704 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/87a9f14883a6df347a7b8f8ab0c0405e.mp4 6449932768c9900ddbbdb80157f9e849 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/554deb4a2ff5ae2dc4da7cfee8291ee8.pdf 1599a145ed90350c516a6d2dc2617865 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Frederick Rawsthorne (42:20) Pre Enlistment Born in St Helens, England, June 6, 1922 Family immigrated to America when very young Returned to England with Mother and Father few years later, back to St Helens. Returned to the United States to find Work. Ecorse, Michigan (1929 6:08) Father Was Foundry worker Five to Six sisters of father migrated to same area. (5:03) Depression Father was unemployed for long periods of time during great depression Family was on welfare for long time, father finally found work at Wyandotte Chemicals Moved to Wyandotte, began to attend public schools. Moved several places within city, attended several different schools. Enjoyed English, chemistry didn’t like math. Was in glee club, tried for swimming team, played role in an Operetta. (11:20) War Started working at gas station for 12$ a week for uncle. Attended apprentice school for Tool and Dye Didn’t finish, Joined Marine Corps in 1942. (14:40) Service Boot Camp in San Diego went home on furlough via train. Was stationed in San Diego, and worked as a Machinist in the reclamation Salvage Dept. Year later he was sent to Camp Pendleton, was moved to Hawaii until reassigned for a few weeks. He was reassigned to Guam, and given a mobile machine shop. �2nd Marine Division 2nd Amphibian Truck Company, vehicle repair. Later moved to Saipan, always just behind the big battles. Was still on Saipan when Atomics where dropped on Japan. He was stationed in area of Nagasaki. The surrounding and was devastated. Japanese were polite and did not give the military any problems. (24:12) After War Shipped home April of1946. No serious relationships. He joined the Masons in 1967. Went Back to Ford, finished his apprenticeship. Was laid off, didn’t have job for period of time. Took Postal examination around Christmas 1949 (30:24) Post Office and Masons Started at the bottom level, eventually achieved Post master Status by appointment. He retained position for 20 years since JFK’s presidency. Became master of Lodge in of Trenton, MI ‘77 They initiated 2-4 candidates a week. (38:20) Family Met wife in Trenton in ‘46 Had Boy and a Girl Daughter Beth is a school teacher in River View Son is a Doctor. They paid for their children’s first four years. (42:20) Reflections on Life Service had little impact on his life. Did not join any Veterans organizations �Masonry helped him a great deal. Wife developed Alzheimer’s Ended up in nursing home in 2005.    � 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 RawsthorneF Title A name given to the resource Rawsthorne, Frederick (Interview outline and video), 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rawsthorne, Frederick Description An account of the resource Frederick Rawsthorne was born in St. Helena, England, but migrated to the United States at an early age with his family. He returned to England with his family, then ventured back to the United States, with his family yet again. His family struggled to support itself during the Great Depression. Frederick found work, and then became a machinist's apprentice at Ford. During his apprenticeship, he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in noncombat zones throughout the Pacific, eventually Japan. After WWII he became a full time machinist. He was laid off in 1949 and went to work at the post office in Trenton, MI. Eventually he rose to high status as postmaster of his town and master of his Masons' lodge. 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 Veterans World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps 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 2006-08-08 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/8844a1ba50348a9de225d372349b03ba.mp4 366d131a40e9515068ff331ae3126eed https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e2827be825bb2f84f83669345690d2a3.pdf fff22452a29fcb7c5437604a2bf5915a PDF Text Text ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW MICHAEL RAUDENBUSH Born: Harvey, Illinois Resides: Rockford, Michigan Interviewed by: James Smither PhD, GVSU Veterans History Project, Transcribed by: Joan Raymer, January 21, 2013 Interviewer: Mike can you start us off with some background on yourself and to begin with, where and when were you born? I was born in Harvey, Illinois on August 5, 1944. Interviewer: Now did you grow up in that area or did you move around? We moved around, my mom moved to Philadelphia for a job in 1945, and we lived in that area for four years. My mom was--well very honestly, my dad took off and my biological dad, they were married, but I don‘t consider him my dad. 1:07 I never saw him and my mom got divorced and she met my dad who adopted me. They got married and we came—my dad worked for the Railway Express in shipping. They shipped mail and everything, but that was starting to go out back in 1949 and he got laid off. They talked it over and they decided they were going to go to the Chicago area, where my mom was born and I was born and she grew up there, and see if he could find a job. 2:00 On the way there I had an uncle and his family in Grand Rapids and we stopped for a three day visit. That was in august of 1950 and my uncle said to my dad, ―You know they‘re hiring like crazy for jobs right now‖ because the Korean War had started and they were taking healthy young men out, so my dad went out with him for a day and came back with a job working for a bakery. From then on we lived here. Both of my parents have passed away, but we lived here the rest of the time. 1 �Interviewer: Now, were you in the city of Grand Rapids when you were growing up? Yes Interviewer: What high school did you go to? 3:03 Well, I wasn‘t in the city for the whole time growing up. For the first three years we were and then we moved, which is well part of the city now, we moved by—not far from the—just off Ball Avenue from the Kent county Jail, which wasn‘t there when we first moved over there. It was a new housing project at that time and my parents got a home. I went to a very small school, a grade school, five class room, the only—the Kindergarteners and the eighth grade were the only ones that got their own room. The others were in two classes, and we were not in any school district then, we were just outside of the city limits. 4:02 My parents--we had been going to the Trinity Methodist Church all the years we lived there and my parents knew a lot of people‘s kids went to East Grand Rapids High School and I could go anywhere, so they decided I was going to go to East. I went to East for two years and then we got annexed to the city and I ended up two years at Central High School, so I graduated from Central in 1963. Interviewer: All right, now what did you do at that point? I lettered in football in—and I ran track, but I didn‘t run track in my senior year because I got a job at downtown Grand Rapids, was downtown Grand Rapids where everybody shopped. 5:00 I got a job working in a meat market down there, Beazley‘s Meat market, so I was working at the meat market and I don‘t know what to say after that. Interviewer: Well, you wind up in the army at some point, how did that happen? 2 �Well, it had to do with the meat market. I had no intentions of going in the service, it wasn‘t even on my mind, and at that time there was, except for the cold war, there wasn‘t a lot going on. Vietnam was a little thing once and a while in the paper, and I became friends with this one other guy that worked. He was going to Creston High School and had just graduated and wanted to go into the army because he had been in high school ROTC. 6:05 Where Beazley‘s was in town, there was a little—between us and Sears next door was a little alley. If you went out the back of our meat market and down the alley and came out, they had the army recruiting right there. He was talking to me and he said, ―You know, I‘m going to go over there and see about enlisting. Could you just come, I‘m nervous, and just help me?‖ I said, ―Sure‖, so we went over there and I just sat down away from him talking to the recruiter and he‘s talking to the recruiter about this and that and I‘m just looking at things. 7:02 The recruiter turns to me and the recruiter says, ―What do you want to enlist in?‖ I said, ―Nothing, I‘m not here to enlist. I‘m just here because he asked me to be moral support‖, and the recruiter says, ―Well, what are you going to do?‖ Like I said, I had already been accepted at JC, which is now Community College, but I said that I really wanted to be a minister at that time. He said, ―What if I send you some material?‖ Well, he said, ―Did you ever think about going into the service?‖ I said, ―No, I want to be a minister‖, and he said, ―Well, you know we have a thing called Chaplain‘s Assistant. You could go in the service and be a Chaplain‘s Assistant and see if you like it?‖ I said one more time, ―No, I‘m not going in the service‖, and he said, ―What if I just send you some literature on it?‖ To get him off my back I said, ―Fine‖. 8:03 Two weeks later, it was summertime, and I came home from working and I walked in and my parents were just sitting there and my mom said, ―You 3 �didn‘t tell us you joined the army‖, and I went, ―What?‖ She said, ―We got a phone call from the army recruiter said that he‘s got you all set up and you leave August 15th. They got the bus ticket for Wayne, Detroit where they check people in and that‖, and I started to say, ―I didn‘t sign anything and I‘m not going‖, and they said, ―You will not go in the service‖. 9:01 Unfortunately, I was a just turned, just turned nineteen year old, and I went, they couldn‘t tell me what to do, so like an idiot I went. There were a lot of nights there that I went, ―What did I do?‖ But that‘s how I ended up in the service. Interviewer: Okay The whole thing was, being a volunteer you could—you went through all the physicals and everything and then the Captain came in to swear us in and he said, ―All of you that are volunteers, at this time, have the right to walk out that door, we‘ll give you a bus ticket home, but if you‘re drafted you have to take the oath‖. 10:03 I‘m looking around and thinking, ―One person, one person walk out and I‘m gone‖, well, nobody did, so I ended up in the service. Interviewer: Did you have any sense of what portion of them were draftees or were they not talking about that? Oh yeah, the draftees, they wanted all the persons that were volunteers to know that they‘re stupid, they‘re volunteering, you know. Interviewer: Were there a lot of draftees there when you were doing the physical or just a few of them? I would say two thirds were draftees. Interviewer: Had you had any expectation, before you wound up accidentally enlisting, that you might get drafted? 4 �No, it wasn‘t even on my mind, you know. At that time, again, it was just the cold war and I didn‘t really know that many people that got drafted. 11:00 Interviewer: There was a draft, but it wasn’t taking huge numbers of men at that time. No Interviewer: So you might well not have to worry about it anyway, and planning to go on to college and so forth. If you were in college you were exempt anyway, while you were in college. Interviewer: So there you are—did the draftees make an effort to find a way to get out of it at that point? Were they trying to fool the recruiters or mess with the physical or anything like that? Not that I saw, no, they were understanding that they were drafted and I think, from what I saw, they must have been pretty patriotic, you know. They just took their fate. They did talk about, ―Just two years and I‘ll be out of it‖. Interviewer: Now, when you went in, had he, had the recruiter set things up so you would get a particular variety of training or did you get option for what kind of training you would get going in? 12:05 Well, he kind of set me up for—to see if I could get in Chaplain‘s Assistant—kind of , and in my eight weeks of basic, I think it was the sixth week, they called out all those that—there were four companies, I think, of trainees going on at the same time, and we were sent down to be interviewed by the base Chaplain. 13:00 I walked down there and there was just a whole bunch of—and I realized talking to these people that, I‘m just a 5 �high school graduate, and the next person had two years of college and the rest were three years graduated, you know, so, needless to say that I didn‘t make the cut. Interviewer: Did you talk to the Chaplain or did you just turn around and leave? I talked to him and you know hope springs eternal and somewhere there was this little maybe, but I didn‘t get it and again, there was only a couple, even with all these people there was only a couple of vacancies. So, I went back and I was going to go to clerks‘ school because my mom made sure I took typing in high school and all that besides my other classes. 14:08 I was going to be a clerk and when you go in the service you take a battery of tests, at least back then a battery of tests. It turns out I scored, I couldn‘t believe it, but I scored pretty high on leadership and all these other things, so I got interviewed for possibly going into the ―ninety day wonder‖ group, you know, and take the ninety days of Officers Candidate School. Here I am a nineteen year old and I passed the first round of questioning. 15:05 I passed the second round and I was getting to the—pretty close into the group, and then they sent in the ―who can we scare guy‖, you know. Again I‘m just nineteen and these other guys are twenty one, twenty two, and have been around a little bit. He started talking about all the harassment and that, and he said, ―You know, if you want to think about it you can sign this paper and at any time you can say, ―you know, I‘d like to take a crack at it‖‖. That wasn‘t really the truth, and once you signed that paper you pretty much were not in it anymore, so I ended up being sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana as a heavy weapon [specialist], mortars and the 106 recoilless rifle. 16:05 Interviewer: Let’s back up a little bit to your arrival at boot camp. They send you to Fort Knox. 6 �Right Interviewer: What sort of a reception do you get when you get down there? This was still the old army and you took this bus all the way straight to Knox from Detroit. They get you off at—early in the morning and to kind of set this up, Bobby Bare--I don‘t know if you know who Bobby Bare is, but he‘s a singer and he had several hits back in the early sixties and one was ―Detroit City‖, ―I want to go home‖, you know and just as—they had a radio that played music, you know, a radio station on the bus and just as we‘re getting in, driving into Knox, that‘s what they played. 17:04 I said, ―This is some kind of a thing telling me, ―you shouldn‘t be here‖‖, but as soon as that bus hit, the training sergeants were out there, ―boom‖ you‘re here. Not being too nice for a training site, and I don‘t understand that, but they put you to your company and off you went. Interviewer: Are they shouting orders at you as you arrive? Oh yeah, oh yeah—the first thing they did once they got you, they marched you right over to the barber. 18:00 And we had this guy from Detroit on our bus that had long curly red hair and that was his pride and joy. When we got to the barber shop guess who they took first? The barber went, you know, ―How would you like this?‖ He goes, ―A little here‖, and the barber goes whish, whish, all gone. He got up and he looked in the mirror and he cried, you know, and I went, ―Oh, man‖, but I kind of knew this was going to happen. My uncle, my mom‘s youngest brother, had served in the army in the Korean War and that and he said, ―Just know that these things are going to happen and just take it in your stride. They‘re just trying to break you in so you take orders and that‖. 19:00 Then we went to basics. 7 �Interviewer: What did they have you spending most of your time doing in basic? What kind of training were you getting there? Pretty much marching, close order drill, learning how to use—at that time it was the M-1, a lot of military classes on proper military etiquette and a lot of PT, a lot of PT. Interviewer: How much emphasis was there on discipline? A lot, which brings me to a little story--we were out learning close, learning close drilling, marching, and I‘m out there and I‘m sneaking a peek at the guy ahead of me. 20:03 Trying to make sure I stayed in step because the first sergeant was leading the drill and he‘d change directions, you know, so I‘m glancing down and he catches me. He decides this is a good time to have a little lesson learned for everybody, so he pulls me out and he says, ―Soldier, you‘re standing—you‘re marching looking at the guy's feet. You can‘t march and look at the guy‘s feet, it doesn‘t work. You get behind me and I‘m not giving any orders, I‘m just going to change and you‘ve got to change too‖, and I made the mistake of keeping up with him. 21:00 And that night we were up in the barracks and we had an inspection the next day, and I‘m in there, and I got my foot locker and your underwear has to be rolled just the right way and I get it all done and it‘s looking good. He comes walking in, he‘s usually home, but he comes walking in and it‘s about nine at night, he‘s looking around and he gets to mine and says, ―I‘ve never seen such*#! looking locker in my life‖, and he took it and threw it. My clothes, and just everything, went all over, and he said, ―Soldier, redo that locker‖, and I learned a lesson right then. Never show up a higher ranking person. But it was—of course everybody else was gaping and they learned a lesson too. 8 �Interviewer: Aside from that particular incident, how easy or had was it for you to adjust to life in the army there? 22:06 To me it was easy and I don‘t know why. Interviewer: You were in pretty good shape when you went in though. Yeah, I played sports in high school and not like I am now. Of course I‘m much older, but I—we actually, we had to run and make at the end, and if you didn‘t pass all of your things you were recycled, in other words you had to redo the whole thing. We had this guy from New York, he was more than slightly overweight and he tried like crazy, but he was not really going to make a good soldier. He had joined the National Guard there in New York to keep from having to serve the two years. 23:04 He was a drummer in a popular singer‘s, in his band we, another guy and I on the run, we almost helped carry him to get him under the time and he just got under the time. I didn‘t want to see the guy fail, you know. But, that kind of stuff—my dad was a strict person, so I was use to rules and that, and you know, I didn‘t grow up doing whatever I wanted to do, so I didn‘t have that big of a problem. Interviewer: Within your company there, were the soldiers all white or did you have some black guys in there? Oh yeah, we had a mixture. We had a group, two white guys from New York and two colored from New York, and they could all harmonize well, and they did. 24:16 they drove me crazy because there was this one song, something about ―Don‘t let your mama come knocking on my door‖, it was a song that was popular back then and I got—I listen to the oldies once and a while on the radio and that, and when that comes on I say, ―Oh 9 �no, they‘re trying to torture me‖. We pretty much—I don‘t remember any racial problems in our company. 25:00 I never heard a slur. Interviewer: So, the drill sergeants didn’t use them or anything like that? No, no, you got to remember Kennedy was in office and he was pushing civil rights pretty good, so it got pushed pretty good in the service. Interviewer: In the military, yeah, they had been a little bit ahead of that game, in terms of desegregation anyway. There were blacks in the regular army units since the 40’s. Yeah Interviewer: You get to the end of basic training, they send you down to Fort Polk, and how do you get down there? Train Interviewer: What do you remember about that trip? That we were not allowed in the cars that had the general public, and that‘s one thing I remember. 26:03 Well, we—I had several guys that I went to basic with, they were my basic platoon and they were gone to the same place, so I had people to talk to. Interviewer: How long did it take, do you think? I‘m saying two days, I think one night. Interviewer: Did you ever get out of the car? Did it stop places or do you think you were in there most of the time. It stopped in a couple of places, let off people and picked up people, and no, we weren‘t allowed off the car. Interviewer: Physically, what was Fort Polk like? 10 �A lot of people hate Fort Polk. 27:04 I don‘t, I had a pretty good time there. There was no big buildup at the time I was there. Interviewer: At this point, this is a little bit before the big Vietnam buildup. There was a point where an awful lot of guys who went in, went in after you went through Fort Polk for AIT, and it had all kinds of reference to Vietnam simulation and that kind of stuff. For you, what was it about fort Polk that you liked? Why did you have a good time there? Well, after AIT I was sent two blocks, like I talked earlier to you, two blocks to the assistant instructor of the 106 recoilless rifle, anti-tank weapon, and I got treated like I was a regular higher rank because I was a trainer. 28:03 Interviewer: So, you went from trainee to trainer almost overnight? In a couple days—it was unbelievable, you know. I had one thing a lot of people did, I still had to pull KP, but I also had several people from my heavy weapons platoon in AIT that went with me, so I had a built in friendship too, and I was lucky enough to—our sergeant, our barracks sergeant, he was from Detroit and he had only been in the service a couple years, but he was fantastic in sports and he won the base several titles. 29:00 Baseball, football, football back when they had rivalries with other bases and that, so his rank went up every time they won another championship, he got another stripe, you know. But, he took me under his wing and he went—he explained thing to me, he went, ―Michael, you don‘t just want to spend time going into Leesville‖, which is the town right outside of—he said, ―Find a way to get away, get twenty, thirty, forty, fifty miles away, and when you do that don‘t act like some stupid idiot, and don‘t put down the people because they talk different from you or do different things‖. And I took that 11 �into—I believe that today and it happened that one of the guys that was in basic and AIT with me, he was a draftee, and he went home and got his car because he could then, he was permanent party. 30:07 And we‘d go on weekends to a place called Ville Platte, about forty miles from the base. They had a bar with a band and that, and the thing was nineteen year olds could drink down there, and I met a girl there and at the same time, my buddy with the car met the girl's girlfriend, and we‘d go up on a Saturday night and the parents—were kind of leery of me at first, but they decided they liked me and allowed me, him and I, to sleep on their couch and that. 31:05 Making sure that the daughter was---which I would have done too as a father. We had a good time it was just—I enjoyed my work, I enjoyed teaching the 106, I enjoyed the life, I loved the live fire we did. At the end of training, what we did was, we had a range out, I guess its called North Fort now, but it was just out, and we‘d fire live rounds and the 106, I don‘t know if you‘re familiar with it, but it‘s got two different types of rounds and they‘re twenty one and twenty three, if I remember right, it‘s been a long time, but in weight, pounds and weight. 32:07 Its got a modified M-50 machine gun, so it only fires one time, and it‘s got a back blast because you put these charges in and it‘s got a back blast that will go back to about up to twenty feet, depending on what you got, and you know the sits on, the gunner sits on the mount and he looks through this scope and then he pushes in and the machine gun bullet goes out and its phosphorus and if it hits the tank then he knows he‘s in and he fires the real round. 33:02 But I had to grab a whole bunch of guys that were the loaders—we spent time, we‘d show them, we‘d fire a round and show them the back blast and then they would get—they were standing right behind me and you had to go, ‗Don‘t shoot, don‘t fire yet‖ and pull them off. 12 �Interviewer: They directly behind the barrel of the gun, right where the back blast would hit them. Oh, it would kill them, kill them in a minute. Interviewer: Do you have any idea how you wound up becoming an instructor out of that? Were you just good with the weapon when you were training on it? Well, I got good grades and everything, as far as the training, but it was the luck of the draw in some way, it really was, it was just kind of the luck of the draw. Interviewer: When you were growing up, had you done any hunting or shooting, or things like that or were you new to guns when you went into the army? No, back in 1955, at the age of eleven, you could go hunting, at that time, with hunting licenses if a parent was with you. 34:10 Where we lived, now it‘s all kinds of buildings and everything else, condos and you name it, but at that time, we walked down to the end of our street, across Plymouth, which was a road that went this way, and it was all woods. We would go pheasant hunting, my dad and I went two years and my dad got mad because we never shot any and we never went hunting again. I had nothing against weapons, except that I don‘t think weapons should be around where little kids are. Interviewer: But you didn’t have a lot of experience with them before you went in the army. 35:06 A couple of years of hunting with my dad and that was it. Interviewer: But without much to shoot at. Well yeah, but you know, we did some target practice. You have to learn to shoot before you can go out there and try hunting, so we did target practicing and that, but I just liked firing a weapon, I don‘t like firing at people. 13 �Interviewer: How long did your assignment at Fort Polk last? Let‘s see, I graduated the week before Christmas, and I went to Berlin in August. 36:08 Interviewer: So, about eight months or so? Yeah Interviewer: Did you just—was it normal for them to take people who were assigned to things on the base and then just give them orders to go somewhere else? Oh yeah, it was the army and whatever their need is, you know. I just thought I was blessed getting that time there and the people I met. Interviewer: Had you—did they ask you if there were places you wanted to go, or if you had preference for overseas assignment? Not back then Interviewer: So, basically one day you come in and you have orders to go to Berlin? I had orders to go to Germany, and I had a thirty day leave and I had to go to Fort Dix, New Jersey and we were going over by boat, or ship, excuse me. 37:11 I just had orders for that and I got to have my leave and got to Dix and I got orders for Europe and we sailed to Bremerhaven and they lined us up, and actually, I got a group number on the boat the day before. These are the people you‘re going to be with. We got off and some went to, you name it, in Germany and my orders said Berlin. Interviewer: Okay, what kind of boat did you go over on? 38:02 We went over on a liberty ship. Interviewer: Did you have an easy ride or a rough one? Oh, it was August and I slept on the deck most of the time. Seriously, it was great going over, however, coming back. 14 �Interviewer: So, you get to Bremerhaven okay, and you go to Berlin. Yes Interviewer: do you remember, did they fly you out or put you on a train, how did they get you there? No, there wasn‘t any flying at that time--by train through East Berlin [East Germany], which I found very interesting. Of course, they pulled down the shades and they‘d come in and check everybody‘s ID. Interviewer: East Germans? Yeah, it‘s their territory Interviewer: Because you had to cross through East Germany to get to West Berlin. Yeah, yeah Interviewer: So, when you hit the boarder they stop the train and they come in and they check everything. Yeah 39:05 Interviewer: All right, then what kind of an assignment did you have when you got to Berlin? I ended up in a 106 squad in—I‘m trying to remember. Interviewer: Was that when you were with the 1st Armored Division, was that the parent unit? No, Berlin Brigade is a unit itself, yeah; it‘s a unit by its self. Interviewer: So, you were basically an anti-tank guy? I was, I was that for a while and then they needed mortar men and I was in mortars, and then one day I get called to see the company commander. 40:03 He said, ―I got orders 15 �to send you to headquarters in Headquarters Company for an interview for the room to be an honor guard, I got accepted and my job was to guard the Allied Kommandantur, which was the old Gestapo headquarters and they had three guards. The French had a unit of offices, you had your British and you had your Americans, and we had a place set up and cleaned every day, and set up every day, for the Russians if they decided to come back. 41:05 In there we had an armed French, a British MP, and us, and it was twelve on and twenty four off. Interviewer: Were you just standing guard basically? Well, we had two rooms, one on this side of the steps, big steps, you go up, big Oak door, and then you went up another set of steps, then you came in and they had, it looked like mirrors, but they couldn‘t see us, but we could see them. Then whoever‘s month it was on the desk would check ID‘s and that. 42:03 One time I went--we got three pistols here, pistols—we got the army--anyway, their pistol 1914 was it? Anyway, and that fired a total of nine rounds, the British had a pistol and I think his shot six rounds, and the French had one and it fired somewhere around six. I‘m thinking, ―We‘re gone‖, you know, but in the back they had a full tactical squad of German police heavily armed, heavily armed, so that was good duty. 43:13 Interviewer: Did you have a lot of high ranking officers or VIP’s going through there? Oh yeah, that job was to control the airways, the land, and the sea. Yeah, we had a lot of diplomats because it was basically where most of the diplomats were. Interviewer: Now, did you see anybody that was famous or heard of at the time? 16 �It wasn‘t there, but I got to meet Natalie Wood. 44:07 You know, we were on headquarters grounds and across the street was the base theater where all the high ranking people went, so they had ―Sex and The Single Girl‖ with her and Tony Curtis in that, and I got to escort her in, which was the highlight of my military career. I grew up idolizing Natalie Wood. Interviewer: What kind of accommodations do they give you when you’re in the Berlin Brigade? We had rooms; we had three-man rooms, which is much better than the base. 45:06 Interviewer: In general, how did the people in West Berlin treat the American soldiers? Excellent, I never ever had a fight; I never ever had a problem. The only funny thing was, I never met a German guy that fought in WWII that fought against the allies, except they all fought the Russians. Interviewer: An awful lot of them did. I know, I just thought it was funny, there had to be one, but we also, on holidays, because the Allied Kommandantur would be closed, I would guard the headquarters there. I saw a lot of high ranking Generals in my time there. 46:02 Interviewer: Did you ever go into East Berlin itself? Yes Interviewer: What was that like? Night and day, night and day—you had to get a security clearance to do, but that was easy because I was doing security stuff. So, you go in and they check you at the border and the East Germans made sure that you—you had to buy their exchange for their marks 17 �and that, and they checked you all out. Then you go in, you go in uniform, and there was always somebody right close to you because they didn‘t want their citizens to be talking to you. 47:08 I went twice and that was more than my fill. Interviewer: what condition was East Berlin in physically? How did it compare to West Berlin? Again, night and day—they still had ruins that they hadn‘t cleaned up and we were a modern new city. What worried me was, between us, the allies; we had three tank companies, one American, one French, and one British. They had thirty tank divisions between us and West Germany.48:00 We were given three minutes to live if they decided to attack us. One night—our barracks were kind of like this (in a circle), and in the middle we had a track and a football field, and they dropped a dud mortar round right in the middle of that field one night. Diplomatically they apologized, but they were sending a message that ―we gotcha‖, but luckily nothing ever happened. Interviewer: How long did you spend in Berlin? Eighteen months Interviewer: Was sort of that a normal length for a stay at that time as far as you can tell? Were guys rotating in and out at about that pace? Most were Interviewer: When did you leave Berlin then? I left two days—the 26th, 27th of February. 49:09 I didn‘t get on the USS Patch until the first day of March. Interviewer: In what year? 1966 18 �Interviewer: The USS Patch, was that a naval ship or another troop transport? Another old liberty ship Interviewer: What was that trip like? Awful, again I was on the last floor, or the first floor, whichever way they count a deck, and right at the front of the ship, and going through the North Atlantic at that time of year was awful. 50:07 You had to climb up all these steps to get-- and, of course, all these waves were coming over, so they ropes and you had to hold on to the rope, and I‘d get to the mess hall and I‘d smell it and It‘s not that anything was wrong with the mess, I was just so sea sick that I‘d get there and say, ―I can‘t eat‖, so I lost a few pounds on the way back. Interviewer: How long did the trip take? Thirteen days Interviewer: Was it stormy the whole time, or rough seas? Up until we got close to New York, the old Brooklyn naval yard. Interviewer: From there did you get to go home for a while? I did, I got thirty days Interviewer: Then what’s your next assignment after that? Fort Hood, Texas Interviewer: What unit was based down there, who did you join? 51:06 I was, I don‘t remember the name of the unit now, but I got it in my paperwork there, but it was a—they were just starting a—go back to training a whole companies for--it was a training unit, for sending over to Vietnam all together one unit. I got there and because I could type--was the company commanders‘ driver, part time clerk, you know, that kind 19 �of stuff. Once in a while I‘d actually give a training thing to the recruits on Molotov cocktails and how to do that if you had to, you know. 52:03 I had a good time at that time. Interviewer: You were—you did fairly well there at Fort Hood, right? You got some special recognition. Yeah, I was there over a month and I got called into the company commanders‘ office and the first sergeant was there and they said my platoon sergeant had put me up for ―company soldier of the quarter‖, and I said, ―What‘s that?‖ Seriously, I didn‘t know and he said, ―Well, all four platoons put up there candidate and we select one as the best soldier for that quarter in our company‖, and I went, ―Okay‖, so I said, ―What kind of questions di you ask?‖ 53:07 He said, ―All military, it could be weapons, it could be etiquette, document, what‘s going on in the news about the military‖, so I went, ―Okay‖, and one day, it was just a couple days before we had the interviews, I was walking by the, not trying to listen, but we didn‘t have air conditioning, so they had the window up in the—and the first sergeant and the company commander were talking about what is coming up and the company commander asked the first sergeant if he‘s got any real tough ones and he said, ―I always ask the same ones‖. 54:06 I always ask, ―What army document is A-2?‖ the company commander said, ―I never heard of it‖, and he said, ―That‘s because nobody ever looks at their military ID‖, and I went, ―Okay‖, and of course he asked that and I came up with the answer and I think that got me it right there, because he kind of looked at me like, ―Nobody‘s ever answered that before‖, but I was told that I got two weeks of battalion rights, so I—but he said, ―You have a partner now‖, because the NCO for the quarter for the company they select too, and we studied 20 �together, you know. He was really sharp. 55:03 I hope I was pretty helpful to him too, but we both went up and guess what? We both made it, so now we went to battalion. Interviewer: Brigade Brigade, I get these things mixed up anymore, but anyway, I made it again , and so far I‘m—I get a little thing in the ―Daily Orders‖ thing saying that, but what am I getting out of it? Not anything that I see, but I went up then for division level and I‘ll be darn if I didn‘t get that one too. For Division soldier of the Quarter I at least got-- in the Killeen paper I got an article and I finally got a twenty-five dollar bond, which is only twelve fifty. 56:12 I did get a chance to become the brigade commander driver and that was a good duty. Wherever he went and whatever he did, he was a full bird Colonel, I got to go along If he had a meeting with a luncheon, I got to sit and eat what everybody else did, you know. It was a good job, but it also led me into Vietnam. Interviewer: What’s the connection there? I got close to my ETS, you know, end time service, and I had to see a recruiter. 57:07 Well, I saw the recruiter and the recruiter was trying to get me to –and I went, ―No‘, and he said, ―How do you like your job?‖ Knowing how I like my job, and he also knew that I was dating a girl not far from there, and he said, ―Do you ever think about extending for a year? The Colonel likes you and you got your job and you see a girl.‖, and I went, ―Mmm, I don‘t think so‖, and the next thing you know I‘m thinking, ―Well‖, and he said, ―It‘s guaranteed in writing, in writing, that you will stay here‖. 58:00 I went and talked to the Major and the Colonel and the colonel swore me in and I took an extra year and things were going good. One day I had a friend that had a 1956 T-bird, something I had always wanted to have as a kid growing up and he got orders for Vietnam and he talked 21 �to me and said, ―Mike, I don‘t think I‘m coming back and I know you like my car and I want somebody to have it that will enjoy it‖. We talked it over what it would cost me and I needed two hundred more, so I went to see a bank loan officer and he told me, he said, ―You know, you‘ll get this money today if this is right‖. 59:00 He calls the personnel office and said, ―I can‘t give it to you‖, and I said, ―Why?‖ He said, ―You‘re going to Vietnam‖. I went, ―No I‘m not‖, and he said, ―Yes you are‖, and I said, ―There has got to be a mistake‖. He told me, ―If you can clear it up, if it‘s today, come back and you‘ll get the money, but I have to have proof‖, so I got into the orderly room, the brigade orderly room, and the Sergeant Major‘s there and he looks up and says, ―What‘s up Mike?‖ I told him, I said, ―I got a problem. I went to get this load and the loan officer called up personnel and they said I‘m going to Vietnam‖. The first sergeant said, ―That‘s got to be a mistake‖, not the first sergeant, the Major, and he gets on the phone and when he gets off he looks up and he said, ―Raudenbush, you‘re going to Vietnam‖. I was very lucky that he was a tolerant man because to a higher ranking personnel I blew my stack. 00:04 he just kind of sat there with me calmed down and he said, ―Son, this is the army and no matter what you sign, if they need you someplace, your MOS, you‘re gone‖, so I went. Interviewer: At this point in time, what did you know about what was going on over in Vietnam? I knew—I knew fairly a lot, and I‘m a paper reader, even to this day I‘m a paper reader. I read from the front to the back of newspapers and my mom got me in that habit when I was young. I remember, in Berlin, reading when the president, whatever his title was, was killed. 1:10 Interviewer: President Diem, yeah 22 �I remember reading that, but it didn‘t mean anything to me, and to be honest with you, most of the Stars and Stripes, which was the military paper, at that time—of course then I kind of started following it. I knew that it where the French and Dien Bien Phu got massacred and that, so I never thought I‘d go. After a while you couldn‘t help, it was in the news, it was all over, you know. Interviewer: So when do you get—now, before you go to Vietnam do you get a leave or what happened? Thirty days, a thirty day leave, and something that surprised me, my parents said, ―If you want to go to Canada we‘ll understand‖. 2:06 I went, ―You know, I can‘t do that, I raised my hand and said, I‘ll go wherever the United States military needs you the most‖. That shocked me because I never thought they would do that, you know. Interviewer: Physically then, how do they get you out to Vietnam? I flew, when I finished my leave I took a plane to Oakland and they had a bus at the airport that would pick up any that were going to the Oakland army base. I got there and I wasn‘t supposed to go for four or five days, so I was going to go and spend a few evenings enjoying the local culture. 3:17 They had their formation and I was put into quarantine. The quarantine was all those going on the next day to Vietnam was put in this and locked and that‘s how it was that they locked the doors, so people couldn‘t desert during the night. The next day we got on the bus and went to the plane, which was—the United States rented regular planes. 4:09 Interviewer: Regular civilian aircraft. Yeah, and with the stewardess and all, you know. We flew to Hawaii first. Hawaii, Guam, Okinawa and then into Saigon 23 �Interviewer: What was the mood like on the plane going over? It was—the first—until we got to the last one and we knew we were coming into--the next landing would be Vietnam, there was joking and normal army people stuff, you know, card playing and just the normal stuff. 