doing the recruiting up here. So, I don’t really know where else to go from here. So you were on duty in Thailand? 8:16 Gayle: Kayla: No, I was, I went in around twenty-two, so I was almost twenty-three. But yeah, so I had gone to junior college for two years, I finished my associates degree and then I kind of did this little soul searching for a couple, like a year or two and then I got on track and I was like “Ok, I’m going to join the military.” And I needed a challenge because I felt like I was not, I didn’t have direction and it really put me where I want to be now. Now I’m married and have a kid. So you met your husband in the Marine Corps? Gayle: Kayla: Yeah. So, for me though, I’ve always been like very outgoing and open minded so I didn’t have a problem approaching people and I know that’s not probably how a lot of people are. Maybe especially veterans cause a lot of them I’ve run into are males and males are quite as, typically males aren’t quite as open as females are. So, that’s kind of probably been a really challenging part of it. Well no, we were doing a training op., I was in Okinawa, Japan and I was stationed in Okinawa and after we deployed in Okinawa we did some training ops. Like in Korea and, where else did we go? We went to Thailand, Korea, Twenty-Nine Palms in California and I feel like there was another place, I can’t remember right now. But we did travel a lot, and then I went State-side and I was at North Carolina for the end of my enlistment, so after I got out my husband still stayed in and I had a little one and we moved here. So you did four years? 9:03 I did four years, yes. So, yeah I didn’t really know I was going up here. We don’t have family, friends, nothing. So I kind of had to find resources and just like really look out because even up here we have limited military resources. We don’t have any military institutions up here, so it’s not like we can go on base and be like “hey, help us out.” So, we have to really search for everything, and I was kind of prepared for that because I had been a civilian before I went in-- kind of an adult for a while--so I knew that it was challenging and I had always warned a lot of my friends that were in that went from high school like “hey, you know it is a lot different and you complain right now but I promise you it’s going to be a lot more difficult” because they pretty much give everything to you when you’re in there. And that was the difference, we had everything given to us; we had housing, we had health insurance, you know, dental, eating, like you could go to the chow hall, you know? You didn’t �have to worry about all these things that you do when you get out. Your paycheck was what you wanted to do with it. So, luckily if you’re going to college when you get out, you do have that GI bill which will give you a housing, a monthly allowance but it’s not enough to live off of. I mean it’s a good little chunk but you definitely, if you’re living on your own, you’re going to need a little bit more money than that. Cara: You got to figure it out. Kayla: Yeah. Gayle: And well some, some might be dealing with some rough experiences as well. If they’ve seen combat. Kayla: Cara: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: 10:49 Yeah, and I mean luckily with me, even when I deployed I just, I really handle…I try to handle a situation in a more positive aspect. So, I know how to cope. I can talk about it, for me that’s my way of coping. I can go to the gym. I can go and release my stress that way. That’s how I do it, even now because we’re in an extremely stressful situation with not having anyone and my husband works ninety to a hundred hours a week. Oh my gosh. 11:20 Yeah, he works from 7 in the morning till 10:30 at night, Monday through Friday. Then Saturdays are usually 8 am to 8 pm. So, either way, and then, even yesterday, on some Sundays he has to go in because he’ll have kids that are shipping to go to boot camp. He was there for like three hours, so, I mean, and he has to go get his haircuts on Sundays. So either way there’s always something, like going on with his work and so I think that’s been the most challenging for me, is having to do -- feeling like a single mother. And then not have family up here, it’s like…I’m already upset because… Yeah I know. I know the feeling. We were out in Montana for years and we had kids and there was no one out there, so we came all the way to Michigan for some support. 12:20 Yeah, no it’s horrible. I mean like it’s just not having those resources…and I’m trying not to get sensitive now, but so yeah. But I don’t know that’s part of our most challenging part. So how long have you been here, then? 12:40 About a year and a half now. And we have another year and a half so we’re like halfway there. And you’ll have gotten a college degree by the time you… 12:48 Yeah, like we always, I mean I feel bad for him because he never, I mean he’s seen he gets to see our son like, once a week. I try to keep them up late but, you know. Yeah, so I think just trying to adjust to… �Gayle: And he’s too busy to even feel bad about it. Kayla: Yeah. Gayle: I mean, reality; when we first moved here it was really hard because we had lived overseas for seven years so when we came here, you know, we don’t have family here either, so we didn’t know anybody and I was like “this is so lonely.” And I was a stay-at-home mom, so I feel like I felt it a lot more than Mark did because Mark had this new job, and he was busy, and he was having to prepare for classes so… Kayla: 13:33 Yeah and well luckily I’m staying busy too now. If I weren’t, because when I first moved here, probably February through May, because I wasn’t in school, because I couldn’t, cause we got here whenever the semester, I was like dying on the inside because I’m like “What do I…?” and there was snow, so I was like “oh my gosh, I need to do something” And when I started school I was like “oh, this is too much!” but no, so it’s just like finding a balance is so hard. But, I don’t know, I always think “whenever we’re done it’ll be awesome.” We’re probably going to be, this is probably one of the most challenging things we’re going to experience, so… Gayle: And this crazy schedule is temporary. Kayla: Yeah, it’s three years so yeah, I mean. Cara: And you’re in year two. Kayla: Yes, so… Gayle: Ok, that’s good. Kayla: Gayle: Kayla Cara: Kayla: 14:30 And he already got through the hard part because like you know the first year of doing, cause like this isn’t his job typically. This is temporary. It’s, he has to do it though, it’s part of like it’s, it’s a career enhancer. Ok. 14:48 If you want to stay in you have to do, it’s called a B-billet. That’s what it is. And it’s a hardship duty job, and it is extremely demanding and they don’t care about your family. They really don’t. I mean, we were moving all weekend and his boss knows we don’t have anyone and I’m pregnant and like he was supposed to help us and he was like “oh, sorry, my son has a baseball game.” And I’m like, “his game’s not all day,” but it’s like, “really?” We don’t have like those resources. So then of course they knew he had to go in yesterday and he was filling in for the other guy because that guy’s like, “oh sorry, I was hungover” and it’s like, “really?” Like, “we’re moving!” Yeah, you have kids and you’re pregnant. You can’t lift anything. 15:48 Yeah, so, well I, I work out so I can, I do lift stuff. I just don’t overdo it. I might have probably lifted more than I should’ve but what am I supposed to do? Like we had a guy help on Saturday but then on Sunday we were like okay, we gotta finish up. �Cara: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: So you’re in the new..? 16:07 Yeah we’re done we’re in the other house and we’re…I think this is just a really challenging time for us cause we’re like transitioning again. Because we had to move cause I had a crazy neighbor. A sex offender. Oh no! 16:22 I know, it was weird and I guess he was watching. I don’t know; it was the weirdest thing. It’s so weird. I know! I was like ‘What is going on in Michigan?’ Oh I Know, I’m like, not here. I just feel like I’m like you know I’m like ‘What is going on? Why am I like going through all this?’ No, but it’s fine because typically like none of this stuff ever happens. We’re good though but… Yeah okay, let’s, let’s switch focus and say think of a class or experience you’ve had at Grand Valley that you could say… or let’s just say what was one of the best experiences you’ve had at Grand Valley so far? 17:05 Well I would think that my internship has been a good experience because I’ve been able to network and meet a lot of new people. [door closes] I’ve been able to just get out there and actually meet a lot of other veterans and I got to do a lot of, like I said, networking so that’s been really nice because my job’s not just been sitting at a desk. And I think that’s been the best thing is getting involved with the Veteran’s Network. And how did that internship come about? You came and talked and…? 17:45 Well I went over to, like I said I had accidentally bumped into Troy (Farley) somehow, when I was like walking somewhere and I don’t know how we got on the conversation of military and veterans but he was like “oh yeah,” so I had spoken with Steven and I had kind of gotten in touch with him like “hey,” you know, and I think Brian Jabara, so he was saying, we were talking about internships, and he was like “Yeah one of the guys works over there with Steven Lipnicki,” so I got in touch with him. And I kind of bugged him, not in like a bad way, but I was always like “hey,” and then he was just like “you know, I want to hire you,” So I worked as a student working with him and then it turned into my internship but it’s kind of been able to put me out there and has just given me the opportunity to meet new people. I think that’s been the best experience. And you don’t feel like having been a female in the military? You sound like very, I don’t know, that your social skills are such that you were strong regardless of whatever the situation was. Where you think sometimes males might have a little bit more… 19:05 Well I mean when I first had got in of course, and I got to the fleet, it was really challenging. I had a lot of, you know, it was almost like going to high school and being accepted into a community, and being rejected, like, so I had to kind of build a reputation. Like you had to work to get in the group it felt like, so… �Gayle: The mostly male group? Kayla: Yeah, even the females were really tough on you, like when you first, yeah, I thought it would be like “hey, c’mon you’re part of us, like we’re the seven percent, c’mon!” No. It wasn’t like that. I mean, I don’t know if that’s everywhere, but for me personally and I’ve seen it with other females coming in. It’s not always welcoming. So that was definitely challenging and I think I just learned how to, like, it helped me build my character and make me stronger in that sense like “you know what I got to be a little tougher and just show them, like, I can do this.” So I just worked hard to get where I needed to be and I think that’s always helped, that part of the military, just always pushing through challenges and stuff. That has helped me really a lot in college too because I don’t know if I would be able to do this if I hadn’t had that experience. Because our situation now, I can’t even imagine doing this before because I would give up on things sometimes. Like I would do it but I never would try that hard. So, I always just push through everything with school and even though it’s been…I guess another good experience is all the challenges I’ve been through and like conquered with school and just trying and saying “oh, I’m going to fail” and then I end up really doing well. So, I mean I always doubt myself but in the end I still do fine. So, I think just knowing that I’m like constantly getting to that next step has, like, really made me feel like ‘oh yes, I’m doing this I’m going to get to where I need to be someday’. So I just take it a day at a time. Gayle: What do you think it was about lib studies that was…what drew you to that? Kayla: 21:30 Well I really wanted to do social work and the program was, it’s very specific. Like, in the fall you would start a portion so I wouldn’t have been able to start the program until I think actually this fall would’ve been when I could’ve actually really started, and I wouldn’t have been done until the following spring after we leave. So I didn’t, I was like I don’t want to do that. Gayle: Kayla: The timing, it was wrong? 22:04 Yeah, so I was like what can I…? Because I was, like, I eventually want to get my masters in social work. I mean that’s a long-term goal, we’ll see, but I had talked to some advisors that I had just called Gr- you know just different advisors, I think - just the advising department and I was like “so, this is what I want to do. I’m on this timeframe. What’s a good degree, like an undergraduate degree, like a gateway degree to social work?” and they were like “Oh, you could do sociology, psychology, or lib studies.” And I didn’t know what lib studies really was so I was like “oh, sociology” cause that sounds cool and I just realized that I didn’t really like that was so set on a certain way and it wasn’t for me, and then liberal studies was more open-minded, trying to get different perspectives and I was like, “ok, I kind of like that.” It’s a little challenging but it’s not just the one way like “oh we’re taking statistical data and this is how things are because based off of this, it’s more like, “well it could be this, and this, and this.” So it attracted me and they were saying, like I said, it’s a good degree that could, you can use towards going into social work. So, I was like “ok I’ll do this” and I can mold it into what I want so I can put an �emphasis on like I’m doing mine on social issues for veterans, cause I want to work with veterans or even active-duty military and families. So knowing that I have a specific degree, like geared towards something and I’m doing like, my internship is with the Veteran’s Network I’m hoping it’ll just build my resume. Cara: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: That’s great. It sounds like you’re creating a healthy resume and on the right path. 23:58 I hope so cause it seems good right now but you know once you get out there it’s not always that easy so I’m preparing myself for more challenges so it’ll be fine now, so… Where do you guys go now after Michigan? 24:10 I don’t know, actually we’ll know probably…at least in another year probably like in the summer of next year or the fall. And it would be between North Carolina, Hawaii, or Okinawa again so, or California, but we’re not putting that on our list, but it could happen. But there is four choices so that would be the places we’re going so I’ve kind of had ideas of where we go next, what I can do so, because if I got to Okinawa I’m not going to be able to do social work. I wouldn’t be able to do, they don’t have those programs because it’s a small island and yeah. But Hawaii does and I know North Carolina does so. But I’m still okay with whatever we do. Gayle: But you’re informing yourself and figuring out… Kayla: Yeah just so Gayle: Keep moving forward Kayla: Yeah cause, I mean Cara: What else are you going to do? Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: 25:09 Well we don’t have really a choice we have to, I mean for me I have to plan ahead anyways because I, I can’t really depend on anyone else anyway. I mean as much as my husband would love to be there, he can’t. Unfortunately his career comes first, it seems like, especially when you’re in the military it’s, your career is over everything and he has no choice because his contract so. So in your classes have you met, or have you interacted with other kind of, not in your situation because yours is pretty unique, but other parents, other nontraditional students who are… 25:49 I have ran into parents and, just a few, I’ve ran into veterans too, quite a few actually. In your classes? 26:03 Yeah I, actually usually every semester I at least have once class with a, like in the Marine Corps veteran that’s usually who I connect the most with. But I have met some females that were mothers too that I’ve really connected with but typically, like a traditional student, I – nothing against them – I’m just in a different part of life �so it’s hard for me to be on that same page and really have a good connection. So. But, yeah I’ve ran into, I think that’s definitely where I end up like, like levitating to is the nontraditional students cause they’re typically on the same page. I’ve been in their shoes so. I loved that experience like I loved that fun, being-young college traditional experience but I just, I can’t do it anymore. Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Are the veterans in your classes that you’ve even interacted with, are they aware of all the services or is this an opportunity for you? 27:04 I typically try to be like “hey!” you know? I try to let them know but not always, a lot of them aren’t really familiar that they can apply for FAFSA and actually get that, the financial aid assistance and that Pell grant and a lot of them think “oh, well we’re already getting money” but it’s like, yeah but if you don’t, if you don’t have the right income, you can...and typically most of them are living on their own so they don’t have a lot of income, so they get the Pell grant, most of them. But a lot of them…there’s at least a third I think that don’t know about it or don’t apply for it. So that’s something we’re trying to really let them know like, “hey!” Cause we know, you know it is a struggle even as a college student in general it’s just doing things…especially if you’re on your own, like out of the military you’ve been on your own, kind of, without your family for four years minimum, and you don’t really want to move back home unless you like absolutely have to, so a lot of them want to be on their own. So I always try to be like, “hey, did you apply for this?” or…some would say yeah, but actually a lot don’t, you know? How do you know that they are? It just comes up in class? Do they just identify? When there’s another veteran in the class? 28:22 Typically, I feel like a lot of times when I’m going into class there’s an introduction, you know? And a lot of...almost every single person that’s been, especially in the Marine Corps, they always say it. Okay 28:35 I don’t know what it is. There is something about them. I guess because it’s such an elite community and small. I don’t know. I just always notice. You know when there’s a marine because they always have stickers. You always see… Cara: There’s something that tells… Kayla: Yeah. They always are proud of that so… Gayle: It becomes part of your identity, and also I think, yeah, if you’ve done something so intense, you want to share it with others. Kayla: 29:02 Yeah, and it’s good whenever you meet someone, you know? Especially in the military, it’s just like “Oh! Hey!” But yeah, so that’s usually how. It’s always the introductions. Then I’m always like, “hey! Let’s hang out! I’m going to come sit by you!” So yeah, that’s usually how it always happens. Or eventually in class somehow �it gets brought up, if we’re doing something…”oh yeah, when I was in…” It’s like “ok.” So it always gets brought up some time or another, yeah. Gayle: I’m trying to think of some more questions. Kayla: I know I totally went off track a lot. Gayle: There’s no track. It’s fine. Kayla: Gayle: 29:47 I know but I was like “I don’t even know where I’m going with some of this.” I’m like, I feel like I’m talking to a psychologist on some parts. I’m like “yeah, my problems!” No, it’s great, I think just being able to say some things, and every time you say things, believe it or not, we’ve heard some of these things in different forms, in different contexts. We’ve heard them over and over. Like not finding out about these resources until a little bit later. A lot of people said “I’d wish I’d known that earlier,” or… Kayla: 30:20 Yeah, I mean the Veterans Network, I didn’t even find out really until the first summer I was here. But, in the summer it’s not quite as, like… I came here in the summer semester, so it’s not really as much people and not as many…you know, you don’t have all those resources put out there. It’s a lot smaller. I love the summer though, personally. But, I don’t think I would’ve known a lot about it unless I had ran into somebody by accident almost, you know. Gayle: But the other part that I really, really love that other students will hear is something you said, that other students have also said, which is “I bugged Steve, I went back, I did this.” So I love the fact that students are going to hear, sometimes the person that’s going to make things happen for you is you. Kayla: 31:14 Yeah, and that’s what you know, it’s…I think that’s the biggest challenge for the veteran community. If we’re going to be, like, a specific community. It’s because that’s not quite as easy and I’ve ran into a lot of people that just…it’s not easy for them to do that on their own because they never had to really do that. Unless they’ve been in for a long time, but if you’ve done just four years, which is most of the people that are coming from the military, they were given direction most of that. Gayle: Well it’s counterintuitive to what you’ve been trained. You’ve not been trained to go off on your own and assert your will. Kayla: 31:53 Yeah. Well I mean I was lucky my last year I had picked up that rank where I was more in charge. But, at the same time, a lot of them don’t get that opportunity to do that. Just because depending on their job and… Gayle: Kayla: Personality? 