5:02 When he came over the loud speakers, the Captain said, ―We have now entered into the flight pattern of the Republic of Vietnam‖, it changed. I‘m sitting at a window and I see illumination flares, you know, and it seemed like all the time, but it probably wasn‘t, but I‘m thinking, ―What‘s going on down there, are they fighting somebody?‖ 6:00 Then we landed at three in the morning and they opened the plane door and this was in Tan Son Nhut and they had, from the plane to the building we would be brought to, lined with APC‘s with machine guns and guys in flak jackets and in between these were more guys with flak jackets with heavy weapons, and the said, ―Run‖, and I went, ―Oh, darn‖. I used stronger words than that, but that was our welcome to Vietnam. Interviewer: What did they do with you then? You ran off the tarmac. We got into the terminal and they started calling off names. 7:03 They put us in busses and we went to Camp Alpha, which is where they processed you. I got to Camp Alpha and lucky me, I pull guard duty at one of the gates. No weapon and not even knowing who‘s the good guy and who‘s the bad guy, but then the next day we went through the assignment and I got the 1st Infantry Division, and that‘s all I knew at that time. Then they sent me to the group that was going to the 1st Infantry Division, loaded on a truck and they drove us to Long Binh, which was the headquarters at that time for the 1st Infantry. 8:17 Interviewer: So the divisional headquarters was based there? 24 �Right, and we got there and it was just getting lunch time and they said, ―Okay, there‘s the chow hall, go in and get your lunch and stay in there and we‘ll come and get you‖. We just walked in and all of a sudden I heard this ―Bing Bing‖, and everybody‘s dropping to the floor. They‘re taking shots outside of the—outside of Long Binh, and that‘s when you knew it was the real thing, you know, because I‘m standing there and everybody else is—and I went, ―Oh‖. 9:00 Then I was down, and after a few minutes they got up and I guess this was kind of a daily thing, I don‘t know, but it was a welcoming. Then they put us on a truck and those that were going to Phuoc Vinh, which is where I had my—the next day we got on a truck, we got weapons, but no bullets and there we go down and all of us were just thinking, ―If they attack us what are we going to do, Bang, Bang, you‘re dead? Interviewer: Were you just on one truck, or was there a convoy? This was—we might have had one Jeep with a 60 mounted on it behind us because we didn‘t have any weapons, none, well, bullets. Interviewer: Right I understand that, later when I thought about it, because we‘d be taking pot shots at everything. 10:01 Anything that moved, but we got to Phuoc Vinh and the company was out, we got put in our company, our platoons not company, and I got called up and they said, the lieutenant that was staying back as an officer said, ―I see you can type‖, and I said, ―Yeah‖, and he said, ―Good, we need a clerk, ours is getting ready to rotate, get your stuff and come on back up‖. I get back down there and I wasn‘t even—and I‘m gone, ―Hey you guys enjoy yourself‖, you know, I‘m going up and be company clerk, and down comes the company clerk saying, ―Who‘s Raudenbush?‖ 11:05 I said, ―I am‖, 25 �and he said, the company commander, the acting company commander, wanted to see if I went back up there and he said, ―You‘re not going to be the clerk, you‘re a mortar man and we need you‖, so not only didn‘t I get that, but they just had a couple wounded mortar men. So, there‘s a three day jungle school you got to go through there, at that time, and I got to go right then, pack your stuff. The rest of the guys were not going for another few weeks. Interviewer: What was the jungle school like? It was three days of trying to learn how to go through. 12:02 And one night where you go out and set up a perimeter and do the two man fox hole, and the one hour on and one hour off all night. Interviewer: Do they teach you about booby traps and things like that? Oh yes, you get a fast thing on everything. That one night when we were out, I didn‘t sleep. I‘d take my hour on, or off, but I couldn‘t sleep. Interviewer: Now by this time you have weapons and live ammunition and everything. You got your full kit now? 13:00 Yeah, well we got the 16 and that was just really coming in then, the 16, and we went back and they buy you free-- we had a little EM club, which was hooch with beer. You had to be an E5 or above to get hard liquor, but the group that I was with at the jungle school, we did well for the beer, we had a good, good time and then I got sent out on a chopper, which was interesting because it was the first ride I‘d had. 14:03 I got in a love hate relationship with that, I loved it when it came in and hated it when it went out. I got in and they flew us and dropped us off with a hot meal for the hot meals. Our division was good, if they could fly in a hot meal, they did, you know. 26 �Interviewer: What company were you assigned to? B-1st of the 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division Interviewer: And you were a mortar man in the company? Yes Interviewer: Now, was there a sort of—were there mortars attached to platoons? Does the company have a mortar section, how does that work? The company has a mortar section. There can be at times, and it all depends, again, on what‘s going on. You could be with a platoon or you could be—most of the time we were right in the middle of the company when we dug in and that for the night, or whatever. 15:09 Interviewer: So you’d be somewhere around where the company CP was? Yeah Interviewer: Now, what kind of reception did you get? You arrive, a helicopter brings you into the company, and what did they do with you once you get there? One of the older guys took me under his wing. I don‘t know if he decided he liked me or what, but he took me under his wing and showed me the right things to do and the wrong things to do. How to make a covering from the sun if you‘re going to be in a place for several days, you know, so you don‘t fry. 16:02 We had a very close company in my opinion. I had friends, all the rifle platoon, you know, and that was, and still is, for those of us that are still—we have a reunion every year. Interviewer: Now, what was the company doing at the time you joined it? They were in a perimeter for—I think they were there three days, and honestly, I‘m not sure because I‘m just trying to—I don‘t know what their exact mission was there, but 27 �whatever it was, it was finishing up. But Charlie was nice, the first night he sent in one mortar round just to welcome me there. 17:05 I thought that was very nice of them. I was lucky; I got accepted, pretty much, right away. Interviewer: They take you in and they’re looking after you to some extent. You’re not just left to your own devices. Yea, which taught me and I did it to others as they came in. Interviewer: Which is how the rotation system is supposed to work, and it doesn’t in all situations, but for you it did work the way it was supposed to. But still it‘s hard—I don‘t, you know, not knowing the people, but our company was, like I said, they looked after each other and I‘m sure all companies did, or most. Interviewer: So, you’re out of the field, and do you go back into a larger base camp perimeter? Yes, Phuoc Vinh Interviewer: What happens from there? 18:06 You clean you weapons, you get a shower, which is fifty-five gallon drums of cold water and you get three people for each shower head, seriously. You run in, get wet, soap up out, and then your turn, because water was precious, and they had a really good meal for coming back in. Interviewer: How long would you stay in? It wasn‘t long, it wasn‘t long because they had lost some guys the day before I got there and they had a memorial service for them. 19:03 You don‘t have to know somebody to be deeply affected. Cleaned up weapons and got ready to go out again. 28 �Interviewer: Now when you go out again do you go in helicopters or on foot, or in trucks? We went out on a battalion move and that‘s the first full one I went to. I was there on the landing pad there for the helicopters and you got—were B Company and you had C Company over here and A Company, and I‘m just kind of standing there and all of the sudden I get a pat on the shoulder and it was a guy that I served in Berlin with. 20:04 He had volunteered for Vietnam and his name was Samuelson. He was from Michigan and he went, ―What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were out of the service‖, I was the only one, but it was nice to see somebody you knew. Unfortunately on Thanksgiving Day we were out with another full battalion and we set up the perimeter and it was C, B, A, and kind of this way, we were the, whatever, out front, and I know because I was there. 21:09 My mortar platoon sergeant had his wife leave him and left his kids, so he got an emergency leave to go back. I was there kind of in his place and going over where everybody was and I know because they pounded that in everybody‘s head, ―this is where these coordinates‖, and we send out ambush patrols, you know, kind of guard our flanks and that. There was this Lieutenant from C Company and he was sent there by the company commander because he was going to lead the ambush. They‘re down and the battalion commander says, ―Now, has everybody got where everybody is?‖ 22:05 ―Yes sir‖, and it was right at dusk and we had just set up out trip flares and our claymores for the night. Our trip flare goes off, of course somebody blew the claymore, which you‘re supposed to, and all of a sudden we hear, ―We‘re Americans, We‘re Americans, stop shooting, we‘re Americans‖. The Lieutenant had put that up right 29 �in the middle of our company. He was set up, he had the ambush set up for right in the middle of our company and Samuelson lost his eye, a bullet got his eye. Interviewer: That was friendly fire in effect. Yeah, Of course, and I don‘t know if I want this on the—because he got a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart and they said it was enemy fire. 23:14 Interviewer: It’s almost an apology. It was an apology, it was. Interviewer: Was the Lieutenant inexperienced or do you think the Lieutenant was a new guy or someone that didn’t know what he was doing? I don‘t think he was paying attention. I just don‘t think he had his mind on that. It could have been who knows where, but you got to have your mind on it when you‘re doing a full battalion meeting. 24:06 Interviewer: Describe a little bit what happens when a battalion goes out as a unit. What goes on, you load up in the helicopters, or whatever, and then what? You go out and you start landing and it depends on what you‘re going to do. You could be, the helicopters for A company could be two hundred meters that way, and you‘re in the middle, or it could be your full—companies are still together, and you just—and they always have their meetings, which is good, because everybody knows where everybody else is and doing. 25:01 You go about making your foxhole and pits and loading up ammo and pit behind the mortars. Interviewer: Now, would you normally stay within a perimeter with the mortars, or would you go out in the field with the rest? 30 �I‘ve done both. I‘ve done with the mortars and if they don‘t use mine, I‘ve gone out as a—I‘m trying to think of the word—as the guy that would call in the mortars. Interviewer: Forward observer? Yes, thank you, it was on the tip of my tongue and it just would not come out, but I‘ve gone out that way too. Interviewer: When you had that duty did you have a radio, or would you call in with somebody else? I had my own radio. 26:00 Interviewer: Okay, what kind of terrain were you in? What was the country like you were operating in at that time? Actually it was one of two things. It was dense second growth forest, or it was the rice paddies, lots of rice paddies, lots of dense forest. Interviewer: Now, when you were going through the forest did you stay on trails, or did you cut your own? We tried to do our own, because if you follow a path that‘s already there, too many bad things can happen. Claymores, what was the mine they had? ―Bouncing Betty‖, step on it and ―poom‖, so we tried to do our own. Interviewer: With the paddies, would you just slog across the paddies, or use the dykes? 27:06 It depends, we‘ve done both—walk in some excrements, but it depended on what was going on, or how you were trying to get somewhere. If you think you got NVA around you‘re not going to walk on top of those, you know. Interviewer: You’re a good target. 31 �Yeah, but I think I saw about every terrain in that area. Interviewer: How much enemy activity was there at the time? Were you making a lot of contact? Sometimes, a lot of times they‘d skip out before we get there. 28:01 It turns out from reading history and everything else, they had a tunnel system that we had no idea we were walking right on top of. Thinking that these little holes that are holes that guys would go down in, tunnel rats would go down, there‘s brave men, but they were just decoys, a lot of them. We went pretty much anywhere. Interviewer: You were ultimately involved in some of the larger operations in the field. There was one called “Cedar Falls”. Yes, Cedar Falls was working when I got there, and then Junction City was one too. 29:03 Interviewer: As far as you can tell, what was the purpose of those operations? Search and destroy, all of it, that‘s what I can see the whole thing was. Go out and hope they attack us, so we can destroy them. Interviewer: How often would that happen? Did these operations have a certain amount of success as far as you can tell? Somewhat—obviously not enough, but they knew who we were. I mean, we stood out, but we didn‘t know who they were, you know. We‘d go through a village in the morning and give C-rations and candy to the kids and that. 30:04 They‘d say, ―Oh, number one, number one‖—come back and they‘d blow claymores at you, you know, their own. So it‘s like you didn‘t know who was what. Interviewer: The NVA though, would normally fight in uniform. 32 �Oh, no Interviewer: Or would they also wear civilian clothes? The NVA and Vietcong, but were they interchangeable in your experience, or were they both active? The one big battle I had with the NVA was at Ap Gu, which was our 1st Infantry's biggest battle of the war, and they were in uniform. 31:00 The rest of the time I didn‘t know if they were NVA or not, and in uniform, NVA or Vietcong, because they wouldn‘t be in uniform. Probably both, I probably saw them both. Interviewer: Now, would you actually see much of the enemy or would you just get fired on from somewhere? No, we didn‘t see much of the enemy, a lot of hit and run. Interviewer: When you were camping out at night and so forth, would the perimeters get hit by these mortars, or snipers, or zappers/ Very seldom, very seldom, and I can only remember mortars coming in, maybe, four times at night. 32:02 Of course, I wasn‘t there for that second day of Ap Gu, but they were coming in hot and heavy. Interviewer: Would you get sniper fire? Was sniper fire more common? Yeah, if they fired mortars it was only one or two and they were gone. Interviewer: Now, if your company made contact, or whatever, and you were with the mortars then, would they call in support from you, or how would that work? Yeah, we charted every inch of where the guys would go, and they always had one guy out there from the mortar platoon to do the coordinates. You have to or you‘d be killing your own guys left and right. 33:04 33 �Interviewer: You’d have the quickest response time, wouldn’t you? You’d get the call and do something right away as opposed to calling in for artillery from somewhere else? It all depends, if we‘re going into someplace, we call the artillery because we‘re just setting up, but the artillery is what—artillery and bombers are what saved Ap Gu , so we‘re kind of the back up to the artillery, I really have to say, because they can do much more damage. Interviewer: Were you firing 81mm mortars? Yes Interviewer: So they’re much smaller than a 105. The four deuces were so big you couldn‘t carry them out in the field. You would have to be provided some kind of transportation set up, so yeah, it was all 81‘s. Interviewer: Did you have, in these operations you conducted, would you have any kind of mechanized support, APC’s or tanks, or things like that? 34:05 We had a couple times and it depended on where we were and if they could be there, number one. We had the artillery once and we got—they had the bee hive rounds—took out everything, the trees and when they fired those it didn‘t last long, the battle didn‘t last long, but then I dreamed about that too. People getting sliced up, but of course they were saving our lives, so it‘s a two way street, but most of the time we were on—we always had birddogs and this guy that flew in a Piper Cub. 35:01 He had more guts than anybody I know, I think. That‘s all wood and could be shot down easily. Interviewer: Was he flying low looking for targets? Yeah, looking for—call in the artillery or whatever. 34 �Interviewer: Did you get helicopter gunship support too? Oh yeah, oh yeah, and the—oh, what was the name of the Gatling gun? The plane, dragon, something dragon Interviewer: Puff the Magic Dragon that was one label. We had that one night--the Interviewer: Gatling gun? Yeah, but I‘m trying to think of the bullet, the one that has the red Interviewer: Tracer? 36:05 Yeah, one every five it looked they were hailing nothing but tracers, oh, man that tore up. Interviewer: How long, basically did you spend in the field before you got hurt? Seven months Interviewer: Over the course of that time, how much turnover was there in your company? The first month a lot, because there were all the replacements coming in and after that, not much Interviewer: Did you take many casualties at Cedar Falls or Junction City, or was that fairly light? We had some casualties, but not a great amount of casualties. 37:04 Interviewer: So you spent a lot of those seven months, pretty much, with the same group of guys, or there were a fair number of them you were there with together? Yes Interviewer: what did you think of your commanders, the sergeants, Lieutenants and commanders you had to work with? 35 �All but one, it was a Lieutenant, all but one were great. Our company commander was Jouwin [?], who returned and became head of NATO, but the battalion commander was Hage, Hagen Lincoln was our—we had good officers. Interviewer: You had good officers. Some of the younger officers, not so much, and I had one that when I was down at Fort Hood. 38:06 This ROTC--2nd Lieutenant comes in and he just graduated from Notre Dame. A little guy, but thought he was— that he knew everything. The commander one time-- we had full—we were going on a march, the whole company, and he went over to the Lieutenant and went, ―That‘s a trenching tool and you‘re going to have to use it to make a trench so the handle won‘t come off‖, but he ended up in my company over in Vietnam. 39:10 You couldn‘t tell him anything or advise him. We hit a Vietcong village, and of course, they were gone, and right in the middle, in the middle was a big clay pot, huge, and right in there was GI equipment, and he said, ―Raudenbush, take that stuff out of there‖, and I said, ―No sir‖, and he said, ―That‘s an order‖, and I said, ―No sir, not until we know that it doesn‘t have a booby trap ―. So, I got a rock and that and he‘s still telling me, ―You don‘t have to do this‖, and I threw the rock and it cracked the clay. 40:04 And they had a cylinder that exploded, it popped and exploded if we just reached in there and got it. I did report that to the company commander. When it‘s obvious, when it‘s the centerpiece of everything, but that‘s the only officer I could never [not] warm up to. Interviewer: Did you spend pretty much all your time in Vietnam either in the field or in base camps, or did you go anywhere else? Yes, in the field or in base camps. 36 �Interviewer: How much contact did you have with the Vietnamese themselves, either civilian or military? Except for those we hired to do things around the base, and the local village of Phuoc Vinh, not a great deal because we were on the move all the time. 41:10 of course when you go through—like I said, we carried candy with us and stuff that and we‘d give it to kids when we went through a village. Interviewer: What kind of impression did you form of the Vietnamese at the time? You just couldn’t be sure who to trust or did it go farther than that? Yeah, but I also thought most aren‘t on one side or the other, all they want to do is work their rice or buffalo or whatever just like anybody else, and to this day I don‘t have anything against the Vietnamese people. Interviewer: Did you ever see much of the Vietnamese military or police forces or things like that? We had an interpreter, Vietnamese, with us, a great guy, great guy. 42:08 One day we had been out in the field and we came back and we were going to get hot chow in the mess hall and he was right in front of me and all of a sudden he dropped his—you know where they put the food, his tray, and jumped over and just started berating this guy. It turns out he knew he was a VC, you know. He was a great guy, except one time he wanted me—one of their delicacies is to take an unhatched egg, boil it, put a little hole in it, suck it out and eat the whole thing, and he kept wanting me to have one. 43:01 I said, ―No sir, I don‘t think so, but thank you anyway‖. Interviewer: You have to draw the line somewhere. How do you characterize morale in the company when you were with it? 37 �Pretty good, pretty good—again we were a fairly close company. You can‘t spend a lot of, well you can I guess—the war hadn‘t go to a point that it did in the late 1969-70 where people—we still had a lot of volunteers and ―one for all and all for one‖, don‘t leave your buddy behind. Interviewer: All right, now what kind of ethnic mix did you have in the company? 44:00 We had everything, we had Hispanics, we had colored, we had Indians, Caucasians and I‘m sure I‘m missing a couple, but it was a mixture. Interviewer: How did they work together? As far as I saw, good-- I never saw any kind of racial, or any kind of remark about racial. I‘ve seen people risk their lives for other people that weren‘t the same ethnic group and that. Our medic was colored and from Detroit and I‘ve been trying to find him ever since. When he got out he just disappeared from the radar. 45:03 Interviewer: At this stage was there anybody using drugs or things like that on the base camp? One person I knew, one person I knew and I had to do an ammo count and he was in our platoon one time and he had a total of three bullets and I had to report him and they took him out of the field. He ended up at base camp doing guard duty there. I thought, ―Still got the same problem up there‖. Interviewer: Maybe less dangerous there than he would be in the field. We didn‘t get too many problems there at base camp. I think because of what all the helicopters we had there could do with their machine guns firing. 46:04 That‘s the only one that I personally saw. 38 �Interviewer: But, basically as far as you’re concerned your unit was a pretty effective one and could do its job well? I think our unit was one of the best. I think our battalion was one of the best. Interviewer: Tell me a little bit about Ap Gu because that’s sort of you last day. What happened then? Okay, we‘d been building, guarding a bridge that had been blow up by the VC and had to be replaced and that was—we got there the last of February, the beginning of March and I had R&R coming, coming up. 47:02 We called this the dust bowl because it was pretty much dust. Every time they would ship out a hot meal to you and the helicopter would take off you had do this because it would be all over your meal. We spent almost a month there and probably a month. I‘d gone on R&R and I came back and we had one more week and then we had three battalions move and I never saw as many helicopters at one time as when I was over there. That‘s when we went into—landed at Ap Gu and the thing that got me right away was the number of helicopters. 48:03 We were being told, ―This is nothing. We‘re just going to be out a few more days and we‘re going back to base camp because we‘ve been out for over a month‖. We only had one shot at us, one shot, which is nothing, it‘s VC, bang, get the hell—only once. And digging in where we were digging in, you got stones; you got everything, so it‘s hard digging in your foxhole. This was a dream, boom, boom, boom, and that night, the first night, which had been the 30th we didn‘t have any—except for that one shot. 49:02 The next morning we get up and the company recon troop was going to do their usual recon and one of my buddies, probably one of my best friends during my time there was in that group. He was a radio operator for the Lieutenant, the platoon leader, and they went by and made a comment to 39 �me that, this was the 31st, ―Some people are lucky‖, and I said, ―‖No some people have brains and know not what to get into‖, and he goes on by and it wasn‘t—see take this rug here and it‘s almost a box, trees all over here, landing here and we‘re here and I‘m watching them. 50:11 They get into the tree line and all hell breaks loose. I‘ve got the radio for the mortars and I‘m hearing my buddy, ―Lieutenants been hit, I‘ve been hit, we need help, we‘re under heavy attack‖. He didn‘t make it, he passed away later. They started sending in a whole platoon, of course I‘ve still got to stay there with the gun, and what happened is we only had one gun up at that time because they didn‘t think we needed it, the other one, so my platoon sergeant, Dave, he said, ―Go help bring in the wounded‖. 51:11 They‘ve been ready for us a couple of days and they got snipers in all the trees no matter where you went and that‘s where I got hit, out trying to bring back the wounded. Interviewer: Was that the first time you’d gone out or had you gone out and brought some back and gone out again? Not the first time out Interviewer: Was this the action that got you the Bronze Star citation? Yes Interviewer: So, you’re going in under enemy fire and pulling guys out and you keep doing it and you get hit in the process. Where were you hit or how badly were you hurt? Actually right there and it did a good job on my artery and I got the last rites on the field. 52:02 I‘m a Methodist, but our Chaplain was Catholic, but I didn‘t know it because I was under morphine, but I kind of came to for a minute and he‘s asking me if I want to 40 �be forgiven for my sins and I‘m thinking, ―What the heck is he asking a question like that for now‖, but then when I was at the hospital, the 96th—I think it was the 96th Medevac in Saigon, and because I lost so much blood, they rushed me—I was one of the first to get operated on. A couple days later when I was done with the effects of my surgery and everything, I was talking to the guy in the bed next to me and I said, ―It‘s the craziest thing, I don‘t know if it happened, but I‘m lying there and the Chaplain‘s asking me if I want to be forgiven for my sins‖. 53:08 The guy goes, ―Oh my God, he gave you the last rites‖, and I went, ―What?‖ Yeah, I was extremely lucky that I got— that one of the medics was probably where that camera is from me when I got hit, and I hollered, ―Medic‖, and that he was able to stop the bleeding before I bled out. Interviewer: Before you bled out, yeah. Did that end you r combat career? Yeah Interviewer: How long did you stay in the hospital? I spent ten days in Saigon and then I was flown to the 106th general Yokohama and I was there for five or six months and then I went to Island Army Hospital in Knox where I was in the hospital holding company seeing Doctors and doing a lot of work on PT on my leg to strengthen it until I got discharged. 54:17 Interviewer: All right, What did you do then once you got discharged? I partied for three days, came home thinking I was going to have a few weeks to—I got home about two o‘clock Monday morning and I unlocked the door because my parents, naturally, were sleeping. I get there and there‘s a note on the table that said, ―Get up by nine, your dad‘s got it set up for you to have a job interview at General Motors‖, where he worked. 55:02 I thought, ―Okay, they‘re not going to hire me right away; I‘ll still get 41 �a couple weeks to unwind‖. I go there and, ―Oh, you‘re Charlie‘s boy, you got wounded in Vietnam‖, and I went, ―Yeah‖. They had their own doctor and their own x-rays and everything. The doctor said, ―Can I see the medical report?‖ I said, ―I didn‘t bring it because I didn‘t think I had to‖, and he said, ―Go home and get it and come right back, so I did. I came back and he did an x-ray to make sure that nothing that happened there they would be liable for, you know. He said, ―Go back to personnel now‖, and I did, and they said, ―Wait until the doctor calls‖. The doctor called and they said, ―Okay, be here at two thirty to start working at three, which was good for money. 56:06 I was out of the service one day and at work three days later. Interviewer: How long did you stay with that? Six years, I did not—my dad loved the factory, I didn‘t, and then I was a mess. Physiologically, very honestly, I was a mess. I had a marriage and that went south, between the two of us, and I quit, one day just quit General Motors. I went to the VA hospital for, down in Kalamazoo, and I was there five weeks. 57:02 Of course, they didn‘t know PTSD because this was in 1971 and, of course, everything had to be from your early childhood, which was good, but that wasn‘t where the problem was. So, I ended up—I lived on the street for a year and a half. Interviewer: What got you out of it? I finally was able to get another job. I was able to get money to get my own—well I had a friend and he had an apartment and he said, ―You know, you can live with me. It‘s got two bedrooms‖, but it was a small place, but it was a place. 58:04 Then I got a job working at another factory, but it was—I held on to that one for a long time. We moved into a better apartment and life slowly changed. I still have PTSD, I‘m going to a 42 �meeting down in Kalamazoo every Wednesday. Wednesday, and then they have a smaller group on the second or forth Thursday that I go to. Interviewer: When you came back, did you pay any attention to the news about the war and the anti-war activities and that stuff? 1:17 A lot, you couldn‘t help it, it was everywhere. Interviewer: What kind of view did you have of the people who were in the protest movements and stuff like that? Not much, everybody‘s got an opinion, you know. There were some that really believed it, but I think the majority were just didn‘t want to go fight. See, again, this was the first war where people saw, they saw dead bodies, they saw people dying, they saw all those ruins that happen in war. 2:16 Interviewer: The government hadn’t necessarily done that good of a job of justifying, or explaining to people why. Johnson bragged about he could—we couldn‘t fire a bullet unless he gave approval and how do you fight a war like that? Interviewer: Did you ever encounter that kind of issue or were you mostly fighting in placed where you could shoot when you had to? The only time you could really shoot when you had to was when you were doing it after they opened on you, which is not a good way to fight a war. Johnson was—and I voted all different ways in presidential elections, but I voted for Johnson. 3:16 Then I said, ―Well, that didn‘t work‖, so I voted for Nixon and there really wasn‘t much change, but I had a hard time because I‘d see these fights and I‘d see the Americans being hit and 43 �you‘d see them being pulled out and you knew they were dead, and it was hard, it was. It was to the point that I didn‘t watch TV much. Interviewer: Now, to look back at the full range of the time you spent in the service, do you think you took anything positive out of that? I took a lot that was positive out of it. 4:08 Interviewer: What did you gain from it do you think? Working with all kinds of different people, great friendships that I still have today, and I Just came back last week from going down and seeing my buddy that was the mortar platoon sergeant. We became really good friends after Vietnam and he passed away with Lou Gehrig‘s disease last year. We went down to see—it was going to be the anniversary of his death, so Kathy and I, and my buddy Duane, who was over in Vietnam with us, and his wife Mary Ellen, we went down, they live in Tennessee, and we went down to see Dave‘s wife and we spent a couple days at their place. 5:07 I got to the reunion every year. There‘s a group that I‘m with, the Vietnam PTSD group, and I like every one of those guys. I just feel sad that nothing came out of that with all those people getting hurt and dying. Interviewer: What do you think about the way, sort of the people in society today, are treating veterans, especially the ones coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan? 6:00 Very honestly, I‘m happy they do it for them, I do it, but I feel like we were the Guinea Pigs, and we‘re the only veterans who didn‘t come back here welcomed. Actually, envy would be the word I would use for it. You can‘t change what‘s happened, you can‘t change the past. I just feel it was the wrong generation, I guess. 44 �Interviewer: Well, it makes for a pretty powerful story and I just like to close here by thanking you for taking the time and sharing it today. Thanks you for inviting me. 45 � 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 RaudenbushM1332V Title A name given to the resource Raudenbush, Michael (Interview transcript and video), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Raudenbush, Michael Description An account of the resource Michael Raudenbush, Born in Harvey, Illinois on August 5th 1944, enlisted in the U.S. military in 1963. After training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Fort Polk, Louisiana, he was sent to Berlin for 18 months. He went from there to Fort Hood, Texas, and then to Vietnam late in 1966. He served in the 26th Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, as a mortarman. He participated in a series of actions, including Operations Cedar Falls and Junction City. At the Battle of Ap Gu, in the latter operation, he was wounded while rescuing wounded soldiers from the battlefield. 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 Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Army Vietnam War, 1961-1975--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 2011-10-17 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/95e3391bdaacb83c96abb0090851ea85.mp4 c6a97242f4b69a6d8ebcc86507a637a2 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9d77a324a9e59e60b3518ac8accbb64f.pdf f6de677cfdc4510733e5b48a708e8002 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of War: World War II Interviewee: Richard Rasmussen Length of Interview: 00:59:36 Background:                Dr. Richard Rasmussen was born in Lakeview, Michigan. After two years, he family moved out between Greenville and Sheridan. The family farm is still there, owned by one of the grandsons and his family. He was born on June 4, 1913. He went to a one room school that was a mile and a quarter from his home. He walked all the way there and back, carrying everything they needed. He went on to attend Greenville High School, and graduated from there in 1931. The Depression was well under way. The principal suggested that he attend college, as many of his other fellow students had. (2:25) He attended Olivet College, which was paid for by a scholarship for $125. He wanted to be a physician, and knew it was going to be a long road. While he was in school, he also worked making $0.25/hour working in the dining area of the college. Working at the college helped to pay for his room and board. As many of his fellow peers called it, he worked hard to make it through the “Battle of Olivet” He used to communicate with a friend from Olivet up until his passing. When he was finished with Olivet, he decided to head for the University of Chicago. (4:00) He received some assistance for the University and worked there also. He believes that University of Chicago is one of the major Universities of this country and it was there that he received his medical degree. Medical school (4:45)      He lived outside the campus and walked to school for classes. He was married in 1936 to his girlfriend he met at Olivet. She eventually became a teacher in Muskegon. When she married him, she lost her job. He was able to get along by borrowing money from his relatives if he needed to. He was pretty careful about borrowing. In Chicago, he worked in the laboratories. His wife eventually got a job in the women’s hospital. She and the wife of another friend both needed jobs, so they got positions as clerks within the hospital. (6:48) He earned a stipend of $100 from the University. Which helped him pay back all of his loans with interest. �                     He graduated from the university in March, 1938. That gave him a total of 7 ½ years of college education. He then moved to Grand Rapids, where he interned at Blodgett Hospital in 1938-9. In the fall of 1938, he considered going into the Navy, where he would be able to give good service. So he took the exams in the fall of 1938 and was one of nine that were accepted. In the spring he was ready to go to the naval hospital, when he got an invitation to return to the University of Chicago to train in surgery. He deferred his Navy project to return to the university. It took 3 ½ years. He specialized in general and thoracic surgery. Thoracic surgery was just beginning to evolved to treat things like tuberculosis. (8:50) When he did his training, they did not have any drugs, so he had a considerable amount of training. He and others were very much aware of what was going on in the world, and the possibility of a war starting. The university was very aware of what might happen. While he was interning, his wife returned to Michigan and taught school in Rockford. However, when he returned to Chicago, she also returned with him and ran a switchboard at the apartment building they lived at. She also read to the semi-blind students at the University. The university offered her some extra schooling, but they declined because they were getting by. (10:54) When the attack on Pearl Harbor happened, he was in residency at the University of Chicago. He remembers when it happened; it was a catastrophe He and everyone else knew that they were going to get involved in the war because they rose up as a nation. In 2 ½ years, which could not be done today, the US was building tanks, and supplying the war, and the soldiers were on the beaches of Normandy. Before the US entered the war, they were supplying the Allied forces with materials that they needed. Ship building was also a major contribution that the US was making. He heard most of the news through newsmagazines and the radio. (12:55) When they listened to the radio, they heard a lot about what was going on in Poland and other countries. After he joined the Navy, he listened to what was going on in Japan. After Pearl Harbor, the University declared that three of them were ready and properly trained to help out the war effort through their services. So in the summer of 1942, three of them were sent out. Not a lot of people needed thoracic surgery at the time. In fact, while he worked in the laboratories at the hospital, they did all their work on dogs. (14:21) Training 14:40    When he first entered the Navy, he was assigned to Great Lakes Naval Training Station, in 1942. They had 75,000 coming in for training there. He and his friend drove there. He was there for a month and a half helping with recruits. �        After that he was assigned to the Navy’s Seabee training facility in Davisville, Rhode Island, near Providence. (15:30) There he was assigned to the 66th Naval Seabee Battalion. He stayed with them until he returned to the US. He was very lucky in his assignment. Some of his friends were assigned to the South Pacific, which picked up later on and was quite awful. His and a couple other battalions were assigned to the North Pacific, to Adak Island in the Aleutians. Alaska was not a state at the time and would not be until 1958. Backing up in his story, he went from Chicago to Rhode Island. He stayed in Rhode Island for a little while. He remembers it being Christmas eve, and he was listening to Bing Crosby sing “White Christmas.” His wife was back in Grand Rapids. They had moved back there before he left for the Navy. He remembers that Roosevelt came by Adak. It was the first time he had seen any President in his life. They all had to get their uniforms on and get out there to salute the President. Active Duty (18:30)                 He got out to Adak by taking the train from Davisville, RI cross-country. Two trains took about 1,100 people across the country. They had to pay for his meals. He did not pay for them while he was on the train, but was subsequently billed for it after. They arrived Los Angeles. From there, they took a train up to Seattle and from there took a boat out to the Aleutians. On the way, they stopped at the Dutch Harbor. They followed the islands as they got closer to Japan. They eventually landed at Adak. He remembers some of the ship ride out there. They traveled in a troop ship. Their dentist, a man by the name of Dempsey, was sick the entire ride out. (20:20) It was a rough sea, but it did not bother him. Although most submarines were in the Atlantic and had not quite made it to the Pacific, he still worried about them. They were ultimately brought out there to build airfields. He was at Adak for 21 months. He made his way back by troop ship. They were all excited to be back to see civilians, because there were not many people up where he was stationed. He remembers going under the Golden Gate Bridge in 1944 and he saw the lights. He then went to Camp Parks, outside of Oakland for reassignment and R&R. He was there for three weeks, before being reassigned to the Great Lakes Naval Hospital, where he made a significant contribution. (22:05) It was a 9,000 bed hospital, a very large hospital. They had great services and good staff. They lived on Lake Bluff for the next two years. Going back to Alaska, his life was very different from home. The nights were quite long and it was cold, however, since they were next to the sea, it was not too cold. However there was a lot of snow, which impeded the work they were doing. He lived in the Quonset Hut, with about six other officers from the Battalion. �                      He wrote to his wife every day, but sent it out every week at least. It took about 10 days to two weeks to get anything back, so he was always behind on information about the family. He had two sons in Chicago before he left. His daughter was born on Roosevelt’s birthday in 1941. His son, who became an M.D. was born on March 22, 1944. His third daughter, who is a teacher down in Georgia, was born in 1945. (25:15) They supplies that were received when he was in Alaska came by ship and by airplane. Any air travel happened after they built the airfields there. When they built the airfields, they first had to smooth out the area they were going to build on and then place metal tracks along the way. He was working as a Junior Medical Officer with the battalion. There was a Senior Medical Officer as well. It worked pretty well. They oversaw the 1,100 soldiers in their battalion and also saw others from the other Battalions that were there as well. They also had heavy equipment there. It was a struggle, but they managed to build both the airfields and hangars. The battalion that he was assigned to was made mostly of service people, such as plumbers and carpenters. The service people did their job a lot more efficiently than the civilians. This is because they were not as interested in getting the job done as the service people did, so they could get the job done and go back home. He has a map that shows what was going on in terms of the war. That map helped him follow the war. He learned what was going on in the war via the small radio that they had with them. (28:10) Although there was an Armed Forces Network, they mostly listened to Tokyo Rose. The truth was not always told, but it helped them to put different bits of news together to formulate an idea of what was really going on. He was head of the dispensary, the barber, the tailor shop and the shoe shop. He had to make sure that things were kept in order for these places. He also had a lot to do as a doctor. There was a sick bay building near the Quonset Hut. Most often people came in due to injuries and routine things. Most of the people there were older than most of the other recruits, and therefore subject to different diseases. After returning, he was able to move his family from a small apartment to a house in Lake Bluff. It was a pleasant time. After the war ended, he can recall quite vividly, there was a celebration. (30:40) He stayed in the Navy until January… he does not remember [1946?]. After he got out of the Navy, he immediately signed up for the reserves. He continued on with that until he retired in 1973. That required service once or twice a week during the Korean conflict and also into the Vietnam conflict. While he was in the reserves, he worked at an old Armory that was at the end of Wealthy St. in Grand Rapids. He was then moved into a newer building down on Monroe St. He was assigned to examine recruits from this area. � He remembers during the Korean conflict, he and a dentist friend signed up to help out, because the soldiers needed help. Other were sick of the Army and left. (33:27) Post Duty (33:30)               He gained a lot of experience from the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. At first he was in charge of one ward that held 44 beds, and soon he had to take over another one because he began to collect patients that had come back from over there. He had soldiers from each branch of service, but mostly dealt with Marines. The people that he cared for were the leftover problems that could not be dealt with by other doctors. In total, he had 84 beds to watch over. He saw a lot of chest infections and hemorrhaging. He also saw a lot of people from the camps there. One of the first things he truly noticed when he got back was the use of penicillin. It was a miraculous drug. (35:05) He got a lot of practical experience as a doctor from his time in the Naval Hospital. He did a lot of work cleaning out infected chest wounds, which became an increasing problem while he was there. The experience he got from those events specifically would help him in his work during his civilian life after. For tuberculosis at the time, the biggest thing that he could do as a doctor was to make sure that his patients got rest, and rested their lungs. Bed-rest was the prevailing treatment at the time. When penicillin was introduced, it was a miracle because it helped get the disease under control. Immigrants who sneak in these days still have some problems like this. He left the Navy in August. He used the accumulated vacation time he had to try and figure out where to go from there. He considered Minneapolis, and St. Paul, but ended up coming to Grand Rapids and opening up a clinic because he felt there was a great opportunity here. He believes that proved to be the case. Life in Grand Rapids (38:35)       His career in Grand Rapids began by him looking for a job. He got a hold some of the tuberculosis work that was being sent to Ann Arbor. He convinced the people to just keep the patients here in Grand Rapids. He knew some of the people in Ann Arbor, so he went over there to make sure that what he was doing was going to be ok with them. They approved his decision. He was eventually hired in at St. Mary’s Hospital, because they were the only ones who were willing to set up an isolation unit. He worked there from that point on, from January 1947. He then got ahold of another job at a prison. He knew that the doctor there had died, so he took care of the people there for about two years. Things got so busy that residents from Ann Arbor were sent over to help take care of his people at the hospital. (40:35) �                   He went to the prison in Ionia twice a week. It was an interesting experience. He started working with congenital heart defects right away at Blodgett, which he worked at before he got a job at the hospital. These patients were not being treated, so he went around advocating their treatment. Some of the blue babies died. He ended up collaborating with the children’s hospital in Chicago and began treating them too. It was quite interesting how things evolved. He was part of the Chest Club, which consisted of a dozen or so people from Chicago and himself who got together and discussed the issues at hand. They voted him secretary of the club, and he remained their secretary for 33 years. (43:28) They met twice a year and talked about what they were doing. They were innovating and experimenting on how they were building the heart/lung machine. They ended up creating the machine that would become part of routine today. November 11, 1958 was the day that they accomplished the first case. There is a machine on exhibit over in Blodgett. He had himself a partner at the time, who had worked in Chicago and came to join him in Grand Rapids in 1948. Since he was so busy, he was happy to accept his help. (45:30) For some of his work, he had to travel back to the University of Chicago to work in their laboratories, because they did not have one in Grand Rapids. He got another person, who just got out of residency in 1955, to join him in his work. Together they worked with dogs in the basement of Blodgett hospital. To ensure they did not bark, the dogs cords were cut. It was there that the first case was made in the cardiovascular system, in 1958. (47:28) From there, he continued to develop and improve the practice. He worked at Butterworth, Blodgett and St. Mary’s. He did occasional work at Butterworth, but denied the job offer they gave him. Gradually, the work moved to Blodgett and St. Mary’s, and he was able to get rid of his job at the prison. The Meijer Heart Center continues to do the work that he started. He knew Fred Meijer, his father used to cut his hair when he was a kid. It cost 25 cents. Other Medical Records (49:50)     He was cited as an innovator in the Physician’s Society at Spectrum Health. He was elected in 1949. As such, he attends certain meetings, luncheons that keep them up to date on what is going on, etc. During his time there, he became quite interested in tobacco. He knew it was harmful and started collecting information that dated back to 1925, when tobacco was under suspect of being harmful. (51:02) By 1952 he had a book that contained 17 pages about the harmful effects of tobacco. It is a multifaceted thing. It affects the repertory, gastro-intestinal and many other systems in the body via cancer, from the products that were put in tobacco. �               He began looking into the history of some smokers he knew and began recording their symptoms in 1948 He volunteered his services to the Michigan Air Pollution Commission. He knew the physician that worked there, and was offered a position there as well. While he was there, he got smoking out of the air commission. It was quite an accomplishment. He advocated getting it out of public places, like schools, libraries, etc. Even after he retired in 1983, he continues to go to schools to talk about smoking and its harmful effects. Now, 62 years after that, smoking is also now out of the work places. The tobacco industry was his biggest opposition. He believes they were completely fraudulent. They claimed that smoking was not harmful, but new research has proven that it indeed is. It also explains why it is so difficult to get a good set of lungs for transplant because 1/3 of our society still smokes today. (55:35) Now the number of smokers is reducing, but is still a problem today. It is a public health hazard. For those who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day, they lose 4.8 years of their life. It is doubled for those who smoke two packs a day. They also learned second-hand smoke effected people as well. He also feels the same of the gun lobby and the NRA. Unlike a person in Texas, he believes that students do not need to have guns on campus. (57:20) As a doctor, over the years, he and others would routinely get called out for emergency visits to the hospital. He saw gunshot wounds and stabbings. Today, you see more automobile accidents, not so much fighting. Also, emergency rooms have their own physicians. Things have also changed due to the introduction of new drugs. Tuberculosis is no longer a problem for most people. Instead the problems that arise are from immunities to drugs because too many of them have been used. (58:56) He has seen a lot of medical history. � 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 RasmussenR1078V Title A name given to the resource Rasmussen, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rasmussen, Richard Description An account of the resource Richard Rasmussen, born in 1913, grew up on a farm outside of Greenville, Michigan. After finishing high school, he attended Olivet College and the University of Chicago Medical School on scholarships. After receiving his medical degree, he was accepted into the Navy in 1938, but wound up going back to Chicago to train as a thoracic surgeon. He was still in training when Pearl Harbor happened, and in 1942 he entered the Navy. He was assigned to a Seabee battalion that trained in Rhode Island and was sent to Adak Island in the Aleutians, where he served over two years. Once back in the states, he began practicing in Grand Rapids and became part of the research group that developed the first heart/lung machine and became an early anti-smoking activist. 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 United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-02-22 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/006ffc06297fb05f744c3f208f18ad23.pdf ee7d3bd412773f0a3fb256a2a879c8c1 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Philip Rasey (19:26) Background Information (00:04)         Born February 18th 1959. (00:04) Served in the Navy on a Submarine during the Cold War. (00:07) Born in California. (00:39) He lived most of his life in Denver, Colorado. (00:45) His father was an aerospace engineer. (00:55) He has one older brother who currently holds a doctorate degree for economics. (1:15) Philip attended Columbine High school. Philip graduated in 1977. (1:26) His father served in the Air Force during the Korean War, and his uncle served in the Navy. (1:31) Entering the Service (1:45)    He enlisted in the Navy in 1977. He decided to join the military because he was tired of attending school and had no interest in attending college. (1:52) A love of the ocean is what inspired Philip to join the Navy. (2:15) He volunteered to work on a submarine after one of his roommates during training decided to do so. (2:30) Basic Training (2:53)     He dreaded boot camp. He knew that it was going to be difficult. (2:55) Philip attended basic in San Diego, California. (3:15) He attended an electronics school, also located in San Diego. He was then sent to New England for submarine school. (3:30) Military life was forced upon Philip. During basic there was a lot or physical training. The food varied but overall was fairly good. (3:58) Service (4:46)        Philip first served aboard the USS George Bancroft. This ship was a missile submarine. The ship operated out of Scotland. (4:49) Typically the men were out at sea for 65-70 days. (5:06) After his service on the USS George Bancroft, Philip reenlisted and was sent to a training command in Bangor Washington in approx. 1981. Here he was an instructor for 3 years. (5:25) He then served on the USS Georgia which was a Trident Missile submarine. (5:35) He then served as an instructor for 4 more years after his USS Georgia service. (5:38) Because submarines operate independently, the only people who know the submarine’s location were the men on board. (5:54) Close friendships aboard ship were essential due to the close quarter that was a submarine. (6:25) �  While Philip was on a submarine, family could send family grams. This meant that people from home could contact the ship but the men aboard ship could not communicate back. (6:47) While on the USS Georgia, men could commonly run around the 2nd floor of the missile compartment using it as a track. (7:35) End of Service (7:50)     He was in Bangor, Washington, when Philip’s tour of duty ended in 1997. (7:57) When he started, the subs would do a lot of tracking and tailing. In the later days of his service, there was little work being done by the subs at sea. (8:40) He was sent to TAP after discharging. This program was to get veterans to think morel like a civilian and less like a soldier. (9:36) Philip uses the web site We Serve Together in order to keep in contact with many other veterans. (10:12) Effects of Service (11:16)    His time in the service has made him more “matter of fact” and does not panic when things go wrong in a situation. (11:32) He values family more as a result of his service. (11:53) The constant switching out of the crew members could be hard on the sailors. (12:17) Service (cont.)(12:45)       His first patrol was very overwhelming to Philip. There were a lot of new things that he was required to learn. (12:55) Overall Philip severed 20 years in the Navy (1977-1997). (15:12) Service on a Submarine does take some getting used to. The only test the men were given was seeing if they could equalize pressure in their ears. (16:05) Overall he misses being at sea and his service. (16:51) The men had access to 2 treadmills about the submarines for physical exercise. (18:11) Aboard ship, the sailors wore tennis shoes rather than boots. This was to reduce noise. (18:50) � 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 RaseyPT Title A name given to the resource Rasey, Philip (Interview outline), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rasey, Philip Description An account of the resource Philip Rasey, born in California in 1959, grew up in Colorado and served in the U.S Navy from 1977-1997. He trained to work on submarines, and did tours on the USS George Bancroft and on the USS Georgia. He also served as an instructor in Bangor, Washington. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Schroeder, Eric (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Navy 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 Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-05-21 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/121a4a03867685068fe611803de7753a.pdf 407e33a2449000615ee0509fcbccad1a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Katherine Powers Total Time – (08:00)              She was married to Thomas Powers He served in the Navy (00:11) He was in the Navy for three years during World War II o He was drafted into the Navy She was sad because he was deferred twice before he was drafted (00:40) o He worked in the Brooklyn, New York Navy yard She had known Thomas before he was drafted o They had been married for nearly a year before he was drafted Before the draft, he worked as a shipfitter (01:17) When in the Navy, he was stationed on a carrier – USS Merrimack (01:41) o They would pick up wounded soldiers and sailors and bring them back to a base (02:04) He served in France, Italy, Iceland, and maybe Germany (02:35) o It was freezing cold in Iceland He was able to send letters from Europe o A lot of words were cut out of the letters (03:29)  They were censored by the government (03:36)  They would speak in code so that they could know where he was o She did not receive as much mail when he was in Germany  He could write a letter in May and she would not get it until June (04:31) She worked two jobs while her husband was gone (05:00) Women worked in many jobs when the men were gone (05:31) Thomas had a brother in the Navy and one in the Army He was injured by a fragment of gunpowder that hit his left eye (06:25) o Had several minor surgeries while in the service to fix it � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PowersKT Title A name given to the resource Powers, Thomas (Interview outline), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powers, Katherine Description An account of the resource Katherine Powers was wife to Thomas Powers, a Navy seaman during World War II. The couple had been married for one year before Thomas was drafted to serve in Europe. While serving, Thomas worked on the USS Merrimack picking up wounded and stranded soldiers and bringing them back to a base. Katherine remembers the job market opening up for women during this time as she worked two jobs. Thomas and Katherine were able to remain in contact through letters throughout the war. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fata, Devon (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. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-05-31 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/624da354523b4f5e3e16380551b06579.m4v 045aa036d509bcf21bdd649f6d645180 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1bbefabc6502f32b02224301e0366170.pdf 3c66bdefdc98cdbb3ff19f94d735bdfa PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview William Peterson Length: 16:23 (00:40) Background Information    William was born on May 1, 1924 He had been working with his father to train bird dogs before he enlisted in the Navy William spent 3 years in active duty during WWII and then re-enlisted in the reserves for 4 years during the Korean War (2:25) Pacific  William began working as a photographer in New Guinea during WWII  He flew in B-24s taking pictures to make maps of the area and other islands  He also took many photographs of the civilian population of New Guinea  There were about 1,000 other men stationed on the island off New Guinea where he was based (8:50) Back to US  After working in New Guinea William was an instructor in Florida for a few months teaching photography and skeet sharp shooting  William also worked with the Australian government on intelligence maps of the Pacific  He enjoyed working with Australia and was able to take a few trips there  William later opened his own western store and continued skeet shooting  He became a professional skeet sharp shooter and won many awards  William learned many survival skills while 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 PetersonW Title A name given to the resource Peterson, William (Interview outline and video), 2009 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Peterson, William Description An account of the resource William Peterson was born on May 1, 1924 and enlisted in the Navy for 3 years of active duty during WWII. He was stationed in New Guinea where he worked taking aerial photographs for making maps and also taking photographs of the civilian population. After his time in New Guinea, William worked as an instructor for a few months in Florida teaching photography and skeet sharp shooting. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource VanDenBerge, Austin (Interviewer) Forest Hills Eastern High School (Ada, Mich.) 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 2009-06-05 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/1bad9a350fd38a18e6e43a39826af444.m4v 6e1f0a6564a8011dda6815d06824aeaf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a83e9fc513b74561cd7f8ecb60c726c0.pdf 4ab7547daba494b30dabae4b488171f6 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran’s History Project World War II Gerald Page Length of Interview (01:29:50) Background (00:00:00) Born October 1, 1925; Reed City, MI U.S. Army Air Corps, World War II Enlisted in 1942 during his last year of high school; graduated in 1943 Sworn in August 3, 1943 at Fort Custer, Battle Creek Active Duty on November 1943 Went into Fort Sheridan, Chicago, didn’t stay there long Sent to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri, for basic training  Went through physical examination, medical exams (eye tests, specifically), testing of intelligence; training lasted until January His father owned businesses Decided to join the Army Air Corps, a romantic inclination (wanted to be a pilot)  Most of his friends went into the Navy, which didn’t appeal to Page Gunnery School/Training (00:05:00) After finishing in St. Louis, given options of doing odd-jobs around air bases or going to Gunnery School Did a lot of running, hiking, physical tests during basic training Left St. Louis and was sent to a Mechanic’s School in Amarillo, Texas doing grunt work Sent to Salt Lake City, then to Curry, Nebraska  Stayed for a week or two and was then sent to Gunnery School in Las Vegas, Nevada  There until summer  Given a small break to go back to Reed City �Went to Lincoln, Nebraska where he was put into a crew Sent to Ardmore, Oklahoma to do phase training Three or four months in Gunnery School (00:07:35) Shot everything that had a bullet, a lot of training with all types of weapons  Moving targets, air targets  Used colored bullets when hitting from the air  Was miserable training because they were out in the desert near Las Vegas during the summer  A lot of men washed out during this time  Flew in B-17’s  Three men in a plane, taking turns shooting; lots of smoke and incredible heat (100 degrees) Lived and flew with his crew in Lincoln, Nebraska (00:09:20)  Did camera missions, sometimes shot actual bullets at targets  There for three months; camp was named Gene Autry, but was called Ardmore (Oklahoma)  Doing more gunnery training here while the pilots, navigators, and bombardiers did theirs On a pilot mission when the propeller started ‘windmilling’ and they had to feather it (00:10:35)  Couldn’t get it feather and everyone was told to get their parachutes on and get ready to bail out  Eventually got the engine to feather and landed in Ardmore  The next day in class, Page was called and taken to the area where a parachute was laid out  It was the parachute he was using the day before  It had been burned because it had been laying near a socket, very lucky they didn’t bailout the day before � One the mission, had to shut off the engine because the vibrations from the propeller made the plane unbalanced Southern Italy (00:13:05) Supposed to fly to England to pick up a plane in Nebraska  The night before this mission, had a navigational mission  The navigator had led them to the wrong place, supposed to be heading for Kansas City  Had to use the radio to get direction to land at an airport  The substitute pilot had already flown 25 missions in the 8th Air Force and said he was not flying with this navigator across the ocean Page’s crew went over in a boat; went by train to Norfolk, Virginia, onto Liberty Ship in a convoy (00:14:28)  German submarines had attacked them on the way over (hadn’t known it at the time)  Towed to Azores Islands and were told by men in the Navy that they were very lucky  A torpedo had shot their ship’s propeller off Stayed on the Azores until their propeller could be fixed  The town had no room for them, so they stayed on a patrolling Destroyer, then a Tanker Eventually made it to Italy (00:16:00) 15th Air Force, took a couple days of training Came ashore in Naples, Italy  Drove a truck from the other side of Italy to Naples; very flat plains that were taken over by the US, and then to the air base at Foggia, Italy; assigned to an aircraft as a ball turret gunner (00:17:25)  Started flying out with different crews to get orientated then began flying with their original crew  Page flew more missions due to his size since only smaller men could fit in the ball turret  Ball turret was in the belly of the aircraft � Couldn’t have his chute with him A week after arriving, in his first combat Flew missions mostly in Southern Germany, Northern Italy, and some near the Alps  Had to bomb German supply routes, bridges, and towns (a lot of towns around Vienna for oil refineries)  8-10 hours of flight for missions The Average Day (00:19:45) Would be shaken awake at 1AM in the morning  Taken down to the mess hall and given a good breakfast  Get dressed and go to Group HQ for debriefing  Whole crew took the general briefing (weather briefing, as well)  Would be excused and go to the airport which was about two miles away  Pilots, Navigators, and Bombardiers would go to their respective meetings  Given electric flying suits and guns, Page was given two since he was a ball turret  Also given side arms only during missions Some men who had been shot down and taken prisoner before gave this advice: ‘take that .45 and throw it as far as you can throw it’ If captured with the sidearm, would be accused of killing, whether it was true or not Had 50 caliber machine guns in the ball turret; 16 overall on the plane  Waist gunners on each side, one gun each; the rest had two Given K-rations for lunch (little boxes) (00:23:30)  Breakfast had eggs; Lunch had cheese; Dinner had a meat dish  Given any one of these choices after debriefings  Would usually keep these until they were flying back Have to be 25,000 to 30,000 feet to begin flying in formation � Supposed to be on oxygen at 10,000 feet but they didn’t always do that, didn’t start feeling effects until 11,000 or 12,000 feet Never ran into Italian fighters because they had already surrendered before Page arrived (00:25:10) Encountered German fighters, initially ME 109s, but later jet powered ME 262s  Couldn’t compete with them, would go 500 mph versus the US fighters 200 and 300mph  Didn’t see these planes until later missions Encountered flak all the time, every time; very frightening, a ‘great big black boom’  None of Page’s crew was ever seriously injured by flak Last mission (00:27:05) Going over an oil refinery east of Vienna Out of 27 planes, nine were shot down Would see six or seven men get out of the plane, some with and without parachutes, then watch the plane spiral down and explode Glad he didn’t have to fly again after that Recently read a book that explained the reason why so many planes were shot down at the end of the war: they had a lot more guns and flak from Russia (00:28:08) Had a total of 15 missions There always was someone in the unit who got injured during missions due to flak mainly Page then describes a particularly gory accident with a mechanic and a turret (in Page’s aircraft) Scheduled to fly the next, but it was cancelled, their final mission (00:30:16) The War ended May 6, 1945  The next morning, woke up and never saw so many people so drunk; a celebration Stayed in Italy until November, hadn’t been in the service as long � Some of the ground crew had been there for over three years, some four Sent to Russia after being assigned smaller crews, still given missions (00:32:00) Most of the men from the ground crew were gone on their 30-day leave in the U.S. The Japanese were still fighting, so the ground crew’s leave was cut down to ten days Living Conditions (00:33:15) Six men to a tent, all the crew together  Had to pitch it themselves, theirs had been burnt in some places  Had to build their own furnaces, a lot of empty gas barrels to use  When Page first came there, had to eat outside, no dining hall  No toilet facilities  The food was decent until the War ended Stayed in touch with he family through V-mail (00:35:50) Took sixty days to get from the U.S. to Europe (due to the Azores incident)  Letters from the States were also in V-mail; photograph, to make it faster Had PX’s to buy basic things like toothpaste, socks, etc. Eventually a building was made as a mess hall  After the War was over, a club house was built, but they never got to use Given a pack of cigarettes, cost a dollar Nobody ever drank before a mission, wouldn’t be allowed to go up (00:39:00)  Beer was also rationed, two a week  The men would go to town to get wine, cognac, etc.  Could go into town, but it wasn’t safe; one of Page’s mechanics was attacked Discharge (00:40:50) The Radio Operator in Page’s crew managed to get hold of six sidearms before he left �First thing they did when they arrived in the U.S. was stand in a line, then strip and hand over their packs  Given back their belongings back, but not their flight jackets among other things  The next stop, given steaks in a mess hall Came back through Norfolk, on an aircraft carrier, a converted cruise ship  Went through the Northern Atlantic, very rocky journey back Rest Camps (00:43:00) Doesn’t recall anyone doing anything for good luck (before missions), maybe some praying  When Page’s crew got into the plane, they would flip to see who got what K-ration meal Could smoke in the planes, but not when they had to oxygen masks on The money made by the PX would go to getting entertainment from traveling shows every few months Remembers an Indian man piercing himself with needles Bob Hope had come to Foggia once, but too many people so Page didn’t attend After five missions, went to rest camp in Capri (an island off of Italy) for a week (00:45:40)  Would go to rest camp after every five missions  Didn’t always go with his crew, got separated from them  Had rest camps in Rome, as well  Took quite a few tours around, very beautiful place  In Capri, young boys would take a boat out and dive for octopi without masks or gear  Beautiful caves, a lot of nice scenery (a particular church on a hill) Bombing Missions (00:50:20) Page’s squadron was separated during a mission  If a squadron is ever separated, the commander selects the ‘Target of Opportunity’ �Flying lower than they should have been and see a marshalling yard full of cars (rail yard) with red crosses on them Deciding whether or not to bomb the field Someone argued that cars bound for hospitals would not be put here Commander gives the order to bomb it; created a large explosion, all ammunition trains Did a lot of missions bombing marshalling yards, but their General (Sparks) got the idea of bombing Berlin (00:52:00)  800-900 miles away from where they were  10-11 hours, extra fuel Bombed Berlin, lost a lot of planes coming back (would run out of gas and have to land) Stationed South of Rome, east of Naples (Foggia Flats) Had three groups use the airport, one was British (Bombers- Lancaster) Would send only one plane at a time, continuous bombing (may have had larger gas tanks as they could stay in the air longer) Later, when Page visited Germany, would hear soldiers complaining how the British bombings kept them up all night (00:54:24) Had a good crew, strong, young (oldest was 23) (00:55:00)  Remembers one particular pilot (substitute) who would go crazy whenever they flew into flak, ‘We’re gonna get killed!’ Flew north over Europe, would land in Munich (00:57:00) Could see the roads filled with people who didn’t know where to go (after VE Day) Stayed in Munich for a couple days Remembers going to a bar where a black GI was drinking and when he left, a barmaid asked Page whether or not his skin tone can ‘rub off’ After Service (00:58:30) Got back to the US on an aircraft carrier to Norfolk, VA Went to Indianapolis, Indiana (Camp Atterbury) where he was discharged � On the base for two days, only; during December Took the train back to Michigan, hadn’t told his folks  But his dad was already there with tears in his eyes; may have been waiting for every train for Reeds City, Page never asked him Had been let out earlier, many of his friends were not out (01:00:30) Would visit the bar with the few discharged (except Page was only 20)  A friend of his, who worked for the paper, managed to make him an identification card (police were cracking down on underage drinking) First summer back, state was offering to pay any Veteran $20 a week pension check Went back to college in the winter (February 1946) to Western (Kalamazoo) joined the football team Took accounting, had awful English (his whole class was made to use 8th Grade Grammar books) Attended on the GI Bill, covered most expenses Didn’t keep in touch with his friends in the Army (01:05:00)  Had been contacted by the former Radio Operator in his crew (1956) Has gone to some State Organizations, VFW After college, wanted to work for an oil company Eventually his father went into his own business with Page He and his wife then decided to buy a small resort, Page’s Resort Also became a teacher in Middleville (1953) also did administration Had reenlisted for Reserves; Korean War began, but wasn’t called up (01:16:32) � 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 PageG Title A name given to the resource Page, Gerald (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Page, Gerald Description An account of the resource Gerald Page served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II as a ball turret gunner on a B-17. Page served from 1943 until 1946 and flew a total of 15 missions in the 15th Air Force, mostly over Germany and Austria. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Erichsen, Wallace J. (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 Air Corps Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-05-25 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/998bdb715322a0373d498f97192de2f4.mp4 db7f00e3416c574b9d6026b305ceac37 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/26c77d23b93c977560aa5afb4956280c.pdf 78fcebde84eb466703731069adc1bd4a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II John Pylman Total Time – (58:06) Background      He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (00:29) He attended the Christian school system (00:48) Was raised in a Dutch neighborhood with values He had two brothers and one sister (01:15) o His older brother served in World War II as well  He never faced combat He was born November 29, 1924 (02:12) Enlistment/Training – (02:19)            Reviewing his options, he enlisted into the Army Air Force - June, 1943 (02:46) He completed one year at Calvin College and then went into the Air Force o If he was not in college, he could have potentially left nine months earlier The Air Force was a personal preference (03:48) He signed up at the Grand Rapids armory (04:06) He went to basic training in Miami Beach, Florida (04:16) o They took a train from Detroit, Michigan (04:37) o There was a Sergeant in Miami Beach waiting for the new soldiers Basic training was six weeks long (05:12) Training was a challenge o It was tough, but doable (06:02) He made a lot of friends at basic training o Played basketball with many of the guys After basic training, he was sent to Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio for college training detachment (06:41) o Here you find out how skilled you are in academics – primarily math (06:50) o He was evaluated on chances of being successful (07:30)  He chose navigation – spent 9 months in the program (08:19) o There was always physical training involved throughout all of training The training was extremely adequate (14:05) He was sent to Texas to be placed with a crew (14:39) �           o His crew was assigned in November, 1944 He had graduated from the school in September, 1944 Was assigned an aircraft to fly to England (15:20) o The crew flew through Savannah, Georgia, Bangor, Maine, and Gander Field, Newfoundland (15:36)  They were snowed in at Gander Field – December 1944 (15:45)  Cleared to fly after two weeks (16:03) They landed in England three minutes early and fifteen miles to the right (17:20) As a navigator, he had to tell the pilot the heading that the crew takes (17:57) o The navigator has to keep the crew on course, keep track of weather, and simply get the crew there (18:16) There were crews that missed the British Isles and were lost (18:52) There were only months to develop the confidence in one another (19:13) He remembers a time when he had navigated his crew far off course – they flew over New Orleans (20:12) o They later checked his compass and it had been registering ninety degrees off (21:14)  He had been leading the crew on course with the exception of the bad compass When they landed in England, he was given a new plane (21:57) They had new orientating missions Grafton Underwood, England (22:16) After this, he was assigned a B-17G (22:34) o It was considered a very reliable plane (22:58) There were nine crew members (23:13) Active Duty – (23:44)        He was then sent on missions to Germany o Had three missions in February, 1945 (23:53) o They flew nearly every other day in March, 1945 – 15 missions  That was considered a lot (24:30) o There nearly 900 planes bombing Germany at this time (24:46) At this point, there was not very much fighter opposition (25:08) The end of the war was the best time to be bombing Germany (25:32) His first targets were over the Ruhr, Germany (26:04) o Also had a flight to Munich, Germany (26:14)  It was an 11 hour round-trip He logged 175 hours and 55 minutes of combat time (26:23) There was some damage to their plane o There were 45 holes in their plane after one trip (26:42)  No one in the crew was hit There were repair crews that would fix the planes to be ready the next day (27:45) �                      On one mission, they lost an engine at 15,000 feet – 5,000 feet below bombing level (28:30) o They were directed to leave the flight Flying in formation is easier on the navigator – you follow the leader, serving as a navigator (29:56) o Close formation is the best defense as well as the best target Everyone is business as they approach the bombing sites (31:10) o Begins as soon as the plane hits the coast o There is no messing around during the actual mission (31:29) He flew in 22 missions – 30 is considered a complete tour (32:30) o After 30, you are sent home He was re-assigned to an Air Force base in Istres, France (33:44) They were sent back and forth between Istres and northern Africa to deliver salvaged materials (34:15) o Mainly to keep the crew sharp He was there on occupational duty from June, 1945 – May, 1946 (34:39) He was, for the most part, out of danger Only 3 months felt like there was potential danger (35:15) In Africa, there was a lot of free time Based on the military point system, it was primarily a time of building up points in order to be sent home (35:37) While others were being sent home, he became Squadron Command (36:22) o He was only a 1st Lieutenant at the time He was able to go and travel Europe in a jeep for 10 days (37:14) o Traveled to the French Riviera o Then went to Copenhagen, Denmark (37:34) On the trip, him and his friends went to Berlin, Germany o They went into a biergarten wearing their uniforms (37:52)  They did not receive a great reception Coming home, they were sent by boats (38:41) One weekend, while serving in Europe, they went to London, England (39:33) o They were given many privileges as a combat crew o On the trip, their plane was sent on a mission with another crew  The plane faced trouble and was lost – the crew included On the base, soldiers could play poker, spend some money, and drink beer (41:16) He was very interested in wrestling There was entertainment that came on the weekends (41:56) o He was not impressed with the entertainment – too much drinking He was able to diligently write to his future wife and mother during this time (42:32) o He received weekly letters He had a friend [Huff] who loudly came in one night and turned his light on got it shot out by a friends slingshot (46:39) The checks were sent back home – one hundred dollars every month – the other sixty dollars were kept for the necessities (48:55) � He says that everyone who knew anyone serving in the war was worried about their safety After the Service – (50:52)        The military experience has helped change his views – he believes that war should be avoided at all cost (51:06) o Any war that America goes in to as a country, the country should be totally committed to the war (51:42) Humans should never be sacrificed for a political reason He was able to use the G.I. Bill and finish his final three years of college, get his Masters Degree, and got his Doctorate as well (52:35) o All were done with the help of the G.I. Bill  Does not remember running out of support from the bill (52:46) Never joined any kind of veterans organizations Was a part of the reserve until 1955 (53:04) Learning to follow directions and how important direction are was an extremely valuable lesson that he learned by serving in the military (53:50) o He could not choose if he followed directions, but he could choose how well he would follow them o It is important to know how to give directions as well as take them (54:49) He served as a principal of a school for many years (55:11) � 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 PylmanJ1383V Title A name given to the resource Pylman, John (Interview outline and video), 2012 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pylman, John Description An account of the resource John Pylman was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan November 29, 1924. After attending Calvin College for one year, he decided to enlist into the Air Force in June of 1943. John was sent to Miami Beach where he spent six weeks in basic training. After the six weeks of basic training, he was sent to Wittenberg University in Ohio where he received college training detachment. John chose to become a navigator and was assigned to England with a crew of nine members. While serving in Europe, John went on twenty-two missions across the continent. He finished out his service by delivering salvaged materials from North Africa. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Moore, Deb (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 Air Forces World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-05-10 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/69f84567e77ed657197df3e111565277.mp4 bce78177687f736a1bbe94909cfea0c4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b59d7ffb180537fdf14a13fc214a55e5.pdf 4f1b89af59870608f595b8add7ffddc7 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview National Guard Band Dave Pugh Total Time – (50:52) Background         He was born in Lansing, Michigan in 1961 (00:23) His family moved when he was two years old to Grand Rapids, Michigan During high school he was very involved in music (00:34) o He enjoyed the music, the interaction, and the friends When he went to college, he decided to take some music classes (00:51) o He enjoyed all of the same elements as he did in high school o During a rehearsal the Director told him that there was a place that needed some trumpet players that paid (01:09) o It was the first time that he realized he could make money from music (01:19) He knew that he could get a teaching degree and then teach music (01:33) One of his friends told him that he played in an Army band o He did not think that he could play in an Army band because he was in college o The band played and rehearsed once a week (01:55)  They also did summer concerts When he went to check out the Army band he found out that there were multiple local band directors that were there (02:21) o He felt like it was the beginning of networking He talked to the recruiter about being part of the group o The recruiter was very encouraging (02:39) o This was around 1980 Enlistment/Training – (02:49)   Because it was the beginning of Ronald Reagan’s presidency [Jimmy Carter had given the order to restart draft registration], he had to go and sign up for the draft (02:54) o The draft had been reinstituted o He was not afraid to go and fill out the card for the draft (03:08) He remembers watching the news about Vietnam when it was occurring (03:20) o The news made Vietnam seem scary but he did not feel like it was something to fear �             o However, he was told that if he joined, he could choose what he would do (03:41)  If you get drafted, the military gets to pick what you do o He saw joining the band as an opportunity to get better as a player, meet some people, and get paid a little (03:55) The group that he had met was part of the 126th National Guard Band (04:07) Once he signed up, they were very accommodating because he was a student (04:26) He went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for Basic Training (04:34) o It was extremely hot – he ran, did pushups and sit-ups, and all the other typical training After Basic Training he went to AIT (Advanced Individual Training) (05:06) o He went in with the Civilian Acquired Skills Program because he had the skill of playing an instrument o He had a higher rank when he went in (05:22) A year after AIT he went to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana to play in a band (05:30) o He enjoyed his time there – they almost convinced him to stay  They tried to convince him to finish his studies at Butler University and stay with the group (06:05) When he was at Fort Benjamin Harrison he did “graveyard duty” o There were eight of them that would drive around in a van and play at military funerals (06:21) o The majority of them were day trips He would get used to the routine of playing (06:52) It was very satisfying for him to play because he felt like he was showing honor to those that had given more than he felt like he was giving (07:04) He would sometimes be able to meet the families They played primarily at the funerals of World War II and Korean War veterans (07:22) Because he was playing in the summer, the stints were roughly eight or nine weeks o In Indianapolis the stints were a month long (07:38) At Basic Training in South Carolina, the Drill Sergeants were just as tough on him as anyone (08:00) o They want to press the soldiers to see if they will do what they are told (08:05) o There was one soldier that was having a seizure – he spoke before he was supposed to do and had to do pushups o They teach the soldiers how to respond when under pressure (08:41) He trained with all kinds of people o He was only one of three college guys (08:49) o His bunkmate was another guy from college o There were guys that probably had a GED (General Educational Development) (09:06) o There were tall guys, short guys, fat guys, and skinny guys �   They were just normal people (09:17) o The majority of the guys were from the South Most of the men that started with him also finished (09:47) o Some went through extraordinary measures to not stay in (09:52) The men in Indiana were completely different than those in South Carolina o For them it was a life profession (10:20) o Some of them were going to be lifers in the Army o He was amazed at how much like college it was (10:36) o All afternoon there were three our four hours of free time After Training/Band Attachment – (11:09)        After Fort Benjamin Harrison he had three more years of college (11:13) o He went to Central Michigan University (11:22) There was no one that he knew that got their degree in four years He graduated in 1986 (12:10) Since he had already done training, his regular duties for the National Guard was to follow the schedule that was handed down by the Band Master (12:21) o The Band Master made them feel like they had input on the schedules He had an opportunity to go to London, England for the 40th Anniversary of NATO (12:45) o They only took twenty five people in a block  He did not get to go (13:11)  He planned on going but could not spend six weeks away from his three month old child (13:33)  When his friend found out that he was not going he felt bad Every Tuesday night he was required to go to Grand Rapids, Michigan for rehearsal (14:07) o Every Tuesday night he would leave rehearsal in the middle because he had a class o He enjoyed his Tuesday nights (15:06) During the summers he had various things to do o They tried to tour the state every year (15:25)  They would do it in different portions o They played for many different things (15:41) o On January 1st they would play in Lansing, Michigan for the different inaugurations o They did military graduations (16:01)  They would go to Fort Custer, Michigan to play as well o They were the only National Guard band in the state (16:14)  There was an Army band in the state but they did not have enough to field an entire band o When he entered, the band only had 30-40 members. After ten years there were over 50 players in the band (16:20) o He sang as well �         When he joined the National Guard, there were three or four guys that had actually seen active duty in Vietnam (18:24) o There were five or six guys that had been in the band when they were deployed near the riots in Detroit in the later 1960’s o There were two or three girls in the group (18:51)  As the group grew there were more women that joined o Some men had served and wanted to come back and play (19:17) Once a year the soldiers would have to go to Fort Custer, Michigan and fire M16’s to re-qualify (19:34) o There was a certain amount of mystique of the 1970’s when things were crazy His band was attached to the hospital (20:44) o When the hospital drilled, they would drill o They were told that they were the only band in the country that was attached to a hospital (21:30) o They eventually became attached to Headquarters (21:40) After they were switched they had a lot more ease of scheduling and could do what they wanted to do o For Headquarter related duties they would play at an officer’s ball or any other kind of similar activity (22:28) His band was very good at sight reading – they had an entire folder of background music that could be played by everyone in the band o There were certain patriotic numbers that everyone would always want to here (23:18) When they were attached to Headquarters they were taken to a section that was quite large (24:07) o Some of the men were not pleased with the fact that they had to do certain duties such as digging holes o Around the mid-1980’s there was a push to not have “A fat band that just sits around. These are military guys.” (24:30)  Because he had been in Basic Training only three years before, he was fine with the switch. Some of the other older men were not okay with the change (25:07)  Some of the men stepped down because of it After five years he only made E5 (25:52) He had fifteen years of service with the band (26:14) He was nervous during the Gulf War o He believes that he came very close to going (26:59) Active Duty – (27:28)  When he was doing his weeks of active duty in the summer, the band would do a lot of fun things o In Newberry, Michigan there was a mental health facility that they were at when a veteran yelled, “Play or go home!” (28:19) �   o The once played at the Wyoming Senior Center  Everyone in the audience was in a bed or on a wheelchair (28:50) o They once went to Trinidad and Tobago for two weeks (29:47)  The band spent the first portion of their trip in Tobago  When they set up to play for the locals, they were dancing, swinging, and really enjoying their time (30:40)  In Trinidad they had a good time as well o They also had a fifteen day trip to Italy (31:45)  They played in the embassy (31:58)  It was a cocktail evening  They played for the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus in Genoa, Italy (32:08)  They played in many different cities  The people were warm, friendly, and loved Americans (32:30) o After one concert, many Italians came up to them and wanted to give them some items  One older fellow came and told him how thankful to America he was (33:27)  He told them that he was a boy during World War II when Germans came into his town when Americans arrived and defeated the Germans, saving their property (33:44)  It was the highlight of his musical life o He played in a beautiful opera house in Italy as well (34:25) o In 1989, the band was called on to be the United States representatives to go on tour in China (36:25)  They took courses on Chinese culture, language, etc.  When they were all set to go, the events at Tiananmen Square happened and they had to pull out (36:56)  He was hugely disappointed (37:05)  He had previously investigated going to China to teach English  When they had been ready to go, his wife got pregnant and they were declined work (37:27) Over the course of his sixteen years, the National Guard significantly changed o It was look in the 1970’s and then eventually tightened up (38:33)  It was good that it tightened up o It went from being haphazardly assigned to the hospital to being more appropriately assigned to Headquarters (38:48) o It seemed like he did a lot more performing in the later years He thinks the National Guard Band is good for people to see because it opens up their eyes to see that the military is not just the Infantry, Air Force, Navy Seals, etc. (39:18) After his first six years he was offered the G.I. Bill if he reenlisted for another six years (39:56) o He was already done with college so they paid a certain portion of his student loan debt (40:08)  The military paid his balance �           It was very financially rewarding The last eight or nine years were a great period of growth for the band (40:29) He had one opportunity where he played in a brass quintet o He was flown out of Grand Ledge, Michigan on a helicopter to fly to Detroit (41:22) He thinks that there was a change in the way things went on in the military o When he joined, the group went from a sloppier group to a more professional group (42:46) o As the group got bigger, better, and more professional, it seemed as though the Army did the same thing (43:14) o Soldiers in the National Guard felt like their jobs had some significance He did not stay in longer than sixteen years because his family moved (43:38) o Now he wishes he would have gone back and taken those five years His experiences in the service were extremely positive (44:14) o He started to run during the service as well o He gained a sense of confidence that he could do all kinds of physical activities o There were days that were over 100 degrees where they would not do anything (44:39)  The military would protect the soldiers (44:53) He made a lot of positive connections while playing with the band o He was able to get a job through his connections (46:20) o He was able to network through his connections (46:31) While he was teaching as a band director, he was playing with an adult band – he was able to have a standard for when he was teaching He tells young people that the Reserves or the National Guard is the best choice for them (47:17) When he was on Twitter one time, he got a reply that someone was excited to see him up there o The military obviously has people that work with social media to connect with others (48:43) o The list of jobs in the military is endless He still has several friends that were a part of his military career (50:03) � 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 PughD1074V Title A name given to the resource Pugh, Thomas Dave (Interview outline and video), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pugh, Thomas Dave Description An account of the resource Dave Pugh was born in Lansing, Michigan in 1961. Dave was in college during the aftermath of Vietnam, studying music and teaching. He enlisted into the military to be a part of the National Guard Band. He went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for Basic Training. After AIT training he went to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana where he played alongside a National Guard Band. During his time in the band he played at veterans' funerals, at the 40th anniversary of NATO in London, England, at the Michigan inaugurations, mental health facilities, Trinidad and Tobago, and Italy. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Byron Area Historic Museum (Byron Center, Mich.) BCTV 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. National Guard 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 2011-03-29 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/7fdec505d64885fd137d1534b49b35e5.mp4 f36f91c07eb4d125e2edae5fdec2c1c4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/64cfdba8f1975acbf959d21a36be205c.pdf 480f3cd4bd7c64e2c065115e5a3d111d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Douglas Puffer Vietnam War 39 minutes 39 seconds (00:00:25) Early Life -Born on October 12, 1948 in Iowa City, Iowa -Grew up on a farm near Mechanicsville, Iowa -Father was a second generation farmer -Owned 320 acres of farmland -Attended Lincoln Community High School in Stanwood, Iowa -Graduated from high school in 1966 (00:01:16) Awareness of Vietnam War -Aware of the Vietnam War when he was growing up -A student from his high school had dropped out and joined the Marines and was killed in action -Attending the funeral made the war seem that much more real -He had no desire to go to Vietnam (00:01:54) Attending Drafting (CAD/Design) School and Life Before the Army -After high school went to Oklahoma and enrolled in drafting program in the state -Studied in that field for a few years -Was able to graduate -Got married while in drafting school -Graduated in December 1968 -He and his wife moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he found a job (00:02:32) Getting Drafted by the Army -Early May 1969 received his draft notice in the mail -Ordered to report for basic training in late May 1969 (00:03:08) Basic Training -Attended basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana -Training was a nine week program -He didn’t want to be there and his performance reflected his attitude -Wanted to continue being a husband and a worker, not a soldier -Physical aspect of training was challenging for him -Some National Guardsmen and Reservists were training with them -Mostly draftees though -A large portion of the draftees were teachers -Majority of the men in training were from the Midwest -Several of the drill instructors had served in Vietnam -Rarely mentioned experience there or offered advice (00:05:39) Specialized Training for M16 -During bivouac (field) training received orders for specialized training -Told he had been selected to train with the M16 -Indicated that he was most likely going to Vietnam -Had spent basic training using the M14 �-Taught how to disassemble and clean the M16 -No qualification or other firearm training with it (00:06:47) Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) -Did AIT at Fort Polk, Louisiana -Granted two weeks emergency leave because wife needed surgery -This happened after basic, but before AIT -AIT program was nine weeks -Same training as basic, but intensified -Trained for assaults at a mock up village off base -Most of the trainers had never been to Vietnam -AIT didn’t truly prepare him for the reality of combat in Vietnam (00:09:00) Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) Training -He was one of twenty five recruits selected for APC training at Fort Knox, Kentucky -Thought that that meant he wouldn’t have to walk in Vietnam -Three weeks of training -Familiarized with the vehicle -Learned how to drive an APC -Training at Fort Knox was enjoyable and served as a morale boost -Trained at Fort Knox in October 1969 -Weather made training pleasurable (00:10:02) Deployment to Vietnam -Received orders for deployment to Vietnam at the end of APC training -Given two weeks of leave -Had to report to Oakland, California -From there went to Vietnam -He was going in as a replacement -Didn’t know what his unit was going to be, or his location in Vietnam (00:10:53) Arriving in Vietnam Pt. 1 -Arrived in Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon -First impression of Vietnam was that it was hot, humid, and stunk -Smelled different than the farm did, and worse -Saw soldiers waiting to board planes to go home -Their urgency to leave Vietnam was a definite blow to morale for him (00:11:50) Wife’s Perspective on Deployment -His wife had been emotionally prepared for his deployment -Her brothers had served in Vietnam -His deployment still had a profound effect on her (00:12:14) Arriving in Vietnam Pt. 2 -Stayed in Bien Hoa for a few days for processing and the first part of in country training -Received his assignment to the 101st Airborne Division after a few days -Had no idea where they were stationed (00:13:16) Camp Evans -Flown up to Camp Evans to join the 101st Airborne Division -Completed the second half of in country training at Camp Evans -Training consisted of basic facts about Vietnam and protocol -Assigned to Delta Company, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division �-Didn’t see an APC until the final week of his tour -Being assigned to the Airborne was confusing -Hadn’t taken jump training in basic training -Associated the Airborne divisions with paratrooper missions -Delta Company was in the field when he arrived, so he waited at Camp Evans -Went through processing while waiting for Delta to return -Assigned his squad and platoon when Delta returned -One soldier became his mentor and informally introduced him to Vietnam -By this time it was November 1969 (00:16:25) First Time in the Field -Stayed in Camp Evans for a few days more -Went into the field for the first time on December 10, 1969 -Didn’t know how to prepare, or what to expect -Placed on a helicopter and was flown out to a landing zone (LZ) -Expected to take fire upon landing; didn’t know LZ’s were cleared first -Walked down a hill and took a break to collect themselves -Patrol in the field had begun in a mountainous region -It was the start of monsoon season -Moved into the Lowlands afterwards -Returned to Camp Evans after being in the field for about a month -Stayed on Camp Evans for a few days before going back into the field (00:20:20) Firebase Shepard -Sent to Firebase Shepard -Abandoned artillery position -Job was to be the security detail, so that leftover ordinance could be destroyed -Firefight ensued while at Firebase Shepard -Got extracted while still taking fire -Ordinance was successfully destroyed though -Remembers feeling the heat of a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) passing over his head -Fighting at Firebase Shepard was his first experience with combat (00:22:36) Firebase Ripcord Pt. 1 -He and his unit participated in the beginning of the Battle of Firebase Ripcord -Remembers expanding a landing zone (LZ) with explosives -Got hit in the back and wounded by a falling tree -Colonel Lucas’s command helicopter picked him up -Got to observe smoke grenades being dropped from the helicopter to mark LZ’s (00:23:40) Rear Duty at Camp Evans Pt. 1 -Transferred back to Camp Evans to an aid station to be treated for wounds -Took two weeks to heal -Once he was healed enough he guarded the perimeter at Camp Evans -After two weeks he rejoined Delta Company in the field (00:24:45) Firebase Ripcord Pt. 2 -He was on and off Firebase Ripcord a few times -Field duty was getting boring, so he volunteered for perimeter guard duty at Camp Evans -First part of July 1970 which meant R&R was coming soon -He wanted an easy transition into a break �(00:26:03) R&R -Felt guilty in retrospect taking rear duty and R&R while Delta Company was at Ripcord -Met his wife in Hawaii for a week-long vacation -Flight to Hawaii was exuberant -Flight back was depressing -Had been in Vietnam for seven months (00:27:03) Returning to Vietnam -Returned to Camp Evans after R&R and pulled rear duties waiting for Delta Company to return -He was aware of Delta Company rescuing Alpha Company at Firebase Ripcord -He wanted to go back and help them, but wasn’t authorized to go -He could hear the battle and rescue operation in real time via the radio -When Delta Company returned to Camp Evans he rejoined them -Went back into the field with them and stayed in the field until September 1970 (00:28:31) Clerical & Aide Duties at Camp Evans -In September 1970 he was called back to Camp Evans to be a carpenter -Didn’t know anything about carpentry, but didn’t question it -Wound up becoming a clerk, jeep driver, and general aide -All rear area workers had been in combat for at least a few months -Officer wanted men who had seen combat to be in administration -Felt that they knew what the men in the field wanted -He made sure that Delta Company received the proper supplies and treats when possible -Wounded member of Delta Company was sent to Camp Evans to be his aid -They disassembled, moved, and reassembled two barracks together -He took a thirty day extension so that he could leave six months early -Camp Evans occasionally took rocket and mortar fire -Relatively sporadic and uneventful, but still jarring when it happened (00:31:56) Coming Home and Leaving the Army -Left Vietnam in November 1970 and arrived in Fort Lewis, Washington -Processing to get discharged took about twenty four hours -Remembers leaving on the plane out of Seattle and waking up in Chicago -Took a flight from Chicago to Cedar Rapids, Iowa -Wife picked him up at the airport (00:32:57) Life after the Army -Returned to his previous job in January 1971 -Worked there until January 1972 when he was laid off due to stagnant economy -Got another job six weeks later -He and his wife moved to Florida in 1980 -Became the supervisor of a CAD design group -Had to take night classes to adapt to design changes brought on by computers Interview ends at 00:35:06 � 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 PufferD1538V Title A name given to the resource Puffer, Douglas (Interview outline and video), 2013 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Puffer, Douglas Description An account of the resource Douglas Puffer was born in 1948 in Iowa City, Iowa. He grew up on a farm in Iowa, and after high school he attended a drafting and design school in Oklahoma where he met his wife and graduated from that in December 1968, and received his draft notice a few months later. He trained at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with specialized training for armored personnel carriers. When he deployed to Vietnam in October, 1969, he found himself in an airborne unit, Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was sent to Camp Evans and he and his unit saw action on and around Firebase Shepard and Firebase Ripcord, and he spent the end of his enlistment in the rear before returning home and being discharged in November 1970. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource McGregor, Michael (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-10-12 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/3f4567caa52a7e7ea3305ad753598756.mp4 316e706e33ca7590a325bd898dfd8e2e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d5c63e4817f22a2f3b14c7224cdc9b74.pdf f498e6b44bda2b96f003aa744ffdf58b PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Richard Prosch (01:04:35) (00:15) Background Information • • • • • Richard was born on March 27, 1921 in Indiana His family later moved to Chicago where his father had just bought a pharmacy Richard graduated from high school in 1939 and began going to Denison University in Ohio Richard had been on Christmas vacation when Pearl Harbor was attacked He signed up for the Navy in 1941 and his service was deferred until he graduated in 1943 (04:25) Enlistment • After graduating Richard was sent to only a week later to Notre Dame to take naval classes for 4 months • Richard then went to Maryland for additional training while they were waiting for their ship to be ready to go overseas • He volunteered to go on a landing invasion of France because he had been anxious and had not wanted to wait for the other ship (09:50) Overseas • Richard had previously trained in Virginia and Indiana with artillery before leaving • They landed in England in December of 1943 • It was an uneventful trip on the Mauretania and they traveled with an escort • Once in Liverpool they continued training and practiced landing on beaches • Richard had been training in Slapton Sands when an LST was attacked and sunk right in front of them (19:15) Invasion—Omaha Beach • They left from Weymouth Harbor and crossed the English Chanel • Richard then boarded a landing ship, but it was hard for him to get motivated because there were bodies everywhere on the beach • The first men on the beach were mostly all hit with bullets, but helped clear the way for others • The obstacles on the beach had all been cleared out earlier by the Navy Seals • Remembering the invasion now is like watching a movie to him �(31:40) Working with the 2nd Division • Richard and others were covered by planes as they made their way up the beach hills • He was reassigned to the 2nd Division to help spot them as they covered the beach • Richard had previously been working with the 1st Division (42:10) Normandy • Richard and others made their way inland and there were cows everywhere, but it was a very beautiful area • Bombardment had left much battle damage • They eventually went back to England on a LST and all the wounded were sent back to the US • Richard then began working with an Assault Signal Group called Jasko • The group was ordered to be sent back to the US on the Queen Mary and prepare to be sent to the Pacific (48:15) Back in the US • Richard was sent back to his home base for 10 days and then took a train to San Francisco • They left on a Coast Guard ship called the USS Shaw • Richard had gotten engaged to his girlfriend before leaving for California (50:10) New Guinea and the Philippines • On the way through the Pacific they stopped in Hollandia, New Guinea and the Philippines • Richard was working with the 6th Division in Manila for quite a while before he broke his wrist • He then boarded a Dutch hospital ship that had a Chinese crew and British doctors • His wrist was put in a cast and he was sent to Hawaii (57:35) The End of the War • Richard had been in a hospital in California on VJ Day and was very happy that the war was finally over • He was sent to Great Lakes Naval hospital in Chicago where they operated on his wrist • He then continued working with the Navy, which was trying to sell old equipment to civilians • His father asked him to work with him because he had then purchased two other pharmacies • Richard went to school for another 4 years and worked as a pharmacist for 28 years � 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 ProschR Title A name given to the resource Prosch, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Prosch, Richard Description An account of the resource Richard Prosch was born in 1921 in Indiana and graduated from high school in 1939. He attended college in Ohio and signed up for the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked. His appointment was deferred until his graduation in 1943. Richard trained as a naval liaison to work with army units in invasions. While training in England, he witnessed the Slapton Sands disaster. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day with the 1st Division, and then worked with the 2nd Division as it landed the next day. He was subsequently transferred to the Pacific, and served in the Philippines. 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 United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--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 2008-07-04 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/000479559cacc346cba7d1bb769d9b4b.mp4 760558bdffe55ecc3b3a71d5018394d3 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7046aa3939d9d9322b11bae27f231158.pdf c4a372cd446b84bc6814c0c8a471fdc0 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Oral History Interview Transcript Russel Prince Born: 1922 near Cadillac, MI. WWII Veteran United States Army, October 15, 1940 to January 1945 (Red Arrow) Division Interviewed by: Jodi Moore and Joy Miedema, GVSU Transcribed by: Joan Raymer June 22, 2007 Interviewer: “What was your family like? Did you have any brothers or sisters?” Yes, I had 3 sisters and 1 brother. Interviewer: “What types of activities were you involved in growing up?” Baseball, football and swimming. Interviewer: “Were you drafted or enlisted?” I enlisted. Interviewer: “Why did you enlist?” I enlisted for the money and for the recreation – swimming and basketball. Interviewer: “How old were you?” I was 17. Interviewer: “How did your family feel about your enlistment?” They didn’t like it. 1:33 Interviewer: “What kinds of things were you required to do before you went to boot camp? You mentioned there was a swimming pool, but did you have anything that you had to do?” Yes, we had training once a week and during the summer we were at Camp Grayling for 2 weeks every summer. Interviewer: “What type of extra curricular activities did they have? You mentioned the swimming pool.” Up there, there were no extra activities it was all training. Interviewer: “What were your reactions to being sent to boot camp?” Well, we went in for a year and it didn’t bother us too much. We thought it would be something different and like I said before, the money was very important because there was no money around and we were under federal service for 1 year. 2:30 At the end of 1 �the year it was extended 6 months, but I was slated to go home on January the 1st of 1942, but Pearl Harbor happened in December before I left, so I stayed in. I had to stay in. Interviewer: “What did you think training in Louisiana was going to be like?” Well, we trained for European warfare; it was training in different areas of Louisiana compared to the territories we would be in, in Europe and the hardest part was the 6-week maneuver we had, that was the hardest part. 3:25 Interviewer: “What did you do during that 6 week maneuver?” Well, we ran an anti-tank company, we had our vehicles, we had 12 guns, which was separated 4 guns to each battalion. It was very hard to communicate and to keep track of your men and where they were. Interviewer: “What was the weather like compared to what you were used to?” Hot and humid. Interviewer: “Were there any insects and mosquito problems?” Mosquito, there was a great problem with ticks that we found down in the pine forest that we were training in. That was basically the thing, Mosquitoes and Ticks. Interviewer: “What was your favorite part of being in boot camp? Ok part?” I don’t think there was anything special. It was something that we had to go through. We were getting paid for it and the government wanted us to train for the European war. It was continual hard training. 4:46 Interviewer: “Did you feel you were well prepared when you finished training in Louisiana? Prepared to fight?” Yea, I was fully prepared. We left Louisiana after Pearl Harbor and we went to Massachusetts in January and we trained in winter warfare, combined the European theater. We were sent from there to Fort Dix, which is the debarkation point going to Europe. We stayed on the Pullman trains that we were on for 6 hours and they pulled Pullmans next to us and we transferred trains and instead of going to Fort Dix, we were headed west through the Pennsylvania mountains and we landed in California. 5:44 We didn’t know what was going to happen from there on. Interviewer: “Is that the first time you found out you weren’t going to Europe?” Yes, when we woke up the next morning on the Pullmans, we were headed west. We spent about 2 weeks in San Francisco and boarded ships to someplace; we didn’t know where we were going. Interviewer: “How would you describe the train ride across the country then?” It was very interesting because for most of us, we were young, we were going through states we had never seen and the terrain was altogether different and the people meeting the trains in the stations were different, it was different and friendly. 6:37 2 �Interviewer: “Where there any specific stops that you remember because of something people there had done?” No, we stopped and I got off the train, went to a drug store and paid for whatever I purchased and I got change in silver dollars. I had to run to catch the train with a pocket of silver dollars, that’s one memorable spot. Interviewer: “What was it like when you were waiting in California for your ship to go?” Well, we were right in San Francisco and we got passes every night to go out, it was different and interesting because we had never been that far west and it was just a different area altogether than what we had ever been in. 7:37 Interviewer: “How long did you wait in California?” We were there about 2 weeks. Interviewer: “What was the ship ride like over to Australia?” The ship ride was very, very interesting. We were on a luxury liner and they had carpenters along on the trip. They were putting plywood over all the fixtures in the ship, all the important area in the dining room etc. so we wouldn’t destroy them. It was a 21day ride going across, we were supposed to land in northern Australia, but the Coral Sea Battle was engaged and we had to detour to south Australia. Interviewer: “did anyone get sea sick?” 8:36 Not that I know of. Interviewer: “What were your first impressions of Australia when you got there?” First impressions? It was a strange country. The language was a little different, the people reacted different than we did to some things, they were more tense about the war because the Japanese were in New Guinea and they thought that would be the landing point for the Japanese to get to Australia. 9:18 They were more concerned about the war than we were at the time. Interviewer: “What type of training did you receive there?” Again we received training with our guns, with our vehicles for anti-tank work, which we were wondering about at the time, if it had ever been used, but we had to train in that because that’s what we were brought over as. Interviewer: “How was this training different than what you received in Louisiana?” It was not too much different than that, it was typical training that you would get in any part of the world I think, that you were in. Interviewer: “What kind of activities did you participate in when you weren’t in training?” In south Australia, again it was strictly training, there were no activities, nothing that we could do and we were on the base camp there. We did get off for a weekend or 3 �something to go to Adelaide, which was about 30 miles away, but other than that there were no activities to work with. 10:40 Interviewer: “Was you unit flown or shipped to New Guinea?” Shipped. We went from Adelaine down to Melbourne and to Brisbane. We were at Brisbane about 2 months at Camp Gable where we disembarked for New Guinea. Interviewer: “What were your first impressions of New Guinea?” We were wondering what they were fighting there for. It was a hot climate, it was wet, there was really nothing there. The place that we landed was Port Moresby, it was supposed to be a good size town for New Guinea, but it was all bombed out and there was no one living there. 11:37 We were sent to a cocoanut grove where we set up and waited our orders. We spent about a week in that area when we got orders to go on the Kokoda Trail over the mountains. They said it would be about a 30-day trip and we had denims, blue denims, one set that we started out with; we carried ammunition and food basically. We started out and we made 16 miles the first 10 days and from then on it got a little harder and we spent 57 days in the mountains, running into the enemy and going on. We went over the mountains and the map I had was dated 1916 and this was 1940 so it was a hard trail to find on the 1916 map. 12:44 Interviewer: “Did you run into any wild animals or anything on the trail?” No, we did not, that I could see. Interviewer: “Did you have a lot of trouble with mosquitoes here like you did in Louisiana or were they worse?” The mosquitoes were worse and that’s where we, the majority of the troops got malaria and we got it on that trip. I was bitten by a mosquito and I didn’t know why we were running fevers, but we found out later on that it was through the mosquitoes. Interviewer: “On the Kokoda Trail, did you track the days you were on the trail or did you figure that out later?” We figured it out later, from the time we left until the time we got up where, up at the front lines where they had more data on what we were doing because we lost track of time and practically sometimes where we were. 13:46 We were delayed different times by Japanese patrols that were larger than the group that we had, so we just waited them out at times. We got as far as Wairopi and we waited there about a week because we estimated a 1,000 or over Japanese troops. We had 300 men and we weren’t going to attack them. Finally the Australians came down from another trail with a larger unit. They wiped the Japanese out, we went to Wairopi and that’s where I said they had a bridge made out of cables and you walked on a single cable over a ravine. We went over Wairopi and met the Australians who were headed for the Sanananda track. We joined them and they branched off and we fought our way up to Sanananda and were put on the front lines there. 14:48 Interviewer: “How did you push through not knowing what day it was? How did you just keep going on with all the hard troubles?” 4 �Well, we didn’t pay too much attention. Our main, our greatest concern going over the trail was the Japanese and as I said, when we left we carried ammunition, small arms and all of our food ran out in about 3 days. The Air force kicked food out of the airplanes without parachutes to us on the ground. They were supposed to have dropping areas, but they never hit them. 15:32 We had to look for the food and ammunition. We kept going over the mountains like that, having food dropped, most of the food was “bully” beef, what the Australians call canned mutton. That was hard to eat after a few days. We did find some food and ammunition going across where the food was dropped to us. Interviewer: “Did you have any contact with the native people in New Guinea?” Yes, we had contact with the natives going over the mountains. We would send letters, if you wanted to call it that, notes to our parents and some guys their wives, with the natives back to Port Moresby. Well, you never knew if they go there or not. 16:27 The closer we got to the Japanese, the more we hesitated to use the natives in any way, because we didn’t know if they were working for the Japanese or if they were friendly to us, so we stayed clear of natives at that point. Interviewer: “How would you describe the native people, were they a lot different than what you would have expected?” Yes they were, like I said, we didn’t see too many of them, but what we seen, they were a little different than we expected. Some of them could speak a little English and some did not. Interviewer: “Did you have any special names that you called them or was it just the native people?” We would give them names. Any name that you would pick out, they would answer to it. Interviewer: “You mentioned that you had contact with the Australians. What was that like? The Australian forces so they come to relieve you?” No, not at Wairopi, we met up with the Australians; they were on the opposite side of the river, Kakuma River and they were battling the Japanese. They left the main force and went in a different direction. We fought out way up the Sanananda Track to where the American front lines were. 18:00 Interviewer: “What was your impression of the Australian forces?” Well, they had more fight in them than we did because they had more contact with the enemy and it was a great help to us, the way they fought, we learned a lot because we did not learn too much going across the mountains because we were not that close to the enemy at any one time. We knew they were ahead of us. Interviewer: “How would you describe any of the leaders you had, the people above you?” Well, the leaders at that time, I would complement them very good. The equipment we had, the information we had, we didn’t get information, the radios didn’t work, they tried to drop information as they kicked the supplies out of the airplanes, but some of it we never found. So, we were going more or less blind over the track and day-by-day by 5 �what we found and what we heard and how we operated on the information we could get ourselves. 19:17 Interviewer: “What was your impression of MacArthur?” I probably shouldn’t say this, but it wasn’t very good—very low. Interviewer: “What did you think you were fighting for the whole time in New Guinea?” Well, we were under the impression that if we stopped the Japanese, in New Guinea, from going to Australia, it was basically over, but that was untrue. We found that out later on. That’s what we were sent there for is-- the thought was that the Japanese were going to Port Moresby, that’s where we were, and that was a jump off point to get to Australia. That’s what we thought we were there for. 20:11 Interviewer: “What kind of weapons did you use?” Well, over the mountains we used small arms, pistols, and rifles, BAR rifles that’s a rifle that can fire quite a few rounds at once. It is a heavy gun and we had a few Tommy Guns. Interviewer: “What was the scariest part of the battles for you?” All of it, all of it. As I said, we reached the front lines and we were put on the front line, left front and there was a mixture of troops. Anti tank was the only full company and the rest were a mixture. We were there for 2 days and the morning of the 30th I think, of November, they laid down a barrage of mortar artillery and the whole front line was supposed to attack the Japanese. The right front, the center and the left, we were on the left and we broke through. The only company on the front at the Sanananda Track. 21:32 Interviewer: “Did you feel any emotion when your company was the only one to break through? Any sense of success?” No, we didn’t know, communications in the jungle at that time, there were no radios actually and communications was speaking to the man next to you and if you lost contact with him, you were lost yourself. So you had to keep men on both sides of you. We hit the Kunine grass and we started across, it’s a grass that runs anywhere from 2 feet to 5or 6 feet tall and it’s sharp, it hurts. We got about 1,000 yards into that when the Japanese stopped us. We fought and reached the swamp, we fought our way through the swamp and we got to the Sanananda track again to higher ground and it was a Japanese bivwak area and we took that over and we spent the night there, or tried to. 22:40 It was counter attack all night. Interviewer: “Did you ever get a good nights sleep while fighting?” No, there were attacks day and night. We cut off their supplies and they wanted that road back. Interviewer: “In a few hours could you make yourself fall asleep? Were you so tired?” 6 �Well, you did get some sleep—very little. We were in a perimeter, maybe 150 yards wide across the road and a couple hundred yards deep. We had that as a perimeter that we were protecting on the roadblock. We reached there and through counter attack after counter attack we got low on ammunition. Patrols tried to break through. They couldn’t and we lost contact with the main units behind us because our radio got wet and quit working. 23:50 We had 1 radio and a heavy radio at the time. A man had to carry it on his back and that got wet so we couldn’t use it. We were actually lost; they didn’t know where we were. They ran patrols until they finally found out where 1 section was and they ran a patrol that broke through with radio, food and more ammunition because we were down to nothing. With the radio, we got back in contact with headquarters anti artillery and we give the artillery points to shoot at and they finally pinpointed our position, so they knew where they could use their artillery against the enemy because they didn’t use it before, not knowing where we were. 24:42 Interviewer: “How did you feel and the group feel as a consensus, when you knew you were lost?” Well, we were wondering what we were doing up there absolutely lost. We had no idea what was going to happen, we were low on ammunition; the orders went through to use your ammunition any way you wanted to. If the patrol hadn’t come through when it did, we probably would have had to use that last ammunition. Interviewer: “While fighting, did you at any time lighten your packs? Just drop things that you thought you didn’t need?” Well, when we started over the trail, we carried a shelter half plus part of another uniform. Going over the trail, we got rid of the shelter half, we got rid of anything we didn’t need except the food and ammunition. 25:53 That was basically what we carried. Interviewer: “Did you regret leaving anything behind? No, the only thing I regret is we started out, we were supposed to get them when we had reached the other side of the mountain, we did not have helmets. When we reached the front lines, we still did not have helmets, when we got in the lost company or the roadblock, we still did not have helmets. You probably see the helmets on today’s news, ours were a lot different, but we went in without tin helmets, is what we called them. There were a lot of head wounds due to that. 26:39 The Japanese around us had advantage, they knew the territory, they would get up in the trees, camouflage themselves and the majority of our men who were wounded or killed, were head injuries because we didn’t have helmets. The Japanese could pick us off whenever they wanted to. They were more or less after leaders all the time. Captain Shirley happened to be the Captain in charge of the unit at the roadblock. He sent Captain Keith and Lieutenant Daniels on and out trying to find a way out and they both got killed with a patrol. Captain Shirley got killed, Lieutenant Huggins took over command and he later got a head injury. Lieutenant LaPonte broke through with a patrol and a radio and food and ammunition. He stayed, the oldest officer in grade, so he took charge of the unit. 27:58 Interviewer: “Did the officers then wear their insignia on their uniform?” 7 �No they did not, but the Japanese, as I said, knew everything we did. They know that patrol is going to go out at the south end of the roadblock and they attacked them. They knew the higher echelon in our command in the roadblock, from officers, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Corporals. They knew them all, but we didn’t have insignias to tell who was giving the orders. 28:38 Interviewer: “Were you afraid of the Japanese snipers?” Yes. We were afraid of the Japanese snipers, we were afraid of the Japanese artillery because we had more people wounded and killed with tree top explosions rather than direct, from the shrapnel that would hit the ground. Interviewer: “How did you deal with fighting while you had malaria?” Well, we knew we had to keep going. We couldn’t get out of the roadblock. There was absolutely no way to get out. We had to keep going or give up and we didn’t want to do that. So we fought with high temperatures. 29:28 Interviewer: “How did the men in your unit deal with everybody around them dying?” Well, it was very hard because your friends, your buddies, we had to bury them up there in very shallow graves because if you went down deep you were in water. It was a very hard thing to do. 29:50 Interviewer: “How would you describe the Japanese style of fighting? The Japanese in general, how would you describe them?” Well, they did some foolish things, they attacked at the wrong times, they were, from what we understood later on, probably worse off than we were for food and ammunition because we had cut their supplies. There was a large force that we, surrounding us, said at one time was close to 4,000. I can’t believe it, that 4,000 wouldn’t overrun 300, but that was the estimate. They had very little food. They were running low on supplies too, so they wanted that roadblock and they were trying to get it. 30:42 Interviewer: “Did you ever feel sympathy for the enemy?” No. Interviewer: “You mentioned before malaria, what other types of diseases did people get?” Dysentery, different bites that would cause problems, different insects that would get into your clothing and into your skin. Interviewer: “What type of medical aid was available?” None. Interviewer: “How did the men deal with not being able to receive aid? Did they have first aid kits?” 8 �We had these small first aid kits that we carried, but we ran out of them. We did what we could for them, but there was no way to get them out of there. There was nothing much we could do except comfort them if we could. 31:47 Interviewer: “What kinds of injuries would get men moved away from the front lines or sent home?” Well, in the roadblock there wasn’t relief. You stayed; there was no way to get back, absolutely no way to get back out. We were not in condition to fight our way back. We were just doing our best to hold our spot we had, hoping somebody could get to us, which after 22 days—at one time the Americans asked the Australian commander to take over the roadblock. He tried, but he couldn’t get there, but after 22 days in the roadblock, the Australians broke through and relieved us and the trail they used to get through, they guarded it while we were going out, so we could walk out, we had to carry a lot of people out, but those that could walk, walked and those that could walk good enough to help other ones, we managed to get out. We were up there 22 or 23 days. 32:53 Interviewer: “What kind of contact did you have with people back home? Did you receive letters while you were there?” No. No contact at all. Not like today where you can pick up a cell phone and call. If we wrote a letter it had to go back by ship and that took a month from the time we wrote it until it was delivered in Grand Rapids, it took about a month. Interviewer: “Do you know if family members ever got any of your letters or did all of them get lost?” No, they got some of them. Interviewer: “What kinds of things did men write home about usually?” Well, being single it was hard to write. You tried to write what you—you couldn’t say where you were, you couldn’t say what you were doing, just that you still had your health. 33:48 Interviewer: “Were there any signs that the war was coming to an end?” None whatsoever, no. As I said, we got out of the front lines, we had a days rest, couldn’t clean up, couldn’t put on clean uniforms, they were not available so your wearing the same uniform from September through practically New Years. We were on the front lines at Christmas, we celebrated Christmas on the front lines and at that time, I can’t tell you when because my memory is gone. If you had a temperature of 104° you stayed at the front. If you had a temperature of 105° you went back to the First Aid Station. 34:39 Somebody, I don’t know who it was, I can’t tell you, got me back to the First Aid Station and the next thing I knew, I was on a plane flying back over the mountains. It took us 57 days going across and it took 45 minutes flying back. I got to the hospital, I spent New Years there, I don’t remember it, and I spent about 3 weeks in the hospital. They couldn’t break my temperature. 35:10 Interviewer: “Where was the hospital located?” At Port Moresby. 9 �Interviewer: “What was it like there during your stay?” As I said, I don’t remember too much of it until they broke my temperature and they explained it. I had for some reason or other, the longest temperature, the longest time temperature wise that they had ever seen and I was treated pretty good in the hospital until I was fit to take a ship and go back to Australia. 35:43 So, consequently being in the hospital, in New Guinea, my troop was relieved and went back to Australia while I was in the hospital. They gave me more combat time than they had. It wasn’t combat, but it was in the zone. Interviewer: “What were you feeling about returning home?” Well, we didn’t even think about it at the time. I got back to Australia, I was sent to, I forget the name of the camp, but I was sent there for R&R, that’s the first time I ever heard of that and I had 2 weeks of it. I was transferred back to the anti tank at Brisbane at Camp Cable and again we had trucks and anti tank guns which we trained with again. It was foolish, but we did. 36:41 Interviewer: “What did you on R&R?” Not much, just relaxed, it was a small town and we went in there every night and had a meal, but you weren’t required to do anything except get up in the morning and report. Interviewer: “Once you were back in Australia, waiting to go back home, what types of things did you do?” Wait to go back home? I didn’t wait to go back home, we went back into training, we got replacements, we had to train them, which took about 3 months, then we went back to Milne Bay in New Guinea. We trained them in jungle warfare and we had anti tank guns and trucks and nobody knew why we had to train with them. We left there and we got aboard ship and we went out and didn’t know where we were going. We made a beach landing; we were one of the first beach landings at Saidor New Guinea and we were supposed to cut the Japanese off there. We went ashore, we had very little opposition and one of my details was to get ahead of the anti tank company and find positions for our guns, which I did and no tanks, no Japanese, but we found the Japanese about 3,000 yards out on the other side of a mountain range, the Owen Stanley Range. 38:29 So, our orders were to stay where we were and if the Japanese come on our side, we were to engage them, so we stayed at Saidor. We had a few encounters with the Japanese, but very few. Interviewer: “How did you feel when you were fighting with the replacements? Was it different than fighting with the men you had been with for so long?” Well, not much different, but you were a little leery about how they would act under fire and so on. There were very few times you really had to worry about it at Saidor. It was at Saidor where I was called in and said I was going to go home and I said, “why? Well, you’re number one in the regiment, the 126th regiment. I said, “how could I be number one?” Well, I had those extra days in the hospital in a combat zone, so I was sent home. 39:30 I was not sent home, I was sent to Goodenough Island and Goodenough Island was a mixture of troops, there was really nothing going on there except the R&R again. 10 �It was a long narrow island. It was 3 miles wide and 18 miles long. It was peaceful during the day. At night the Japanese Navy tried to sink that island, I thought, from the amount of bombs they dropped on it. I stayed at Goodenough Island for 3 weeks and got aboard a ship and went home. Interviewer: “How long did it take you to get home?” Going home it took us a little over 2 weeks. Going over it took us 21 days because we were in a large convoy going over and there was a lot of zigzagging, trying to stay away from the Japanese Navy and the submarines basically. On the way home we did some zigzagging when we left Goodenough Island, but further out we went fairly straight so it took less time going home that it did going over. 40:55 Interviewer: “What were you looking forward to doing at home?” I got home; I had no idea what was going to happen. In California I got transportation home, I got a 21 day leave, I had 7 copies of that leave, cigarettes were rationed, gasoline was rationed, everything was rationed, you had to have something. I went down to the board several times, I transferred the top copy that they stamp to the bottom, so I got gasoline 7 different times, I got my dad plenty of cigarettes, But it was not supposed to be done that way. 41:47 Interviewer: “When you got back to Grand Rapids, who was at the train station to meet you?” No one, they didn’t know when we was coming; we didn’t know when we were coming in. It was a surprise, we did send wires from California, but we had no idea when we would get there, not with transportation the way it was and the troop trains had to sidetrack for other trains, so we had no idea when we would get to Grand Rapids. It was more or less a surprise. Interviewer: “What was the first thing you did once you got home?” Well, I met my mother at the door, my father was working, she called him and got him home and I had a very good homecoming and some very good meals. 42:36 Interviewer: “How had Grand Rapids changed since you had left?” It hadn’t that I could see. The only thing different that I could see was there were a lot of soldiers in town and I couldn’t figure that out. There was Navy, there were soldiers and they were stationed at the Pantlind Hotel, which is now the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, and they were in the weather school there. They had a big weather school for all troops for all services in Grand Rapids at the old Kent County Airport. That was the big difference. 43:18 Interviewer: “Did you feel different at all coming home and seeing the people who were fighting at the home front as opposed to where you were?” No, not too much. I knew what it was sort of, from the Australians and the news and letters, I did get some and they explained it all. The rationing they were under, how they had to live, it wasn’t peaceful, it wasn’t luxury at that time, it was very hard. You had to have a ration point for everything you bought—meat, butter, most of the groceries were 11 �under ration points, gasoline was rationed, shoes were rationed, I don’t remember how I bought a pair of shoes, but I bought a pair of shoes, I had no ration stamp, but I bought a pair, I don’t remember how I got them. Interviewer: “So after you were done with the military, what did you do next?” Well, when I got home I didn’t get out. My orders were to go to Alabama; I forget the name of the camp. Camp McCoy, Alabama and I spent close to a year there as an instructor of the infantry, which I was not very knowledgeable about except for what I learned in the jungles, but I had to teach infantry tactics and all I knew, was anti tank. It was rather hard for me down there. 44:58 Training new inductees and training them right—we had problems because the officers in these training schools were all over age officers, they were too old to go overseas, so the only thing they could teach was by the book and they expected us to, so we got in trouble with the officers quite a bit because we didn’t agree with the training that they were getting down in Alabama. That was the hardest part. 45:35 Interviewer: “did you go right into having your own business or did you go to college after you got out?” I went to college I went to Ferris. Interviewer: “Did you use the G.I. Bill for that?” Yes. Interviewer: “When did you get married?” 1946, August of “46” Interviewer: “Did you know your future wife while you were in the military?” No, before I went to Ferris, I had to wait and I got a job, it was on Pearl Street, Adressagraph Multigraph, that was the forerunners of computers. I met my wife there; she worked there for a while after graduating from high school. Interviewer: “Did you join any men’s clubs for veterans?” No, I did join the American Legion after I got out of college, after I started working and I don’t know if it is my nature or what it was, but after the meetings all they wanted to do was talk about the war and I didn’t like that, so I sort of dropped out. 47:10 Every time you would meet them, that’s all they wanted to talk about. It was a hard thing to talk about. I don’t know what they got out of it, what they were trying to rehash I have no idea. I have never talked about it. Interviewer: “Have you gone back to Australia?” Yes. In my mind I had decided I was going to take my wife to Australia for our 50th wedding anniversary and I started looking at trips long before that and I found one a year before the anniversary and we took it, we went back to Australia. From there we went to New Zealand, which I had never seen and enjoyed. Australia to me, it had changed, it meant very little, I thought it would be more, but Australia is just like going to New York or anything along the east coast. Australia is all built on the east coast, you go around and you hit probably where Alabama is, is Adelaide, Australia, you take a train across the 12 �desert to Perth, it’s all outback as they say. To me Australia had changed, Sydney had changed because it had been built up more, the same as Grand Rapids. It was nice to see it, but I didn’t get what I thought I would out of it, but that’s why I enjoyed New Zeeland. 49:07 Interviewer: “Would you ever go back to New Guinea?” No, I have had friends--there’s a fellow in Holland that has been back twice, now what they get out of it—they went up on the Sanananda track and went through it again and I’m just not interested in that. He’s been back twice. Interviewer: “When you got out of the military, what was your final rank?” Staff Sergeant, I had a field appointment as a Lieutenant, but I was in a different—no, I was with anti tank at the time and I was offered a field commission, that’s without going to OCS school. 50:06 I found out that if I took that commission I would go to the 41st Division and I would be way down at the bottom of the totem pole for points to get back home so, I refused it. Lucky that I did because within 6 months I was on my way home. Interviewer: “When men received a higher rank, how was that usually done? Was it done on the spot or was there something they had to fill out, like paperwork?” Field appointments on the front lines were done on the spot. If you appointed for a field appointment it would take a week or 2. It went back to headquarters and I don’t know what they hashed out, but they did and they decided if you should have it or not. 51:00 Interviewer: “I think that’s about it and all the questions we have and “thank you”.” Thank you very much for having me. 13 � 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 PrinceR Title A name given to the resource Prince, Russel (Interview transcript and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Prince, Russel Description An account of the resource Russel Prince enlisted in the Michigan National Guard in 1940 and served in the anti-tank company of the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd (Red Arrow) Division until 1944, when he was sent back to the US to help train new recruits in Alabama, finally mustering out in January 1945. He provides a clear and detailed account of his unit's transfers first to the East Coast and then back across the country to ship out to Australia and New Guinea. His company was shipped to Port Moresby, New Guinea, in November, 1942, and spent nearly two months crossing the Owen Stanley Mountains to join in the attack on Buna. His company broke through Japanese lines early on, and then was isolated for three weeks before it was finally relieved. He discusses the difficulties of fighting in a jungle and of the action at Buna. This interview is featured in the documentary "Nightmare in New Guinea" produced by Grand Valley State University. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Moore, Jodi (Interviewer) Miedema, Joy (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American 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 2007-05-21 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/be686bff21ca78acae52dae3f55eb382.m4v fd339fcb3394eb3006897fa254133483 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1e1952555274154c51b9c3c457480247.pdf 7274ae010bcbf1f83940edf438b91d91 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Vietnam Era Interviewee: Richard Price Length of Interview: 00:50:40 Background:             He was born August 14th, 1945 in Lansing, Michigan. He lived there for about 9 months and then his family moved out to Eagle, Michigan, which is about 12 miles west of Lansing, and he has lived in the area ever since. His dad was a carpenter and his mother was a hair stylist. He has one sibling, a sister. He went to grade school in Eagle and went to high school in Portland. He graduated from Portland in 1963. After school he worked at General Motors for 9 months. He decided he did not care for that kind of work and went on to construction. He worked in construction for about a year and a half and that is when he was drafted into the Army. He was drafted in November of 1965. He knew that Vietnam was going on and had heard quite a bit about it. He figured that would where he would be going. Before he was drafted, his doctor told him that since he had bad feet and bad knees that he would not have to worry about being drafted. When he did get drafted, he went to get his physical in Detroit and they sent him right on to Fort Knox. After he got his draft notice, he was given a date to go to St. Johns, where he would then be sent to Detroit. During the physical, they took your blood pressure and look for anything out of the ordinary. He did not think it was that great of a physical, but it was an army physical. He did not get any shots until he got to basic training at Fort Knox. The base at Fort Knox was composed of old buildings made of red clay. It seemed like no matter where you looked there would always be red clay. For November, it was hot. Training (3:55)     Basic training consisted of calisthenics, forced marches, infiltration courses; it was tough work. Lucky for him he was in construction before he went in, so he was in pretty good shape. In fact, he gained weight in basic training, whereas most guys lost weight. Army discipline was definitely something he was not used to. From what he heard, it was not that much different than the training the Marines go through. It was rough mentally, but physically it was not that bad. The drill sergeant treated the soldiers like dirt, but that was the way they were trained and that was how the soldiers were trained. �    It took him a few weeks to adjust and convince himself to just go along with things or else he would be in serious trouble. They washed out 10% and had to go back to basic training, mostly due to physical issues. Some of them had an attitude, which was just going to make it tough for them. In basic training, there were about 300 people that he trained with. He did not really get to know any of them as there was not much of a chance to really talk back and forth. His basic training lasted 11 weeks. Advanced Training (7:00)        After basic he came home for a week and then he was sent to Fort Aberdeen in Maryland for advanced training at mechanics school. He went through a wheel and track mechanics school and that was for 13 weeks. Mechanic school was a little different than basic because he had more freedom. He still had to attend school for 8 hours a day. After though he was allowed more freedom to travel where he wanted. He could go off base and even have his own vehicle. It was kind of like college. He was working on all military vehicles, from jeeps to tank retrievers. The instructors there were all military personnel. Most of them were sergeants, much older than him, at least he thought. But they were probably in their mid-30’s. Once advanced training was finished, he got orders for Vietnam. They were supposed ship out in two weeks, but a couple days later, 12 of them got their orders changed to Korea. They all shipped and he got to Korea around May. Active Duty (10:30)          He flew on a four engine prop plane. It was condemned for civilian use, he found out later. He flew from Baltimore to Washington State to Fort Lewis. He did not know if they were going to make it to Washington due to the poor condition of the plane. Three days after they arrived at Fort Lewis they boarded a 727. It had civilian pilots and stewardesses, but all the passengers were military. They were going to stop in Tokyo to fuel, but the planes altimeters malfunctioned. They first noticed something wrong when the crystals in their watches began flying everywhere. When they landed in Tokyo there were emergency vehicles, wreckers and many other things lined up along the runway. They could not see anything for about 20 min. 23 people had died on the flight and there were 15-20 more that they kept from going on to Korea. He has had bad hearing for a long time and he thinks that may have affected him, but there were no other major problems that he suffered from when he got there. They found out that repairs to the plane were going to take 14 hours, so the soldiers were let out into the terminal, where all of their food and drinks would be covered. They never let them out of the airport, but they all found a bar. They really had to help each other back onto the plane when it was time to head out to Korea. �Korea (16:55)                      He flew into Pusan and was there long enough for them to figure out where everybody was going in Korea. He and 11 other mechanics were sent to Camp Rice and from there they were distributed out even more. They found out then why their orders were changed and they were sent to Korea. The North Koreans had blown up the mechanics quarters and 8 of them were killed and the other 4 had been sent home. They were there to replace them. He joined the 2nd Infantry Division, the 702nd Maintenance Battalion, A Company. His duty there was to maintain all the equipment on the DMZ. Everything from jeeps to tanks. There was a lot of repair needed. While he was there, they were looking for someone with a chauffeur’s license. Someone had once told him never to volunteer, but since he had one he did it anyway. He then spent 13 months as a battalion courier. The majority of what he did was send messages around the battalion. As soon as he landed in Korea, he knew he was in a different world. It smelled bad. It turned out to be human waste. Down south there was more foliage and the countryside looked halfway decent. When he got up to the north, there was nothing; no trees, no bushes, just nothing. He would later find out that nothing grew because the ground was full of lead. There were a lot of rice paddies, but on the mountains there were little trees. It was barren up there. There were times when crews had to be sent to the front lines. If the vehicle could not be brought back to get fixed, they would have to go there. The majority of the problems that he saw in the vehicles came from wear and tear. It was rough terrain and no roads. All they had were tank trails. There was also a certain amount of neglect or they got shot up. Officially, there was a truce and there was not supposed to be any gunfire, but that was not the case. They had North Koreans coming in every day. The biggest problem was that they look like the South Koreans, so they would just waltz right in like they belonged there. They basically knew what the South Koreans wore and they duplicated it. They once had a South Korean cutting their hair. Six months later they found out he was actually North Korean. There was a lot of rumors and information that went around in a barber shop. They heard small arms fire day and night, though not steadily. The North Koreans were used heavy weaponry as well. Being a courier was a risky job. Any Koreans they see could have been friend or foe. (25:20) Night deliveries were the worst. He was supposedly carrying top secret information around to where it needed to go. They would have to use a night light to see where they were going, so they could only see like 5 feet in front of them. It was a stressful job. �                   The lady who predicted Kennedy’s death and other events [Jeane Dixon] predicted that the North Koreans would invade on April 11th, 1967. Somebody believed her. All the compounds in the north were packed up and wired to blow. Turns out there were only 35 North Koreans that came across that day. But the way they came across would have given the soldiers a life expectancy of 11 seconds, barely enough time for him to start the jeep. That’s about the time he started getting an ulcer. He spent 13 months in Korea all with the same unit. During that time he got a week of R and R. He and six of his buddies did not have money to go anywhere so they went to Seoul. It was a break from the DMZ. He thought Seoul was a dirty place. There was nothing over there that would compare to the United States. (29:00) He worked with the South Korean military. There were a few mechanics, but most worked with paperwork in headquarters. One day he was going from Camp Rice to Camp Casey, he saw four Koreans on the side of the road. They had been working in the rice paddies and had stepped on a land mine. He loaded them in the vehicle and brought them to the MASH unit. While he was there, 35 G.I.’s in the Maintenance Battalion were killed. Never as a group though, it was always sporadic. One of the guys had actually died from encephalitis. As a courier, he would deal mostly with the battalion XO (executive officer) and the company commanders. He did not feel that any of them (the Koreans) liked us. He had a few of them tell him that they did not like us, but they liked our money. Most of them did not hate the soldiers, but they did not appreciate them either. The monsoons were nasty. It rained for 43 days without quitting. 8 men had drowned while trying to help someone. Winter there was the coldest winter he ever had. The heaters in the jeep did not work and there not enough clothes to keep him warm. Once in a while they would have movies that they could watch. Most of the time they had beer, though it was not very good. The good beer was down in the village and you had to pay more for it. (38:00) There was a recreations center that was a half a mile from Camp Rice where you could play handball and tennis among other things. Morale there was not real good. People really wanted to go home. He said they all had calendars, counting down the days until they went home. Their attitudes were not much different until the last day and then you can see that they had real hope of making it home. As far as he knows, none of the men who were serving in Korea had been transferred to Vietnam during their tour. Post Duty (41:30)    When his 13 months came to an end, he went home. He was there for about 3 weeks before he was sent to Fort Leonard Wood to get discharged. While he was there, the people there just wanted to keep them out of trouble. All the soldiers there who had come back from Korea and Vietnam would talk about what they were going to do when they got discharged. �               He did end up running a maintenance unit when he was at Leonard Wood. The sergeant there was about to retire, so he taught 5 or 6 of them what they had to do to maintain things like the sidewalks, fences and others. The Army had attempted to get the boys to re-up with incentives like ranks, money and other bonuses. The reason most of them didn’t re-up was because they knew they would be sent to Vietnam. After he was discharged he went back home. He wanted to work construction, but signed up for a plumbing apprenticeship. He would work as a plumber for 45 years. His time in the service definitely had an effect on how he sees the world. He has not trusted a politician since he has gotten back. He finds he is on a defense more than before he joined the service. He feels that the Army brought a lot of positive things into his life. In fact, looking back, he would do it again, except he would sign up for four years instead of two and he would sign up for the Seabee, which is a construction battalion. (46:05) Positive things he learned were how to live with other people in all kinds of conditions; he learned how to be responsible. He definitely grew up some. Before he entered the service, he and his stepfather couldn’t talk unless they were arguing. He hasn’t argued with his stepfather since he’s been back. The guys he served with came from every kind of background you could think of. They came from all different parts of the country. There were also black and hispanic men serving in his unit. Knowing about the movements that were back home, they were happy to be there in Korea. At least here there was a common goal. One of the good things about leadership was they would not tolerate anything racial. � 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 PriceR Title A name given to the resource Price, Richard (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Price, Richard Description An account of the resource Richard Price was drafted into the Army in 1965. He trained as a vehicle mechanic at Fort Knox, and expected to go directly to Vietnam. Instead, he and several other men from his training company were sent to Korea to replace men who had been killed or wounded in an enemy raid. The men were assigned to a maintenance company, and were kept busy repairing vehicles both at their camp and up near the DMZ. Price eventually was assigned to serve as battalion courier, and made regular trips between company and battalion headquarters and the front lines. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type 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 2010-08-09 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/c91f1433111ee142666bebd638ca0410.mp4 63f22dbb0d2e65bb82beae58fc8c5bd8 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8afb8f2bbac229841f5d58b2cb761d6a.pdf b200665dc5c30817f5a103ebd076cda4 PDF Text Text ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW JULIE PRICE Born: September 6, 1952 in Stanwood, Michigan Resides: Grandville, Michigan Interviewed by: James Smither PhD, GVSU Veterans History Project Transcribed by: Claire Herhold, January 22, 2013 Interviewer: Can you start by telling us just a little bit about yourself? To begin with, where and when were you born? I was born on September 6, 1952 in Stanwood, Michigan. It’s a small town south of Big Rapids. I was the third daughter and I had two older sisters, and I had a quite a bit younger brother. Interviewer: Did you grow up in Stanwood or did you move somewhere else? No, when I was about three months old, Mom and Dad and my sisters and I moved to Rockford, to a small farm just by Myers Lake, in Rockford. And then we moved a few years after that, we moved down the road to another small farm and we stayed there until I was seven, and then we moved into town in Rockford. Interviewer: Was your father trying to make it as a farmer or was the farm kind of a side thing? 1:02 No, it was kind of a side thing. My dad worked for soil conservation for like eighteen years and when he got out of the military he went to school for that. I think it was a two or three year program. I’m not sure how long it was. But, we lived on the farm and he did that as a side thing, but when I was growing up he worked for soil conservation. Interviewer: Did you attend high school in Rockford then? Yes, I went kindergarten through twelfth grade in Rockford. Interviewer: Did you then enlist in the military shortly after graduating from high school? �Well, I had to wait until I was eighteen. In those days, girls, I believe the rule for the Air Force anyway was, girls needed to have their parents’ signature until they were 21, and boys could enlist at seventeen with their parents’ signature and after they turned eighteen I don’t believe they needed that signature. So again, we were treated differently than the males were. 2:01 I enlisted, I’d been talking about going into the service ever since I was about in first grade. I had two older sisters and my oldest sister wanted to be a teacher and my other sister wanted to get married and have a family. You’ve got to keep in mind, I was growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s and there weren’t a lot of options for girls. Either you went to school to become a teacher or you got married and you had a family. And I looked at both those options and I’m thinking, I don’t want to do either one of those. I figured I’d had enough school for a while. It’s not that I didn’t want to go to college. I did, but not right out of high school. And I definitely didn’t want to get married out of high school. So I took all the tests and I talked to the recruiters when I was seventeen, the summer after I graduated. And I had all the tests taken, and when I turned eighteen, I signed the papers and I left for basic training toward the end of October, 1970. Interviewer: Did you have…you mentioned, your father had been in the military. 3:04 My father had been in the Army during World War II. He served in the African campaign and the Italian campaign. My oldest sister was born when Dad was still in the military, and he was back stateside, and he was working as an ambulance driver at the army post down in Battle Creek, Michigan. And my oldest sister was born at, I think it was Percy Hospital or something, down in Battle Creek. Interviewer: I think it was Percy-something [Jones] Hospital, or whatever. What did your family think about the prospect of you enlisting? �My dad was all for it, and so was my mother. Now, there were a lot of people in Rockford that would stop my mom or dad on the street and they would question how they could let their daughter, you know, go in the service because there’s only one type of girl that went in the military. My mom, on many occasions, gave them a good talking to. 4:03 And she said, “Julie is Julie. I don’t care if she goes to college, she has a job, or she goes in the military. It’s not going to change her.” That was a fallacy that so many people had. Either you were looking for a husband or you weren’t the nicest type of girl, you know. Or you were a lesbian. It was like, I didn’t fit any of those, you know, criteria. I had always been pulled toward the military since I was in first grade. Interviewer: Do you have any idea where that feeling came from or what was it about it that appealed to you? I think it was because, having two older sisters and one was set on one thing and the other was set on something else, I was always a combination of both of them. And I could kind of see the mistakes that they had made or things that they had done that I didn’t want to do. And I loved watching the old movies, you know, with Esther Williams, and I thought, this sounds fun. 5:01 Growing up in a small town, I said this is what I want to do. I want to serve my country and then go to college when I get out. Interviewer: What motivated you to choose the Air Force? Many things. The recruiter, number one, was much nicer to me than the Navy recruiter, because that was my other option. I didn’t want to do the Army and I didn’t want to do the Marines, and I thought, well, I’ll check with the Navy and I’ll check with the Air Force, but I was pulled toward the Air Force. I liked what they had to offer more so than the Navy did. �Interviewer: When you…once you actually enlist and you report, what kinds of processes do they put you through by way of testing and getting into training? Well, we went through a lot of testing beforehand and that kind of guided them into are you going into the medical, the administration, whatever. In basic training, the first thing I remember was, it was the first time I had flown. 6:02 I flew from Detroit to San Antonio, and I remember the airport being dark because we arrived at night. They herded us onto a big bus, and of course the segregated us immediately to the females went on one bus and the males went on another. They dropped us off at this dining hall. We had something to eat and then we were taken to the barracks. The next morning we were up at 5:00, lined up, in our civilian clothes, and we went to get measured for uniforms, and we had to get shoes, and the whole gamut. Then we had to get shots. We had to go through further testing. A lot of the girls got their hair cut. One of the…this sounds silly now thinking back on it, but another reason I had wanted to go in the Air Force was they wouldn’t make me cut my hair, and I had long reddish-brown hair. 7:00 It was down past the middle of my back, and I didn’t want to cut my hair. As long as I could wear it up while I was in uniform, I could go in the Air Force. So that was another deciding factor for me versus the Navy, because the Navy told me I had to cut my hair, and I said, “No, I’ve grown it since I was in ninth grade. I’m not cutting it.” But as long as I wore it up, I could have it long while I was in the Air Force. We went through shots. I remember standing in line, we had to stand at attention, and get shots and we would get a shot in each arm. Those were the days when they used the laser gun too, and I saw one young lady pass out in front of me because the person in front of her moved when she got her laser gun shot and it sliced her arm. So, yeah, that was interesting. �Interviewer: How many women were in this group with you that were all starting out together? I believe in each flight there were 125, and we had a sister flight that went through basic the same time we did so we would both graduate at the same time. 8:03 Basic training was six weeks. The first two weeks we were pretty much in civilian clothes until we received our uniforms. It was amazing, though, the difference between the time we arrived and two weeks later when we got our uniform, the camaraderie had started to cement already, because we were all going through the same thing at the same time. Interviewer: What sort of daily routine did you have at that point? We were up at 5:00. I was in basic during the fall, so we would do our marching, of course you marched everywhere in basic training, but you did your parade ground marching in the afternoon. If I would have enlisted during the summer we would have done that first thing in the morning because it got too hot in San Antonio and they were taking salt tablets. In fact, there were a few times that we had to take salt tablets. But we would get up, we would go to classes. 9:01 We’d have grooming classes. We’d have military justice, classes on U.C.M.J., classes on military protocol. Interviewer: Did they do much by way of marching and conditioning and the physical training stuff? That’s funny, because before I left for basic training I was running a mile a day and I was doing a hundred sit-ups a day thinking that this was going to be extremely physical. I wasn’t disappointed that it wasn’t, but I was surprised that it wasn’t. I thought that I’d be, you know, out of shape when I got there but I was in better shape than most of the girls that were there with me. There was some physical work, but…calisthenics, exercising. The funny thing was when �we were on the parade ground and they’d start yelling out the commands and the only ones that could make sense of those commands, that ended up in the right position were those of us who had been in the band in high school. 10:03 So out of 125 girls on the parade ground, one morning, it was one of the first times we did this, there were half a dozen of us that were where we were supposed to be and the rest of them had fallen to the wayside. So my band experience in high school, you know, junior high school and high school helped a lot too. Interviewer: What sort of people were they using as drill instructors? Were they men or women? We had females. One of the flights that started…in those days they started flights every two weeks. There was a flight that started when we were in about our fourth week of training that had a male instructor. Now, I don’t believe, he didn’t stay in the barracks. Our female instructors stayed in the barracks, I believe. But in those days, we were totally segregated. Totally segregated. In fact, when we went to the chow hall, we couldn’t even speak to the men serving us in line. We were not allowed to speak. We had to point, and that was it. 11:04 Interviewer: The women who were training, were these kind of…do you think they’d been in the army a long time? Were they older? Actually, no. I had two instructors to start with and then one of them left for two weeks to meet her husband on R & R in Thailand. So that left us with just one flight instructor, and she was only 25 maybe. And she’d been in the Air Force for I think maybe four to six years, I think. But she seemed so much older than us because she just seemed so much more mature, because, you know, most of us were coming right out of high school. There were a few that were early twenties, but for me, this was my first job. Interviewer: Now you kind of get through your first six weeks there. Then what happens? �Well, then we finished basic training and those that were schedule to go on to technical school went on to technical school. 12:06 Those of us that were going direct duty went in what they called the grad dorm. The reason for that was, I was slated to go into communications and they had to do a security background check on me, so I was in the grad dorm for about a week before my clearance went through. Thank goodness I lived in one town the entire time because my dad was approached by somebody who had been approached by an investigator, and this was just somebody walking down the street in Rockford. And they came to my dad and they said, “You know, I don’t know what your daughter is getting into in the military but they’re really being thorough.” They checked high school. They checked with the counselors in high school. They checked with my teachers. They checked with my band director. They checked with the church. They checked with the state police post in Rockford. 13:01 They stopped people on the street and asked if they knew the Emory family. They checked at the Ford dealership in Rockford, and that was the guy that came to my dad, and they said, “I don’t know what she’s getting into, but they are really checking her background.” I ended up, when I ended up in Minot, I was cleared, I had one of the top, one of the highest security clearance available stateside. Interviewer: They may not necessarily have done this kind of check on everybody, you just may have been, maybe they had slots open in Minot and they needed people, so they had to make sure you could do that? No. Well, it was because, because I was going into communication I needed to have a security check, because I was handling top-secret and above, classified information. I started off in the communications center working the switchboard for about nine months. Then after that, I was moved to the communication center where I handled classified and unclassified messages, most �of them classified, because Minot was a S.A.C. base, “Strategic Air Command.” 14:07 So, we played war games, we had recalls. Interviewer: Let’s back up a little bit. You get assigned to Minot. Did you particularly care where they sent you? Did you hope to go to one part of the country or another? No, I just…I didn’t really want to go, I didn’t want to go south. I wanted to stay in the North, but I didn’t know they were going to send me to Minot, North Dakota. I mean, everybody that’s been in the Air Force knows about Minot, and it’s not…you know, winter will start maybe in October with a heavy dumping of snow and then it gets really cold, and if it ever gets above zero, it’s a heat wave. And of course we were issued upon entering the base, we were issued our cold weather gear which included a parka that weighed about twenty-plus pounds. It’s the stuff that they issue up in Alaska. 15:00 Interviewer: What was your first impression of Minot when you got there? It was cold. Interviewer: What time of year did you get there? I got there the day after Christmas in 1970. I came home after basic training and I got my security clearance. I came home for two weeks, and then on the day after Christmas I was on a flight to Minot, North Dakota. I had been up since about 4:00 in the morning, and I got into Minot about 4:30 in the afternoon and they took us immediately after we signed in to the chow hall. And the chow hall in the Air Force is set up like a cafeteria. There are tables and stuff. And we had to walk around the perimeter of the chow hall, and there were three of us. One young lady from my sister flight and one from my flight, so there were three of us that… actually, we met up in Minneapolis then traveled the rest of the way to Minot together. And they take us to the chow hall, and as we go around the perimeter of the room, as we pass by each row �of tables it got quieter and quieter and quieter until you could hear a pin drop when we got to the serving line. 16:06 They had never had any WAF on base, we were the first ones on base. And so they were just, you know… it’s like, “Oh my goodness. They’re female in uniform.” They didn’t know what to do with us. They just didn’t know what to do with us. Interviewer: Did they let you talk to the people serving you food there? Yes, after basic training we could talk to the males, but until then we couldn’t. Interviewer: What kind of orientation did you get or did they just stick you in a switchboard or what happened then? We did some. They took us around. As I said, we were issued our cold weather gear. The barracks wasn’t ready for us, so they had a house set up in base housing for those of us that were there in Minot. The barracks as I remember wasn’t ready for us until probably early, early spring, like maybe March. But we went around, we found where we were going to be living. 17:04 They took us to where we were going to be working. We met our commanding officer, we met our first sergeant. In those days we had our duty commander and then we also had our WAF commander, which we didn’t have a WAF commander at that point. She hadn’t arrived yet and our first sergeant hadn’t arrived yet, either. So we had two commanders. Interviewer: How did they treat you or deal with you? Either your superiors or the people that you worked with on the base? Well, the people we worked with on the base, some of them had the impression that…in fact, there was one gentleman I worked with that thought that all the WAF went to technical school. And I said, “Where did you get that idea?” I said, “Of those of those who are assigned to the communications center, only one went to technical school and she’s not even working in the communications center.” 18:05 She was working doing something other than what she was �trained for. I said, “I came OJT just like you guys did.” Some of the men were informed in some of their meetings that they were going to start a WAF squadron for the men’s entertainment. And I said, “I’m here. I was assigned here. I’m not here to entertain the troops. I’m here to do a job.” As I went up in rank, I had a young boy reporting to me from Alabama. He didn’t think women should be in the service. He didn’t want to report to me. I said, “Let me tell you something. You don’t work for me, we work together.” I said, “I am not going to pull rank on you. You’re going to work with me.” And after that he was a little bit better, but he still had the archaic idea that we had no place in the military. 19:00 And that was…we had to fight the idea that, you know, the old stereotype of military women and we proved a lot of the young men wrong. In fact, we were no different than college women. You know, we didn’t refer to the barracks as barracks. They were dormitories. They were our dorms, they were our dorm rooms, our dorm mates. And of course, in those days we were segregated. The guys were across the other side of the base. Interviewer: Did the number of WAFs increase pretty quickly? Were you getting reinforcements? Yes. They had made the plan to start WAF squadrons in the northern tier bases, which they had never had before. So that meant Minot was starting a WAF squadron, Grand Forks, Malmstrom Air Force Base, a lot of the SAC bases were starting Air Force, starting the WAF squadrons. Places like Wright-Patterson already had the WAF squadron, so they were more equipped to deal with WAF than the northern tier bases were. 20:03 Interviewer: What were your basic duties then that first period there? Well, I started off in communications in the switchboard building, and I handled messages and I worked my way up to the command board where I would answer the switchboard. It was the old �plug-in type like you see in the old ‘30s movies. I know how to handle one of those. And when I worked my way up to the command board I would keep track of where the base commander and the other commanders on the base were at all times, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Interviewer: Who was supervising you? Did you have a male sergeant who was in charge? There was a male sergeant in charge. I worked…I was the only WAF that worked evening shifts. I worked, what was it? I think it was three days, three swings, and then three graveyard and then two and a half off. 21:02 And then it would start over again. Interviewer: So you couldn’t have a regular sleep pattern that way? No. Then it got to the point when we…I think it was still when I was in the switchboard, we were shorthanded so we ended up working twelve hour shifts so that meant twelve hour days. And then I was moved to the communication center where I handled the teletyping key punch messages, and we were still working twelve hour days. Interviewer: Did you have any idea of why you were shorthanded? Was there a lack of recruits and personnel at that point? Or they just hadn’t been organized enough to send someone out? I think it was a little bit of, they were still building the WAF squadron and they were also pulling personnel to southeast Asia, to Vietnam and Thailand. Interviewer: Because in the early ‘70s, in principle, they’re drawing down the ground forces, but the air forces stay pretty substantial through at least ’72 or whatever, but they’re still needing them. What was morale like, as far as you could tell, on the base during the time you were there? 22:07 �Well, I think it was pretty low because a lot of the male personnel, especially the air police that I hung out with a lot, because they were the only other ones who worked shifts like I did, because all my female, you know, enlistees were working days. They didn’t have to work nights, so they were working Monday through Friday. I was the only one that worked these weird shifts. I had, in the three years I was in, I think I had one holiday off. I can’t remember which one that…I think it was New Years Eve. I think it was New Years Eve in ’72, but morale was kind of low because a lot of the guys…Minot was a stopover base before they went to Vietnam. Now, some of them came back to Minot when they got out of their tour of duty in Minot and they weren’t the same people. 23:05 I mean, it was really sad to see these guys that were my age go to southeast Asia, come back, and they didn’t even seem like they were the same person. So morale was…it was low. Plus, Minot, Minot was cold. I mean, it was cold. And you couldn’t even play in the snow. You couldn’t make snowmen. You couldn’t go ice skating. It was too cold for that. So you were cooped up from October until usually March. Interviewer: What was it like once you got into the summer and things melted? Was it any better at that point? A little bit, a little bit. But again, I was working these weird shifts, so I didn’t really have a lot of summer activities. The base itself was about twelve miles north of the town of Minot. Minot had a state college. 24:00 They used to have a nursing program at one of the hospitals downtown. But that…I think that disappeared, you know, as it did in other cities too. There wasn’t a lot of social activities in Minot. It was an agricultural community, definitely. And one of the things we learned first off was, for the women, not to go downtown in their uniforms. Interviewer: Why was that? �We would be harassed, to the nth degree. And there were some young ladies at the business school in Minot that felt that we took away their boyfriends out at the base. And I told them, I said, “We are here to do a job. We are not here to entertain the troops.” It was interesting, so we learned real early on, wear civilian clothes when we went into town. Interviewer: Was harassment an issue on the base itself? Yes. 25:01 Interviewer: What kinds of things would go on? I was threatened at one point, because I wouldn’t talk to this one black guy that had some, he had had some problems on the base, and we all knew it and we tried to stay away from him. I picked up my mail and I was going to the chow hall in civilian clothes and he wouldn’t leave me alone, and I wouldn’t respond to him, and I got to the chow hall and he was heard threatening me. Well, the air police got on that real quick, and the office of special investigations got on it, and we found out that the young man that had threatened me had been in trouble at another base where he had raped a young girl in base housing and so they were really concerned for my safety. So I had an escort for a while, every place I went, until they found out exactly who it was, because he was in civilian clothes so I couldn’t see, you know, he didn’t have his fatigues on, so I could see hi name. 26:03 But we set up a sting in the chow hall with one of the air police that I knew, as soon as the guy came in I recognized him and they hauled him off. Interviewer: Well, that’s sort of an exceptional case. You’ve got somebody who really is socially deviant or whatever. Was there more, kind of, routine bad treatment or…? I think the bad treatment was more because they didn’t know what to do with us and they were going by what they had heard from their uncles and their dads and their moms about military women, which was not true. �Interviewer: And you were based there for something over three years? Three years. I spent my entire enlistment in Minot. Interviewer: How did the atmosphere there change, as you’ve got more women coming in and you’ve been there longer and that kind of thing? Was it different by the time you left than it had been when you started? I really don’t know because the shifts that I worked, I really didn’t interact a lot with the barracks. 27:06 And when I was …in August of ’72, I was married and my husband and I, he was in the Air Force also, we lived in an apartment downtown. So I was away from the base for the last…oh let’s see, August to February. I still had to pull CQ, which is Charge of Quarters, which would mean you’d have to stay up babysitting the dorm, basically, for a twenty four hour period of time. There were more WAF. By the time I left, there were probably, at least 150. We had two barracks of women. They were getting more used to us as the years went on. And then, I guess, after I left Minot, they integrated the dormitories too. But that was quite a few years after I left there. 28:04 Interviewer: In the kind of assignments you had, especially when you’re doing communications and not just the switchboard, did you have, sort of, were there real crises, or events, or scares or things that actually came up at any point? Yes. Interviewer: What kind of things would go on, or what do you remember about that? Well, some of it I don’t talk about, because of security. There were things going on in Vietnam, and see, being I received messages, I read them all. There were some scary things going on with plane crashes, that we would always get a safety message. I worked right next door to the command post and we communicated on a minute-by-minute basis sometimes. The only people �stateside that had a higher clearance than me were those that worked in the communication center in the command post, and the only reason I didn’t have it was because I didn’t need it because I didn’t work there. 29:10 Otherwise I would have had it. Interviewer: So you’re monitoring, maybe, what the Soviets are doing or might do? Was that part of it too? Part of it. Interviewer: But basically, if a plane crashes, if a plane crashes in Vietnam, or at least if it’s a B52 or something that a large bomber, that was stuff that got routed through… That went through all of the SAC bases, all the bases that had B52s, which, we had the next to the largest B52 wing. The largest B52 wing I believe was Grand Forks. Minot was the second largest. People get the wrong impression of Minot. They think of North Dakota as being like the Badlands. North Dakota, where I was stationed in North Dakota, it was so flat that you could stand on an ant hill and see for miles. There were no trees except for around the river and around farmsteads, because it was a farming community so around where the farm houses and the buildings for the farm were there were trees, but those were planted. 30:15 There were no trees otherwise. Another reason they picked Minot for a missile site. Interviewer: The communications you handled, were they mostly things that were related to bomber wings as opposed to the missiles, or did you get everything? Nope, everything. Everything. Interviewer: This is also a period when you’ve got détente going on, there were missile talks going on, there’s eventually Nixon’s “Declaration of Peace with Honor,” I guess, the beginning of ’73. Did you pay attention to that kind of news very much? Did that really affect what you were doing? �It didn’t affect what I was doing, plus I was working twelve hours shifts, or the three, three and three. I didn’t get to watch much TV. And in North Dakota TV went off the air at 10:00 after the news. 31:04 Interviewer: No cable, no satellites, so all the twelve year olds who watch this at some point, remember that. Somewhere in there you managed to get married. Did you know your husband before you went in the service? No, I met him in the summer of ’71, and I had known his roommate. His roommate was from back east and I knew his roommate. I had never met my husband until August of ’71, we went on what they called an “incentive flight,” from Minot, North Dakota to MacDill…no, not MacDill, McCoy Air Force Base in Orlando, Florida. They would do these incentive flights to try to get us to reenlist or re-up. My roommate and I got on this incentive flight to Florida and I met my first husband on that incentive flight and we got to McCoy Air Force Base and his parents…he was from Tampa, and his parents and his sister were there from Tampa, and they took Leonard and me to their house and, to the day I left Florida, long after my divorce from my first husband, I could not convince my former in-laws that I did not know him before that flight. 32:22 I didn’t know him, I didn’t know him. But he was convinced that he was going to take me to Tampa with him, and so we went to Tampa and then we continued to date when we went back up to Minot and then we got married the following year, and then…He was in the missile wing. He was in combat targeting. He worked one type of shift in the missile wing and I worked another type of shift, and when we got out in the middle, in the beginning of February ’73 we moved to Tampa. Interviewer: You’re in kind of an odd situation professionally as someone still very young and not in officer training or anything else like that, but you’re in a position where you’re �getting all of this high-level communication going back and forth, and in a potentially serious crisis or things that have to be managed. 33:14 What impression did you have of the system you were working with in terms of how well designed and run it was, or how effective the officers and people running it were? Did you think they kind of knew what they were doing? Some of them did, some of them didn’t. Some of the, what we called “lifers” would do whatever they could to look busy so they wouldn’t have to do any work and they would let the younger kids take over. We had one guy that was very good at that. I got along very well with the officers in the command post, very well, and they treated me with respect. I never had any chauvinistic comments from them as I did some of the enlisted men that either I worked with or were on base. 34:01 Interviewer: Were the officers mostly college educated or did they come out of the Air Force Academy? Most of them were college educated. I don’t know of any officer in Minot that had gone to the Air Force Academy. Interviewer: So they would have themselves already been through being there with women in their classes and everything else like that and that whole other experience informing it may have made some difference as opposed to the enlisted men right out of high school, I guess. Yes. Interviewer: How much pressure was there for you to reenlist? Because you did just one hitch, right? So one four years? �Yes. They tried. You know, they tried. But they couldn’t promise me anything other than Minot. It seemed like, it was very frustrating for those of us who were in Minot first, the females, because we would see other people come and they’d be there for less than a year and they’d be sent off someplace else and we were still there. Now that could be because we were in communications, I’m not sure why. 35:00 Now just before I got out, I found out that my name was on a list to be moved to another base, and that base was Iceland. Although, people told me that was a better assignment than Minot because it was warmer there and you could take the military hops to Europe. I don’t know what I did wrong to deserve that. That’s my second husband’s comment, was “You must have done something wrong to be stationed in Minot.” Interviewer: On the other hand, maybe you were actually good at it so they kept you. You got promotions. Were those, sort of, routine? Oh no, we had to work for those. Interviewer: So what’s involved in that? Just testing. We had to take, like, workbook tests and stuff and pass those. I made E4, I was a sergeant, under two years, which was very good, very good. If I would have stayed in, what I wanted to do was get into dental hygiene. You know, go to tech school for that. 36:01 Which, I found out just before I got out that, because I had not gone to technical school, I could have stayed in my job for one year and then they would have taken me and let me go into dental hygiene. But see, they didn’t know about that in Minot. They weren’t used to having women and so these were things they had to learn. So it was rather disappointing because that was one of the things I wanted to get into when I was in the service, but that’s ok. I still got to go to school on my GI Bill when I got out. �Interviewer: Was that part of your thinking when you went in? The expectation that you would go to college at the other end? I wanted to go to college when I got out. I was thinking either dental hygiene or teaching, so either way I was going to use my GI Bill when I got out. Interviewer: At the point then that you do go out, now you’ve gotten married, you’ve moved to Florida. Now, do you start going to college at that point or did that come later? 37:03 I went to college when I got out, after I was out of Minot. Let’s see, I went to Tampa in ’73, and I started going to college in ’74 and ’75. Interviewer: Where did you attend school at? I went to Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, and I went part time. I had my son in ’75, got divorced in ’76, was still going to school on the GI Bill. Then, when my son was four, we moved back to Michigan, because he was getting close to school age, so I wanted him educated in the North, not in the South. Interviewer: Why was there a difference as far as you were concerned? Seniors in high school down in Florida couldn’t even pick out their state on a map, and when I was going to college, it was interesting because a lot of my professors were from the North and they could tell those of us that were educated up here. 38:06 In fact, one of my professors, my math professor was from Holland, Michigan. Didn’t even realize it until he came to class one time and he had on a shirt with tulips on it, and I said, “You look like you just stepped out of Holland.” He said, “I am. I’m from Holland, Michigan.” I said, “Well, I’m from Grand Rapids.” As far as the education, I wanted my son educated in the North, so I moved back. Interviewer: Did you train to be a dental hygienist or something else? �No, I went to school, I was going to be majoring in history and English, and then I started out at the University of South Florida on my GI Bill, but it was too hard. I was working full time and trying to raise my son and go to school and it was too much for me. So I ended up, I was working. Interviewer: How do you think the time that you spent in the Air Force wound up affecting you in terms of how you view the world or deal with people or how you grew up, essentially? 39:07 Well, you definitely have to grow up, very quickly. I mean, you go through six weeks of basic training, you come out and the people that were your friends before you left home seem so immature when you get out of basic training. It made me more of a leader. I’m a natural leader, always have been even before the service, but even more so after the service. I can manage people, you know. My attitude has always been, you don’t work for me, you work with me. You get a lot more work done that way, and you get a lot more respect. It’s just made me a stronger person, definitely. Interviewer: Are there particular incidents or individuals or things that sort of tend to come back to you from that experience, things that you haven’t mentioned here yet? 40:06 No, but what I do remember most were the changes that I saw, even while I was in Minot, even while I was in the Air Force. Even in basic training, the rule for the length of our hair changed from not being able to fall…let’s see, what was it? Well, it started, basic training, you could have hair down to the top of your collar and that was it. While I was in basic training they changed that rule to, it could fall to the bottom of your collar, which is a good inch and half so that meant that you could have hair down to here. Now, there were several of us that kept our hair long, as I said, we just had to wear it up on top of our head while we were in uniform. Some �of the girls didn’t want to bother with it so they just got their hair cut. That was one of the first things I saw change. 41:00 When I was in Minot, the rule was when, if you became pregnant, you were out. In fact, there were several girls that ended up being pregnant, when they went into basic they didn’t realize it. They were discharged. While I was in Minot it changed to, if you were pregnant you can stay in until your seventh month of pregnancy and then you were discharged. And there were no maternity uniforms. You had to wear civilian clothes, so there were a few girls that did that. One of them became one of my friends when I moved to Tampa, but you’d stay in until your seventh month of pregnancy, wear civilian clothes, and then at seven months you were discharged. Now it’s treated like it is in the civilian world. They have maternity clothes. You’re off for six to eight weeks and you’re right back, you know, doing what you did before which is great. While I was in, the first female general became…it was General Jeanne Holms. 42:06 She came to Minot on a tour of the northern tier bases and I got to meet her. The first female pilot was allowed. Women were allowed to become air police which is our version of…that’s my husband…our version of the air police, the air police is like security, the call them security police. Interviewer: Like the MPs. MPs, yeah. But we called them law enforcement, or they were out on the flight line. I wasn’t allowed to go for my marksmanship ribbon because women weren’t allowed to shoot guns even though I was a better shot than some of the guys who were in the law enforcement or the MPs, so that was interesting. Now, there aren’t any restrictions like that. Interviewer: Were there women who would leave or wash out early? Who had problems adjusting once they got there? 43:05 �There were, there was one young lady in my flight in basic training from Oregon. She never should have been allowed to be in to begin with. She couldn’t even run the floor buffer without getting all tangled up and she’d end up going around in a circle, and she couldn’t pass any of the tests that we had. They washed her back…basic training was six weeks, and there were two week periods. They washed her back twice to start over again and she just couldn’t make it. So when I was in the grad dorm after I’d finished basic, she was there, she was being washed out. She was going home. And when I was in Minot there were a couple of women that were discharged for, they call them Section 8s, medical reasons. But other than that, no, once you make through basic training… 44:01 Interviewer: They sort of just have the right mindset or personality or whatever, and most of the people behave most of the time so you can live with that and work with it. Yes. Interviewer: Would you have any advice to offer to young women considering going into the military at this point? Or do you figure your experience was too far back to…? Oh, I’m all for it. In fact, there was a young lady that I worked with at one of my other companies and she was enlisting in the Air Force and I told her, “I couldn’t be more proud of you than if you were my own daughter.” I said, “I think the military is a great opportunity for women, especially now.” They don’t have the restrictions that we had. I said, “Just make the most of it.” I said, “Enjoy your time in. Get the experience, get the experience under your belt. You may want to make a career out of it.” But I’m all for it. I think, I think it gives you a time to grow up in between high school and college. I’m all for it. I wish more girls would go in. 45:05 �Interviewer: Did it help you, in a way, prepare you to go into the college classes where you treat the assignments as things you really had to do and take seriously? Oh yeah. It was no different than being assigned a task in the military, and that’s why I aced all my classes. I took it seriously. It wasn’t fun time. It wasn’t an extension of high school. I’m here to learn. I’m going to school on the GI Bill. It was an experience for me. Interviewer: It also makes for a good story, so thanks for taking the time to tell it to me today. Thank you. I’m glad I could share it with you. � 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 PriceJ Title A name given to the resource Price, Julie (Interview transcript and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Price, Julie Description An account of the resource Julie Price was born on September 6, 1952 in Michigan. She had to get her parents' permission to join the Air Force after graduating from high school and then went through basic training in San Antonio Texas. After training Julie had to go through a background check because she was going to be working with classified material at a Communications Center in North Dakota. While in the Air Force Julie witnessed many positive changes in the way women were treated. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Kentwood Historic Preservation Commission (Kentwood, Mich.) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Air Force Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Women 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 2008-12-12 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/5b819d8f509cff17623212e15658f836.mp4 c18e4acec829f20c4c78516da39cbe9d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/57aaa78af015f8d3437f44ab6f5cceca.pdf 7399a952f461ba104fbb3b86894328de PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Robert Powers Disc One (01:11:21) (00:15) Background Information • Robert was born in Greenville, Michigan on January 25, 1924 • After graduating high school, Robert went to Albion College in 1941 • After Pearl Harbor was attacked, He could hardly wait to sign up for service • Robert enlisted in the Army Air Corps in January of 1942 and was able to defer his service until he had finished his first year of college • (2:35) Basic Training San Antonio, Texas • Robert started training in September 1942 and it lasted through December 1943 • He had indoctrination for 60 days and then pre-flight training • They got up early every day for calisthenics, marching, and classes • The pre-flight classes lasted for 12 weeks and then he had primary flight training (06:10) Primary Training in Arkansas for 12 Weeks • The first plane that Robert had ever seen was a PT-19 • He began flying right away with an instructor • They men had to be able to fly solo within 8 hours of flying with an instructor • Robert was able to fly solo within four hours • During training none of the men knew if they would be sent to the Pacific or Europe (10:05) Basic Flight Training in Kansas for 12 weeks • They were flying all day long and Robert really enjoyed the training • He had been learning about horsepower and the new air craft • Usually only about 20% of the trainees became fighter pilots • They then went to advanced training in Texas where they could fly newer and nicer planes • Robert flew P-40 planes, training with night flying • Those who washed out could start training to be a bombardier, navigator, radioman, etc… • Robert had gunnery training after advanced flight training • There was a graduation ceremony when everyone received their wings on December 5, 1943 (20:10) Overseas • Robert finally got his first assignment, and first began training with P-47 Thunderbolts in South Carolina • He was now a second lieutenant and knew he would soon be sent to Europe • In April he was told he would be sent over to work near the Mediterranean • They took a luxury liner to the Mediterranean and most of the pilots did not get �• • sick They landed first in North Africa at a base that did not have any P-47s, which Robert preferred He could only fly a P-51 or P-38 and chose the latter because it had two engines and was more safe (26:50) Italy • Robert was sent to the 37th Fighter Squadron in Italy after choosing his plane • It was a bomber base that supplied many fighter groups • He arrived when US planes had been targeting Germany oil supplies • He only had a few days to get used to the P-38 before his first mission • The crew chief helped him to get used to his new plane • The more experienced pilots taught him about the German flying tactics (37:50) First Missions • Robert worked with the 48th, 49th, and 37th Fighter Squadrons, all in the same base • He first mission was very exciting and he was not scared at all • They had a raid in Romania • The pilots were usually not aware of their missions or where they were flying until the last minute • Robert often flew with a fighter escort for British planes, flying about 4,000 feet above the bombers, attacking German planes (50:10) Further Missions • After each mission, they men were called in for debriefing • They continued flying in Romania, France, Poland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia • Altogether they all flew about 25-30 missions from June to July • Robert learned to never get too close to anyone because they might not be there the next day (54:30) Shot Down June 15, 1944 • Robert and others had been targeting German airfields and trains in France • They had flown past Rome and were very low on the water near anti-air craft guns on the coast • After hitting 3 airfields, the group split up to hit opportunity targets Disc Two (55:59) (00:20) Continuation • Robert saw a train for an opportunity target • His wingman told him to take out the German soldiers and that he would take out the trains • The locomotive was blown off the track and then Robert was hit in the left engine �• • • • • • • • • He was only about 150 feet above the ground when his plane jolted He was able to get back above 500 feet while the rest of the squadron was forming up He was heading south and the plane was on fire Robert knew he would not be able to make it back to the base, but also that there was nowhere to land There were rocks everywhere, German airfields, and the sea was ahead He landed in a swampy area near the sea The other planes were circling above him for protection because it was near a German barracks Robert broke his right ankle, got shrapnel in his leg, tore his shoulder, and split his head open He was able to run away from the plane and it exploded shortly after (0:45) Rescue • Robert had been wandering around in the swamp for hours and did not realize the extent of his injuries • He began to hear Germans and they had dogs; they were angry because the Americans had destroyed their trains and shot at their troops • He stayed hidden in the swamp near the water so that the dogs would lose his scent for about a day • Robert found a French farmhouse and they took him for a few days to feed him and tended his wounds • They contacted the French resistance for help and he took a rowboat across a river to meet them (11:50) Captured • While heading over to the French, Robert was captured by the Germans • He was scared they would attack him, but they had been ordered to save all fighter pilots for interrogation in Berlin • He was brought to a German base for questioning and then put on a train to Frankfurt • The city was completely devastated with no standing buildings; he was interrogated for another two weeks and attacked physically (19:25) Prison Camp • Robert never revealed anything about the Americans or French resistance while being interrogated and was sent to a prison camp for 11 months • There were about 10,000 prisoners in the camp with 24 people each to a crowded room • The camp had Americans, British, Polish, and Russians • Daily life was very boring; they played a lot of chess and bridge • Under the Geneva Conventions, officers were not allowed to be put to work • Working would have been nice because they would be able to work with civilians and time would have gone by faster �• • Robert had weighed 163 pounds when he entered the camp and his weight got down to 119 pounds in the end They heard news of the progress of the war listening to BBC on a secret radio (27:15) Escape • All of the men took turns digging with spoons and hiding the dirt they dug up • They knew they would never really escape, but had to try; it was their duty • The commanding officers were in charge of the escape plan • Military hierarchy was maintained while in the camp • The Germans would periodically search their rooms with dogs • While listening to BBC, they finally realized that the US was winning the war • In January 1945 the Russians broke the German front and they could hear bombs going off in the camp • On January 27th, the Germans marched the Americans out of the camp to hide them from the Russians • They were stuffed into box cars for days without food • Then they were brought to a Jewish prison camp and shown the gas ovens that the Jews were murdered in • They were told that they would also be put into the ovens if they tried to escape • The Jews all looked like skeletons and were horrific (35:30) Liberation • All the POWs were brought to another German camp deep in the forest • The POWs could hear the American tanks coming through the woods and the Germans had realized they lost the war • They could then see General Patton rolling up on a tank, which tore down the fences surrounding the camp • Robert was able to shake hands with General Patton before all the POWs were put in trucks and brought to Paris • They had two weeks leave in Paris, which was full of celebrating military personnel • (41:05) Back to the US • Robert took a troop ship back to the US and arrived in the New York harbor • The ship had been full of POWs • Robert had enough time in the military and just wanted to get back home • He went back to Michigan and finished college (46:20) French Family • The Germans had told Robert that the French family that had rescued him had been executed • The Mayor of Greenville had recently received a letter inquiring about Robert • A French research group was looking for him because the French family had been wondering about him • The family had survived and now they still continue to write to each other • They helped explain things to him that he had forgotten due to his injuries � 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 PowersR Title A name given to the resource Powers, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2004 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powers, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Powers was born in Greenville, Michigan on January 25, 1924. After graduating high school, he attended college at Albion University before enlisting in the Air Force. Robert trained for about 13 months before he was sent to a base in Italy. From there he flew about 25 missions throughout Romania, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, and Poland before his plane was shot down in France. Robert sustained many light injuries, was helped by the French Resistance, but was captured by the Germans. He remained in German prison camp for 11 months until the war ended. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Army. Air Corps World War, 1939-1945--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 2004-12-02 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/2adff0d62b75ecee8a38ddbc34dbd671.mp4 2448adcdd5efa24e771d8427d563d673 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5034200a4053c11c60723e618064249b.pdf a9b382a879e8e2d471971a4a779bd8b8 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Grace Powers Length of Interview: 10:02 (00:02) XX (name of interviewer unknown): I’m going to start with just really simple questions to ask you. When and where were you born? GP: What? XX: When and where were you born? GP: When and where? For me? I was born in Ionia. And I was born April 1, 1923. XX: All right. What were your parents’ names and what did they do? GP: DeKuiper. Helen [unclear] was her maiden name. XX: And what did they do? What did they do for a job? GP: Most generally my dad was a farmer and then he ended up in the paper mill. And my mother was a homemaker. XX: Okay. Did you have any siblings? GP: Does that mean brothers and sisters? Yes. I had five brothers and four sisters. XX: That’s a lot. Now we’re going to start to talk a little bit about Arden. When did you marry Arden? (01:01) GP: July 2nd, 1941. XX: And what was it like growing up with him? How did you enjoy it, stuff like that? GP: How what? XX: How was life growing up with him? GP: Well, it was just before, during the war years. (knock on door, slight interruption) And, during the war years. And it was very hard to work. He worked at the time, when I met him, building silos. And he was, I’d say, about twenty-two when he quit that and he came to Kalamazoo and I met him at playing ball. �XX: All right. At the time when he was drafted into the Army, how did he tell you? Or did you just know? (02:13) GP: Well, we got a letter over the mail. And I happened to be home alone and I opened it. So that’s how I found out. XX: Were you very emotional? Were you really sad? GP: Yes. ‘Cause I already had the two boys. XX: What branch of service was he put into? I think, Army, right? GP: Army. XX: Okay. And then what day did he leave? If you remember. GP: Come home? XX: What day did he leave? GP: Let me think now. Sometime in May of ’44. (03:03) XX: and how did you react when you had to say good-bye to him? How did you react? Like, how did you feel when he was leaving to go to the Army? GP: Very very sad. Because he had one boy in one arm and one boy in the other, and the tears were just streaming down his face. And that was a sad day. XX: (interviewer gives GP a hug) If you want me to stop, just let me know, okay? How did you cope with it, you know, kind of go on every day? GP: We sold, I sold a lot of our own furniture and I went to live with my folks again. With the two boys. XX: What were your sons’ names? GP: Laverne John and James Allen. XX: I know Verne. Did you know where he was going? At the time, did you know where he was going? GP: No. �(04:19) XX: When he was over there, how often did you write back to each other? GP: Well, actually, after he went overseas, I never heard of him until I got my telegram that he was wounded. Then, after that, maybe two or three weeks, I got twenty five letters. Cause we wrote to each other every day, but they all came in a bunch. XX: What were the things that you wrote about? GP: Mostly, there were some things that he wrote in there, that they cut out, because all his mail was censored. And he was trying to tell me how bad he was wounded and where he was and they cut that out. XX: How did you feel about that? GP: Terrible. XX: You wanted to know what was going on. So you wrote to him every day, both of you did. When he got hurt, what crossed your mind, when you figured that? (05:22) GP: Well, I thought probably he was gone. Until I didn’t hear until quite a long time afterwards just what his wound, his wounds were. XX: did you still have hope that he was going to come back? GP: Oh, yeah. XX: After he was done fighting and you heard that he was going to come back home, how did you feel? GP: Wonderful! XX: Wonderful! That’s good. GP: See, he was in England, in a hospital for three months before he went back into a line of duty. But then they took him out of the infantry, which he was in, and they put him in the utility of the big artillery drivers, for the trucks. And he was delivering stuff to the front line. (06:27) XX: When he came back home from the Army, how was it different? How did you have to adjust? GP: I don’t know, I don’t think I had a problem. Neither one of us did. We were just happy to see one another. �XX: Yeah. When he went in the Army, and he came back, how did it affect your lifestyle and your learnings of the war? Like, your opinion on life? GP: I think for him, he would have loved to stay in the Army. If I would have said yes. But I said no because I had the two boys. But we got along good. I mean, he was satisfied with that. So he went right back to his job at [Clerigde-Van Company], that he had worked for before he went into service. (07:24) XX: Did you know why he wanted to go back? GP: No, he said he loved the Army life. Very much so. XX: Do you know if he had any friends? Did he make any friends over there? GP: Well, I think he got quite a few friends. But he had one friend that was real tall and they called them two “Mike and Jeff”. (Mutt and Jeff?) XX: Did you meet any of them? GP: No. I met one. One fellow, at Otsego, here. We met him and his wife when he come home, because he was wounded too. And we went into Fort Custer to see him. And his wife was there. And him and I and his wife became pretty good friends. (08:14) XX: Yeah? That’s good. Did Arden have to go back, did he go back and meet any of his Army buddies? Any of those get-togethers? Like a reunion? GP: No, he didn’t have a chance to do that. XX: And then, one last question. Do you have anything to say to the younger generations on how, what you went through? GP: Pardon? XX: What would you say to the younger generation, like me, do you have anything to say about the war, or life and… GP: Well, I think for one thing, this generation does not realize how lucky they are to have all the things that they can even talk to one another now. And see one another. And I think for one thing, you’ve got to have faith. You’ve gotta have communication together and you also gotta forgive and love one another. And trust one another, which is very important. (09:25) XX: I got actually one more question. What, the Army today, the war going on, like Iraq and stuff, what do you think about that? �GP: You know, I have mixed feelings on that. I think, for myself, I feel that our president was misinformed and therefore I think he made a mistake going in when he did. XX: Okay. That’s about it. That is wrapping up my interview with Grace Powers, my greatgrandmother. (10:02) � 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 PowersG Title A name given to the resource Powers, Grace (Interview transcript and video), 2009 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powers, Grace Description An account of the resource Grace Harper was born in Iowa in 1923. She married Robert Powers in 1941. She and her husband had two children when he was drafted in 1944. Her husband was sent to Europe and was wounded in action and spent several months in the hospital before returning home. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Powers, Bethany (Interviewer) Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Women 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 2009-05-30 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/5e6cfaa12018fdd60696eceb1b3e308b.mp4 8814dce25c72c201ba99d168ac04e2f1 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0602a54549015cd51948a6298872d893.pdf 21ee796d8ec3e5b3815ef62c3e94d022 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Gabriel Powell Total Time – (02:03:58) Background            He had nine siblings o They were all born at their home (00:46) He was born in Algoma, Michigan on January 22, 1916 (00:55) o He was born on a farm o He also grew up on the farm (01:23) The farm had cattle, they farmed with horses, and always had hogs o His father would butcher the hogs (01:55) o The family always had pig liver to eat (02:39) He went to school through the eighth grade (02:56) o There was one teacher that switched grades and this did not allow them to read together (03:33) o The school had arithmetic  He was good in arithmetic When he was in high school he did not know how to read well enough to get through History and English courses (04:45) o He could never read well until he started reading his own newspaper o He still does not understand everything that he reads (05:11) He went to Rockford High School in the eleventh grade o That summer he got a job on a farm (05:44) o When school came, his father had to tell him to go back to school  He decided that he would stay near the farm and go to Sparta High School and graduate (05:57) He graduated from Sparta High School in 1936 when he was twenty years old (07:13) After he finished high school he continued to work on the farm in Sparta (07:46) He then went to help his uncle work on his farm o He helped them crush their corn and do other jobs (08:28) He then went to work for his two brothers that had bought their grandfathers farm o When he died, the estate was split up (08:50) o Their mother gave his brothers money for a down payment on the farm (08:57) After he was discharged from the service he became a carpenter o When he was getting paid he did not have a social security number and had to go and get one (12:20) �  He went down to the Union and had to join up o The next payday he was given a raise (12:36) o He was told that he should spend the money on new tools o When the Union asked him what he was getting paid and he told them, they mentioned that he must be a master carpenter (13:01) He remembers hearing about Pearl Harbor while on a maneuver in Louisiana (13:35) o They had just returned from a maneuver and heard the next morning that Pearl Harbor was hit o He was already in the military Enlistment/Training – (14:31)         He joined the military in 1941 (14:36) When he went to get an exam he was told that he should join the Army o He found out that they were taking volunteers before the draft (15:39) o He and his friend both volunteered  His friend ended up withdrawing (15:47) o He did not receive his call until February of 1941 After he received his call he reported to the armory in Grand Rapids, Michigan (16:10) o He remembers being lined up by a man that had been in World War I o He, alongside other volunteers, were taken by train to Kalamazoo, Michigan (16:37) When in the armory in Kalamazoo, the soldiers stripped down and were given their physical o They were weighed, measured, etc. (16:52) o Once they were finished and they put their civilian clothes back on, they all had to repeat an oath (17:32) The soldiers were then sent to Fort Sheridan, Illinois (17:55) o The soldiers were immediately divided He then went to a recruit center in Fort Knox, Kentucky for Basic Training (19:53) o Fort Sheridan had all nice and new barracks o There was a Sergeant there that had a cavalry hat (20:07)  He was a filthy talker (20:20) o When they called out his name, it did not sound like “Powell”. He asked if they meant “Powell”. The Sergeant then asked, “Don’t you know your name when you hear it?” (20:46) The soldiers had to go and march during training o The soldiers were divided into different groups (22:42) o He told one of the groups that they were infantry The barracks at Fort Knox were old World War I barracks (24:36) o They had Yellow Pine flooring that would give the soldiers slivers o They had beds that were not very high off the floor (25:00) �           He remembers one guy from Montana that was awake before the wake up calls (25:17) o He said to the guy, “You damn sheep herder, stay in bed like the rest of us.” The barracks were two stories tall – he was in the upstairs level (26:04) They were with a lot of regular Army men that had been in the military for years The soldiers would sometimes have to go on marches or hikes o There was one soldier that was extremely short and he would yell at him, “Hey, get up off your knees!” (27:05) At this point he was part of an Engineering Battalion (27:14) o He was chosen to be in the battalion because of his previous experiences working with corn huskers (27:22) o A lot of the men were from Nebraska in the corn fields His battalion was part of the 1st Armored Division (25:51) The 1st Armored Division would go to Louisiana and go on different maneuvers (28:30) o They would sometimes do maneuvers in Florida and Carolina as well (29:15) He received a furlough of ten days around Christmas time in 1941 (29:44) He and his battalion eventually went up to Pennsylvania and then went to Fort Dix, New Jersey (30:46) o They were there for quite a while o He remembers some men going to the PX (Post Exchange) and coming back with cupcakes (31:35) o He ordered chocolate and vanilla cupcakes They then traveled to New York and went to a warehouse with their barracks bags (32:22) o When they came out in the daylight he could see the Statue of Liberty and the American flag (32:38) o He boarded the HMS Queen Mary (32:42) The rooms aboard the ship were extremely small Active Duty – Part I – Ireland/Scotland/England – (33:18)     They traveled North and went towards Iceland (33:25) o They were first let out on the deck at night when they were near Iceland The ship would zigzag through the water (34:03) The ship arrived in Belfast, Ireland (34:12) o The soldiers were able to get off – they got into a little tug o The tug boat that he was on was used in the evacuation of Dunkirk (34:39) When they unloaded the tug boat, he was told that he would be given a meat pie when he was done unloading o He actually did get a meat pie that was made out of sheep (35:20) �             o They did not want them and gave them all to one of the other soldiers that did There was one night where he was put on guard in Ireland and he was drinking an ale (36:58) o He went down into the tavern and he had a gun with him because he was on guard  His Sergeant came down and he got worried because he was drunk on guard duty (37:15) The first meal he had in Ireland was biscuits and dried eggs (37:41) o The egg was so rotten that he could not eat it o The biscuits were so hard that he could hardly eat it as well (38:12) There was another guy that had been in the Marines that made some biscuits for the men (38:22) At this time he was sent to Mourne Park, Ireland (39:30) o At Mourne Park, there was one time when the Scottish band came and played for the soldiers (39:56) The soldiers did a lot of training when in Mourne Park (40:49) o At the time he was in E Company o They would be in formation and one general would come and point a whip at a soldier and say, “When did you shave? Get out of here you bum and go up and shave!” (41:31) While he was there, he decided that he would go down to the trucks – his corporal told him to lay under the truck and make it look like he was working on it (43:07) He was in Mourne Park for quite a while One day the captain told him to get a driver, a truck, and a loaded gun and go pick up a soldier that is locked up from being drunk (44:19) o When the soldier, his friend, got out, he told him that he needed to go get a drink (45:58) o When they got in the truck, he started drinking the alcohol and had to be held on to so that he would not fall out of the truck o As they got back to the company, he was put in the guard house (46:40) After Mourne Park, he traveled to across to England and Scotland a couple of times (48:10) Finally the whole division was shipped and landed in England o They went around Scotland and went through one town that was dark and had coal burning factories that made everything black (48:34) One day there was a drunk guy that was Russian that came in the barracks that threw his shoes at the lights to try and turn them off (49:23) He went to a town and missed his boat – he missed his bed check o Those that missed their bed checks had to pile up sod (50:31) o It was raining when they were doing it o He was used to that type of work from when he lived at home and worked on the farm (50:49) He never got to go to London when he was in England (51:26) o He went to Manchester, England o Manchester is where he missed his bed check (51:44) � He traveled next to the River Clyde in Scotland o They parked their trucks and slept in them (52:30) o They were supposed to eat in a warehouse but they did not like to  They would go to the PX to buy their meals (52:51) Active Duty – Part II – Algeria/Morocco/Northern Africa – (53:09)           When they got ready to go, there was an awful storm o The boat they got one was made to travel on a shallow draft (53:34) o They traveled right along the coastline and could see the lights in Spain (54:00) o They eventually met up with the convoy in Gibraltar (54:08) o They unloaded in Oran, Algeria (54:17) When they got off in Oran, they saw an Arab with a barracks bag When they next landed, there was a great deep bay He remembers having to carry a friend that had appendicitis to an ambulance (57:19) o There were six inches of snow that same night o His friend soon came back (57:46) There was still fighting in Tunisia when he landed in Algeria (58:41) o Rommel was still there fighting for the Germans One night they were traveling over mountains – they moved to the “mouse trap” (59:22) o The Germans had just sliced English forces back o He worked as a patrol officer in one of the streets o He saw a plane come in and strafe past the mountain (01:00:00)  He ran and took cover o One of his friends’ truck was hit – the truck had a pig inside of it (01:00:43) They started getting shelled by the Germans o One of the men jumped out – he ran out and tackled him (01:01:55) The 1st Armor came in with a lot of food and ammunition (01:02:35) o Part of the division was moving up with their guns and flamethrowers to burn the brush o The Germans fled over the hill and got down on low ground (01:03:21) o When they ran out of food and ammunition they surrendered (01:03:45)  They had a real scene of Germans coming in with truck loads of men They were told to go to Rabat, Morocco to have a good time (01:05:00) o They were told not to take on all the women in one day and drink all the whisky in one day o Soon a lot of celebrities from Hollywood were there (01:05:27) He met General Patton one time o After the Battle of the Bulge, Patton’s outfit ran out of gas �         Eisenhower took other Generals out and they saw Germans and Americans that were trying to keep warm that had frozen and died (01:08:26)  When people say that Patton had the “blood and guts”, he says that Patton had the guts, but it was the soldiers blood (01:08:37)  Patton did not care how many soldiers were used, just wanted glory for himself (01:08:54) The Germans surrender [in Tunisia] in May of 1943 (01:09:19) They then traveled to Algiers, Algeria (01:09:30) He and some other men were assigned to B Company o They would sometimes sell their mattress covers to go to the PX and buy some stuff o There was one guy that asked if he could join because he had one hundred dollars (01:12:02)  He told them that soldiers have to be careful because some kids would get robbed  When he asked if he could go, they all said “sure” (01:12:20) When they went in town, they were drinking and trying to lose the new guy o They ran out of brandy and told the new guy to go and buy some (01:12:47) o One of the other guys said no because the new guy was going to buy two bottles of brandy (01:12:54) o They all helped finish the two bottles of brandy When they got loaded and were preparing to go home, they were noisy on the street and a Canadian MP picked them up (01:13:17) o They went right in front of the man at the desk  He said, “Hand over your pocketbook” Then next morning they received C-rations when the new guy that they had lost came up to them (01:15:06) When he loaded his truck on the boat, they eventually got to one place that was like a giant bowl (01:15:50) o His truck was picked up in a giant net and swung over next to the boat o There were bombers that were going by and strafing (01:16:18) o He thought he was going to be hit He was eventually loaded in and they took off for shore (01:16:53) Active Duty – Part III – Italy Part I – Fixing Bridges – (01:19:03)    The ship that the truck was loaded on opened up and he was able to drive off There was a jeep on shore that was leading him where to go (01:19:21) o Some of the Company was already there when he arrived o He had to unload the truck without any help (01:19:41) At one point his steering wheel just spun and the steering wheel was broke loose o The gears stuck right out where he could see them (01:20:06) o He had to be picked up by a wrecker �          o He finally got the truck fixed and went back (01:20:20) When he had previously landed with the truck, he was in Italy (01:21:14) o He landed in [Battipaglia], Italy (01:21:28) He is then working near the Liri River in Italy (01:22:50) o There were at least thirteen bridges that they were working on o When the river thawed there was a lot of water in the river (01:23:20) On one of the bridges, a soldier told a tanker that he could not pass because the bridge was not reinforced for that much weight (01:23:51) o The tanker lieutenant told the soldier to get out of the way and they started going across o The bridge tipped over and fell apart (01:24:13) o The driver got tangled up in the camouflage net and drowned (01:24:28) Six bridges were lost during one flood when the Germans opened up the dams and let the water out o When it came time to salvage the bridges, he was the first one out (01:24:55) o They went down on the flats, got a load of stuff, and went to go climb back up and could not make it  He used a Phillips screwdriver as a shear pin on the winding cable that was pulling him up (01:26:05) o He eventually got up out of the flats When he arrived in Italy in fall of 1943, he works primarily as a bridge repairman (01:27:10) o This is when a lot of fighting is going on in Cassino, Italy (01:27:15) He spent his winter in the same part of Italy of where he was working on bridges When they went farther into Italy, they would go to mess halls that were loaded with local kids (01:27:53) o When they would finish eating, they would give the leftovers to the kids He traveled to Anzio, Italy (01:28:46) o He did not have trouble getting to shore in Anzio o He slept under his truck at night (01:29:01) o The Germans had a large battle ship [they had no navy in the Mediterranean, but had battleship-sized gun that they used against the Anzio beachhead] on guard  The next morning he was digging a fox hole (01:29:40) The big German battle ship hit something in the harbor o Cranes would pick up cubes of rubble and put them on the trucks (01:30:30  The trucks would dump them off (01:30:36)  One of the other companies would chip the blocks up and use it o They built up for themselves an area built with beams and sand bags  They would get shelled sometimes (01:32:18) Sometimes a British plane would fly over and they could tell because they were louder (01:32:34) o The Germans had a similar plane that would fly very low o They would sometimes drop popcorn flares (01:33:06) �   One time they hit the net covering a truck – it set the net on fire When they were there, they would sometimes wake up to a truck full of dead men laid in it (01:33:40) o They would pick them up at night and stop in their camp o The next morning they would bury the men (01:33:56) o There roads towards the beaches were loaded with crosses from where the men were buried (01:34:08) At this time he did not have much to do Active Duty – Part IV – Italy Part II – Injury/Mussolini’s Body – (01:34:38)       He then went to B Company o They were fed very well in B Company (01:35:01) One night, it was extremely foggy, he started driving and turned his truck around before getting out o When he got out, he heard a Tommy Gun go off (01:36:02) o It was a signal to get out o The next thing he saw was a squad of guys that had long billed hats (01:36:38)  They were Germans  They cut loose and started shooting at him (01:36:54)  It sounded like a hive of bees around him  They were shooting with tracers  They then got in the ditch (01:37:47)  He laid on his back because he had been caught by the barbed wire  It cut a hole in his lip (01:38:12)  It cut open his left arm and left his veins bare  He was losing a lot of blood When he got up from being on his back, he knew that they needed to get on the road (01:38:45) o He was confused and he stopped right by a tank He then got on a half-track (01:39:15) o He was riding on the roll bar o The door of the half-track was open  He was shooting at the Germans in the ditch (01:39:46) o During the firefight, he slipped off and laid in a field until he heard his truck starting up  When he heard his truck, he got up and jumped in (01:41:18)  There was an infantry soldier that he helped into the truck because he had been injured as well They eventually drove to where the brickwork was (01:43:15) o At that time he jumped up on a straw stack and went to sleep (01:43:26) The next day he got back to the Company o His truck had been taken to maintenance to get tires put on it (01:43:59) o He was staying in a dugout �              o At one point he heard an extremely loud boom that knocked him back into the dugout (01:44:25)  He thinks that some TNT was hit st The 1 Sergeant came and told him that he needed to go to the medics (01:44:50) o There was blood mixed with straw (01:45:01) o He did not realize it – he said that he was getting where he could clear his head and could see fine o He did not go to the medic (01:45:24)  If he had, he would have gotten a Purple Heart (01:45:29) He eventually went back to his Company His wound healed very well (01:45:40) He was in Anzio for quite a while (01:46:24) One time an ox was shot and brought back for the soldiers to eat They were fed extremely well (01:47:40) o They even made ice cream o Officers from other companies would go and eat with their officers (01:48:21) One of his officers was called a clown because of his big ears There was a Swedish guy from Minnesota that was on a truck that was never used to pull trailers. He pulled the copper tubing off his trailer and made a coil (01:49:35) o He would make alcohol that was almost completely clear (01:50:41)  They called it “White Lightning” o The soldiers would mix it with grapefruit so they could drink it (01:51:01) One time an officer cussed at another officer – he was ordered to dig a six foot hole that was deep enough to be over his head (01:52:36) o He was guarding the officer that was digging the hole o He was given some diluted alcohol – he eventually went in the hole and took turns digging with the officer (01:53:10) o When they were finished, they were told to fill the hole in and move over and dig another (01:53:29) When he traveled north, he went through Rome, Italy When he was traveling through Milan, Italy, they stopped right where Mussolini was (01:54:44) o He actually saw Mussolini hanging next to Clara Petacci (01:55:19)  Her skirts were fallen down over her eyes  He noticed the leather boots that Mussolini was wearing (01:55:42)  He was shot full of holes The next day he bought a postcard that had the picture of Mussolini strung up (01:56:12) When they were traveling north, they pulled off to the side of the road to let the kitchen truck catch up so they could eat a hot meal (01:56:58) o When they had everything out to eat, they noticed three German tanks that noticed them and started shooting in their direction (01:57:21) o He hit the ground every time he heard a shot go off Colonel Stanley was killed in Rome, Italy (01:58:17) �    His Company was 2nd Platoon o 1st Platoon built Bailey Bridges (01:59:23) o One time they came to a place when it was dark – they stayed where Germans had cut out trees for camouflage He drove a military Autocar (02:00:12) o The Autocar had a hard time fitting through many of the narrow Italian streets (02:01:09) The place he stayed in during the winter was extremely cold o The building was ripped open with holes (02:02:17) o They lived in regular Army tents (02:02:26) o They had their beds and cut barrels for a stove o They used airplane gas for fuel (02:02:49) One of the cooks had a small brown dog (02:03:42) � 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 PowellG1465V Title A name given to the resource Powell, Gabriel (Interview outline and video), 2012 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powell, Gabriel Description An account of the resource Gabriel Powell was born in Algoma, Michigan, in 1916. He grew up on a farm and worked as a carpenter until he enlisted into the military in 1941. He trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was assigned to the engineer battalion of the 1st Armored Division. He went with his unit to Northern Ireland, and then to Scotland and England before landing in Algeria in 1942. He participated in the North African and Italian campaigns, mostly working on bridge construction and repair, and stayed with his unit until the war in Europe ended in 1945. 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 2012-11-18 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/8d9401efa2bf392ba48071c6fd689d0f.mp4 cc9b3b3380e395df3f78506e6465c043 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ef2c0a1e4f38f062560d5f7354bbe1f6.pdf a7560784a0afee996c7f7d75d82cddd5 PDF Text Text GrandValleyStateUniversity Veterans History Project World War II Vern Pouch (41:44) Background Information ()      Born March 4th 1927 in FruitportMichigan. (00:06) He served in the Navy reaching a rank of Ship’s Cook 1st Class. (00:11) Vern enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at the age of 17. (00:54) He has 1 brother who also served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He also has 1 sister. (1:09) He quite high school at age 16. (1:34) Basic Training (1:53)    Vern’s training took place at Great Lakes Navel Base. (1:55) After completing his time in basic, Vern attended fire school in Virginia. (2:46) From Virginia he was sent to PittsburghPennsylvania where he picked his ship [an LST] up. (2:56) Voyage to the Pacific (3:7)          The ship traveled down the Ohio River, then to the Mississippi river. The ship then stopped in New OrleansLouisiana, where the men conducted some training. (4:00) A shake down cruise was given after leaving New Orleans. (4:37)] Next the ship was sent to GulfportMississippi, to pick up supplies. (5:00) Being young, when the ship was sent to New Guinea he doesn’t remember being very afraid to be going into a combat area. (5:48) To drop supplies in New Guinea, the supplies were loaded on LCTs. The LCTs beached themselves to unload the supplies. (6:47) When crossing the Pacific, Vern’s ship did have a destroyer escort. (7:37) When traveling across the Pacific, the men did spot whales and other wild life. (8:54) Vern had little difficulty adjusting to life aboard the ship although some men did get sick. His battle stationed was a loader on a 20 mm. gun. (9:57) Ammunition could be delivered to ships and transferred between ships while at sea. (11:55) The Invasion of the Philippines (Dec. 1944) ()       During landings in the Philippines, the men simply dropped their supplies using LSTs then evacuated. (12:40) The men did take fire while dropping the supplies. (12:55) During the Battle of the Philippians, the ship did come under fire by Japanese aircraft. (15:11) After the first landing, LSTs were sent back to the island to supply up for the invasion of Mindoro. (17:03) Vern witnessed Kamikaze pilots attack the dry dock in Leyte. (17:55) Vern also experiences several large storms while at sea, bad enough that it pocked holes in the �ship. (18:44) Invasion of Mindoro Late (Dec. 1944) (19:32)        In December of 1944 while off the coast of Mindoro, Vern’s ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. This left the ship temporarily without power. (19:40) Due to the damages taken during the battle, the men were ordered to abandon ship. (22:00) Vern was attached to the ship as were most of the men. They did not want to leave the ship but were forced after explosions occurred below deck. (24:24) The men were given life jackets. (25:00) Vern held on to the side of a life while in the water but was unable to get on board. He recalls being bumped by what he believed to be sharks under water. After a short while, the men were picked up by a destroyer. (25:45) The men could not swim to shore because it was still occupied by Japanese. (27:18) The men were taken from the waters off Mindoro to Australia. Then the men were sent back to the U.S. on a 30 day survivor leave. (28:43) Service in the U.S. (30:53)   Vern was transferred to Treasure Island. Here he worked as a cook. His job consisted of purchasing sweet rolls and brewing coffee. (31:31) When the Atomic bombs were dropped, Vern had no knowledge as to what it was or the damage it was capable of creating. (33:45) End of War and End of Service (34:31)   He stayed in the Navy for a short while after the end of the war. (32:32) He met his wife and had 3 children (32:36) Thoughts on Service (35:00)      Vern would occasionally wake up violently in the middle of the night from night terrors. (35:21) Vern went on to drive Greyhound buses for 30 years. The military experience did assist him in this career. (36:00) There are several men from Vern’s service that he is still in touch with. (36:45) Vern’s advice for people to join the navy is to do what one is told to do and do it well. (39:50) Vern’s son served in the Navy as well during the Vietnam War. He served on an LST in the Delta. (40:20) � 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 PouchV0668V Title A name given to the resource Pouch, Vern (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pouch, Vern Description An account of the resource Vern Pouch, born in Fruitport Michigan, enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at the age of seventeen. After training at Great Lakes and in Virginia, he joined the crew of a new LST and sailed with her from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, and then across the Pacific, where he participated in the invasion of the Philippines. Off Mindoro in December, 1944, his ship was badly damaged and abandoned, and the crew were rescued by a destroyer and taken to Australia. He served out the remainder of his enlistment as a cook on Treasure Island in California. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Bolthouse, Marv (Interviewer) Cole, Nick (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-07-27 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/ec8b5bb74de6502022cc457c4bc8db3f.mp4 05c8eda3688501239afed119d37943fc https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/21d688cc5cd4d67eddb753d075725835.pdf 8ff9c85196818026a0a0fd3db942e176 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Cornelius Potts (00:53:00) Pre-enlistment (00:05) • • • • Childhood (00:06) o Born in Grand Rapids on Jan. 5,1918 sometime. (00:07) Family (00:30) o His father was a carpenter & was able to find work during the Depression. His mother was a stay-at-home mom and took care of the kids. (01:03) Education (01:17) o Attended school through the 8th Grade. (01:28) His Job (01:33) o Afterwards, he mentions working at a farm and a gas station (01:44). o Recounts where he was when Pearl Harbor was attacked & listened very carefully to the radio for news on how the war was going in Europe. (02:35) Enlistment/Training (03:13) • • • Why he enlisted (03:14) o He enlisted b/c he mainly wanted to join and join his brother-in-law who was joining up. (03:47) Where he trained and what company he was in (04:35) o Didn’t remember where he trained. (04:35) o Briefly discusses his conduct & various things he learned in his program. (05:19) Among many things, he mentions his exceptional shooting abilities. (07:36) o After basic training, he joined the army band playing the French horn. Further mentions that there was nowhere in the service that someone was safe. (09:05) o Doesn’t remember when he left to go overseas. Stayed at an army base in Illinois before being shipped out to the Philippines in 1945. (11:32) o While there, he served with the 33rd Division. (12:10) Other relevant info about time in service (11:31) o Soon afterwards, Potts joined the band. He discusses doing various performances for army personnel & civilians alike. (14:07) o Reviews how he came to join the army with his brother-in-law. His brother served with the infantry. (16:35) Their individual units were in close proximity to each other on a few occasions. (18:39) Active Duty (18:51) • Voyage to the Philippines (19:31) o Potts briefly describe that he boarded a passenger ship. �o On board ship, he mentions what conditions living conditions were like. (20:50) Also mentions his seasickness on their journey to the Philippines. (22:08) • The Philippines (22:14) o Overview of his time in the Philippines (22:15)  Upon landing, he briefly relays his insights on the Philippines & its people. (22:57) His unit landed at a place near Baguio. (24:48)  By the time his unit got there the main Japanese force had left the area. While there it was his unit’s job to go into the jungle on patrol and round up Japanese soldiers. At times, Potts went on patrol. (25:58)  Much of the time, however, he spent his time with the band playing for various people such as Gen. Douglas McArthur (28:24) and Clarkson. (29:15)  Briefly describes his impressions of Japanese POWs. (30:01)  He further mentions how receptive the Filipinos were of the U.S.’s return to the Philippines. Potts mentions that they put local Filipino women to work carrying American GI ammo bags. (32:05)  Something not commonly known is that when American GI’s went into on their patrols Filipino women accompanied them. (33:10) o Living conditions (33:28)  American GIs, according to Potts, faced a monsoon-like climate with constant attacks from mosquitoes. Further mentions that GIs were equipped with medicines and mosquito netting. (34:48)  Many American GIs came down with malaria. Potts, however, never once contracted it. (35:57) o Discharge/other stories (36:16)  At WWII’s end Potts was still at Baguio, the Philippines. (36:37) Mentions further that when they left they were supposed to go to Manila and then Australia but something else happened. (37:50)  Briefly describes what his voyage aboard a passenger ship from the Philippines to Seattle, WA was like. (39:13) Mentions that he doesn’t remember what happened. Made a brief stop in Hawaii. (42:34)  Potts briefly mentions that while in the Philippines he encountered Japanese civilians who treated him with politeness & respect which was unheard of up until then b/c of American’s racial stereotypes of Japanese people. (42:52)  Upon arriving in Seattle, WA Potts took a train to Camp Grant, Illinois north of Chicago where he was discharged. (46:51)  Briefly mentions where his wife lived while he was in basic (48:32) and then mentions that she moved back to Michigan when he was sent to the Philippines. (49:54) After the service (50:02) • Adjusting to home (50:03) o After being discharged, Potts worked in a variety of capacities. However, he doesn’t remember what those capacities were. (51:21) o Briefly mentions that since he was in the Army band that he didn’t have a positive experience b/c he was treated badly. (52:01) Further shares his thoughts �regarding other Army experiences. (52:54) � 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 PottsC Title A name given to the resource Potts, Cornelius (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Potts, Cornelius Description An account of the resource Cornelius Potts is a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945. While still in training, he was assigned to the 33rd Infantry Division's band. His unit was based near Seattle for some time, but eventually went to the Philippines and served on Luzon. Potts experienced combat, but primarily served with the band, entertaining dignitaries including Gen. MacArthur and President Quezon Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Byron Area Historic Museum (Byron Center, Mich.) BCTV Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Army World War, 1939-1945--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 2008-09-09 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/75285e186dea49177d21209721647c78.mp4 27b531c2fe64e8e6ca3a514b0d8df0f1 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4b6b262405185342348198b5dcef515b.pdf 62ff241f868dd8a5f49054dbfeea3086 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran's History Project Iraq James Potter Total Time (01:17:28) Introduction (00:00:14)  James Potter was born December 1985 in Muskegon, Michigan (00:00:25) ◦ James graduated from Mona Shores High School and grew up with eight other siblings (00:01:25) ◦ He joined the Army at age 17, before he graduated high school; One of his buddies had an uncle who was an Airborne Ranger- they both got out of school to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and scored pretty well on it (00:02:06) ▪ He officially signed up for the military on October 23rd, 2003 (00:02:22)  James was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri for basic training in Charlie Company 795 (00:06:15)  He left in January of 2005 for basic training and graduated on May 26th of 2005 (00:06:33) ◦ James picked 31 Bravo (Military Police) for his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) (00:07:01) ◦ He thought he was mentally prepared for all the yelling at basic training but he comments he never realized how much he would expect (00:09:33) ◦ James was an athlete in high school and thought it would help as far as his training goes; he mentions that the exercises after a few weeks did catch up and he could barely move at times- he lost 96 pounds from basic and Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) in five and a half months (00:10:42) ▪ The MP training consisted of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) which were different laws as well as Law and Order training (00:13:10) ▪ A lot of the training dealt with what was going on in the Middle East as they geared their training towards that (00:15:17)  James ended up with the 114 MP Company out of Owosso, Michigan and worked with them for around four months (00:17:12)  On his very first drill, his unit asked for volunteers to go to Iraq but he was repeatedly shut down to go with the 46th MP Company (00:18:00) ◦ He was finally allowed to go and was so motivated to go because he had made a commitment to go to Iraq because he made a pact with one of his military buddies (00:19:07) ◦ The 46th MP was sent to Ft. Dix in New Jersey for intense training of integration into teams, squads, and platoons (00:20:14) ◦ They spent three months at Ft. Dix and then to Germany to Kuwait for two weeks, and finally to Baghdad International Airport in Iraq (00:23:08) Iraq (00:23:08)  In Kuwait, James' unit had to acclimate themselves to the intense heat; he mentions that some people went down as “heat casualties” while trying to adjust in Kuwait (00:24:50)  The first night James and his unit were in Iraq, they faced mortar attacks; air conditioning units �in their barracks were falling out of the walls and a fear took over James as he felt like he was in a war movie (00:28:27) ◦ James describes the process of how T-Wall barriers work and how because of them they didn't take any casualties that first night (00:29:40) ◦ The first morning in Iraq, James and his unit met all the people they were replacing and geared up as well (00:30:39) ◦ His mission was presence patrol and included a lot of driving around and waiting for something to happen; his deployment was supposed to last 15 months but only made it through eight and half months (00:31:32) ▪ James describes an incident where he and a group of soldiers were in their jeep and were faced off against a sniper that fired a few bullets into their jeep- they didn't know where any of it was really coming from (00:35:42) ▪ Interpreters worked with James' unit to help identify certain people- James' unit had four interpreters total; these people would have to cover up their faces and change names because they were working with Americans and that put them in danger (00:37:24)  James did not have a good impression of the Iraqi police he worked with; he didn't feel they were trustworthy and felt they didn't care for their country in general (00:40:23) ◦ Getting mortared was a regular occurrence for the base James was on; they were in uniform three almost his whole deployment- that meant you couldn't go outside without wearing eye protection, helmet, and vest along with a weapon with multiple magazines (00:42:22) ◦ During his deployment, three people ended up losing their lives while on patrol and sent quite a few people home with injuries- most of these injuries were caused by roadside bombs (00:43:57) ▪ Considering the circumstances, James' unit had a pretty high morale and had effective leadership as well (00:46:00)  On May 26th, 2007, James and the jeep he was in hit an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) and all four people were injured- he spent five months in the hospital and he almost lost his left arm and left eye (00:47:32)  James describes what happened in great detail the day the jeep was hit (00:47:32-00:50:20)  His injuries finally caught up with him as he saw muscle tissue hanging out from his own arm as someone told him he had a compound fracture (00:51:56)  James and a few other of the injured were flown on a black-hawk helicopter to the International Zone where there was a bigger hospital to be treated; he spent four days there and then was flown to Germany (00:55:04) ◦ After seven days in Germany, he was flown to Andrews AFB in Washington D.C for a night (00:56:56) ◦ From there he was sent to Womack Hospital at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina (00:58:15) ◦ James' left arm did not end up having to be amputated and he has some use of his fingers left still due to a surgery he went through (01:00:28) �Back to the United States (01:00:28)  James' current assignment is the 1436th Engineer Company; he ended up there because it was the closest armory to his house (01:01:58)  In 2010, he ended up deploying with the 1436th to Iraq (01:02:28) Back to Iraq (01:04:02)  James deployed with the 1436th Engineer Battalion to Iraq for his second deployment (01:04:06) ◦ On one of the patrols, they spotted and identified an EFP in the ground; they then waited for route clearance to confirm the EFP and then waited for the explosive ordinance disposal unit (EOD) to come out and dispose of the bomb (01:07:59) ◦ The second deployment to Iraq went much better for James as there was really only small incidents that would happen (01:09:40) ▪ James communicated with family and friends regularly on this deployment as opposed to his first deployment (01:12:21) ▪ The second deployment lasted 11 months as planned (01:12:57) Back to the United States (01:13:33)  James took a job back with the 46th MP Company about two years ago (01:13:57) ◦ He eventually took a position with the 1436th as a Admin Non-commissioned Officer (01:14:47) ◦ James comments that he didn't need any additional mental help but the military was great at providing the opportunity to go through it (01:17:08) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PotterJ1573V Title A name given to the resource Potter, James (Interview outline and video), 2014 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Potter, James Description An account of the resource James Potter was born in 1985 in Muskegon, Michigan. He joined the Army at age 17 before he graduated high school. He officially signed up on October 23rd, 2003 and was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri for basic training in Charlie Company 795. He chose 31 Bravo as a Military Police for his military occupational specialty. He eventually joined the 46th MP Company and was sent to Iraq. His unit spent a few weeks in Kuwait to get acclimated to the weather. James' deployment was cut short to eight and a half months as opposed to 15. On May 26th, 2007, James was hit by an explosively formed penetrator; he almost loss the use of his left arm and left eye. After being treated back in the United States, he signed up for the 1436th Engineer Company and ended up redeploying to Iraq for a second time in 2010. His second deployment lasted 11 months. He still works with the 1436th as an Admin Non-commissioned Officer today. 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 Iraq War, 2003-2011--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 2014-03-08 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/44bdf428f271ca3ce6a2dfdde1357167.mp4 bcb79b05e76456dab1e8543082656e1b https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c6fefec6d79f024d38dfa4bee33d35cc.pdf 2d9ba32cf090183e95fb781f1c09957a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran’s History Project Interview Gordon Potter Length of Interview (00:38:17) Pre-enlistment (00:00:31) Born 1937 in Byron Center, Michigan His father was in a grocery business, then went into the milk business when it didn’t work out Went to Byron Center Christian and finished high school at Unity Christian in Hudsonville , Michigan (1955) Enlistment/Training (00:01:33) Worked at grocery store, from ages 14-end of high school. Was working with a friend, Larry Christian, who had a cousin going into the Navy; Potter was asked to join them the summer of 1955 • Navy was accepting 2 year enlistments through the Naval Reserves at the time, a 6 year obligation and 2 years active (00:02:15) Potter thought that this would be a good time to go into the service because it was a time of peace, Korean War just ended (mid 1950’s); but was aware of Cold War tensions (00:02:59) Signed up at Naval Reserve Center in Byron Center (00:03:45) In Mid-November (Nov. 13th or 14th) began service (00:03:56) • Immediately ordered to report to Great Lakes, Illinois on Dec. 1, 1955 (00:04:15) • When arriving, a lengthy and thorough indoctrination process was carried out (00:05:45) Potter was then sent to the other side of the base and was assigned to a company (00:06:12) • Company 711, Potter’s company number (00:06:57) Trained in military discipline and conditioning but was mainly taught how to run equipment (00:07:41) • Did some close-order drill but not to the extent that Army and Marine branches did • Attended classes all day and learned about Semaphore, different types of guns, ammunition, weapons and how to operate them. Also attended firefighting school �Was a part of the Drum and Bugle Corps, morning and evening practices (00:08:23) Trained in Great Lakes for 9 weeks (00:09:26) • 8 weeks of basic training, 1 week of Service Week (maintaining the camp) • Potter did barracks duty • During training, was given several “Aptitude Tests” (00:10:26) Was offered to go to Radio or Sonar school but the Navy wasn’t inclined to send him to school unless he signed up for more service (1-2 years) Declined the offer but because of his clerical skills, he was given a clerical job Alameda Air Station (00:10:55) Sent to California in Alameda Air Station in a place called Commander Fleet Logistics Air Wing Pacific, an office building The building was HQ for transportation stations around the Pacific (Japan, Hawaii, and U.S. West Coast) Spent 19 months there performing clerical duties • Started out as a yeoman (00:11:54) Moved to a floor called the Aviation Store Keeper office (00:12:35) Assigned to a job called Bravo Allotment • Entailed sending request from squadrons for fuel and oil for airplanes to Washington, D.C., and then writing monthly reports on how much was used. Also kept financial records for fuel and oil. Since the job was not time consuming, he joined the softball team there (00:14:05) The majority of the officers were pilots, so a plane was assigned to them, a TF-1 Twin Engine (00:14:32) • When flying, a rule for pilots was to have a mechanic or an observer on board; Potter acted as an observer, sometimes �San Diego (00:20:20) In 1957, the Navy closed Potter’s assigned office, so he was first reassigned to a place called Brown Field in California, but was sent to VR 21 in San Diego instead (00:20:33) A week or two after arrival, he was given a job in charge of ordering materiel (00:21:51) • Processed supplies that mechanics ordered, sent the requests to suppliers, then did the paperwork for buying parts • Took Potter three weeks to straighten out paper work of previous employee After the Service Stayed in San Diego for 4 months until his 2 years of service in the Navy were up (00:22:48) Went back to civilian life in Byron Center (where his parents no longer lived in) and stayed there for 2 years working; but he was still a part of the Naval Reserve (00:24:02) Prior to Potter’s release in San Diego, the Navy had released a lot of people who had been drafted (around the time he had enlisted) causing Reserves to become loaded (00:25:11) • Naval Reserves offered the choice of Active Reserve At that time, Potter was a 3rd Class Petty Officer and had taken the written exam for 2nd Class, but had to go back into Active Reserve to see his results He declined the offer and stayed in Inactive Reserve for 4 years Was released in Nov. 1961 (00:26:39) Experience Gained (00:29:26) Started working in the Fire Department on June 15, 1960 on the West Side of Grand Rapids Over 20 years Potter went from firefighter, to rescue squad, then House Captain of the rescue squad (1975) • Went into a job that was more dangerous than his time in the military (00:33:06) Feels that because of his Naval Training, he is able to deal with people better; especially with the stresses of his career as a firefighter; his eyes were opened to a bigger world(00:33:22) Enjoyed his time 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 PotterG Title A name given to the resource Potter, Gordon (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Potter, Gordon Description An account of the resource Gordon Potter enlisted into the Naval Reserve the summer of 1955. He trained in Great Lakes, Illinois and was assigned to Alameda Naval Air Station afterwards to do clerical work. His main job was managing fuel use for Bravo Allotment until he was transferred to San Diego where he continued doing clerical work. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Byron Area Historic Museum (Byron Center, Mich.) BCTV Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Navy Other veterans & civilians--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 2008-09-23 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 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/9d9c562a3393cae0832fb1f738a2af02.mp4 67a14683fe9940d906096291e8617713 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3692f9c82180ffc0c42b725d4116e206.pdf a8cc629347cc6e42bd06f4410d2da938 PDF Text Text GVSU Veteran’s History Project Iraq & Afghanistan Wars Chris Potter Interview Total Time: 20:48                  (00:10) Mr. Potter served in Iraq as a Marine o His rank was sergeant (00:40) Before joining the Marines, he played a lot of sports o Lived in Grandville, Michigan (1:07) Enlisted in the Marines because his father was in the Marines during the Vietnam War (1:40) In boot camp, he said he was initially scared; was hard to get used to (2:16) Didn’t go through specialized training; learned that they were the same as everyone else in the Marines (2:38) Mr. Potter was a squad leader o 3 fire teams and a corpsman o Taught different aspects of combat (2:58) Learned how to jump out of a helicopter o In charge of this; repelling, spy-roping (3:46) During 9/11 he was in boot camp; he had already joined the Marines during the August of that year (4:02) The base he trained at was in San Diego o During 9/11, they noticed the planes weren’t flying and wondered what happened after 2 days – which is when they learned what happened (4:52) Served in Iraq & Afghanistan o His job in Iraq was a fireteam leader, and in Afghanistan he was a squad leader o Saw active combat (5:20) Enjoyed the brotherhood he had with the guys he served with (6:11) Ate MRE’s – said they didn’t have a good effect on his body (7:34) Didn’t experience as much combat in Iraq as he did in Afghanistan (8:20) It was difficult to stay in touch with his family and friends back home (8:35) Recalls passing time with the guys he served by playing board games, etc. (9:00) They celebrated holidays o Once he was able to drink with his friend (10:05) Extended his service by a year to go to Afghanistan because he trained all of the guys who were going there o Got an extra month there to train new guys �       o Once he got back to Hawaii, he had to take classes for 2 weeks on how to live a civilian lifestyle o Says things in the military have changed now (11:05) Still friends with the people he served with (11:15) He now coaches hockey and goes to school (11:48) He learned a lot about how to manage people (13:50) Recalls a funny story (15:10) Used an M-16 o Favorite weapon was a 50 caliber machine gun although he didn’t get to use it in combat (16:20) Talks about a ‘battle rhythm’ o Different actions from different platoons (17:11) Mentions that he was in over 30 countries o This is why he wanted to join; to travel o Especially loved Hawaii, Australia, Thailand, Crete o Said there were parts of Afghanistan that were gorgeous o Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia was his favorite place � 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 PotterC1364V Title A name given to the resource Potter, Christopher (Interview outline and video), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Potter, Christopher Description An account of the resource Mr. Potter is from Grandville, Michigan. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in August, 2001, served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine. His highest rank was sergeant. He received his training in San Diego, where he was a squad leader. In Iraq, Mr. Potter was a fire-team leader. In Afghanistan, he was a squad leader. He was able to travel to over 30 different countries throughout his military career. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Moore, Matt (Interviewer) Green, Tage (Interviewer) Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Marine Corps Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American Afghan War, 2001--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 2011-11-15 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/566673e8c58cc527a46232d13bcb9c42.mp4 8bd754db29358d22a1a1b62c6f323fa8 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cfa5c3307893d940a7650692940d4923.pdf c5593e20271f4524de5868b963e7fa7f PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project James Porter (00:39:20) Childhood, Schooling, Manhattan Project Helper, Enlistment In The Navy • (00:23) Porter was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, on the south side, in 1926 • (00:36) his father died when he was a baby; he was thirty-three years old when he died of tuberculosis • (00:47) his mother's boyfriend from before she married his father "showed up at the wake," and they married two months later he was an automobile mechanic, a union member, a millwright—Porter himself was a member of the same union, as a carpenter • • • (01:27) Porter had five siblings: there were three boys "by" his father; by his stepfather, there was another boy, a girl, then another boy there were six kids in his family, and six in his mother's family • (02:00) Porter went to Chicago Vocational High School, from which he graduated in 1944; it is a trade school, "all boys"; they had "ammunition, maintenance school, automobile school, machinist" [Porter was "taking machinist" at the time] • (03:00) in his fourth year of high school, he attended school for half a day because he worked: "sooner or later" he was put into a machine shop • (03:14) in his fourth year, seven or eight of those in the machine shop ended up working for the US government at the University of Chicago they did not know what they were doing until after the war—"helpin’ the Manhattan Project" the “young guys” usually got the "dirty" jobs: cutting the different diameters and lengths of graphite rods the men that worked there, the journeymen, with twelve years of drawing, "they didn't know why they were making it" • • • • (04:30) Porter worked at U of C in 1944, during his third and fourth years in high school; he go paid a dollar an hour—his stepfather was "only getting $1.25" • ***he probably worked at U of C in both 1943 and 1944, because he stated earlier that he graduated in ‘44*** • (05:09) [when asked by the interviewer] Porter did not remember anything specifically about Pearl Harbor day—"but I can remember when it was over" �• 0:05:40 [when they were seventeen or eighteen years old] they all thought they would be drafted and "that's why I went in the navy"; he enlisted on October 10, 1944 Basic Training • (06:03) Porter went to Great Lakes Naval Station [the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, IL]; he picked the navy so he "wouldn't have to go in the mud" o he had fireman, engineering training • (06:42) Porter was at Great Lakes for eight weeks, ten weeks, or perhaps fifteen weeks; he went through basic and then interim training, and he was a fireman first class when he came out In The Navy, Japan And The Philippines • (06:56) he was sent to the Pacific; at Ulithi [Federated States of Micronesia, Caroline Islands] he “picked up” the ship he had been assigned to • (07:16) he departed from Shoemaker, California; he was “awful sick” during the first few days; the trip took perhaps “a couple of weeks”; the ship was about 450 feet long; they had a “small complement” of 150 people; he “took care of,” operated the boilers • (08:32) they had just left Iwo Jima when he picked up his ship • (09:10) “the crew was me against the whole East Coast”; he was the only one from the Midwest, and it was hard to get along with them—he never got out of his hold • (10:23) they “pulled up” at a small island where they planned to have a “beer party”; it was empty, the Japanese had gone, but there were caves walking around, they noticed ammunition and big “no smoking” signs they entered the caves and saw General Electric motors: “the Japs had all kinds of our stuff”—stolen or bought • • • • (11:15) everywhere Porter went, he met someone he knew from Chicago in San Francisco, they took a Liberty ship to Shoemaker; walking around, he encountered a paratroop in an army uniform whom he knew • (11:50) out in the Marianas [Northern Mariana Islands] they were going to refuel from one of their tankers—he did “the operations” when they were about to “take off on a tanker” his position was outside on the first deck, only eight feet above the water he heard someone calling his name—he looked down onto the main deck [of the tanker], and “taking care of the oil” was a guy he went to high school with • • • (13:04) but the people on Porters ship were “all from the East”; the “closest” �Porter thought was from Philadelphia, lots from Rhode Island • • (13:26) Porter forgot the names of islands “we didn’t fight at” but they went to the Philippines Manila was secure, but it “stunk”—“everybody was cookin” lots of guys went ashore on liberty, drank whisky, and they got “awful sick”— they were piled up on the dock; it was whisky made “over there,” they were unused to it, it was “different” • (14:43) he thinks they went to Okinawa, the only battle he was in, but in the “fireroom” he never got to see who was shooting what • (15:05) one of the guys yelled that the “old man” [the skipper] did not want anyone to fire the big gun [5”38] on the back end of the ship [Porter displays a picture] -the skipper said “I don’t want anybody firing that gun” • • • (15:44) Porter left his “watch” to see what was going on; he lights were all out inside and outside of the ship and the Japanese were making Kamikaze raids • 0:15:59 he opened the hatch and peeked out and saw an AP [auxiliary passenger] ship whereupon they had fired their 5/38 off the stern, alerting the Japanese just then a Kamikaze came down, into the fantail on that other ship, and it went poof • • • • • (16:43) they went down to the Philippines again, this time to Mindanao, in August of 1945 they were out in a canoe in the dark and “all of the sudden all kinds of shooting starts”; but it was “our ship”—it [the war] was over they got back and everybody was drunk, the skipper was probably drunk” Porter knows who dropped the bombs—“one of them anyhow”—someone in his extended family • (18:23) from the Philippines they retuned to Okinawa, and then went on to Japan; in Tokyo Bay they pulled up to the dock at Yokohama • • • (18:59) the ship next to Porter’s was his uncle’s the uncle “said he was comin’ over” but they did not let him go the engineering officer on Porter’s ship offered to “see if the old man” would let Porter go ashore—this was not accomplished until they were ready to leave the dock • (19:47) Porter got his pass, and the “old man” [skipper] told him if he did not get back [in time], he would be stuck there and considered AWOL; Porter took a small boat to shore and got off to see his uncle �• • • • • • • • • • (20:07) “they had just come back from fixing the only building standing”—a convent—they [the Americans] put the electricity back in for them there were no other buildings left in Yokohama: it was flat as a table top and burned out (20:31) Porter and his uncle chatted for a couple of hours, and Porter went back to his ship; then a typhoon hit aboard ship anchored in a bay, “you’re supposed to have an anchor watch”; apparently nobody watched, and they “were gettin’ blown dragging anchor all over” (21:05) their orders in the “fireroom” were to not answer bells; someone “up there” was ringing and wanted to get moving finally the skipper came down and told them “do what you’re told”: they built up the fire and the engines were started; they got power back they “chopped off” some other ship’s anchor chain, however, when their screws started turning (21:47) among the other ships anchored there was an LST; an LST has inner and outer doors—Porter’s ship tore off one of its outer doors in passing it—“our guys were watching” one of their chiefs climbed out on “this half a door,” put a chain around the outer half of the door and managed to close it “they were safe after that, we didn’t even hurt out ship” • (22:33) after a couple more days they were gone; they ended up going back to the United States a couple of months afterward; this was when the treaties were signed with Japan [the Japanese] • (22:52) that LST, when they came back to the US three months later—Porter’s ship was pulling up, and the guys that had been on deck and had seen what had happened [the door accident], recognized the number on the other ship they were docking next to it, and the guys on Porter’s ship said “those guys are gonna kill us” as they pulled in “the whole crew of that LST was cheering for us”; they went “straight home after that” [the accident], and it took them eight weeks to get to the US—an LST “does only about ten knots,” and that LST may have done only about five, from the Philippines • • • • • (23:44) Porter came straight to the US from Japan—it took them three weeks, but they did not go much faster [than the other LST]—fourteen knots his ship did twenty knots on a “shake-down” when it was newly built, “three weeks later it could only get fourteen, fifteen knots” (24:15) Porter went out in the Pacific in January and came back in September—so he was in the Pacific the better part of a year �• • • (24:31) he was “hot to trot” to get home to his girlfriend; when he got back home, he had a thirty-day leave, then was reassigned to a new ship and spent another year overseas when he enlisted, it was for the duration of the war plus one year, and he almost reached that extra one year, nine months of it, when he got discharged (25:30) there was an “all different” crew on the new ship; he was again a fireman; he forgot the places they went because he was, as he explained, “just biding my time”; there was no combat Family And Relatives In The Military • (25:58) his wife’s brother was killed in North Africa—he went to college and then enlisted; “he was “first generation in this country, and he got killed in a tank” • (26:27) every male in Porter’s family has been in the service • (26:32) he had a brother a year older than himself who was in the Air Force, the Seventh Air Force in Italy—twice he was shot down, but did not get “scratched” • (26:48) Porter’s Uncle Jack had two younger brothers, one in the Marines and one in the air corps [US Army Air Corps, which became the Air Force] the one in the Marines was in “every battle in the Pacific” his brother Ray was in the Air Force; he was not a pilot but he was “on the Boxcar,” the plane [B-29 bomber] that carried the bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki • • ***“Ray” was probably Staff Sergeant Ray Gallagher, gunner and assistant flight engineer on the Boxcar during that flight.” • (27:40) Porter’s next brother passed away while he was a young man; he was in the Air Force during the Korean War, assigned to headquarters and he spent three and a half years “over there” ***it could be assumed that this brother was one of the three sons of Porter’s mother’s first husband, as is the one who got shot down over Italy who was older than Porter*** •  (27:58) he had a “crazy” brother, a younger half-brother who joined the army, a “twenty-year-man”; he had five children, four boys and a girl and he served in Vietnam this guys younger brother, Porter’s “other youngest brother,” also went to Vietnam, but he was in the navy Back To Civilian Life: Mr. Porter’s Career At Commonwealth Edison, His Family • (28:42) Porter left the service in 1946 and came home; there were no jobs left at the university—“that was all washed up �• (28:56) “years later,” Porter read in the newspaper about a guy talking about lithium; he got tricked once: there was a big block that looked like iron on a bench; Porter thought he could lift it even if it weighed two hundred pounds, so he tried to pick it up and almost fell on his back—it actually weighed “only about two pounds” and he had braced himself for much more—it was beryllium; after he saw this in the paper, he thought that “this could be me,” but he also read in the paper that you had to be machining or grinding it and the dust was poisonous, so he “never did that” • (30:20) he waited a year, and then he and his wife got married, but he did not have a job the day before they married; he was a carpenter, and it was “off season” when they came back from the honeymoon, he did not tell his wife he did not have a job; he went down to the union hall, and he “went right back to work” six months later, at Christmas time, he got laid off again—there was “no way I could avoid telling her”; he was talked into working for Commonwealth Edison— forty-one years later, he quit   (31:19) what he did at Commonwealth Edison: he started out in the storage division of the purchasing department; he then moved into the “power plant”, the power generating station (31:46) he married in 1947 and started at Commonwealth Edison in 1948; in 1955, they bought their first house (31:58) they did not have their first girl until 1951, and three years later, they had a son; three years later, they had another girl; “somewhere in between,” maybe it was five years later—he had four girls and two boys  now he has four granddaughters and four grandsons (32:37) in 1989 Porter retired; he ended up in a nuclear plant; he transferred into quality assurance in 1975, and the family moved to Rockford, Illinois—they [he and his wife] were “done having children then”  quality assurance “got to be too much for me”—he enjoyed it at first but it got to be “a pain in the neck” Vacation And Travel, Summers In Wisconsin • (33:54) “what have I been doing with my time?” when his wife was “still around,” he was not retired yet—[Porter showed the interviewer a picture of President Truman’s home in Missouri] “bet you never guess whose house that is”—“his name’s Harry” • (34:31) the Porter’s had a summer home in northwestern Wisconsin: they still go there in the summers, but not to their place—they sold it because “it costs too much money now” [to maintain, it could be assumed, or to live there on a more �limited income—pensions and social security] • (34:47) Porter and his wife traveled in Europe, after he retired they went to Europe “a couple of times, went to Ireland”; the only place they did not like was France, or parts of it—the people were “lousy,” in Porter’s opinion, “worse than rude” • (35:09) they were in Monaco, and a certain gambling casino was not “open” to gamblers at the moment, but “open” to tourists; the uniformed guards knocked womens’ hats off and took their purses, telling them they had to “check in” the purses first Porter’s Stepfather And The French • (35:39) the “first experience” Porter had with the French was his stepfather, who told them that his family [meaning French] “was here” [the US] before theirs [Porter’s], since1772 • Porter told him “you were supposed to help us with that war against the English, but all you ever did was desert your own army”; his stepfather was both French and Irish • (36:15) Porter “never realized” that his stepfather had “quite a temper” until a cousin of his told him about it: the man hated Porter’s father because he had been his mother’s boyfriend before she married Porter’s father, and he beat up his dad before their wedding No Navy Reunions • (36:57) Porter has never gone to any navy reunions, but has belonged to the American Legion for fifty-five years or fifty-four [as of the time of the interview]: Commonwealth Edison Post 118 Retired And Moving Again • (37:19) "I'm not gonna be here [Michigan] much longer either; my son's leavin', he's gotta move." Porter does not have anybody, there is nobody up here for him—"my family's pretty much spread around"  he used to have a relative in California, but that relative died  grandson in Atlanta, Georgia  his youngest brother is in Wythe, White, Georgia, "out in the country"  his other daughter is in Memphis; she has had "a lot of practice" moving: she has moved seven times because of her husband's job • (38:33) “so I’ve gotta move again”; "I'm not gonna stay up here alone" • (38:39) [Porter, in response to a comment by the interviewer] “no this isn’t cold here”; “it's cold in Chicago, but it's colder where I lived, out in the middle of Illinois up by Wisconsin" ��NOTICE OF SEPARATION FROM U. S. NAVAL SERVICE NAVPERS-SS3 t. (REV.8-4S) ­ ~-- SERiAL OR FI:"'C; 1-00. I. RANK AND CLASSIP"ICATION NAME t. PERMANENT ADORES. FOR MAIL.ING PURPOSES 10 CHARACTER 0,. aEPAIIll:ATlON ... 7. ADORE• • FROM Yt'UCH EMPLOYMENT WILL S':: 110. -------" ~ 111. ....,.""=== 1140 REGISTERED ~Q II. \I.l U n o ~ ;.l n YEI NO MEANS OF ENTRY (INDICATE D ENLISTED DATI! en I'" II. U.S. CITIZEN (VES OR NO) OATE AND PLACE OP BIRTH -:-__ =..,-==c-==-.-,-===-~=-=====.,==~t,================== SELECTIVE SERVICE OOARD 0,. REGISTRATION ';;-CH~C-;-IN APPROPRIATE D INDUCTED DATE -'- .J I MARITAL STATUS BOX) , l5. --------:1-"-.-----'-·----------....::...,---------....,.-­ COMMISSIONED I II. PLACE 0" Em-ltV ,m-o ACTIVE SERV'CE DATE '""'-'- 1_ _ ._----.....,---­ -=-=--~:..::....::L__'_=~_':._c:c.. II. QUAUFICATIONS. CERTIFICATES HELD, ETC. U. FOREIGN ANOloft aKA &Iii:RvtCE WOlltLO WAR II ~ -< :z oLL. Q 1 --:---,-,-u. aoug.u:r: ......--:=:-=-1 SERVICE SCHOOLS COMP'LETED u. SERVICE (VESSEL. AND STATION. a&.. VI:D ON) WEEKS ~ 8 \I.l ce: = ... REMARKS r 37. OATES OF LAST EMPL'MT. II. NAME AND ADDRESS OF LAST EMPLOYER II, MAIN CIVILIAN OCCUPATION AND D. O. T. NO. FROM TO to. E. LOCALITY. AND GENEftAL ARI:A) It. JO PREFERENCE FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING (TYP. OF TRAININO) 44. VOCATIONAL OR Y"ADI: COURSES (HATU .... AND LENGTH OF COUR.e) .,. NO....SERVICE EOU. (YRS. aUCCESs.FULLY COMPLETED) I , . , . DEGREES IoU. MAJOR COURSE OR IFIELD H. S., oil'. DATE OF aEPA"ATION I'" .'GNATURE OF PERaoN BEIN:> SEPARATED B TO: SELECTIVE SERVICE � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PorterJ Title A name given to the resource Porter, James (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Porter, James Description An account of the resource James Porter served in the US Navy during the final year of WWII, and then spent forty-one years working for Commonwealth Edison, in Illinois. While still in high school, he worked at the University of Chicago, cutting graphite used in the Manhattan Project. 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.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--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 2008-02-16 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/1acb81bcdcfdf91f718907881a5d51ac.m4v 71257d01d7bfbf3ea5bed438e50bdcfd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4750a6248d51c01b1470aa1d28b09025.pdf 573116a66dee80520da38dc7747b9bf2 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Charles Pope Length: 33:06 (00:30) Background Information     Charles was born on October 15, 1956 in the upper peninsula of Michigan He had a good childhood and often went hunting and built things with his father His father worked for a Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury dealership and his mother was a nurse Charles went to school in the Upper Peninsula, played baseball and basketball (6:10) Army Enlistment  Charles left school when he was 17 years old in 1973 to enlist in the Army  He wanted to get away from home and his parents signed a waiver for him because he was too young  He went through boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and had a blast  Most of the people there were about 17-22 years old and he got picked on often because he was so young  Charles then trained for combat radio surveillance at a radar school in Arizona, but did not enjoy that and then transferred to mechanic school at Fort Knox in Kentucky (12:15) Germany  Charles went sent to Germany instead of going to Vietnam because he was too young to fight in combat  They had a very long flight across the Atlantic; about 16 hours  There were only about 300 people working on his post and his sister was actually there working as a secretary at the HQ office  Charles was able to travel to 11 different countries while he was in Europe  They usually traveled by train because the roads were terrible, except in Germany  Charles lived with his sister off base; they rented rooms from a couple that owned a large house  Altogether Charles spent 10 months in Germany and was in the Army for 2 years (17:45) Back in US  Charles flew out from Germany, stopped in London, and was finally back in Michigan  He was charged with involuntary manslaughter in 1978 and spent 30 years in prison  He got out in 2008 and then began living at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans  Charles worked as a custodian in prison and received many trade certificates � 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 PopeC Title A name given to the resource Pope, Charles (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pope, Charles Description An account of the resource Charles Pope was born on October 15, 1956 in the upper peninsula of Michigan. He enlisted in the Army when he was only 17 years and his parents had to sign a waiver because he was so young. Charles went though basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, then radar school in Arizona, and finally mechanic school at Fort Knox in Kentucky. Once he was finished with training Charles was still 17 and too young to go through combat. Instead of going to Vietnam he was sent to a post in Germany where he spent 10 months. 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 Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-03-24 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