31:14 Yeah…I don’t really…I mean because usually with jobs that open, there’s only like the ranks. There’s only so many spots open for that next promotion, and I just…I �think I went in at a good time because my jobs were opening up and rank was opening up a lot earlier. Gayle: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: So when were your actual dates of service? 32:33 2010. September 2010 to September 2014. So, I got out about a year…almost two years now. But, yeah, so… Yeah, I like that students will hear that, too. Because a lot of what we’ve heard too is like “nobody told me” or “I didn’t know,” and sometimes you won’t be told. 32:56 Yeah. I mean and that’s what I say like how is somebody supposed to know what you need unless you tell them and you can’t just expect someone to, like, read your mind, and I’m not…I don’t ever put it that way because that’s too blunt and that kind of sounds mean. But, you know, you do kind of have to know that you can’t always expect things to be given to you, and I think as you get further into your career in college, if you stay in, I think that’s when people start really seeing like “oh, I should just go out there and see what’s out there.” You know, like get more comfortable. That’s kind of what I had to do. I would bug Sharon to the one that was my VA rep for my benefits. Because I thought, “oh I’ll call her for a resource.” So I’d be calling Sharon up like, “hey Sharon, so I need…””Oh, you need to talk to…” and she had directed me to the veteran’s network, kind of. I kind of got it through her, too. I was like, “oh, thought you were my Veteran’s Network.” But there is an actual, like, representative that does it, and that’s kind of what we’re working on now with Steven. We’re trying to figure out how can we get Marq’s face, the one that is our actual, like that is his job job, is working with veterans, to get his face out there so veterans know “hey I need to call this guy if I have a question.” Gayle: Who? Mark who? Kayla: Marq Hicks. Yeah. Gayle: When you say Veterans Network, is that a formal…is that just sort of a name you’re using for this? The formal word is network? Kayla: 34:32 Yeah, it is the Veterans…I mean even if you…there’s even a website on Grand Valley that it’s the normal website slash veterans. Gayle: Yeah, I apologize I just don’t know much about it. Kayla: No, it’s okay because there’s a lot of communities I probably don’t know about in Grand Valley so… Gayle: There’s a lot of resources out there. There’s a lot to know. Kayla: Yeah, Google does wonders. Gayle: Yes. We know that we’re librarians! (laughs) Kayla: I know right. Yeah, I just say, if I ever need anything, I’m just like “GVSU where is…” Yeah. �Gayle: Yeah. Show me the money. Kayla: Show me the money. Gayle: So are you taking a full load every semester or are you taking a couple of courses? Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Gayle: Kayla: Cara: 35:11 I am because with daycare, the program...military program we’re in you have to be full time to get the assistance. So, I like forced to, which is extremely overwhelming at times. But, I’m just like, whatever, I’m getting it done with. How old is your son? 33:33 He’s almost 2. He’s a year and 10 months. I’m like “can you just hurry up and be potty-trained and do your own thing?” How does the timing work out then with the new baby? When will that be? 35:45 I will be due in October. So, I’m taking the fall off. Oh, ok. 35:50 So I was like ‘I’ll go heavy in the summer’. I took everything I could though this summer because that was all that’s offered, and then in the spring, luckily with lib studies, there is an accelerated program that you can do a course at a time for five weeks, and it’s only one day a week that I have to go to class. It’s at 6 to, like, 9 pm on Tuesdays. I’m like “perfect, I don’t need a babysitter for long, especially with two kids.” So I’m doing three, five-week courses and then I’ll be done so…but, it’s really intense, you know. So you should take one at a time and that’s all you should be taking, because you’re going to spend, they said, like 18-20 hours per week on that. Which I’m like “ok, I’m doing one subject so, bring it on.” Like, one day a week of taking my kid somewhere. Like, you’re saving me money. I like that. So that’s a good thing too. I always say if you’re a non-traditional student and you don’t really know where you’re going, I think the lib studies program is a great choice, because of the fact they do have that accelerated program. That allows you to have a very flexible schedule, because you only obligated to one night a week. And its interdisciplinary nature allows you a lot of possibilities 37:11 Yeah. It does. And you kind of get to make your choices with it. You know, nowadays with an undergraduate degree, it seems like you can’t do too, too much. Unless it kind of like a degree that needs to go forward to another one. Any faculty really stand out? Have you had like a really…? 37:36 Oh, Brain Jabara was amazing, but he moved on. Which is sad, but I’m so happy for him, but he was amazing. And, actually I did have two professors, a couple, Dr. Elizabeth Kilbourne and John Kilbourne. Their son’s in the Marine Corps, too. So, somehow we just had a really great connection and the way they teach is just amazing, like they have a very different style. I’ve heard that about them. �Kayla: Oh, you’ve heard? Cara: Yeah. Kayla: Cara: Kayla: Cara: Kayla: End 38:12 Okay good. They’re amazing, like they really make you do activities. They make you do a lot of movement. You remember things, they use a lot of creativity. I mean his wife does LIB310 which is creativity. I always tell people because you do a lot of the perspective courses you need to fill, it’s one of those world…I can’t remember which one it is. Issues or world, I can’t remember, but it fills that. It’s an awesome course. It kind of is a relief in some way because it’s not your typical “you’re going to read a book.” I mean you do all that, but it’s more open-minded and you’re… Low-tech? I heard he’s really low-tech. Like doesn’t use PowerPoint slides. 38:59 Not really. I mean he’ll use them, but all of the stuff he does is related to his life too, a lot. So, it’s interesting to see, like, he can put his story into his teaching. That makes an impact when you can humanize your professor. 39:17 Yeah. It makes… he’s being open with his students too and it’s really interesting. It’s kind of really motivating because, hearing his story, and his wife too. They teach really similarly, but his wife’s more… well they’re both very, like, empathetic people. So like they’re really easy to approach and that’s what makes their classes so great is they make all of the students come together and really form a community. They want you to know all of the students in the class and typically I don’t feel like most classes you get the opportunity to really get to know everyone. We did a lot of group projects, but they would alternate our groups. And if we were talking to someone, they wanted us to use their name so we would remember them, but it was great. We did things that pushed us out of our comfort zone. And I think that’s great, and it’s just being like… doing stuff that you’re not typically going do like dancing. We did some like weird stuff. But it was cool, because we would stretch and do thing and everyone was like…but afterwards everyone was…and they did it just to boost our morale and make us excited to kind of be there. Like “oh I feel better now.” So it’s always refreshing doing something that’s just not like sitting there like “ok, when is it going to be 11?” So I really like that about their class. So I always try to do any courses, if I need them, I’m always like looking to see if they have anything. They’re awesome. And we keep in touch really well, so yeah…but yeah, those are probably the most faculty that stood out. I think what stands out the most about the faculty that I’m talking about is the fact that I can really tell they really care about my wellbeing. And I know, maybe it’s just their personalities, because I know that most faculty here does try to be like “hey, I’m approachable.” But some people it’s just the way their personality is. It just really stands out. But yeah I’m just blabbing on and on. � 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 Connected Exhibit Interviews Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Libraries Description An account of the resource Collection of audio recordings and transcripts of Grand Valley State University students sharing their stories and experiences. The recordings were conducted as part of an exhibit created by the University Libraries in fall semester of 2016 titled "Connected" which featured short audio clips of students. The clips were combined with watercolor portraits of GVSU students by Ellie Lubbers and an interactive watercolor painting activity. Students were encouraged to paint 3" circles of paper to illustrate their current feelings about the college experience and attach them to the gallery wall. The aim of the exhibit was to inspire feelings of community, connectedness, and welcome to new and returning students. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/626">University Libraries. Connected exhibit files</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Universities and colleges Michigan College students Oral histories Education, Higher--United States--Anecdotes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cadena, Cara; Schaub, Gayle; Frigo, Emily; Lubbers, Ellie; Fisher, Erin Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV043-07 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016 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/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Clarke, Kayla Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-05-23 Title A name given to the resource Kayla Clarke interview (audio and transcript) Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Schaub, Gayle (interviewer) Cadena, Cara (interviewer) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV043-07_ClarkeK_2016-05-23 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/626">University Libraries. Connected exhibit files</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401 Relation A related resource Grand Valley State University Libraries. Connected Exhibit, September 2016 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Description An account of the resource Interview with Kayla Clarke conducted by Gayle Schaub and Cara Cadena for the GVSU Libraries' Connected Exhibit, displayed in September 2016. Edited clips of interviews accompanied watercolor portraits of students and an interactive watercolor activity for exhibit visitors. Kayla is a liberal studies major, a Marine Corps veteran, a wife, a mother, and a transplant to West Michigan. She is a full-time student whose husband works an 80-100-hour active-duty job in the Marines. Kayla is determined to finish the accelerated program in lib studies in order to begin a master’s in social work wherever she and her family are posted next. Serving in the military gave Kayla a confidence and determination to succeed in her education that she didn’t have earlier as a community college student. She now wants to make sure that other veterans know about the resources available to them as they transition from military life to college life. She is an intern with the GVSU Veterans Network. She actively seeks out other veterans in classes and on campus to help them find what they need, academically, financially, and socially. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Subject The topic of the resource Universities and colleges Michigan College students Oral histories Education, Higher--United States--Anecdotes https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/679c4940410066c7892e5c0d20e94344.pdf 81778ff7da6695a46fe6f144d2934045 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Korean War Vernon Kayser Total Time – (07:50) Background               He was born April 23, 1933 (00:20) He lived on a farm in Caledonia, Michigan (00:35) After high school he took an apprenticeship until he was drafted (01:06) He was in the 10th Engineer Battalion o He was located at Fort Benning, Georgia for the majority of his time (01:25) He spent 16 weeks in basic training at Fort Pickett, Virginia (01:37) He then went to 8 weeks of leadership school until he was transferred to Fort Jackson, South Carolina (01:53) o He was then sent to Columbus, Ohio He graduated from high school where he played varsity football and was captain of the track team (02:28) At first it was lonely being in the military His battalion did construction work o They built bridges, pontoon bridges, went on maneuvers, etc. He built an insignia for the engineers (04:10) In his free time, soldiers would go and visit different towns in the area, go swimming, etc. (04:22) He served from 1953-1955 (04:56) His experience in the service had a large effect on his life – it would not hurt anyone to have training like that (07:07) The service gives the individual a different view of everything � 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 KayserV1392V Title A name given to the resource Kayser, Vernon (Interview outline), 2012 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kayser, Vernon Description An account of the resource Vernon Kayser was born April 23, 1933 in Caledonia, Michigan. He was drafted and served in the 10th Engineering Battalion. He was sent to Fort Pickett, Virginia for sixteen weeks of basic training and then spent eight weeks of leadership training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. His battalion built bridges, pontoon bridges, and went on maneuvers during the Korean War. He served from 1953-1955. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Barney, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Army Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-05-23 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3c14e4d0bb740a8c95eca97a78a85ce4.jpg 13f6f5f51dc5f97a9a896b0dd75edc5c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Naval Recognition Training Slides Subject The topic of the resource Slides Military education Airplanes, Military--Recognition Warships--Recognition World War, 1939-1945 Description An account of the resource Slides developed during World War II as a training tool, for top-side battle-station personnel on board ship and for all aircraft personnel, by the US Navy. In 1942 a Recognition School was established by the Navy at Ohio State University where the method of identification was developed. In 1943 the school was taken over by the US Navy. The importance of training in visual recognition of ships and aircraft became even more evident during World War II. Mistakes resulting in costly errors and loss of life led to an increased emphasis on recognition as a vital skill. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource United States. Navy Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides (RHC-50)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-04-04 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-50 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1943-1953 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/477">Naval recognition slides, RHC-50</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-50_X539 Title A name given to the resource KC-97A Stratofreighter tanker/transport Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource United States. Navy Description An account of the resource KC-97A Stratofreighter, Us tanker/transport, September 1, 1952. Subject The topic of the resource United States. Navy Military education World War, 1939-1945 Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Naval recognition slides (RHC-50) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1952 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/92cbd0d6c4523c07c7ffd33d0bc41490.m4v 44d0987d44e56edc44d2c8e134136f80 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b854b2e7f292d2d85e5f32f43b2dc26f.pdf 17ee39963f4afa69206a89efa890c4b7 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Jim Keatley Vietnam War 2 hours 9 minutes 47 seconds Part 1 – 1 hour 11 minutes 30 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life -Born in Bremerton, Washington, in 1945 -When he was nine months old the family moved to California -Father had been interning in Bremerton as a machinist -Got a job at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California -Lived in an old mining town until the base had civilian housing -Grew up in China Lake -Graduated from high school in 1963 -Attended San Diego State University for a while then transferred to Bakersfield College (00:02:48) Getting Drafted -Granted a draft deferment while he was at San Diego State University -Lost his deferment when he transferred to Bakersfield College -Draft board said he would be drafted at the end of the school year (most likely in 1966) -Had a draft physical in December (most likely 1965) -Basic physical examination -Got a summer job and decided to wait to get drafted -Quit a week before his brother's wedding then decided to wait to get his draft notice -Kept waiting for his draft notice, and after two weeks he called his draft board -Told him they forgot about him and would send him his draft letter -Received his draft notice three days later -Reported to a local bus station to be taken to the induction center in Los Angeles -Walked up to the counter and talked to the Specialist 4th Grade (Spec. 4) at the desk -Handed over his papers and the spec. 4 berated him for being late -Jim defended himself by saying he reported on time as instructed -A sergeant came over to assess the situation -Decided Jim was in the right and relieved the spec. 4 -Placed in an old motel for a night -Reported to the induction center the next day for processing (00:09:16) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Ord, California, for basic training -Arrived at mid-afternoon -Placed in barracks for the night -Assigned to guard duty -Two spec. 4s tried to get into the barracks -Jim stopped them and asked their business -Said they wanted to teach a new recruit a lesson -Recruit left his footlocker open, they would steal from it -Jim told them they wouldn't do that and took down their names -They attempted to proceed with their theft -Jim turned on the lights and woke up everyone �-He then told them to leave or face 45 angry recruits -Spec. 4s left without incident -The next day his sergeant talked to him about the situation -A week later, his sergeant told him the situation had been dealt with -Applauded Jim's action and promoted Jim to squad leader -Sergeant also had the spec. 4s demoted for their action -Did a lot of physical training -Getting prepared for combat -Psychologically breaking down and rebuilding the recruits -Be disciplined, learn to survive, and keep your comrades alive -He was in good physical shape -Helped him get his life in order -Did what he was told even when it was frustrating -For example, they usually had Sunday afternoons to themselves -One Sunday afternoon, the sergeant said he wanted to inspect their personal boxes -Meant they lost that Sunday afternoon (00:17:40) Advanced Infantry Training -Assigned to Infantry at the end of basic training -Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for advanced infantry training (AIT) -Arrived at Fort Polk in late 1966 -Fort Polk had “Tigerland” (a training area set up like a Vietnamese village) -Received mortar training -Went on field exercises -First night in the field he and the other men were ordered to dig a foxhole three feet deep -Due to the water in the ground he only dug down eight inches and hit water -Meant he had to sleep in about two feet of water -Had an infiltration range -Go from Point A to Point B without getting “captured” -Given a map -If they were caught, they would be sent to a mock prisoner-of-war camp -He was traveling with a group of six or seven other men -Walked into an ambush -Taken to the prisoner-of-war camp -Gave his name, rank, and serial number -Interrogator wanted his unit name and Jim refused -This prompted the interrogator to punch Jim in the chest -Interrogators continued to slap and abuse Jim for not answering their questions -Brought to a flag pole, sat down, and tied up -Interrogators kept slapping him, kicking his arms, and stepping on his chest -Despite the abuse, Jim refused to answer -Chaplain came up to him and asked him for his unit, and Jim refused -Chaplain untied him and told him he could leave the camp -Jim was wary, at first, then left and trucks brought him back to base -The prisoner-of-war camp experience taught him to survive -Trained with the M14 rifle, the Light Anti-Tank Weapon, the .50 caliber machine gun, and bazookas -Learned how to sight and fire mortars -Learned how to calculate targets -Taught them nothing about Vietnam -Some of the instructors had been to Vietnam, but didn't talk about their experience �-Taught about some booby traps and what to look for -Received CS gas training -Placed in a room while wearing a gas mask, then the room filled with CS gas (tear gas) -Once the room was filled with gas they had to take off their gas masks -Received grenade training -Learned how to read maps -Took proficiency test and received a very high score -Granted a weekend pass to get off base, but he had no money -Broke his foot during AIT -Medic told him not to walk and gave him a note -Gave the note to his sergeant and the sergeant didn't believe him -His platoon helped him march back to camp -Returned to Fort Polk and got two days of kitchen patrol duty -Went to sick bay to get his foot treated -They didn't believe him, so he went back out for training -Did 2 ½ weeks of training with a broken foot -AIT lasted eight weeks (00:33:04) Leave before Deployment -Went to California for a month of leave -Went to the hospital at the base at China Lake -Received x-rays and told that he had indeed broken his foot -Told he could have it re-broken and reset, but it would take months to heal -Decided not to have that surgery -Had foot surgery 15 years later -Parents and brother weren't happy that he was being deployed to Vietnam -He knew a lot of Americans were getting killed in Vietnam -Knew that the US was fighting against the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong (00:35:30) Deployment to Vietnam -Got on a bus and reported to a place near Fort Ord -Flown to Vietnam on a chartered jet -Stopped at Hawaii -Landed at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam -Hot, humid, and sandy -Taken to a building and stayed there for two days (00:36:53) Assignment to 1st Cavalry Division -Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in An Khe -Located in the Central Highlands -Verdant, beautiful region -Flown up to the base -He expected to be assigned to Charlie Company as an infantryman, specifically on mortars (00:37:55) Working in Battalion Supply -At the headquarters the new men were asked if any of them could type -He said that he could -Placed into the Headquarters Company for Battalion Supply -Battalion Supply had its own area on the base at An Khe -Office building, eating area, small shower, outhouse, barracks, and Quonset hut with supplies -Took over as a supply clerk -Had four days to learn how to do the job -Promoted to the rank of E4 (Specialist or Corporal) �-Worked with captain, lieutenant, sergeant, sergeant first class, and warrant officer -Captain, lieutenant, and sergeant were usually at LZ English -Jim was placed in charge of handling the supplies at An Khe and training a new private first class -Warrant officer and sergeant first class usually stayed on base, but busy with their own tasks -LZ English was also in the Central Highlands, about a 90 minute drive from An Khe -Took him four weeks to really learn the job -Officers and sergeants were supportive -Got only four hours of sleep each night during that four week period -1,200 men depended on him to know how to do his job and do it well -In charge of supply paperwork and insuring that the troops got their supplies -Helped two officers that had lost some material in a fire -The Army wanted to hold them responsible for the costs -Jim managed to get some supplies to make up for the material lost -This allowed the two officers to have their records cleared -Stayed at An Khe for six months (latter part of 1967) (00:47:04) Contact with Vietnamese Civilians -Vietnamese civilians worked on the base at An Khe -Remembers one funny incident involving a Vietnamese cleaning woman -The outhouses at An Khe had three toilets, not separated by walls -He went to use one of the toilets, leaving a space between himself and the other man -A Vietnamese woman was sweeping around the outhouse -She came inside, sat between the two men, and used the bathroom -Shocked Jim how nonchalant the Vietnamese were about things like that -Vietnamese civilians on the base mostly cleaned or did other maintenance work -Brought laundry to a Vietnamese family living in the town of An Khe -Family was grateful for the American presence -He learned about some of the Vietnamese culture (00:49:49) Prostitution & Drug Use -There was a brothel in An Khe -Drugs were available in An Khe -Knew some men that visited the brothel -Dangerous because some of the women could be agents for the Viet Cong or North Vietnamese -Men contracted diseases -Saw men going on patrols and getting high beforehand, or using while on patrols -Saw it as unacceptable in a combat zone -Putting yourself in danger and putting others in danger (00:51:48) Guard Duty at An Khe -Pulled guard duty one night at An Khe -When he was on guard duty he was stationed in the “green zone” -Open space, well-lit, surrounded by barbed wire, and with a few bunkers -Aim was to keep intruders from getting past the “green zone” into the base -While on guard duty he saw a jeep approach with a sergeant and a lieutenant -Lieutenant was still wearing his lieutenant medal (two gold bars), and had his sleeves rolled up -Clearly an officer, and a target for the Vietnamese -Jim ordered the two men to halt and identify themselves -The two men didn't stop -He challenged the two men two more times, and they refused to stop again -Jim loaded his rifle and ordered the men to stop again -The sergeant stopped, but the lieutenant kept walking �-The lieutenant approached Jim and started yelling at Jim for pointing a rifle at an officer -Jim told the lieutenant he broke protocol and was drawing too much attention -Jim told his commanding officer about the incident the next day -Asked his commanding officer what would've happened if Jim had shot -Jim would have been tried by the Army and charged with murder -He would've been fined a carton of cigarettes for the crime -He would've then been given a carton of cigarettes to pay his fine -Meant Jim would have been protected from actual prosecution (00:58:20) Supply Networks -Soldiers came to him to ask for supplies which allowed him to create a network with other troops -One officer wanted 1,200 spare uniforms and 1,200 spare pairs of socks for the battalion -Men needed to be able to change their clothing to avoid skin infections -Jim worked it out and got the supplies -He had enough clothing that the men could change their clothes every day -Had another sergeant come from the maintenance battalion asking for a new pair of boots -Jim had a few extra pairs of boots that would fit the sergeant and he gave them to the man -The sergeant worked in the kitchen -Two hours later a truck pulled up with four soldiers -They unloaded a refrigerator and gave it to Jim -Filled with soda, beer, chicken, and steak -Gift to Jim from the sergeant for getting a pair of boots -Men networked to get extra supplies so they could sell those supplies on the black market -Jim always saw his networking as a way to help the unit, not himself -One friend needed a gun cleaning rod for his rifle -The friend went to the supply tent at LZ English and was told he needed a requisition form -The supplies at LZ English were basically free for the taking -Jim went out to LZ English and told the man at the supply tent not to ask for requisition forms -The men in the field needed supplies for survival without bureaucracy in the way (01:08:33) Traveling to LZ English -Unsafe to drive between An Khe and LZ English -Remembers driving between those two places and taking fire from a bamboo patch -An armored vehicle came up to Jim's convoy and dealt with the enemy force -Roads between An Khe and LZ English were made of red clay -This clay produced dust which lowered visibility and made driving dangerous -Had mirrors shot off of his jeep when he drove between An Khe and LZ English -Remembers while traveling between the two places he saw a water trailer on the side of the road -The soldier in charge had most likely stopped off to get a bite to eat -The men in the field needed that water -Jim picked up the trailer and brought it base Part 2 – 58 minutes 12 seconds (01:11:33) Stationed at Dak To -Never experienced any infiltrations or attacks while stationed at An Khe -4th Infantry Division got hit hard while at Dak To -Remembers talking to a Specialist 4th Grade in the 4th Infantry Division -Placed in charge of a company of 21 men -Note: Company usually consisted of 200 men led by a lieutenant -The 12th Cavalry Regiment went to Dak To to relieve the 4th Infantry Division �-Stopped at a village en route to wait for the convoy to assemble -Vietnamese man and his son came up to the convoy bearing fruit -Wanted his son to know the Americans were there to help -Proceeded to Dak To with tanks and armored personnel carriers -When he arrived at Dak To he was told that he was expendable -Base was taking fire when they arrived -A Vietnamese shell hit a plane near the ammunition dump -Caused the plane to explode which then caused the ammo dump to explode -When he arrived at Dak To he spent two hours loading dead bodies onto trucks -Given weapons left behind by the 4th Infantry Division -South Vietnamese troops had been ordered to deal with the North Vietnamese troops -The South Vietnamese left when the ammo dump exploded -Fortunately, the North Vietnamese didn't attack when the South Vietnamese left -Remembers looking up at night and watching helicopters firing mini-guns at enemy positions -The tracer rounds burned red and looked like a single red line from the helicopter to the ground -Stayed at Dak To for three or four weeks -Marines tried to take a nearby hill from the North Vietnamese -Tried assaulting from the bottom of the hill and lacked proper supplies -Cavalry landed on the top of the hill and worked down it rather than fight up it -Marines were typically under-equipped and used outdated helicopters -Stayed at Dak To the entire time that the 12th Cavalry Regiment was there (01:21:18) Stationed at Quang Tri & the Tet Offensive -Received orders to move to Quang Tri -Traveled as a convoy -Stopped in Da Nang -Stayed at the Air Force reception center -Hadn't showered or had a hot meal in three or four weeks -Air Force had a buffet and encouraged the soldiers to eat to their fill -Felt like being in the United States -Stayed there for two days -Passed through Hue shortly after the Viet Cong were pushed out of the city -Note: This would've been at the end of January 1968 during the Tet Offensive -Saw destroyed Vietnamese vehicles -Buildings pockmarked with bullet holes -Reached Quang Tri -Heard a rumor that the North Vietnamese were moving toward Quang Tri -Intended to push out the Americans wipe out the city -Quang Tri was predominantly Catholic -North Vietnamese equated Catholicism with capitalism and imperialism -Caught a few North Vietnamese soldiers -Interrogators brought them up in helicopters -One of the prisoners refused to talk, so she was thrown from the helicopter -The other two prisoners decided to tell everything they knew -Learned that three regiments of North Vietnamese soldiers were moving toward Quang Tri -This allowed American forces to intercept the North Vietnamese and stop them -Saved Quang Tri from certain destruction -Happened shortly after the Tet Offensive (01:27:15) Rules of Engagement -There were certain rules of engagement governing which towns could be attacked �-Remembers being in headquarters and there was mortar fire coming from a village -A gunship requested permission to fire on the village -Headquarters denied permission, but the gunship opened fire anyway -Ground forces investigated the village after the incident -Found mortars, machine guns, and recoil-less rifles -Knew some groups of American troops that crossed the demilitarized zone in North Vietnam -American ground forces forbidden to enter North Vietnam -Too many rules made it impossible for the United States to ever win the war (01:29:15) Interactions with Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) -Saw ARVN units at Dak To and Pleiku -ARVN troops at Pleiku stole some material from American troops -Chased them down and got back their possessions -Noticed ARVN troops watching them with a machine gun -Had no respect for ARVN soldiers -Respected the Montagnard soldiers -Montagnard: Ethnic group of hill people that fought for the United States -Tenacious fighters, disciplined, pro-American, and followed orders (01:31:35) Cities in Vietnam -Passed through the city of Kontum while en route to Dak To -Mud plaster buildings painted orange and brown -No modern buildings -Busy city -Saw ARVN soldier with a face scarred by burns -Asked what happened to him -He had been with the North Vietnamese and was wounded by a gunship -After that he defected to South Vietnam and joined the ARVN (01:33:55) R&R -Went to Manila in the Philippines for his R&R -His brother had married a Filipino woman -Got to meet his sister-in-law's family -Enjoyed his time with them -Always interested in learning about different cultures -His sister-in-law's family welcomed him with love and hospitality -Remembers them making breakfast for him -Beer, eggs, and meat wrapped in banana leaves -Filipinos thought Americans drank beer with every meal -His sister-in-law's father told Jim about the Japanese occupation of Manila -Learned about the atrocities committed by the Japanese -He was walking home one night and found a rosary in the rubble of a building -Hid it during the war -Gave it to Jim (01:38:13) Contact with Home & Meeting his Wife -Had a lot of contact with home -Wrote his mother at least once a week -Friend got a birthday card from his fiancee's two girl friends -Jim started writing to one of the girls -Talked about religion in their letters -She was Christian and he was not at the time -Led to his perspective changing while he was in Vietnam �-Wrote to the girl for about nine months, and started writing each other every day -After his tour he was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado -Girl moved to Boulder, Colorado -He went and met her -First time meeting in person -Eventually led to them getting married (01:43:37) Evidence of the War & Supply Work in Quang Tri -Saw a lot of bloodied, burned, or otherwise damaged material being disposed of -Reminded him that he had to just keep doing his work to keep the soldiers supplied -Kept doing the same work every day until he left Vietnam -Remembers seeing an Army funeral in Quang Tri for 28 soldiers killed in action -Somber experience -Saw gunships fly over to salute the fallen soldiers -30 minutes later the base took incoming fire (01:46:28) End of Tour -Received orders to fly to An Khe -Did some paperwork and sat around for a couple days -Went back to Cam Ranh Bay and boarded a chartered Japanese airliner -Men cheered when they took off from Vietnam -Landed at Fort Lewis, Washington -Did more paperwork -Received orders for Fort Carson, Colorado, for the last six months of his enlistment -Told to expect protestors and ignore them (01:48:15) Anti-War Protestors -Given a month of leave before reporting to Fort Carson -Met up with a friend from the Army in Los Angeles -Some anti-war protestors heckled Jim and his friend, but they ignored them -In Colorado he heard some men talk about harassment from protestors (01:49:49) Stationed at Fort Carson -While at Fort Carson, Colorado, he was placed in battalion supply -Had a maintenance soldier helping him -Essentially a day job -Battalion supply was run well and efficiently -Awarded a Bronze Star at Fort Carson for doing his job exceptionally well (01:51:22) End of Service -Had made the rank of sergeant within six months of being in Vietnam -At the end of the tour he was offered a promotion and a raise of $10 -Also meant he would have to go into combat and have to extend his tour -Decided to leave Vietnam, take his six months of stateside duty and get out of the Army (01:53:03) Life after the War -Got a job as a credit collection manager for Sears -Did that for two years -Had converted to Christianity by this time -Troubled him to go to people's houses and threaten them with reposession -Decided to quit the Sears job and return to college -Studied Wildlife Management at South Dakota State University -Moved to South Dakota with his wife -Graduated as a wildlife biologist -Taught Sunday school while in South Dakota �-Showed him that he loved teaching -Decided to join the Student Teacher Association at South Dakota State -Became president of the association after attending one meeting -Wanted to get into the teaching program, but had a GPA of 2.99 -Program required a 3.0 -Applied anyway, and was accepted -Applied for wildlife jobs and teaching jobs after he graduated from college -Offered a job at Lansing Christian School in Lansing, Illinois -Took the job and worked there for two years -Got a job at Zeeland Christian School in Zeeland, Michigan -Taught there for 22 years -Remembers helping a wayward 8th grade student with a terrible home life -Rewarding experience and he wanted to help more children like that -Got a job at Vanderbilt Charter Academy in Holland, Michigan -75% of the students there were considered “at risk” (future crime, drug use, etc.) -One of the best jobs he ever had was working with those students and helping them -Became the assistant principal of the academy and that was the best job he ever had (02:07:22) Reflections on Service -Time in Vietnam made him more selfless and aware of other people -Tried to help and save as many men in Vietnam as possible -That attitude carried over into civilian life -His experiences in Vietnam and immediately afterward led him to convert to Christianity -Made him realize that there is more to life than himself � 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 KeatleyJ1919V Title A name given to the resource Keatley, James (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Jim Keatley was born in Bremerton, Washington, in 1945. In the summer of 1966 he received his draft notice and received his basic training at Fort Ord, California. Upon completion of basic training he was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for Advanced Infantry Training and completed that after eight weeks. After a month of leave he was deployed to Vietnam, arriving at Cam Ranh Bay. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, of the 1st Cavalry Division in An Khe. He was assigned to Headquarters Company and worked in Battalion Supply insuring the men in the battalion received enough supplies. For six months he worked in An Khe and Landing Zone English. The 12th Cavalry Regiment relieved the 4th Infantry Division at Dak To, and he stayed there for three or four weeks. From Dak To the unit moved to Quang Tri and he spent the remaining five months of his tour at that base. Upon returning to the United States he received a month of leave and spent the last six months of his enlistment at Fort Carson, Colorado, working in battalion supply. He was discharged at Fort Carson (most likely in late 1968) with a Bronze Star and the rank of sergeant. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keatley, James G. 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-02-11 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7ca00e33edd83093bc38728cb01d6d7f.mp4 e478d1c77c6e815a5eff4bca08c56448 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f23c838d7d2de7c6297d979201f4a0ae.pdf a1962c92a9c3a3a1616293cb5957e137 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Richard Keberle (28:44) (00:04) Background Information • When Richard was younger he broke a lot of his toys • His family did not have much money during the Depression • He was born in Cleveland, Ohio in November of 1931 • His father was a maintenance supervisor • His mother worked for a short time during World War Two • He went to school at West Technical high school (3:50) Activities at School • Richard often played marbles with his friends • He did not get involved in any sports, but did enjoy lifting weights • He was interested in airplanes while he was in high school but was not sure if he would be going to college or joining the service (7:20) Pearl Harbor • Richard was only about ten years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor • Many people did not even know where the base was even located • He graduated from high school in 1950 (8:30) The Korean War • Richard joined the National Guard after high school • Many people became part of the Air Force after it was renamed after the Air National Guard • They were phasing out the P-51s and bringing in new jets • Richard started out as a mechanic and then went on to do clerical work • They changed the Air Corps to the Air Force around 1951 and everyone was issued new uniforms (13:00) The National Guard • Richard joined the National Guard in eleventh grade and just trained on weekends • He worked as a civilian employee in the Air National Guard in Michigan after high school • He eventually became aid to a General who had been an Ace in World War Two • The General made him Master Sergeant (18:40) Life After the Air Force • It was tough to make any money for a living for a long time • He tried owning a gas station, a car-sales company, and eventually ended up doing well in the restaurant business • He also worked as a salesman for Sysco Foods after he sold his restaurant � 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 KeberleR Title A name given to the resource Keberle, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keberle, Richard Description An account of the resource Richard Keberle was born in Ohio during the beginning of the Depression. His family did not have very much money and he joined the National Guard in eleventh grade. After graduating from high school, Richard spent more of his time in the Air National Guard, which eventually became part of the Air Force, serving between 1949 and 1954. Richard remembers the changes that took place while the Air Force was being created. Keberle served as a clerk and did not fight in the Korean War. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Collins Sr., Charles E. (Interviewer) Collins, Carol (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Veterans Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-05-15 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/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/82ecde203bec13ba439e8109015bf2a4.pdf 5c35b6e1dc0c2bedf961d37c39ac8bfa PDF Text Text Keep Caring – It Matters Text: Jeremiah 22:15-16; James 1:27; Matthew 25:40 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan October 17, 1999 Transcription of the spoken sermon The fact that we seek to raise the financial support for this community, this ministry, in a party format speaks volumes. The idea arose some years ago. There was a task force gathered because this ministry needed a hitch in its level of support. The problem with this ministry is that it has always looked prosperous, and I think I can also say, at least on the part of all those who have surrounded me, it has been done with excellence. But, the appearance deceives, because we have, as long as I have been here, been hanging by a very thin thread. The problem is that this has become a rather substantial institution with a large program and a vision and it is led by one who does not effectively raise money. I am not saying that to put myself down or to be humble over much. I simply recognize that fact because I have colleagues in the ministry who, frankly, I think have less gifts than I do in many respects, and yet they raise much more money. And so, this congregation has struggled, contrary to appearances. When that task force gathered, a party was mentioned and I jumped on it immediately and said, “Now, I think that I could do. I could use a party format to raise the financial backing for the ministry.” Thus it was born - Party Sunday. I remember the first one very well - the balloons which we've already enjoyed. I love balloons, personally. I just think it's such a marvelous moment, and I think the thing I love about it most is the fact that there is such joy all over. But, after that first Party Sunday with balloons and all of the fun, children went to their respective schools and it came back to us from here and there, from the schools around the community, that the children went and told in their classes that they actually had had fun in church, and I thought that was very healthy and I still think it's a very, very good thing, because, as Ron said, I was also raised with the fact where the most significant signal in church was "Shhhhh" and it was rather sober and rather somber. So, I love the party, and the fact that we do it on this critical Sunday in which we call for your commitment speaks volumes about the nature of this community. For one thing, it keeps things in perspective. I have listened enough, long enough, to appeals for funds for Christian causes which come off as though God is holding © Grand Valley State University   �Keep Caring – It Matters Richard A. Rhem Page 2   God's breath as though if this doesn't happen, if this response isn't given, something critical will happen or something critical won't happen, and I want to say that a party format for fund-raising gives us a good perspective. You know, we're part of something really big. I mean the human drama. I mean the cosmic drama. I mean billions of years, dimensions of space that the human mind can't even take in, all of the wonder of this emerging, evolutionary, cosmic process of which we're a part, being just lately able as human beings with selfconsciousness to reflect on it and to begin to understand it. What a big thing this is! There's a Creator Spirit in the midst of it, permeating it in all of its dimensions and moving it forward, and it will go forward, with us, or in spite of us. I think taking the ministry and its financial support into a party format keeps the perspective alive that we are, after all, just human. The word human comes from a root humus, and humus is that stuff after a rain when the worms have come up and they leave little deposits. That's humus. And to be human is to be made of stuff like that. We are, finally, humus. Another word from the same root is humor, of course, and God's saving gift is a sense of humor. If we could keep in mind what we really are, if we could remember being human, that we are simply humus, then we can keep our sense of humor about ourselves. I always like to say that what I do I take very seriously, but I take myself with a grain of salt, and I think that's a rather healthy perspective to keep in church, also, because there is often such a tension created and the emotions can be stirred, and a manipulative kind of dimension easily comes along with a rather coercive spirit. No, we're going to talk about this ministry and its financial support and we're going to ask you to commit, and we're going to do it in a party format to keep our perspective. But, the party format also enables us just to do what we're doing this morning - to celebrate and to be community together. You know, that isn't very often possible for us. When I was growing up, and I'm sure many of you would say the same thing, my whole social life, the life of my family centered in the church. Every weekend was shot to heaven and several points throughout the week, as well. My family didn't do anything that wasn't connected with the church or with people of the church, and you know there was something rather wonderful about that. It was very stable; it was very solid; it was very secure and there was a lot of mutual support. Everybody knew everybody. That was wonderful. Everybody knew everything about everybody. That wasn't so wonderful. But, it was a close-knit community that was there for generations, generally, with deep roots. People didn't move around so much, and so the community was together in all kinds of situations. Not so anymore. Just look at you - a diverse group of people from diverse walks of life, from diverse backgrounds, from many areas, coming together in this highly mobile society, finding here something that draws you here. But, how do you know that we are community together unless we can punch some balloons in the air together, laugh together, enjoy one another, and let our hair down and acknowledge the fact that we are family. We belong together. I © Grand Valley State University �Keep Caring – It Matters Richard A. Rhem Page 3   think it's a very healthy way to celebrate the fact of community. If I call a big party on Wednesday night, you wouldn't show up. You are too busy. In fact, we jam as much as we can into Sunday morning. We're pretty lucky to get a lot of you here occasionally on a Sunday morning. Now, that's not a criticism. It's just an acknowledgment of the very nature of our society and of our lives. So, if we don't do it now, we'll probably never do it. I think it's very healthy to do it. I like the fact that children can go away and say we had fun in church this morning, and I hope some of you saw someone else for the first time laughing, having a good time. It builds community, which is, after all, very important. The thing we're here about this morning is to raise the same question I asked last year - what is it worth to have this kind of community? The secret will be whether or not there is enough value in this community to give it sufficient support to continue and to grow. This is about the enabling of this ministry that we have found something in that has drawn us together. I want to suggest that we must be very clear about the nature of this community, because it's an alternative community, and I want to give you two words. It's a thinking community and it's a caring community. Now, it’s a lot more things, but at least just focus on those two for a moment this morning. It's a thinking community and it's a caring community, and it may seem at first blush that thinking and caring don't have a lot to do with each other. I want to destroy that myth. I'd like to establish in your minds this morning that we are a thinking community in order that we might be a caring community with authenticity. I have mentioned in various settings from time to time the fact that on Tuesdays I have lunch at Duba's with three colleagues who are of diverse theological posture. It's a fantastic conversation; it's a very stimulating couple of hours. Recently a friend of mine was invited to join for two or three weeks, and he didn't understand that, if one of the original four is not there and a statement is made about one of them, that statement will come out in the conversation, so my friend who was a guest there, before I arrived, said, "Dick's tired." When I sat down, before very long, Duncan Littlefair looked at me and said, "Dick, are you tired?" (Maybe he said, "Are you tired of what you're doing?") There was kind of a hush, and I said, "Yes." I don't think it's the answer that they expected to hear. I said, "Yes, I'm tired. I'm tired of what I'm doing." And then I went on to explain. I'm not tired of being a pastor. I'm not tired of thinking the faith. I'm not tired of preaching. But, I'm tired of being a voice in the wilderness. I'm tired of swimming against the tide. I'm tired of caring deeply about things that so few people care about. I'm tired of being obsessed with a vision and a perspective that doesn't seem very important to very many people, and I went on to speak about that a little bit. © Grand Valley State University �Keep Caring – It Matters Richard A. Rhem Page 4   My friend who had made the statement said, "Well, you are a pastor at heart." I said, “Yes, my deepest identity is as a pastor.” "But," he said, "When you preach, you're not a pastor. You're not being pastoral." I said, "When I preach, I am being pastoral, because when I preach, it's the consequence of thinking the faith, and I think the faith in order that I may be a pastor." All of my years, I have been thinking about the faith, not in order to have some answers about the faith or to be able to find God. I have been thinking about the faith in order to stand at the deathbed of one who looks me in the eye and I've been thinking in order that in that moment I might be honest and authentic, that I might be present to that person in their dying hour. I told them, "I can tell you about a crib death 25 years ago; I can tell you about a lovely young child that died of leukemia; I can tell you about a young mother who had three miscarriages, was pregnant once again, for five months everything looked beautiful, something went wrong, something bizarre, all five months. Because of the three miscarriages, she had prayed, ‘Dear God, Dear God, make it right,’ and then it wasn't right, and then what do you say to a young woman like that?" "I think the faith in order that I might speak to people in their deepest needs and their most existential moments. I think the faith, not in order that I can have answers, but in order that I know when I don't have answers." Henri Nouwen, years ago, wrote a little meditation in which he talked about care, and he talked about the fact that no one wants to care. Everyone wants to cure. What we do is let pious clichés trip off our lips rather than being present to people in their pain and in their darkness, and he went back to the origin of the word care, the English word, in the Gothic, Kara, which means to lament, to grieve with, to cry out with, and he pointed out the degeneration of that word care. The word care has become a sign of indifference. "Do you want to go to a movie?" "I don't care." "Do you want to do this?" "I don't care." "Do you want to go there?" "I don't care." The nonchalance, the indifference that doesn't want to get involved, doesn't want to make a decision, doesn't want to make a commitment. But, Nouwen said, to © Grand Valley State University �Keep Caring – It Matters Richard A. Rhem Page 5   care is to be present with, to lament with, to grieve with, to be at the side of, because the human situation is not all parties and it's not all sweetness and light. It is marked by suffering and it is marked by tragedy, and at its best, religion is caring. Jeremiah excoriated the king for building his palace when the poor were suffering. He reminded the king of his forebears, saying they took up the cause of justice and righteousness; they were concerned for the cause of the poor. Then it was well with them. "Is not this to know me?" says the Lord. Have you every heard knowing the Lord defined that way? Knowing the Lord. Know the Lord. Do you know the Lord? That is such a superficial, facile kind of expression - knowing the Lord is being concerned for the downtrodden and the poor and the marginalized and the excluded, and I believe that James was in line with that Hebrew prophetic tradition. Some say that James was fighting Paul. I don't know whether he was fighting Paul or not. Paul was a grace junky. Dick Rhem has been a grace junky. Ron Zoet comes to this church and the first time he hears a sermon it concludes with "All is grace," and he could have come to any one of five hundred other Sundays and I would have said the same thing, because, like Martin Luther, I have experienced the grace of God that is liberating and is freeing. Grace is my theme. Martin Luther didn't like James. Neither do I like James. Luther called James an epistle of straw, and he didn't want to hear about the law and he didn't want to hear about obedience, and I recognized this week, thinking about this whole thing, that James is a lot closer to Jeremiah and Jesus than Paul was. I don't think James was fighting Paul. I think he was probably fighting a misconstruction of Paul. You can misconstrue Paul's grace and make it a salvation cult. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Cheap grace. Mere affirmation. James says it's not enough. James says, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." James says you show me your faith without works, I'll show you my faith by my works. Paul said, "Of course, we're saved by grace through faith without any works." James says that's not right. Paul was speaking about one situation, James another. I don't think James was countering Paul, but I think he was complementing Paul, and what he was saying, I realize today, was closer to the gospel of Jesus Christ than the gospel of Paul. Jesus said, "Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me." James says true religion is about taking care of widows and orphans, and you can translate widows and orphans into the context of today. Who are the © Grand Valley State University �Keep Caring – It Matters Richard A. Rhem Page 6   marginalized? Who are the abused and the oppressed? True religion is about caring for them. Thinking and caring, and thinking in order to care authentically. Thinking in order to care with authenticity, integrity, and honesty. I don't think in order to find an answer. I think in the face of situations that have no answer so that I have thought profoundly in order to care deeply and honestly. Nouwen says we would like to cure. We don't care. To care is not to cure, it's to be present in the darkness, to stand there and absorb the pain without an answer, because what we all really need is that human community that assures us when we have no answer that we're not alone. This community thinks, not in order to find answers, but in order to care honestly. Keep caring, people. It matters. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/592aa85d0a8f77aee639932495f1601c.mp3 0654d23bc85ad7175d087b223a85a7d8 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 Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> 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 Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost XXII Scripture Text Jeremiah 22:15-16, James 1:27, Matthew 25:40 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI 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 KII-01_RA-0-19991017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-10-17 Title A name given to the resource Keep Caring - It Matters Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University 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 Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on October 17, 1999 entitled "Keep Caring - It Matters", on the occasion of Pentecost XXII, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Jeremiah 22:15-16, James 1:27, Matthew 25:40. Community of Faith Compassion Theology of Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/172ea8996ca954c8a16e26a7de99b9ea.jpg 52759060e40a082a90683da198e81e0b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decorated Publishers' Bindings Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Description An account of the resource From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seidman Rare Books Collection Michigan Novels Collection Regional Historical Collection Lincoln and the Civil War Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source Seidman Rare Books. PS1054.B3 K44 1911 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01_Bindings0429 Title A name given to the resource Keeping up with Lizzie Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Covey, Arthur (Designer) Description An account of the resource Binding of Keeping up with Lizzie, by Irving Bacheller, published by Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1911. Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/65ecfc5d5214cdf99d6ddf3aadfe8e5a.mp4 88bdd2ccb53fc0914d3cfe94a961ec10 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3f6e657103b5058980cb58a9451976e3.pdf 932251fbaf95ab03bfa145460d2e9942 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Kenneth Kelly (01:47:10) Background • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Born on a farm in Coopersville, MI. (0:24) One of nine children, six boys and three girls (00:30) His father, Asa Kelly, was a WWI veteran. (00:36) His mother was Hazel Easterly, who came from a family with thirteen children. (00:42) Big families were common in those days, as more children helped work on the farm. (00:53) Graduated High School in June of 1943. (00:58) Enlisted in the U.S. Navy construction battalions, the Sea Bees. (1:13) Born on 8/21/1925. (1:19) His family did relatively well during the Depression, despite having a large family. Everyone at the time was in a similar situation. (1:38) Suspects his parents may have had a harder time than the children. (1:52) His father was a school teacher. His mother died in 1937. (2:04) His eldest sister graduated high school the same year his mother died. She acted like a surrogate mother to the younger children. (2:06) Recounts that his father did have a harder time during the depression. (2:30) Three of his brothers served in the Army during WWII (2:45) Father was stationed at “Camp Custer,” which was later “Fort Custer.” (3:00) His father was a Lieutenant during WWI. (3:16) During WWI Asa confiscated a set of dice from some gambling soldiers, and took them home after the war. (3:23) Kenneth's oldest brother went to MSU (all but one went to MSU) and enrolled in the ROTC program at MSU. His brother graduated in 1941. (3:44) His brother was sent to Camp Custer for training. (4:06) Asa and Hazel were married when he was training in Camp Custer, and their eldest son was born in Battle Creek. (4:19) Kenneth spent fifty years selling overhead cranes and monorail equipment. (4:37) After Fort Custer became an industrial park, Japanese and German firms invested in the area. Kenneth sold equipment to these firms. (4:47) Comments on the irony of selling equipment to the Germans and Japanese, when he had fought them in WWII. (5:04) Kenneth did not participate in ROTC, he had only gone to High School at that time. ROTC was not a high school program at the time. (5:16) Enlisted as an apprentice seamen. (5:31) Pre-Enlistment • • • • Served two years, seven months as part of the Navy's construction team. (5:34) Many boys at his high school were worried about being drafted right after graduating. (5:50) Eight to ten boys at his school enlisted prior to graduating. Upon their return from the war they were given diplomas, despite not finishing school. (6:04) Pearl Harbor was attacked when he was sixteen. (6:31) �• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • At the time of the attack, he was at home listening to a radio show on a Sunday afternoon. The attack was interrupted with an announcement. (6:44) Had no idea where Pearl Harbor was located, but the radio soon informed them. (7:04) The attack took everyone by surprise. The war was brought home to them in a way they had not expected. They had known that President Roosevelt was helping the British, but being very young he hadn't read up about the situation in depth. (7:22) People became even more worried about the draft. (7:54) Some men enlisted in order to avoid being assigned to the Army when they were drafted. (8:07) Men drafted into the army usually became “dog faces” or infantry. (8:09) Worked part time at a local gas station. (8:26) Gasoline was rationed at the time, so he had to learn how to handle the ration coupons. (8:37) The ration was four gallons per week. (9:08) Four gallons per week was not very much, but it was enough for most people to get by at the time. (9:10) A few people cheated the system. (9:25) The gas station was frequently audited by government officials in order to prevent cheating. (9:43) While he was still in high school, he researched the different military branches in order to decide which to enlist in. (10:07) The Navy looked like the best branch for him. The Navy usually had clean beds, good food, and clean clothes. (10:52) A few times in the South Pacific he had to struggle. The lack of fresh water was the most frequent problem. (11:08) Training • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Camp Perry, near Williamsburg, VA was the start of his training. (11:36) Almost all of the Sea Bees were trained at Camp Perry. There were 350,000 Sea Bees in WWII. (11:50) A battalion was formed by eleven hundred men. (12:00) He arrived in Camp Perry in August, left in late October or early November. The next location was in Gulfport, MS. (12:31) At the Tampali Bay base he was given advance training. (12:31) Military training—marching, how to salute, and obey orders was trained at Camp Perry. (12:40) At Tampali Bay, he was given infantry training. The Sea Bees were very involved during invasions. (12:55) The infantry training was for self-defense. (13:26) Primary duty of the Sea Bees was to build bases for other operations. These bases were used by all branches of the military. Most of the bases were in the Pacific. (13:36) Continued his infantry training. (14:07) Went out on bivouac. (14:21) He was surprised at the cold weather in Mississippi. He thought it would be much warmer. (14:36) The tents they slept in weren't fire-resistant. (14:50) They had to get firewood, and store it in the tents. (15:07) Men were put on duty to watch for tent fires. (15:07) �• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • When he was on guard duty, he often stole wood from other tents. (15:48) Practiced invasions on an island in the Gulf of Mexico. (15:56) While in Mississippi, he went on “liberty” for twelve to twenty-four hours. He usually went to New Orleans during his leave. (16:00) He enlisted at age seventeen. He turned eighteen during training. (16:34) Couldn't drink because he was only seventeen. (16:54) The Navy Blue uniform had three stripes on the collar, and three on the cuffs. Many men in the Navy rolled back there cuffs past the stripes. One day as he was on liberty, some military policeman stopped his group of friends. His friends all had there sleeves rolled back, but he did not. As a result his friends were taken to the holding pen for being out of uniform. Afterwards, he always kept his cuffs unrolled. (16:58-17:45) Camp Perry is still around, but in a different form. He tried visiting the area again twenty-five years later, but was not allowed in. He found out it was the training base, or “Farm” for the CIA. (18:19-18:43) While in Camp Perry the men were formed into battalions. (19:03) He was in the 127th battalion. They trained as a battalion from that point forward. (19:08) The Navy needed men immediately in the Pacific, and they asked the battalion to select men to send out early. The battalions selected men they didn't like. As a result, one of his friends was selected, but he was not. His friend talked him to volunteering. His action was following the advice of a chief petty officer. (19:2519:56) [DVD skips] (20:24-20:28) [DVD skips again] (21:00-21:13) The term “polliwog” was a Navy term for someone who hadn't crossed Equator. Someone who had was called a “shellback.” When he crossed the equator he was given a certificate, and subjected to an initiation. (21:30) His initiation was simply being squirted with sea-water. Some of the other men were smeared with axle grease. The initiation was usually more severe, but there were so many recruits involved it was difficult. (21:34) Had to bow to a man dressed as King Neptune as part of the initiation. (22:17) He purchased some war bonds for $18.75. They matured into $25 bonds later on. He used the bonds to finance part of his wedding. (22:38) Shipped out • • • • • • • • Took off for the Pacific, through the Panama Canal. (23:23) The only time he had fresh water showers was while crossing the Panama canal. The fresh water was from a nearby lake. (23:37) Stopped at the Galapagos Islands, but did not go ashore. (23:55) The destroyer escort had to refuel. (24:00) Destroyer refueled again in Tahiti, and again in New Caledonia. While in New Caledonia, US Navy airplanes flew overhead. One of the planes had engine problems and crashed in the ocean. The men on the plane deployed an orange raft and were picked up by the destroyer. (24:16) New Hebrides Islands were among the first islands used as advance bases. The islands were used to build up supplies and troops. (25:17) At the Espiritu Santu Island he was taken off the boat. There were no barracks on the island, so they slept in a church. (25:52) Had a steel helmet, and a 1933 Springfield rfle. (26:36) �• When sleeping in church, he slept on a pew and used his backpack as a pillow. He slept cradling his rifle. (26:45) • He was put on another ship, this time an LST (Landing Ship Tank) and went to Guadalcanal. They stopped for one day, and were put on another ship. (26:58) • Next they were sent to Kuko Beach. (27:11) • Spend two weeks in New Guinea. (27:19) • Put to work at New Guinea. He worked nights at the ammunitions facility loading and unloading ammunition onto trucks. (27:38) • Got a bad sliver while working, and went to sick bay for treatment. Despite the medical treatment and disinfectant he came down with a severe infection. Part of his finger had to be removed. (28:08) • He was put on another ship, which was a badly maintained “rust bucket.” He still had not seen any combat at this point. (28:50) • Headed for the Admiralty Islands on a convoy with two destroyer escorts. (29:05) • His ship's engine stopped running. All the men were told to watch for submarine periscopes. One of the destroyers came back to check on them, but the other ships kept going. (29:22) • The radio on the ship was also nonfunctional, so the men on the destroyer and the convoy had to use megaphones. (29:50) • They didn't know how long the delay would be. (30:23) • The destroyer had to keep up with the rest of the convoy, and would not be able to stay behind permanently. (30:42) • Experienced electricians on board the ship were able to fix the problems. (30:55) • They managed to catch up with the rest of the convoy. (31:07) • Sailed onto Los Negros islands. (31:15) • Time spent in transit was three months. The battle they had been sent to assist in was still on-going. (31:23) Medals and Symbols • Received a medal for the Asiatic Pacific Theater. He also received two battle-stars, one for the Admiralties, and one for Okinawa. He also received a victory medal and a Good Conduct medal. (31:53) • The symbol with eagle and a circle was put on the uniforms. (31:57) • in 1995 he received a pin as part of the reunion. The inscription reads A grateful nation remembers, WWII 1995 1945.” (33:38) • Joined the 78th Sea Bee regiment, which was one of three in the area. The 40th and 2nd regiments were also used. His initial battalion was split three ways to join the other battalions (34:01) • The symbol on his sweatshirt was drawn by Disney artists in 1943 before he joined the 78th. The 78th had been based in Oxnard, CA and some men had asked the artists to draw them a symbol. The symbol is a fighting bee with a tommy-gun, a monkey wrench and a hammer. (34:16) • The new members of the 78th were not well liked by the older members. The senior members had been deployed from October to November of 1943, and when the new recruits came they knew they wouldn't be going back home soon. (35:49) Admiralties • The men were given tents, which were sixteen feet by sixteen feet. He was part of C Company. They were told where to put the tent, and given stakes. The wooden stakes did not work because of the ground, so they had to get new metal reinforced stakes. (36:42) �• • • • • • • • • • • • • • He was on a sandy beach, with palm trees. (37:47) The trees were coconut palms. He enjoyed the pleasant weather, 150 miles from the Equator. (38:20) Most of the men walked about shirtless, in shorts and a cap. Many had sunburns. (38:51) The camp was near a captured air base. It was the first area they had taken. (39:05) Expanded and enlarged the existing air field for four engine bombers. (39:22) The Japanese airfields were not large enough for the large planes, such as the B-24 bombers. (39:23) The bombers began their raids at any hour, but often very early. (40:18) Around 4:00 AM they heard a loud crash, so they went to check the fuel supplies. They had fuel for the bulldozers, dump trucks, cranes, and other construction equipment. (40:35) A plane crashed into the nearby Sea Bee (40th regiment) and exploded. Thirty men were killed, and seventy wounded. (40:59) The area was a mess. He and some others found four unexploded bombs in a whole near the crashed bomber. (41:35) The Sea Bees included older men with construction experience. The average age of the Sea Bees was 37, the average age of the Marine Corps was around 23. Twentyfive men in his regiment were WWI veterans. (42:05) The Sea Bees had learned to improvise with building materials and food supplies. They cut down trees to build a dock in the area. (42:47) Some of the lumber from the mill was inconsistent, although it was good quality overall. They usually used tropical woods, like teak. (44:02) The Sea Bees were often complimented by higher officers because of their speed. Kenneth explains they used shifts to work 24/7. Also, the men didn't have much else to do. Work was a way to relieve boredom. (44:28) End of the war • When the war ended he was driving a tractor at 2 AM in Okinawa. He had been deployed for eighteen months. (45:06) • In Okinawa, he worked on an airfield for B29 bombers. (45:49) • The airstrip was two miles long. (46:00) • It was impossible to hear the air raid sirens over the noise of the tractors. They only knew of an air raid when shots were fired. (46:19) • During bombing raids, most of the Sea Bees hid under their tractors. They were never hit by the bombers as they were after the ships. (46:59) • Heard people cheering while he was running the tractor. He talked to the antiaircraft men, thinking that perhaps there had been a raid, and was informed that the war was over. (47:20) • He shut down the tractor and went back to camp. He was scolded for quitting early. (47:37) Back in the Admiralties, earlier • Worked on the dock at the Admiralties. The Admiralties was the largest base, it was constructed for invasion and re-taking of the Philippines. The area had good harbor facilities. (48:00) • Worked under General MacArthur. (48:44) • While he worked at the dock there were many types of ships: Navy, ammunition, tankers, troop ships, hospital ships, and little boats. (49:00) • One of his friends told him “hey, look” and he saw a huge pillar of smoke and flame. �(49:18) • He had to get under shelter, so he hid underneath a crane. (49:37) • An ammunition ship with three hundred men on board exploded. The hull of the ship was later found with the dead men. Seventy-five men on other ships were killed by debris. (49:58) • Quonset huts were used as a multi-purpose building, everything from barracks and hospitals to warehouses. (51:27) Pictures, Miscellaneous stories(51:59-1:10:46) • The official term of the tents they used was a “shelter-half,” each man carried half a tent which he joined to other halves. (53:26) • Patrol Nat Balintae disappeared during the war. Nat had painted the pictures he showed to the interviewer earlier. (54:10) • While on board, they had a ship-store. At the ship-store they could buy toothpaste, candy, and other items. The store ran at a profit and used the proceeds to create a log book at the end of the war. (55:00) • Phoebe the Sea Bee was in the book, also by Disney. (56:52) • Was in an article by the Grand Rapids Press. (57:19) • His eldest brother was in the Army for thirty years. (57:38) • Ran into his second eldest brother at Okinawa. (57:50) • Has a Japanese pistol from Okinawa. The pistol was based off the German Luger. His brother was in the invasion of Okinawa, and often patrolled behind enemy lines in the anti-tank platoon. He came across a dead Japanese officer and a dead girl. They believed the man had shot the girl and them himself. (59:91) • [Tape switched] (59:36) • In the Grand Rapids Press, there was a picture of him before he joined the Navy. (59:44) • Picture of the Gulfport, MS Sea Bee reunion. (1:00:00) • New Sea bees were also at the reunion. (1:00:26) • They picked coral out of the sea, and used it like concrete. The coral was crushed and then bonded like concrete. (1:01:57) • He operated a “sheep's foot roller.” (1:01:31) • Aleut Island, built an airfield on Panan Island. (1:01:39) • Has a picture of the airfield, which one of his comrades obtained online. The website indicating wrongly that the airfield was built by British and Australians. (1:02:52) • Picture of the cemetery and th chapel. (1:03:39) • The Sea Bees did a lot of earthmoving and drainage. (1:04:13) • Constructed a water tower, which converted salt water into freshwater. (1:04:38) • Has the original plans for Okinawa. They were never fully implemented as the war ended. (1:06:31) • Picture of the exploded fuel pumps, and of an explosion used to mine the coral. (1:07:06) • In November 1944, he was disappointed at not being sent on leave to Australasia. (1:07:45) • There was a brothel in Noumea, which was on the French island of New Caledonia. The US Navy had a special room at the brothel. (1:08:32) • Their chapel was multi-denominational. They held Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish services. (1:08:50) • A picture of a Japanese small craft which was re-built and used by the Navy. (1:10:00) �• • • The camp was about fifty feet from a cliff overlooking the ocean. (1:10:39) Was nominated President of his WWII association. (1:11:00) Two of his grandchildren are GVSU graduates. (1:11:42) Training • Was not trained by WWI veterans. He was trained by members of the US Marines who had served in Panama. (1:11:53) • The Marines hadn't had much experience training other Sea Bee units. The Sea Bees did not respond well to the Marine trainers, as it was full of older experienced construction men. The Marines often cursed at the Sea Bees during training, which the men objected to. Eventually, the some of Sea Bees challenged the Marines to a fight, and won. (1:12:20) • The Marines stopped cursing at the men. (1:13:20) • His commanding officer was a WWI vet, and so were some of the military policemen. (1:13:39) • WWI vets talked somewhat about their experiences in WWI. Most conversation was based on living conditions around the country. (1:14:15) • It was easy to tell where someone was from, based on their accents. (1:14:48) • Believes he was trained adequately for his experiences. (1:15:42) Time in Transport • Took three months for them to get to the assigned location. (1:15:54) • Exercised using calisthenics. (1:15:54) • One of the men on the ship developed spinal meningitis, and parts of the ship were quarantined. (1:16:12) • As a result of the quarantine, they always went to the mess hall last. (1:16:20) • No one else came down with meningitis. The one man who had it recovered. (1:16:46) • Two meals a day. One day they found worms in the beefaroni and complained. They were then given new food. (1:17:22) • The men were often stinky. The saltwater showers and lard-based soap left them unpleasantly greasy, so they showered less. (1:17:35) • Two typhoons while they were in Okinawa, which sink some ships. It also split their tent. (1:18:22) • Tent curtain was kept up most of the time, because of the heat. Everything got wet as a result. (1:19:20) Interaction with civilians • Had direct contact with citizens. (1:19:32) • The Admiralties were all black. (1:19:38) • He sometimes visited civilians, but not frequently. Other men visited more frequently. (1:19:51) • Most of the people were friendly to the Americans. (1:20:06) • Believes this is still true today, mostly. (1:20:20) • Okinawa was more developed. (1:20:43) • Okinawans are not Japanese, and generally dislike the Japanese. He found this out during the reunion. (1:21:00) • During the war, the Japanese told the Okinawans horror stories about the Americans—that they would kill all the men, and rape the women. (1:21:27) • Okinawans moved with the Japanese to avoid the Americans. (1:21:45) • The US Navy was ordered to attack the Japanese • 140,000 civilians were killed in addition to 100,000 Japanese, 9,000 US Army and �• Marines, and 5,000 Navy. (1:22:00) Truman used two atomic bombs. Some of the men worried the Japanese might have atomic bombs. (1:22:50) Leisure • He was allowed to on “liberty” a few times, but he had nowhere to go. (1:23:30) • On the way the way to Okinawa he spent about a week on a small recreation island. (1:23:48) • The recreation island had tennis courts, basketball courts, and he could drink all the beer he wanted. (1:24:20) • Remembers many of the Navy men getting in drunken fights on the island, but that was just good fun at the time. (1:24:34) • Had a pretty good time at the Navy camps. (1:24:50) • Built a base facility to take care of minesweepers. (1:25:04) • The kitchen (where?) had an ice machine. While on active duty the men where allowed two beers a week. He and his friends usually saved up the beer for time off. (1:25:27) • On Sundays they would get the beer, ice from the kitchen, buy cigars and play poker. (1:25:53) Communication/visits his family, other remarks • He was able to keep in contact with his family through the mail service. (1:26:15) • The mail was censored, so he couldn't tell his family where he was located. (1:26:21) • Despite being a teacher, his father did not write many letters, and the letters he did write were only a few paragraphs. (1:26:34) • His aunts on his mother's side sent him letters frequently. (1:26:45) • He managed to find out his brother Dale was on Okinawa, and that his cousin was on another nearby island. He found out from his aunts. (1:27:16) • One day an Army chief came into the base with two grubby soldiers. The men entered the officer tent, and came out shortly after. The two soldiers then removed their helmets, and one of the men was his brother Dale. (1:27:56) • Dale had used the truck ID numbers to find him. Dale had come to the area to visit some wounded men as well. (1:28:55) • Kenneth visited his brother frequently, but had to take a gun with him every time he left the base (1:29:17) • During every battle he was given a gun, which he had to return at the end. (1:29:37) • Did not have any kamikaze scares with during his various voyages. (1:29:52) • He did not directly interact with the Japanese. He was only involved with the Japanese during the frequent air raids. (1:29:55) • The Navy frequently played movies at night in an outdoor theater. He quit one of the movies early because of an air raid, but other men stayed at the movie. (1:30:20) Reunion • The reunion was a wonderful experience for him. (1:30:44) • He flew in on a plane from Osaka, Japan. (1:31:07) • Got off the plane at the Naha airport, which was the capital of Okinawa. (1:31:07) • There were forty to fifty people waiting for them, they all clapped. They were glad to see the Americans return. (1:31:33) • Each night of the reunion had a special ceremony, with different services. Five wreaths were thrown in the water for the dead. (1:31:49) • A memorial hospital in the area was named after a sailor who had been awarded a �• • • • • • • • • • • medal of honor. The sailor was at the reunion. (1:32:12) Went jogging in Osaka. They stayed at a fancy hotel. The flight was going to leave at 11:00. He was jogging with an eighty-five year old, and he was seventy at the time. The man was his room-mate at the hotel, and had been a shipmate during WWII. (1:32:54) He went down a long street, and intended doing a loop around a traffic island. Instead he got lost, and all the street signs were in Japanese. (1:34:01) Came across a taxi, asked for directions. Had to ask for directions multiple times. Eventually he came across a woman who gave him elaborate directions in perfect English (1:34:44) He had left around 6:00 AM, the hotel had a checkout time of 7:00 AM. He got back to the hotel, and his room mate had put his bags outside the room (1:34:54) His roommate’s grandson was in the Marines. He had a broken ankle and had accompanied them on the reunion. (1:35:45) The Commander of the Navy was at the Reunion, and introduced to the grandson. (1:36:10) The Okinawans had a special ceremony for the dead (from the earlier mentioned battle). They listed off the names of each person killed, it took three days and two nights. (1:36:24) They had built a remembrance garden full of trees and pillars. Each pillar was inscribed with the names of the dead. (1:36:50) At the ceremony, Americans and Japanese planted trees together in the garden. (1:37:10) His brother died in 1985, he missed him at the ceremony. (1:37:25) He was in Okinawa for a week. Post-War life • Spent twenty-two years in the Reserves. (1:37:40) • Trained men for Vietnam and Korea. (1:38:48) • Enlisted 1947, began taking a commission in 1949. (1:37:54) • Retired from the Reserves in 1969. (1:38:06) • Trained men in Muskegon, Flint, and Lansing for a short time. (1:38:09) • Was the President of Kelly Sales and Engineering Co. He went to college at MSU. (1:38:30) • Started the business in 19693, operated until 2002. (1:39:00) • Sons joined in the business. (1:39:11) • The business closed in 2002. He retired from the business in 1990, but he still works as an engineer. (1:39:22) Opinions on the War in Iraq • He doesn't think the draft would be appropriate for the war in Iraq, as there are sufficient numbers of volunteers. (1:39:53) • His grandson is in the Army, and will be leaving for his second tour soon. (1:40:07) • Is of the opinion that enlisted men and women accept their job and duty. (1:40:15) • Believes they are welcomed by the Iraqis, especially the youth. (1:40:31) • A unit of Sea Bees is deployed in Iraq, re-building infrastructure and improving existing infrastructure. (1:40:37) More post-War • After the war he was still very young. Discharge was based on a points system, and he had few points due to his age. (1:41:22) • He came home for thirty days near Thanksgiving. He went to a Navy field and �• • • • • • • • • • became military policeman afterwards. (1:41:53) He rode trains from Chicago to Buffalo and back in order to track men. (1:42:16) Had a lot of free times while he was an MP. (1:42:32) Spend most of his free time looking for girls, as did most of his friends. One of his friends had a fake ID he used to buy liquor, and was caught. And jailed for seven days (1:42:48) When they were looking for girls, they weren't really looking for sex, just dance partners and a good time. (1:43:21) He went to a roller-skating rink, and was told the Aragon ball-room in Northwest Chicago would be a good place for girls. (1:43:28) Went to the place, a band was playing. It was a nice place. (1:43:46) It was a special party at the ball-room, so there were no girls without escorts. He complained to the girl running the candy corner, and she gave him the phone number of two of her girlfriends. (1:44:04) He talked to the girls, and they both showed up. He got to pick which one he danced with because he'd made the phone call. He picked Ruth, and married her that September, which was eight months later. She was from Winfield, IL. (1:44:44) He has three sons, seven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. (1:45:16) Three of his brothers were in the service. Two of his brothers married women who were in the service. His second eldest brother married a woman who had been in the Women’s Army Corps, and his eldest married an Army nurse. (1:45:32) • Ruth had three older brothers in the military. His two sisters married Army men. (1:46:37) � 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 KeithE Title A name given to the resource Keith III, Elvin W. (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keith, Elvin W. Description An account of the resource Elvin W. Keith III was born on April 14, 1933. He went to Westchester State Teachers College and then joined the Marines. He started out in the platoon leader's class and then was promoted from a Field Commander to the Company Commander. Elvin was stationed in Vietnam and was assigned to the Motor Transport Battalion of the Third Marine Division. After Vietnam he was stationed at Camp Lajune, North Carolina where he trained to become a Regimental Motor Transport Officer. After his time in the service, Elvin began working for the FBI in Texas and he now teaches classes in Michigan at Baker College. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ericksen, Wallace J. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Marine Corps Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-11-24 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/69a6613cb0013ed989dbd4666ac9579d.jpg 215fd2a82bcb56e9eedf84f4a63a546c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Merrill_ProcessFilm_P_340 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-10-23 Title A name given to the resource Keith Mastodon site Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of four men and a tractor next to a creek. A field is visible behind a pile of dirt. Subject The topic of the resource Archaeology Archaeological sites Excavation Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2444efaba18c7c2f477306d29ef58c0f.jpg fb63faadb2b360d3ff23bbf607e50607 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Robert H. Merrill photographs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1909/1950 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-222 Description An account of the resource Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides digitized from the papers of engineer and archaeologist Robert H. Merrill. A Grand Rapids native, Merrill held an accomplished career as a civil engineer. He founded the company Spooner & Merrill, which held offices in Grand Rapids and Chicago. From 1919-1921, Merrill lived in China, working as Assistant Principal Engineer on a reconstruction of the Grand Canal - the oldest and longest canal system in the world. Merrill became fascinated by archaeology, and among other projects, he traveled to the Uxmal Pyramids in Yucatan, Mexico, with a research expedition from Tulane University. Merrill's photo collection includes images of his travels and projects, friends and family. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Merrill_ProcessFilm_P_341 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-10-23 Title A name given to the resource Keith Mastodon site Description An account of the resource Black and white photograph of four men and a tractor working on an archaeological excavation site. Subject The topic of the resource Archaeology Archaeological sites Excavation Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Robert H. Merrill papers (RHC-222) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Merrill, Robert H., 1881-1955 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dbc9f1a9bcba68574a9262c5190c2800.jpg 0ef6a3e78ee384a910f668c0c28f7e9a 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 Summers in Saugatuck-Douglas Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. Kutsche Office of Local History Description An account of the resource Collection contains images and documents digitized and collected through the project "Stories of Summer," supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage Grant. The collection aims to document the twin lakeshore communities of Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan, as they transformed through the state's bustling tourism industry and acceptance of minorities. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1910s-2010s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Douglas (Mich.) Michigan, Lake Allegan County (Mich.) Beaches Sand dunes Outdoor recreation Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Saugatuck-Douglas History Center Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Stories of Summer (Common Heritage project) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Text Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-07_SD-Brigham-D_0151 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Brigham, D. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1961 Title A name given to the resource Keith Plummer and R.G. Eddy Description An account of the resource Color slide of Raymond Grimes Eddy holding his grand nephew Keith Plummer dressed in a blue jacket on the hood of a car. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Allegan County (Mich.) Families Children Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Digital file contributed by D. Brigham as part of the Stories of Summer project. Relation A related resource Stories of Summer (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/795d8375c7c32d5a3ca24fa4e2fc7356.mp4 f70135ee015bf6d568f0d422c42babe0 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9694e99afb4555581c8327f709776c91.pdf 4a060f5c0d5ec17afcde4c1d6e3d0e03 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Robert Keith World War II 32 minutes 39 seconds (00:00:10) Early Life -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 20, 1926 -Grew up in Grand Rapids and attended Grand Rapids Public Schools -Father worked for a railroad company in Grand Rapids -Mother was a housewife -His father had steady work throughout the Great Depression -Started off working on steam engines, then switched over to diesel engines -He had two siblings (00:01:20) Start of the War and Following the War -Doesn‟t remember where he was when he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor -Doesn‟t remember there being any significant changes at school -He knew that he would eventually have to serve and was fine with that (00:02:04) Enlisting in the Army Air Force -He enlisted in August 1944 before his eighteenth birthday that September -Graduated in January 1945 before he reported for duty -He was officially in the service by March 1, 1945 -Needed a parent‟s signature because he wasn‟t eighteen -Parents were okay with it because it was better than getting drafted -He went into Cadet Training -Program that would prepare recruits to be an office, or a pilot -It was near the end of the war though, so he did not complete that -Wound up getting sent to a technical school to be an airplane mechanic (00:03:50) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Sheridan, Illinois to be inducted -From there he was sent to Keesler Air Force Base near Biloxi, Mississippi -Went there by train -Slept in the seats of the train cars -It was an interesting trip for a young man -Training consisted of a lot of calisthenics, marching, and learning to take orders -Treated well by the drill sergeants -Received training with the .45 caliber pistol and submachine guns -Received tear gas training -Learning how to react quickly to a gas attack -It was cool in March and the barracks didn‟t have heat or air conditioning -By the summer it was hot and humid (00:07:13) Technical School -During the summer he went to the technical school to become an aircraft mechanic -This was also at Keesler Air Force Base -Classes were from midnight to 6AM �-Had to sleep in the heat of the day (00:07:39) Downtime during Training -They were allowed to go off base -There wasn‟t much to do in Biloxi though -There were bars and you could play slot machines (“one armed bandits”) -Gambling was illegal though, so sometimes the slot machines would „disappear‟ -Did not notice anything in the way of racial tension -This was most likely because communities and the military were still segregated (00:09:12) Stationed at Keesler and Langley Field -He was at Keesler from March 1945 to September 1945 -He was transferred to Langley Field, Virginia due to his records being lost -Spent two months there -After that he was deployed to Germany (00:09:50) End of the War -On VJ Day (August 15, 1945) the base was closed down and they were kept on base -On VE Day (May 8, 1945) they were in the field bivouacking, so nothing major happened (00:10:44) Deployment -He was deployed to Europe in November 1945 -He was en route on Thanksgiving Day 1945 -Remembers President Truman promising turkey for every U.S. service member -They were served sauerkraut and frankfurters on the trip over -Sailed over on a converted ocean liner -It took seven days to sail from the United States to Le Havre, France -When they reached Le Havre he remembers seeing the scuttled ships half sunken in the harbor -From Le Havre they were taken to a rail yard and placed on boxcars -Took ten days to go from Le Havre, France to Munich, Germany -On the way over they were following a hurricane, so it was a rough voyage -There were swells that were over twenty feet high -A lot of the men got seasick -Never got a chance to go on deck due to the weather (00:12:22) Travelling across Europe -Travelled in boxcar‟s without beds -This meant that they had to sleep on the floor of the boxcars -Got only two hot meals during the ten days of travel -There weren‟t bathrooms on the train, and didn‟t stop at bases with bathrooms -Just had to get off the train and go somewhere when the train stopped -Stopped first at a building in Furstenfeldbruck -There was no heating, no hot water, and the windows were smashed out -Received their assignments there (00:13:33) Stationed at Landsberg Air Base -He was assigned to a former Luftwaffe air base called Landsberg -He was stationed there with a small group of men -Initially shared the base with Army Engineers for about a month -Living conditions on the base were good -Engineers had repaired the facilities and they slept in the Luftwaffe quarters -Had a nice room and shared it with two other men �-The base had two primary functions -Repairing Allied aircraft -Destroying German bombers -During his time there he worked on C-47s, A-26s, a P-47, and bush plane type aircraft -His job was to do engine changes -When he first got there the entire end of the runway was occupied by C-47 transports -Worked on those until they were all gone -Purpose was to get them operational (00:16:33) Recreation in Germany -There was very little to do on the base in terms of entertainment -Sometimes they would get a movie, and it would run for the entire month -Base was too small for USO performers to come through -Protocol on the base was pretty relaxed though, which made up for the lack of entertainment -Allowed to report for duty at any time -Close enough to Munich that he could borrow a vehicle and go into the city -In the summer he would go up to into the German countryside and go camping -Brought a tent, K-rations, and a keg of beer -On the base they had access to beer all day, all the time -If they didn‟t want beer they could go into Munich and buy cognac (00:18:10) Contact with Germans -They had German cleaning ladies that did their laundry -He and other soldiers gave them food because the Germans were basically starving -The economy in Germany at the time was a barter system based on cigarettes -For example: a haircut might cost two cigarettes -He had very little contact with the German civilians besides the cleaning ladies -There were still a lot of German prisoners of war on the base when he arrived -Didn‟t have any contact with them though -After three months they were released and sent home (00:19:13) Evidence of the War Pt. 1 -Most German cities that he saw had been reduced to rubble -Train tracks had been targeted during Allied bombing campaigns to deny movement -That‟s why it took ten days to get from Le Havre to Munich -The buildings at Landsberg were intact save for bullet holes in the walls from strafing runs (00:20:11) Receiving News and Contact with Allied Forces -They weren‟t able to receive much news -Especially nothing about the burgeoning Cold War tensions -Only news source was a radio -Stationed in the American Sector, so he didn‟t see any other Allied forces (00:20:43) Evidence of the War Pt. 2 -Got a chance to go up to Frankfurt to visit a friend who was stationed there -On the way up had to pass through Augsburg while the city was on lockdown -There had been a grenade attack on an American jeep in the city -Got escorted to the train station by American military police -Saw Munich, Augsburg, and Frankfurt and all of those cities were in ruin -The German civilians were living in the rubble �(00:22:22) The Men He Served With -He was serving with other men that had gotten into the service at the end of the war -The officers and enlisted men had an amicable relationship -Protocol concerning rank was not heavily enforced -He was allowed to do things that technically required a higher rank than he had (00:23:36) Visiting Switzerland -During his time in Germany there was a tour of Switzerland organized by the Army -He volunteered to go on that -Lasted one week -First city he saw was Basel, Switzerland and toured the city via bicycle -Switzerland was untouched by the war -He was treated well by the Swiss -Always interested in talking to American soldiers -The tour was organized and paid for by the American government (00:25:14 Payment -He was paid in German deutschemarks, but they were essentially useless -Could only use them at the PX (Army general store) on the base -Trading with Germans was done using cigarettes anyway (00:25:49) Crime in Munich -In Munich there was a lot of crime -German women would lure American soldiers down to the riverfront -When they got there, German men would mug the American soldiers -Troops weren‟t technically allowed to carry firearms off the base -The military police would allow you to carry a concealed firearm off the base -That was the only way you were allowed to leave the base (00:27:02) Coming Home and End of Service -He left Germany in September 1946 -Got discharged in October 1946 -Did not spend a full two years in the Army due to a reduction in forces -He was one of the last men to leave Landsberg besides the officers -Left out of Bremerhaven, Germany -The voyage home had rough seas, but was otherwise good -The ship had been taken by the Allies after WWI -Served better food, allowed to explore the ship, and go up on deck -Pulled into New York -They were taken to a base and he was put on KP (kitchen patrol) duty -Serving steaks to incoming soldiers -After he was done with that he was allowed to go off base -From there he was sent back to Illinois to be discharged -He hitchhiked back to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Remembers just walking into the living room -Went back to work shortly after getting discharged -Went to Grand Rapids Junior College (now Grand Rapids Community College) -Student there for two years -Transferred to the University of Michigan for one year -Studied mechanical engineering �-Transferred to Western Michigan University for two years -Studied business administration -Got a job in accounting -Moved to Alpena and worked there for eighteen years -Worked for a Canadian company called Abitibi -Manufactured newspaper -After Alpena he moved back to Grand Rapids (00:31:21) Reflections on Service -It gave him the chance to experience what it was like to be in the service -Felt that the military just wasn‟t for him -Didn‟t like being restricted and living a regimented lifestyle -Understands how it works for some people -Just didn‟t fit well with his personality � 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 KeithR1747V Title A name given to the resource Keith, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2015 Description An account of the resource Robert Keith was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1926. He grew up in Grand Rapids and in August 1944 he enlisted in the Army Air Force, almost a month before his eighteenth birthday. He reported for duty on March 1, 1945 and was processed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He was sent to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi for basic training and then a technical school where he learned how to be an aircraft mechanic. His time there ended in September 1945 and he was sent to Langley Field, Virginia for two months. In November 1945 he was sent over to Germany where he was stationed at Landsberg Air Base near Munich doing engine changes on a variety of aircraft, but the major focus was on the C-47 transport plane. His time in Germany ended in September 1946. He returned to the United States and was discharged in October 1946. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keith, Robert 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 Forces Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans 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/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-22 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/07f0e6dc43746931a3690af30f2367c7.mp4 5dc77942d8053aa2e780e3a718dcaed3 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2becb78cc72f3e08bb134f14bcd5ae87.pdf 814bbe3c46490c1072b21df8cb490ed7 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Herman Keizer Pre-Vietnam, Vietnam War, and Post -Vietnam 2 hours 12 minutes Interview begins @ 00:03:30 (00:03:32) Early Life -Born in Chicago, Illinois on May 21, 1938 -Oldest of seven children -Had lots of opportunities growing up in Chicago -Moved to the suburb of Cicero at the age of six -Went to a Christian Reformed school until second grade -Went to a Lutheran grammar school after second grade -Good teachers and small classes -Went to J. Sterling High School in Cicero -Had a full time job at the time and also went to school -Wanted to go into the ministry -Was heavily involved in the church at a young age -Started teaching Sunday School -Considered going to the Calvin College Seminary -Wanted a Classically driven education -Calvin was also Christian Reformed so it was their denomination of belief (00:09:11) Calvin College -Took a year off after high school to save money -While at Calvin he worked part time jobs -Went broke by the first part of his senior year -Had no frame of reference for a higher education -Came from a family and an area where higher education was nonexistent -College was foreign to him, and difficult (00:11:39) Draft and Training Overview -One year before graduation got drafted in 1962 -Taking a break from college made him liable to be drafted -Was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training -Chaplain’s wife heard him singing during a service and told him he should join the choir -Chaplain asked him if he wanted to become a Chaplain’s Assistant -Went to Fort Dix, New Jersey for Clerical Training -Sent to Fort Belvoir, Virginia for a permanent deployment (00:13:45) Details on Basic Training -Goal is to strip you of your identity -Same haircut, same uniform, act the same -You start to become a soldier gradually -It felt like a series of small graduations at the end of each week -Learning how to march, handle a rifle, and live in the field �-Took a twenty mile march at the end of field training -Army struggles with making it seem like you’re part of a constant team -Needs to instill a cohort system for bonding (train together, fight together) -There was not a lot of emotional conflict -Studied to be a chaplain and trained to be a soldier -A Chaplain’s Assistant meant he would protect the chaplain (00:18:16) Military and Chaplaincy -Being in the military helped to push him towards the end goal of becoming a chaplain -Saw how instrumental chaplains were in the military -Ran into clergy from all different faiths -Enlightening experience, the differences didn’t matter -Saw cooperation without compromising of faith -Remembers that chaplains were important for the morale of soldiers (00:22:40) Cuban Missile Crisis and Fort Belvoir -Knew of trouble in Vietnam, but the main concern was Cuba -Got deployed to Florida in the event that an invasion was launched -Helped engineers at Fort Belvoir get ready to move down to Florida Coast -Worked full time with the chaplain at Fort Belvoir -Would have had to go in with the first wave if Cuba was invaded -Chaplains would have been extremely necessary and would have needed protection -Confidentiality was key and instrumental for advocacy amongst the soldiers -With confidential information he could challenge officers that were being unethical -Confronted a 4 star general once -Tremendous sense of excitement and foreboding during the Cuban Missile Crisis -Only twenty miles away from Washington D.C. -Heard news about Cuba in real time because of how close he was to the capitol -Nuclear strike was a very real threat -Was ready to go fight if necessary -Knew severity of nuclear warfare -Threat of nuclear holocaust was an everyday part of civilian life -Saw tapes that showed the extreme power of a nuclear weapon (00:31:38) JFK Assassination -Just got off guard duty at Fort Belvoir when he saw the report that JFK had been assassinated -Immediately told his company commander -Held memorial services -Busy time because of planning for memorials -Fort Myer and Fort Belvoir engineers built the first eternal flame -There wasn’t a lot of time to reflect or mourn the president’s death -Tremendous increase in paranoia over Russian and/or Cuban involvement in JFK’s death -Community involvement in the march to Arlington Cemetery was stirring (00:34:34) Returning to Calvin College -Returned to Calvin College to pursue an education in the Seminary -Got married to a nurse from Blodgett Hospital in 1964 -Finished Calvin in 1965 -More discipline and older age was helpful in completing studies -G.I. Bill helped to negate the major monetary concerns �-Had a clear direction as to what he wanted to get out of college -Spent three years in the Calvin College Seminary after that -Confined area for studying scripture, theology, and ethics -Took comprehensive exam -Hebrew, Greek, and theology were major subjects -Exams helped pull the knowledge together -After comprehensive exam took classical exam (00:39:20) Military Requirements for Chaplaincy -Being a chaplain in the Army required formal education -A Masters in Theology to be specific -Needed to be a part of a religion that has constituency and can sponsor you -Army wanted to curtail fraud -Needed to have endorsement from religion that could be retracted if necessary -Kept people who weren’t equipped to be chaplains out of that service -Had to be able to have a split allegiance to both the U.S Army and Christianity -Would not compromise faith for orders -Graduating from Seminary was just one step -Had to go through Classical and then on to being ordained (00:45:51) Becoming a Chaplain and Fort Gordon, Georgia -Parents supported chaplaincy decision -Wished he would have aimed for getting a church instead though -Fuller Avenue Christian Reformed Church called him for chaplaincy -At this point also got Captain’s Commission from the Army -Got ordained and endorsed -Had to go active duty -Deployment was to Fort Gordon, Georgia -Didn’t know anyone that was already there -Chaplains that hadn’t already gone through basic training weren’t forced to go through that -Instead they were given physical training and an education on the Geneva Convention -Having military experience was helpful at Fort Gordon -Could get right into his chaplaincy -Soldiers trusted him because he was trained -Fort Gordon was a signal center at the time -Wide array of people were there -Fort was active twenty four hours a day (00:51:40) Deployment to Vietnam -Buildup was happening -Knew that within six months he would have to go to Vietnam -Did four months of signal school -Did two months of physical training to be prepared to be in a combat zone -Was flown to Vietnam in a chartered commercial flight -Landed in Tan Son Nhut Air Base -Noticed that Vietnam had its own smell -Food, feces, and the smell of open sewage -Senses were bombarded getting off the plane -Hot and humid as well �-Assigned to the 1st Infantry Division northeast of Saigon -Specifically assigned to the 1st Battalion of 26th Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division (00:54:54) Lai Khe -Sent to Lai Khe -Former rubber plantation in southern Vietnam near Saigon -Met the chaplain that he was replacing -Warned of and briefed on the difficult times that he would experience -Was greeted by Colonel Radcliffe -Told that he could move freely between the base camp and Lai Khe -Keizer requested that he would be allowed to go out into the field -Colonel resisted at first and then acquiesced -Given the rundown about being in the field -He was allowed to pick units that he felt needed the morale boost the most -Admired the abilities of commanders -Could organize and manage the artillery, air, and ground movements -Had to deal with uncharted jungles (01:03:26) In the Field-The 1st Time -First time in the field was uneventful -Secured a positioned so that other troops could move in -Discovered signs of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese presence -Felt good not causing problems by being there -Could be a soldier and a minister -Gave affirmation the commander and eased his wariness (01:05:38) In the Field-The 3rd Time -Third time that they went out they made contact -Point man stopped because he saw a booby trap -Claymore mines were set off remotely by the Viet Cong -Viet Cong opened fire but weren’t able to wound or kill anyone -U.S. troops reacted immediately and killed fifteen V.C. -Remembers that the engagement was loud, and heard bullets going over his head -Seeing the damage of a Claymore mine was unsettling -There was fear, but being afraid was healthy and helpful -Moved the V.C. bodies, searched them for intel and tried to pick up the trail -Kept moving trying to stay on their trail -Slow, persistent, and deliberate -Never found them -Spent two days in the field and then returned to the firebase (01:11:05) Discovery of a Base -Bulldozer collapsed into a bunker while clearing foliage -Five story deep tunnel system used by the Viet Cong -Complex and intricate (hospital, communications, and sophisticated flue system) -Found a cemetery -Finding a cemetery indicated they were on top of a large base -Viet Cong were extremely dug in and tenacious (01:13:30) International Relations -Did not have a lot of contact with South Vietnamese troops at first �-After the U.S. special forces and the South Vietnamese Army invaded Cambodia contact with the South Vietnamese increased -There were racial tensions between local indigenous people and the South Vietnamese -Interacted with the Australians -Replaced chaplain that was going on R&R -Not a lot of South Vietnamese chaplains -South Korean chaplains were fairly common (01:16:45) Daily Routine in Vietnam -Services were not bound to Sundays -Where the chaplain went and when he went was when the service was -He and a Catholic priest would fly out together from their base camp everyday -Upon returning he would eat dinner, shower, and then go to the hospital until midnight -During services in the field there was cooperation -Protestants guarded the Catholics and vice versa -Tried to bring Jewish literature and incorporate Jewish scripture for Jewish soldiers (01:19:33) Cambodia -Discovered that they were in the middle of a Viet Cong training ground -At night they got hit by mortar and rocket fire -Sustained a concussion, skull fracture, and shrapnel wounds -Had to fight through the night -He was given a flak jacket and a .45 pistol -Went and tended to the wounded -Aided medic who was treating a soldier that was severely wounded -Prayed and comforted the soldiers that were mortally wounded -Stayed on the base and was treated there -Wanted to stay with the soldiers -Conducted a memorial service the next day (01:25:57) An Khe and Coming Home -Returned to An Khe after Cambodia -4th Infantry was being rotated into An Khe -Helipad had been altered -Pilot wasn’t accustomed to the different helipad -Helicopter crashed -He fell out and broke both of his arms -Went to the hospital at An Khe -Stabilized there -Move to Camp Zama, Japan -Further stabilization, surgery, and medical processing -Sent to the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois -Stayed there for five months -Got to reunite with his wife, parents, and see his son who was nine months old (01:28:54) Fort Carson and Background on Drugs & Alcohol Program -Sent to Fort Carson, Colorado -Acted as a hospital chaplain -Still needed to meet with physical therapists because of broken arms -Went to a variety of Ivy League schools to gather info for drug & alcohol program �-Was eventually sent to the Pentagon to deliver information and program outline -Problems existed in Europe concerning race relations and drugs -Sent to Wurzburg, Germany as a special advisor for the commander of the 4th Infantry Division -Cocaine and heroin were prevalent in Vietnam -Extremely pure and also very cheap -“A $5 habit a day in Vietnam was $100 a day in New York.” -Alcohol was also a major problem amongst soldiers (01:32:45) Drugs & Alcohol Program Details -Worked with clinical psychologist and psychiatrist in a detox ward in Germany -Program was not meant to be a medical model -Just a way to get the command involved with the issue at hand -Put together briefing -Believed that it would take a combination of leadership from best lieutenant colonels and education -Taught about urine analysis and drug education -Saw unethical conduct in Schaffenburg, Germany -Commander was concerned about maintaining reputation -Didn’t want to be seen as a commander of drug users -Needed to know how to help them -Briefed the Commander of Army Europe on the situation -Got assigned to train drug abuse counselors all over Europe -Established a drug education school in Bremerhaven, Germany -Ran it for two years (01:36:31) Chaplaincy in the States -Returned to the U.S. -Went to chaplain advanced course -Learned how to serve commanders at the next highest level -Selected for advanced civilian schooling -Sent to Columbia University Teachers’ College for one year -Got a Master’s in education -Spent two years in the faculty at Brooklyn -Spent two years in Fort Monmouth -Was part of the staff at first and then became a trainer -Supposed to go back to Europe -Wound up getting placed in a newly formed position -Served Deputy Chief of Staff Maxwell Thurman -Got invited to social functions thrown by Thurman -Worked for him for three years -Wrote papers for the chief of staff concerning leadership -Wrote a paper detailing the conduct for helping Army families (01:41:45) September 11, 2001 -Was working at the State Department -Special advisor to the ambassador for International Religious Freedom -Coworker came in and said that the World Trade Center had been hit -Saw the second plane hit on live TV -Bomb warning went off in the State Department to evacuate �-Had to go through a special computer shutdown procedure for security purposes -Was prepared to go over to the Pentagon to address the Unified Chaplains over lunch -Saw smoke pouring out of the Pentagon -Advised State Department employees to go home -Walked over to the Pentagon -Volunteers were gathering to go and gather the dead -Some was asking for a person with mortuary experience -He helped to establish a basic mortuary -Went into the center courtyard of the Pentagon and helped the firefighters there -Started to visit surrounding hospitals (01:45:04) Post 9/11 -Asked to help with security the next day at the State Department -Compiled list of countries that were active in the World Trade Center -Helped to discern that it was not an attack on America, it was an attack on the world -Lost a lot of good friends in the Pentagon on 9/11 (01:48:50) Reflections on Service -Spent forty years in the Army -It gave him the opportunity to be able to work for soldiers and their families -Got to be responsible for all of the chaplains from all of the branches in Europe -Saw monumental occurrences in modern history -Rwanda, the Ivory Coast, Bosnia, and Kosovo -Was able to see firsthand the fall of the Soviet Union -Helped reestablish chaplaincy positions in Eastern European countries -Sense of accomplishment being able to see first chaplains graduate from those countries -Feels like he is part of a distinguished legacy of servicemen � 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 KeizerH0437V Title A name given to the resource Keizer, Herman (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keizer, Herman Description An account of the resource Herman Keizer was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1938 and grew up in the suburb of Cicero. He attended Calvin College in Michigan and was drafted in 1962. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training, and on to Fort Dix, New Jersey for clerical training, and was deployed to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he served as a chaplain's assistant. He was on standby during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After completing seminary at Calvin College he became an Army chaplain and served in Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Division at the time of the Cambodian incursion in 1970. After the war he served as a high ranking chaplain in Europe, the United States, the State Department, and the Pentagon until his retirement. 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 Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-07-25 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9ca3630009c72e45b29d92f0ddf141c3.mp4 94ddd7a297b098d7f0311da31b12630f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9f585b40bd3ecb7bb0f0fad2134afd62.pdf 37c928fb35cb8be14ac746efe7dafabf PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Herman Keizer Cold War/Vietnam War/Peacetime/War on Terror 1 hour 43 minutes 13 seconds (00:00:49) Early Life -Born in Chicago on May 21, 1938 -He was the oldest of seven children -He had four sisters and two brothers -His father was a truck driver -His mother was a housewife (00:02:02) Getting Drafted -After high school he attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan -He completed his junior year and then funds ran out -Decided to take some time off to work and get more money -Because he left school he lost his draft deferment -He had been studying to be a minister -He got drafted in 1962 (00:02:38) Training -Received basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky -Went to Fort Dix, New Jersey for further training -Stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia after training was complete -He was there during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Kennedy Assassination -Basic training was a unique experience -Remembers that the first thing that happened was his head was shaved -Quickly adjusted to being called by his last name -First week of basic training was comprised of running and physical training -Second week dealt with bayonet training and weapons training -Learning how to shoot and maintain your rifle -Went out on bivouacs during basic training -He was made an acting sergeant because of having three years of college -Basic training lasted eight weeks -During basic training he actually gained weight -He could never do the long runs because he didn’t know how to pace himself -Trained to become a chaplain’s assistant (00:06:16) Seminary -After he got out of the Army in 1964 he went to the Seminary at Calvin College -After he got out he also got married -He graduated from Seminary in 1968 (00:06:32) Cuban Missile Crisis -He was going to be part of the first wave into Cuba if the U.S. invaded -Preparations were being made by the chaplain -Where to set up on the beachhead and what to expect -It was a scary time �-His job as chaplain’s assistant was to carry a rifle and protect the chaplain -He also helped the chaplain get set up for services -In a combat situation he would have defended the chaplain and assisted the chaplain -Helping to tend to the dead and dying (00:08:06) Assassination of President Kennedy -He was just getting off guard duty at Fort Belvoir when he heard the news of the assassination -Went and alerted his first sergeant -He went over to the chapel -Knew that a lot of soldiers would be looking for spiritual guidance during that time -Remembers when engineers from Fort Myer, Virginia set up the Eternal Flame -He also worked as a chauffeur for the bishops and cardinals coming to see President Kennedy -Because he was their driver he was able to go to the front of the line to see his body -He sang at a memorial service for the president -Everyone was stunned and wanted to talk about what had happened -It was a difficult time for the troops because they had lost their commander in chief (00:10:07) Civil Rights Movement -He had received training in riot control during the Civil Rights Movement -Never actually saw any racial violence during his time at Fort Belvoir -A lot of soldiers talked about inequality (00:11:05) Reenlisting as a Chaplain -After he completed Seminary in 1968 he reenlisted -He was allowed to become a chaplain faster because he had already served two years -He went through Officer Training -Consisted of getting back into shape, learning how to be professional, process paperwork -He knew that he would probably get sent to Vietnam -The war was losing public support by the time he reenlisted -At Calvin College he had learned about the “Just War Theory” -He was against the war, but didn’t express his own opinion to the troops -The “Just War Theory” had three parts: -What was the rationale for going to war? (I.e. just cause or last resort) -Discrimination and proportionality (Avoiding killing civilians) -Working on returning to a state of peace after the war (00:15:18) Stationed at Fort Gordon -Before being deployed he was sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia -First was stationed at the Signal School -Then went on to the basic training camp to get back in shape before deploying -He worked alongside Catholics and other Protestants without any problems -He was stationed there for six months (00:16:58) Deployment to Vietnam -When he got deployed his wife was seven months pregnant -He left the United States out of California -From California they flew to Hawaii -From Hawaii they flew into Saigon, South Vietnam (00:17:29) Joining the 1st Infantry Division -From Saigon he was bussed to the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters at Di’An -He received his orientation there �-During this time he was issued his gear -From Di’An he was sent to Lai Khe -It was a former Michelin rubber plantation -He was stationed there for five months -After he was there for five months the 1st Infantry Division began to leave Vietnam (00:18:53) Joining the 4th Infantry Division -After the 1st Infantry Division left he was going to be sent to the rear -The 4th Infantry Division needed a new chaplain -He volunteered to take the position -He enjoyed being part of the religious unit that he was in (00:20:22) In the Field -At first his commander didn’t want him to go into the field -He was able to convince his commander to let him go -He wanted to be out with the troops -He would fly out into the field aboard Huey helicopters -He either went when the troops went or later during a resupply run -He remembers seeing two soldiers get decapitated by a helicopter -They didn’t duck when they left the helicopter (00:22:23) Enemy Contact & Being in Cambodia -When he was with the 4th Infantry Division he went into Cambodia -First time that he saw North Vietnamese tanks and artillery pieces -He went in with the first company to establish a firebase -They found an abandoned medical center -It was six stories underground -It had been built with primitive handmade tools -They also discovered a sapper training area -Two days later their firebase was hit by sappers -He remembers a rocket propelled grenade exploded above where he was sleeping -The force was strong enough to blow off his flak jacket and rupture his air mattress -He ran around tending to soldiers wearing only his helmet and a flak jacket -The only defense he had was a .45 caliber pistol -He was in a few major engagements as well as a number of firefights -During his time in Cambodia he was wounded -He also fell out of a helicopter at 150 feet when the rotor blade hit a high tension wire -The soldiers always took care of him well when he was in the field -During one operation they went into a valley and found a small North Vietnamese farm -Killed the North Vietnamese soldiers and took over the farm (00:27:34) Other Dangers -While he was in Saigon someone dropped a grenade in the gas tank of his jeep -It had tape around it that would decay from the gas and then explode -He had to deal with a hysterical and armed soldier that was on a base -This soldier had been walking point for ten months (stressful and high risk position) -The soldier’s wife and the soldier’s friend had had an affair -Herman faced down the crazed soldier and tried to talk him down -The soldier ran to get another gun and Herman punched him, knocking him out -The soldier was eventually evacuated to Walter Reed Army Hospital �-He was then medically discharged -Because of Herman’s actions he was awarded the Soldier’s Medal -Highest non-combat medal (00:32:00) Duties as a Chaplain -He started his days at 5 AM and went out to the field -He would then return with the last helicopter back to base -He would then clean up, eat, and visit the hospital and morgue until midnight -Usually only got about five hours of sleep each night -He would conduct three services each day -He would serve communion as a symbol of suffering, but also hope -If there were a lot of casualties chaplains would only go to the hospital -His job as a chaplain was to tend to the soldiers that were going to die -He remembers one Jewish soldier that he prayed with -They prayed the 23rd Psalm together and then the soldier died -He did not like to visit the morgue because he saw the mangled bodies of soldiers he knew -He would conduct final confessions and bless the Catholic dead with Holy Water -This was if the priest was absent (00:36:53) Maintaining Stability and Faith -If he wanted to remain sane he would have to take care of himself too -Made sure that he took time eat, sleep and relax -He had a friend in Saigon that he would visit and go golfing with -During times of crises soldiers either turned to or away from God -Most soldiers took comfort in faith (00:40:10) Getting Wounded and Helping with the Wounded -When he fell out of the helicopter he broke both of his arms -He managed to land in elephant grass though which helped break his fall -He was sent to Tan Son Nhut and from there to Camp Zama, Japan -After he was stable enough he was sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois to recover -Prior to the helicopter accident he was wounded in Cambodia -He had been hit with shrapnel, but those were minor injuries -He remembers when a Chinook helicopter accidentally landed on a truck carrying soldiers -He helped pick up body parts and conduct the memorial service -He was sent to Great Lakes Naval Station in 1970 -After recovering he was sent to Fort Carson, Colorado in November 1970 (00:43:31) Keeping in Touch -He still keeps in touch with the men he met in 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment 1st Division -He attends reunions -Receives Christmas cards and a newsletter -He is part of the 1st Division Society (00:44:38) Downtime, Viet Cong, and Contact with Family -He didn’t have much downtime when he was in Vietnam -His son was born while he was in Vietnam -Remembers that the birth was actually announced by a Viet Cong soldier -The Viet Cong soldier had found out the news through the Red Cross -The barber that he went to was eventually killed during a night patrol -He had defected to the Viet Cong �-The day before the barber was killed he had given Herman a shave and a haircut -He communicated with home by way of letters and tapes -There was, at the minimum, a two week delay in getting letters or tapes from home -He didn’t get to see his son until he got to Great Lakes Naval Station -He was nine months old at the time and was terrified of his father -Writing letters home was cathartic -Enjoyed getting the tapes because he could hear his wife and child (00:48:33) Dealing with the Drug Problem -When he got back to the United States he was a captain -At Fort Carson, Colorado he worked with soldiers that had drug addictions -He started to work on an amnesty program for the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division -He did this while in Vietnam and would send soldiers to Saigon to detox -Did the same thing while he was in the 4th Infantry Division -He used what he had learned to Vietnam to help at Fort Carson -He attended Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and USC to write up a guide for the military -A more comprehensive and practical approach to deal with alcohol and drug abuse -He was sent to Wurzburg, Germany to help in the hospital there -Helped to set up a drug program there -He also reformed the system while he was there -Officers were protecting soldiers that were abusing drugs to keep a good reputation -He started a school in Europe for all of the branches of the armed forces -Teaching drug counselors how to properly deal with drug abuse (00:52:10) Working in the Pentagon -After Europe he returned to the United States and attended Columbia University -Worked as part of the faculty there until 1982 -He went to the Pentagon to work for General Max Thurman -He wrote a paper for him on leadership, families, and ethics -Presented his work to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army -While he was working at the Pentagon he was a major and then promoted to lieutenant colonel (00:53:58) 25th Infantry Division -After the Pentagon he was assigned to Hawaii to be the chaplain for the 25th Infantry Division -He got to travel to all of the Pacific bases -He visited South Korea for three months every year that he did that -He didn’t get to be as close to the troops as he had been though -Remembers that captains would look up to him, but majors just saw him as a boss -He enjoyed being part of the staff during that time (00:55:28) The Gulf War -He went back to the Pentagon to work for the Chief of Chaplains during the Gulf War -Helped set up a program to educate soldiers about Islam -Convinced the State Department to allow Christian & Jewish services to be held in Saudi Arabia (00:56:12) Peacetime Duties -He attended the Army War College for one year -After the War College he worked for the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon -He worked to make sure that Jewish soldiers could get kosher rations -Figured out that you could just make kosher rations that everyone could eat -As opposed to the costly idea of having to make and sort out special rations �-He worked on making MREs (meals ready to eat) for Kurds who were starving -Worked with dieticians to make sure the Kurds weren’t getting too much food -If they got too many calories at once the shock would kill them -He went to Europe to be the European Command Chaplain -The scope of his job included all countries between Norway and South Africa -Did that from 1994 to 1997 -He worked in Eastern European countries to help reestablish their chaplaincy programs -Saw the first graduating class of chaplains from Romania and the Czech Republic -He visited South Africa to help with the post-Apartheid integration process -Helped educate chaplains in African countries that were participating in peacekeeping missions -Teaching them how to teach soldiers about civil liberties and human rights -After that he went back and worked for the Chief of Chaplains at the Pentagon -He planned to do only one more year and then retire -This plan was interrupted by a sex abuse scandal at Aberdeen Proving Grounds -He was transferred to work for the Chief of Personnel -Creating a plan to deal with the scandal -He spoke before the Senate and House Armed Services Committee -He retired at Fort Myer and then was rehired -Had to do this because of Army protocol concerning length of service (01:03:32) Working at the State Department and September 11th -He went to work for the State Department in 2000 -Working on religious freedom issues in African countries and the Balkans -Coordinating with American embassies in those countries -He was in the State Department on September 11th, 2001 -He saw the Pentagon in flames -The State Department was evacuated and he told people to go home -Told them to avoid using subways or other mass transit systems -He went over to the Pentagon to help tend to the wounded -He knew forty five people that were killed in the Pentagon during the attacks -He was personally congratulated by Colin Powell for scattering State Department employees -He eventually retired from the State Department (01:07:06) Post-Military Life Pt. 1 -After leaving the Army he was diagnosed with lung cancer -After his lung cancer was treated he moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife -He worked with civilian and military chaplains in the Christian Reformed Church -He would still visit the Pentagon three times each year for work -It was harder for his wife to adjust to being a civilian than it was for him -Had to make new friends and get involved in new groups which was difficult (01:10:04) Treatment as a Soldier -When he came home from Vietnam he was spit on and called a baby killer -Later, after he retired, he was made a distinguished alumnus at Calvin College and Seminary (01:11:34) Veterans’ Groups -He is part of the Big Red One Society (1st Infantry Division) -He is part of the “Hooties” -He is a member of the Army and Navy Club -He is the chaplain for the Purple Heart Club �(01:12:31) Post-Military Life Pt. 2 -He worked for the Christian Reformed Church for eight years -He worked with the Truth Commission on Conscience in War -Specifically dealing with moral injury of war and conscientious objectors in war -In 2009 he helped develop an eight step plan to deal with moral injury -He worked with female theologians from the West Coast to create grant proposals -Retired from that in May 2014 (01:15:17) Reflections on Service -He still has bad dreams once in a while -No one goes to war and comes back unchanged -His military service caused some difficulties for his marriage -It made him a workaholic -The process of making a soldier is done well, but the process of making a civilian is not -Soldiers go back to civilian life and miss their purpose, their friends, and their weapon -Soldiers lose their sense of identity -Retired career soldiers still dress and act like soldiers even in the civilian sector -He believes that there still needs to be a draft -Only 1% of the populace is in the military -Believes this creates a disconnect between civilians and soldiers -Forces soldiers to do multiple consecutive tours -Believes that the government has abandoned the military as well as any moral agency it had -Causes soldiers to lose the will to fight and question the cause -Believes that the Veterans’ Administration doesn’t actually help veterans -All it does is give them medication -He thinks that everyone ought to serve their country -Either through civil service (Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or the military -Doesn’t feel that there are any opportunities for conscientious objectors to serve -The nature of warfare has changed which puts a lot of psychological strain on soldiers -They come home feeling ashamed of what they had to do overseas -He still misses the Army -He doesn’t believe that chaplains are doing their job correctly anymore -Too focused on gaining followers instead of just helping soldiers that want help Question and answer portion ends at 01:27:25 01:27:25-01:42:57 -Showing of plaques, service medals, and significant personal effects from his career � 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 KeizerH1723V Title A name given to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interview outline and video), 2015 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/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-01-16 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/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/266ee9dd2fc0009ad37acbbec85c20c1.m4v ea5c822007150bfe0ae60e460ae56777 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/63df4bb869ad4a0ace6ded55d3b1ba90.pdf 0e41438bea578748eaf58ac0bb801937 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II George Keller Length of interview (1:30:02) (00:04) Background Was born on a Michigan farm in 1916 and was one of seven siblings. (00:12) Brother was inducted into World War I when George was 2 years old, 1918. (00:29) All of his sibling suffered from diabetes and bad hearing. (01:05) Started grade school in a rural school. (01:25) Family moved to Everett, where he went to school and graduated in 1935. (01:45) Enjoyed school because he was too small to play sports. (01:59) Graduated in the height of the Depression. (02:18) Father had died in 1932, when he was 16 years old. (02:22) Went back to school to become a qualified teacher. (02:28) Moved to Ottawa county to teach for a few years before getting his degree. (04:11) Taught in several rural schools. Had been principal in several small schools. (04:42) Was teaching at a four-room school when Pearl Harbor happened in 1941. (08:15) Was drafted in February, 1943. (08:39) Admits that he hadn’t paid much attention to the war in Europe before Pearl Harbor. (08:51) Was married in 1942. Describes the difficulty of dealing of being drafted. (11:32) (13:32) Basic Training First reported to Camp Custer to take his physical. (13:42) Trained at Camp Claiborne, LA, along the Sabine River. Stayed there for six months (13:50) Were told that they would be practicing maneuvers in swamplands for three months. (14:40) Explains how he was promoted from a Private to a Sergeant. (14:50) Describes the basic training process. Recalls that the rigor of basic training forced him to grow up very quickly. (16:14) Describes some of the difficulty he had with the running courses. (17:35) His specialized job included checking the morning reports of several companies. Describes the difficulty of this because everything was done by hand. (19:26) Trained with the 103rd Division, which had fought in World War I. (22:24) Stayed in Louisiana from February until November. (23:51) Division moved to Texas from August to November, where they were on maneuvers. Describes the conditions during this time. (24:59) Wife came around Christmas and stayed until July. (26:37) Division was called the “Cactus Division.” (26:53) Division went to Texas for glider training. Learned to pack parachutes. (27:22) Describes his living situation while in Texas. (32:47) Recalls his friendship with his typist, who had an anthropology degree from Stanford �University. (36:20) Divison was sent to Southern France in September on a Liberty Ship from Camp Shanks, NY. (38:25) (40:13) Service in Europe Arrived in Marseilles, France with a convoy. (40:13) Walked for 22 miles north of Marseilles to a new Delta Base. Most troops continued on trucks, but theirs didn’t. Describes traveling through the rain. (40:35) At one point, their division wasn’t able to receive rations. Describes meeting a woman who helped them find food and provided a place for them to stay. For a couple weeks, they would listen to the BBC there, which was against the law. (42:11) Traveled north before reaching the Rhine at Worth, France. (45:12) Describes his work in the headquarters, which required him to keep track of casualties. (49:20) Describes his disdain with the living conditions of the civilians. (51:24) Towards the end of the war, his division ended up in Innsbruck, Austria. Division was instructed to ‘liberate’ the city. Describes the experience. (52:24) After clearing out the southern half, they turned the area into a camp. (53:40) Describes meeting a couple women who had snuck back into town. (54:13) Stayed in Innsbruck for about three months, until he received orders to work at General Patton’s headquarters near Munich. Described the comfortable living and working conditions. (55:34) Describes his contact with General Patton. Was often asked to type up top secret endorsements. (58:01) Describes his experience with a coworker who was fratenizing with the Germans. (59:36) Discuss Patton’s political troubles. (1:02:25) Describes Patton as a “picturesque person” who was not disliked during the war. (1:04:16) During this time, he was “so busy [that he] didn’t know what he was doing.” He worked to keep track of the movements of all of the soldiers that were being sent home. Describes the scope of the headquarters’ duties. (1:07:18) Describes his frustration with the women he worked with. (1:09:43) Before he was discharged, he was allowed to attend any university in Europe. Attended the Univeristy of Edinburgh. (05:32) Didn’t enroll in classes because he wanted to learn about the school system in Europe. Found that it was very similar. (06:23) Returned to the United States in December, 1945 from Scotland after his detached service from Hamburg, Germany. Describes his experience having to sleep at Camp Lucky Strike, near Le Havre, France while waiting for reliable transportation. (1:10:37) (1:14:02) Life After Service Returned home in January and recalls that the North Atlantic was very foggy. (1:14:02) Mentions his fascination with historical poetry and astronomy. (1:14:17) Landed in New York before taking a train to Camp Atterbury, Indiana. (1:15:15) Arrived home on January 9. (1:15:44) Worked at a Kelvinator Refrigerators Plant in Wyoming before working with computers. �(1:16:00) Received a call from [Compton] who asked him to be a principal because of his military background. Worked there for about four or five years. (1:17:15) Describes his life with his family and some of the hobbies he enjoyed. (1:18:22) Recalls that his experience in the military made him a man. Says that it was an experience he wouldn’t want to repeat, but he thinks it was worthwhile, nonetheless. (1:19:37) Retired in 1974. (1:25:05) Taught for a total of 35 years. Now he enjoys teaching bible study. (1:28:42) � 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 KellerG Title A name given to the resource Keller, George (Interview outline and video), 2009 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Keller, George Description An account of the resource George Keller grew up in Michigan and before his service during World War II, he taught in several rural schools and was a principal for a few small schools. He was drafted in February of 1943, and sent to Louisiana to train with the 103rd Division. He was assigned to the divisional headquarters because of his clerical skills, and was promoted from Private to Sergeant so that his rank fit his position. His division landed in Marseille in the fall of 1944 and joined the 7th Army in Alsace. In 1945, they crossed the Rhine and ended the war in Innsbruck, Austria. After thw ear was over, he was transferred to General Patton's headquarters in Munich, where he worked for several months before being shipped home. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009-05-28 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives