Koehl, Philip (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Oral history
Veterans History Project (U.S.)
United States—History, Military
Veterans
Video recordings
World War, 1939-1945—Personal narratives, American
Philip Koehl was born in 1953 in Oak Park, Illinois. Koehl grew up with his family in the Northwest side of Chicago. Koehl’s father was a truck driver, his stepfather a carpenter, and his mother owned a pet store which Koehl eventually got a job at. After graduating from Lane Tech High School, where he participated in ROTC, in 1971, Koehl then got a job working at a steel training plant. However, Koehl eventually enlisted in the Air Force April 2, 1973. Basic training took place at Lackland air base in San Antonio, Texas. It was after this training when Koehl went down to Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas and began receiving specialized training for his position as a radio communications analysis specialist. After finishing technical training Koehl was given the opportunity to travel to a variety of different locations and ended up at Chicksand Air Force Base in England. Koehl stayed here until April of 1974 when he was discharged from the service. Upon his leave, Koehl returned to school and got his Master of Social Work. He then worked as a social worker for his career up until his retirement in 2010.
Koehl, Philip C. II
Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)
Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401.
Kenyon, Steven (Interview transcript and video), 2028
Other veterans & civilians—Personal narratives, American
Vietnam War, 1961-1975—Personal narratives, American
Steve Kenyon was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1960 where he graduated high school and attended Grand Rapids Community College. Kenyon then went onto Michigan State University before attending law school. He also went into the natural gas business before enlisting into the Army. He agreed to an eight-year service obligation as an Army medic with the 394th Station Hospital in Grand Rapids. For Basic Training, he was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, in July of 1980 during which he became a Platoon Leader for his training platoon. After Basic, Kenyon was transferred back to Grand Rapids where he graduated from community college and went onto Michigan State University and its Army Reserve Officer Training Course. Kenyon graduated from Michigan State in 1982 before attending Cooley Law School. Furthermore, he previously underwent Officer Basic Training Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. At the 394th Station Hospital, he served as a Commissioned Officer, and later as the S1 Personnel Officer, before transferring to the Army Field Artillery. He was reassigned and briefly served with the 4th Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment. For his first mobilization, Kenyon deployed to Germany during the conflict in Bosnia in April of 1996 as the Operations Officer for 370 medical personnel. His men also assisted medical efforts following the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia. For his second mobilization, Kenyon deployed to Afghanistan with the 334th Medical Group as an Executive Officer during the Persian Gulf War. During one Medical Readiness Training Exercise in 2000, Kenyon was sent to Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras following the destruction of Hurricane Mitch where his unit participated in aid parties sent to remote villages. Kenyon later transferred to the infantry between 2004 and 2006 where he became a Battalion Commander for the reserve 339th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. While he never deployed to Iraq, he did undergo training in an Infantry Training Battalion and organized the deployments of several companies overseas, as well as to other training centers. From there, he entered the Army Retired Reserve so he could be closer to his family while also resuming work within Michigan’s energy industry. However, wanting back into the military in 2010, Kenyon completed his last four years of service with the 75th Innovation Command as the Deputy Branch Chief, or the Commander’s Executive Officer. After leaving the Active Duty, he remained in the Retired Reserves.
Kenyon, Steven P.
Johnson, William (Interview transcript and video), 2021
William Johnson was born in Union, Mississippi, on September 14th, 1936. He enlisted in the Army in 1955. He was processed in Fort Wayne, Michigan, issued his equipment in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and attended basic training in Fort Carson, Colorado. He then went to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for advanced training. Johnson was originally to join the 18th Engineer Brigade, but later decided to go to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for airborne training and joined the 11th Airborne Division. After that, his unit was deployed to Munich, Germany. Due to fights between units, the 11th Airborne Division was deactivated and Johnson joined the 24th Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. He stayed in Germany until December 1958 before going to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he reenlisted and was assigned to the 504th Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. While at Fort Bragg, his unit went to Mississippi to respond to the conflict that occurred when James Meredith was not allowed to enroll in the University of Mississippi in 1962. Later that year, his unit was flown to Eglin Airforce Base in Florida to respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Johnson left Fort Bragg in 1963, after which he was assigned to go to Mainz and Bad Kreuznach, Germany as a part of the 8th Infantry Division, 509th Airborne Infantry Brigade. He stayed in Germany until 1966, then went to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was the operation sergeant at the airborne training school. In 1967, he was flown to Clark Air Force base in the Philippines before arriving in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He then went to Phan Rang where he joined the 101st Airborne Division, 2nd Batallion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. Later, he went to Tam Ky, then Chu Lai where he was assigned to be an S-2 sergeant. After that, he went back to Phan Rang and then to Song Be. When the Tet Offensive began, his unit left for Da Nang. From there, they went towards A Shau Valley and set up Firebase Bastogne. Then, they went to Veghel and another firebase, where they were fired at, and Johnson got injured in the cheek. In 1968, Johnson flew back home where he was assigned to the 505th Infantry Regiment. In 1969, he was assigned to the SILK PURSE Control Group in England and returned home in 1972 to work with the Michigan National Guard Advisory group until he retired in 1976.
Johnson, William
Johnson, Chester (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Chester Johnson was born in South Haven, Michigan, in 1949. He attended high school in Benton Harbor and graduated in 1967. Chester was drafted into the Army in January 1969. He completed basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He did his advanced individual training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Chester then went to non-commissioned officer (NCO) school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was sent to Vietnam in early 1970, where he was assigned to B company, 1st battalion, 196th regiment of the light infantry brigade. During his time in Vietnam, Chester was involved in various skirmishes. He was part of a group that was sent into Laos on a patrol mission. He went on R and R in Australia in November 1970. He returned home from Vietnam in December 1970. Chester is currently involved with a veterans’ group in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Johnson, Chester
Jamieson, Jimmy (Interview transcript and video), 2025
Jimmy Jamieson was born in Newport News, Virginia in 1946. He graduated high school in 1965 and began college classes. He was drafted in the Army in February of 1966 but was allowed to finish the semester before being sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky in July. Shortly after, he was moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for basic training, where he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. After basic, he was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for artillery training and ranger training. He then had 30 days of leave before flying out of Travis Air Force Base to Vietnam. The plane stopped in Guam for a couple hours to refuel, and then landed in Pleiku, Vietnam. Originally assigned to field artillery for the 75th Ranger Battalion, he was instead flown to Camp Alpha near Saigon and assigned to the 8th Battalion, 6th Artillery in Vietnam, 1st Infantry Division. Nearly every night he had fire missions known as harassment and interdiction, where they fired at suspected Viet Cong or North Vietnamese Army at random times. After he joined the unit, they moved to Quan Loi Base Camp. There, his main job was to keep the supply line on track, but he also provided the Special Forces with gun support. Being close to the Cambodian border, Jamieson’s unit would sometimes cross into Cambodia. While on deployment, Jamieson visited Hawaii for a week for R&R. In late 1967, he finished his deployment and was processed at Dĩ An, the division’s main base camp, before being flown back to the U.S., stopping in Okinawa to refuel. He arrived in San Bernardino and took another flight to Travis Air Force Base, then another flight to Grand Rapids. After 30 days of leave, he went to Fort Meade, Maryland. Originally assigned to gun battery for the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Jamieson took a shooting test and landed a spot on the 1st Army National Rifle Pistol Team. During the Vietnam protests, his unit patrolled the area surrounding the White House and Capitol. At the end of his service, he decided not to enlist. Instead, he got married and worked several odd jobs before becoming an engineer. He also worked as a training development manager and an air pressure manager. After he retired, he took up volunteer work for LZ Michigan and his son’s high school as well as teaching gun safety for the DNR.
Jamieson, Jimmy
Jackson, Elmer (Interview transcript and video), 20519
Elmer Jackson was born in 1925 in southwestern Michigan. Jackson was in high school when he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor over the radio. Jackson was later drafted into the Army in August of 1944 and was sent to Camp Wood, Texas, for three months of Basic Training. He was then shipped to Scotland aboard the SS Queen Mary and was quickly transferred to South Hampton, shipped across the English Channel to the Normandy beachfront, and trained up to the frontlines. He was assigned as a replacement rifleman to the 291st Regiment, 75th Infantry Division on the Meuse River. After moving south through Luxembourg, Jackson’s company took the fight eastward toward the Rhine River. Once across the Rhine, he saw more combat and observed several high-altitude bombing missions, which he was grateful for. His Division had advanced well into Germany by the end of the war in Europe and he was quickly transferred to the occupational forces in Bad Tölz and Fischbach. Jackson was then transferred to Camp Baltimore where he worked as a Military Policeman, then as an office assistant, and finally in Graves Registration. He applied and was accepted as a driver of a weapons carrier, driving through the postwar Allied occupation zones and questioning local mayors on the locations of possible American gravesites. He also spent some time in Switzerland and Paris, France, and in July of 1946, he was shipped back to the United States and was officially discharged from the Army at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Jackson then traveled back home and resumed work at a local hardware store. After being fired due to a long period of being sick he eventually went to work for a local grocery store and attended Michigan State University where he pursued a degree in civil engineering. He then traveled around Michigan attempting to find steady work and was denied several times before acquiring a job with a local hardware and plumbing business in 1949, which he later purchased in 1953. Reflecting upon his time in the service, Jackson believed the Army instilled in him the mentality that he could achieve anything he set his mind to. He also greatly appreciated the support of the GI Bill, which helped him achieve admission into MSU.
Jackson, Elmer Jr.
Hills, Francis (Interview transcript and video), 2018
Frank Hills was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1943. Hills attended schooling in Connecticut through high school before graduating in 1961 and leaving for Iowa on a football scholarship, where he played as a defensive back on the college football team before graduating 2 semesters late in 1966. Following undergraduate school Hills attended Kent College of Law, a part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, before receiving his draft notice the second semester for the Vietnam War. After being granted an extension, he went to a recruiter to enlist and attend Officer Candidate School. Following the end of the semester, he was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana to complete basic training, and then to Fort Leonard Wood for Advanced Individual Training in engineering for eight weeks. After a week off, Hills was then moved to Fort Bennington for Officer Candidate School: 26 weeks of infantry classes including map reading, tactics, mortars, artillery fire and field exercises. Three weeks before the end of the OCS program, Hills volunteered to be part of the Scout Dog Program, requiring him to attend Jump School, Ranger School, and Scout Dog School. In March 1970, Hills flew over to Vietnam, landing at Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon and staying for a full year as part of the 58th Scout Dog Platoon in the 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade at Camp Evans. He recalls scout dogs being imperative to detecting early signs of danger and giving ‘strong, silent warnings.’ Hills was aware of some racial tensions among units but had no issues himself. After a year of service, Hills returned from Vietnam and stayed in the military, taking on a new assignment in Fort Dix as an instructor on the Weapons Committee. Shortly after. he went to the Special Forces Officer Course and spent 10 years in Special Forces Assignment before transferring to Infantry and attending Command and General Staff College. During the integration of women officers in the 70’s, Hills was aware of tensions but had no issues with female officers. Hills was transferred to Force Combat Quarters in Atlanta where he helped staff Desert Storm with temporary-assignment reserve and guard, and in 1996 achieved the rank of Colonel. He retired in 1998 and started a manufacturer’s rep firm and says he has no plans to retire.
Hills, Frank
Hillmer, Barry (Interview transcript and video), 2020
Barry Hillmer was born in Flushing, Queens, New York City, on May 3rd, 1946. He graduated high school in 1964 before beginning the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at Lafayette College. After graduating and completing the ROTC program in 1968, he went to Pittsburgh to work for Sears for a year. In June 1969, he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for infantry officer basic training. After that, he went to Fort Holabird, Maryland for intelligence training. In November 1969, he received orders to go to Vietnam, flying out of San Francisco and stopping in Anchorage, Alaska and Yokota, Japan before arriving in Saigon. He spent a few days in Saigon before being flown to Can Tho to receive his assignment. He was to go to Cà Mau in An Xuyen Province and assigned to Advisory Team 80. His job was to gather intelligence about the enemy units and their activity. While on deployment, he traveled to many cities in Vietnam, including Vung Tau for in-country R&R. He also traveled outside of the country for R&R: Thailand in August 1970 and Australia in October 1970. Nearing the end of the year, he received orders to go back to the U.S. He went back the same way he came: first to Can Tho, then Saigon, Yokota, Anchorage, and finally San Francisco. After six weeks of leave, he reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and was assigned to a special forces unit where he gathered intelligence for a unit whose area of specialization was the Middle East. Hillmer finished his service in 1971.
Hillmer, Barry
Hedrick, John (Interview transcript and video), 2017
John Hedrick was born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1930. In 1951, he applied and was accepted into the Navy’s Naval Officer Procurement program, which would lead to him becoming an officer. He received basic training in San Diego, California, then reported to Newport, Rhode Island for officer training. He was commissioned in June 1952 and reported to the USS Estes (AGC-12). While aboard the Estes, he witnessed Operation Ivy nuclear tests at Eniwetok, specifically the testing of the first hydrogen bomb in November 1952 and the subsequent test of a smaller nuclear bomb. John was then reassigned to the USS Mahoning County (LST-914), most likely sometime in the spring of 1953. Aboard that ship he went up to Alaska for a resupply mission of bases on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. In 1954, he was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, and left Japan in early 1955. He was discharged in San Diego in March 1955. He joined the Navy Reserve and served with units in Newton, Kansas, Kansas City, and Chicago until he retired in 1974 as a commander.
Hedrick, John
Heath, Robert (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Robert Heath Sr. was born on September 18, 1979 in Chicago, Illinois. While living in Germany as a ‘Military Brat,’ Heath enjoyed life in Hamburg while his father worked for the Army as a supply route manager. After high school, he attended the University of Illinois where he graduated in 2001 with degrees in economics and speech communications. He joined the Marine Corps at age twenty-seven and slowly worked his way into the Officer Candidate School by 2009. While he was attending the University of Illinois Law School, Heath simultaneously worked in Quantico, Virginia, as the lawyer for the base. After graduating OCS and all additional military legal courses, Heath was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Over his career, Heath advised over 200 cases, taking on seventy of which twenty-five were job hearings, thirty criminal cases, and only took eleven of those to trial. Heath then served as Company Commander for B Company, Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations out of Camp Lejeune from June of 2015 to July of 2016. He and his five staff members directly administered the Combat Camera Marines, Communications Marines, FSMAO (military supply) Marines, Explosive Ordnance Demolition Marines, MISO (administrative) Marines, Food Service Marines, DMO (transportation management) Marines, and several other smaller sections. By 2015, Heath held the rank of Captain since he graduated from Naval Justice School. He was later given the opportunity to rank up to Major in the Marine Reserves, but ultimately decided to leave the service due to family concerns since his wife was constantly worried about the possibility of his deployment and separation from the family. His final high-profile court case sent him back to Quantico where he worked one of the less severe Parris Island cases. Heath officially left the service in October of 2017 and found the transition back into civilian life difficult since he deeply missed the service and eventually wanted to deploy with the Corps. However, his wife ultimately persuaded him to choose family over service. He then started his own firm, Legacy Leadership Consulting. Reflecting upon his service in the Corps, Heath firmly believed great leadership takes care of both the individual and the mission at hand. He also believed that, in order to become a good Marine, one must be willing to commit as well as prepare themselves for challenge and a change in lifestyle.
Heath, Robert Sr.
Healy, Roger (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Iraq War, 2003-2011—Personal narratives, American
Roger Healy was born in Allegan, Michigan in 1949. He attended high school in Gobles, Michigan and graduated in 1967. Roger was drafted into the Army on July 15th, 1969. He completed his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He did his advanced individual training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Roger became a part of the infantry and attended part of non-commissioned officer (NCO) school at Fort Benning, Georgia, before deciding that it was not for him and leaving NCO school. After quitting NCO school, Roger was sent to Vietnam in February 1970. He was assigned to the 25th infantry division, 1st of the 5th mechanized, based out of Cu Chi, Vietnam. Roger drove armored personnel carriers in his unit. His first armored personnel carrier was destroyed after hitting a landmine and his second was hit with an RPG and burned to the ground. He was part of the incursion into Cambodia. During his time in Vietnam, Roger was involved in various skirmishes. He returned home from Vietnam in February 1971. Roger is currently involved in a Vietnam veterans’ group in Michigan.
Healy, Roger
Haywood, Breyound (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Breyound Haywood was born on February 28, 1973 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Haywood graduated high school in 1991 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1992. In January of 1993, he was flown to Marine Boot Camp for three months in San Diego, California. He then moved onto rifle training and field exercises at Camp Pendleton, California. After attending Marine Combat Training and then Infantry School back at Camp Pendleton, Haywood was assigned to a Zodiac Assault Company in the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 1st Marine Division. On his first deployment, Haywood was redirected into a detached Special Operation Capable Platoon and was shipped around the Pacific and Middle East on the USS Tripoli and USS Tarawa for six months. His Company was also deployed to Somalia and stopped at various Middle Eastern ports as well as British Hong-Kong. He ended up staying in the Corps for longer than his tour, so he was assigned to the mail department in early 1995. On his second deployment, Haywood was sent to the Philippines as well as other stops in Africa, the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and Asia. After that, Haywood decided to leave the Corps, was discharged in March of 1997 in California, and joined the California Army National Guard. In 1998, he married and later enlisted in the Army Infantry out of Fort Irwin, California. On active duty, he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Unit, Supply and Transportation Platoon based out of Fort Irwin before being transferred to the Orderly Room, administrating the platoon. He was then deployed to Iraq and Kuwait, stationed at Camp Spiker with his Transportation Platoon and ran supply routes throughout Iraq. After five months on active duty, Haywood was allowed to return to the United States in 2004 and was discharged from the Army at Fort Irwin. He then returned to Michigan where he resumed his work for Johnson Controls and joined the Michigan Army National Guard. He later applied for a full-time position within the Active Guard Reserve, working out of Wyoming, Michigan, in the 126th Armored Battalion. With this Battalion, Haywood was again deployed to Iraq and Kuwait in a staff position. In 2008, he and his unit returned to the United States where he stayed with the Michigan National Guard until his retirement in December of 2016, totaling twenty-three years with the Guard.
Haywood, Breyound
Hartman, Robert (Interview transcript and video), 2003
Bob Hartman was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1919. He graduated high school in 1937 and joined the Michigan Army National Guard in 1938, assigned to the 126th Infantry Regiment, Service Company. His company’s task was to transport troops and provide them with ammunition, food, and clothing. He began as a truck driver and later became a Supply Sergeant. His regiment went on maneuvers that lasted up to two months, traveling to places such as Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, Hartman was in Jackson, Mississippi to see a football game and was ordered to go back to camp immediately. He was then shipped to Fort Devens, Massachusetts for about a month before taking a train back to Frisco, Texas. After that, he was shipped to Angel Island and boarded the Lurline to head for Australia. He landed in Adelaide and then took a train to Brisbane. Later, he flew to Port Moresby where he marched across the Owen Stanley Mountains and saw jungle combat as a platoon sergeant. Hartman suffered from malaria during battle, and the sickness continued to recur every month for about five years. Hartman later was flown to Papua New Guinea. He made a beach landing in Saidor, where he experienced a few skirmishes before arriving at Aitape a month or two later. At Aitape, he was shot in the stomach presumably by a sniper. He was hospitalized on base before being shipped back to Australia and eventually the United States, where he spent time at several hospitals in San Antonio, Illinois, and finally back home in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Hartman, Robert
Grant, Philip (Interview transcript and video), 2021
Philip Grant was born on November 18th, 1986, and grew up in rural Reading, Pennsylvania. He attended basic training for the Army National Guard between his junior and senior year of high school, completed his advanced training afterward, and was first deployed to Iraq in 2009. He belonged to the 56th Stryker Brigade, 2nd 104th Cavalry as a chaplain assistant, and was based out of Camp Taji during his Iraq service. On April 12th, 2009, Easter Sunday, Grant and the chaplain were busy attending to religious services and were intending on visiting their Charlie troop to offer the Easter message and communion. Just before they left, they received a message that the platoon they would have been traveling with had been hit. As part of their chaplain corps duties the two went to help attend to the casualties, Grant witnessed his first gruesome combat injuries when helping the wounded soldiers and considers this incident to be the most traumatic event he experienced during his service. Despite this traumatic event, Grant still made many meaningful friendships during this time and maintained a positive outlook overall. After returning from service, however, Grant struggled with feelings of disconnection from the life he had before, which turned into a sense of deep loneliness and anger. His personal life and relationships were negatively affected by this, and Grant reached his lowest point when a SWAT team came to his house in order to be admitted to a psychological hospital for evaluation. After struggling with the role the military played in his life, learning how to live with it, and recognizing it as an integral part of who he was, Grant was able to attend therapy and come to terms with both his identity and the future he wanted for himself. His second deployment was spent in Jordan, which proved to be an overwhelmingly positive experience for Grant. He was able to interact with the locals and experience many of the significant historical sites within the country, which held even more significance considering his faith and role as a chaplain’s assistant in the Army. Grant met his wife in the military, graduated with his master’s degree, and is raising three daughters. Grant is incredibly thankful for the time he spent in the military, and believes that both the positive and negative experiences were worth it and a necessary part of his development as a person.
Grant, Philip R.
Goodman, Donald (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Donald Goodman was born on January 12, 1932, in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Goodman graduated high school in 1949 and went on to attend the University of Illinois Chicago, which at the time had a campus at Navy Pier, for three years. In 1950, he rejected his admission into the Air Force and enlisted into the Army due to the shorter tours of duty offered by the latter service branch. For Basic Training, he was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for three years where he participated in rigorous practice drills of combat scenarios which he described as overly chaotic and nerve racking. He also recalled how the racial integration of the Armed Forces was difficult for some recruits to mentally overcome and how the Army was subtly preparing its recruits, mentally, for a potential war with the Soviet Union. After Basic, Goodman was promoted to Corporal and became a Company Clerk. At one point, Goodman was assigned to lead a ‘Prison Chase’ job with two other soldiers to retrieve five prisoners who were being held on charges of going AWOL near Chicago. He and his two men enjoyed a night in Chicago before retrieving and delivering the Army prisoners to Fort Sheridan the next day. During his service on the base, he lived with his wife in an Army trailer and his son was also born in the base’s hospital. In June of 1954, Goodman was discharged from the Army and moved his new family back to Chicago Heights where he became a middle school teacher in 1956 and later a high school teacher. During President Johnson’s Great Society initiative, his school district received large sums of money from the federal government which he used to help establish a reading, writing, and math program at a local college. Reflecting upon his service in the Army, Goodman believed his military training, in both recognizing and assuming authority, allowed him to control his classes by maintaining discipline. He owed a great amount of gratitude to the Army for helping him grow mentally into the ambitious person he is today. Goodman also kept in touch with one of his old Sergeants, was ultimately glad he enlisted into the Army, and was grateful he was never injured during his time in service.
Goodman, Donald J.
George, Alfred (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Alfred George was born in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, on August 9, 1925 and moved to Grand Rapids in 1954. After graduating high school, George briefly attended Michigan State University before being drafted into the Navy. George was then sent to Great Lakes, Illinois, for Navy Boot Camp where he trained in construction. He was then assigned to Navy Seabees Construction Battalion 64 and was transferred to Camp Perry, Rhode Island, where he learned to operate small Higgins landing craft and underwent some basic rifle training. After Seabee training, George was sent to San Francisco and then was shipped on a converted passenger liner to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He and his Battalion were stationed for a few months at Pearl Harbor in mid-1944 repairing the damages of the 1941 Japanese attack. Then, George and his Battalion were transferred to the Philippines on LSTs and were stationed on Tubabao Island. They had orders to clear the local plantation forestry in order to construct Navy personnel barracks. While stationed in the Philippines, the war ended, and George read news pamphlets about the war’s final stages as well as the Atomic Bomb. His Battalion was then split up and he was sent to the Truk Atoll, in the Caroline Islands, where he operated phone lines while the rest of his Battalion worked to reconstruct the nearby air base over a ten-month period. Eventually, George accrued enough points to leave the service. He was shipped to Hawaii and then flown back to San Francisco where he was discharged. However, he opted to remain in the Navy Reserves. When he returned to Muskegon, George went to work for his father’s moving company and eventually bought the business from him. He also got married and had a child, but was soon called back into service in 1951 after the outbreak of the Korean War. From Great Lakes, Illinois, George was transferred back to San Francisco where he was assigned to the destroyer escort DDE 577, an old destroyer from the Second World War. He was assigned to an anti-aircraft battle station aboard the ship which sailed around Hawaii and was never fully deployed to Korea. George served on the destroyer escort for a year and a half before leaving the service again. George worked for several companies before being hired into a Grand Rapids based moving company as a part of its managerial staff for twenty-eight years.
George, Alfred
Gellert, John (Interview transcript and video), 2019
John Gellert was born on October 20, 1988, in Würzburg, Germany, into a military family which constantly moved around. Gellert graduated high school in Virginia in 2006 and attended some college before deciding he wanted a more challenging career. He enlisted into the Army in 2011 to be an infantryman. Gellert was then sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, for a collective fourteen weeks of basic and advanced basic training. After graduating basic training, he was immediately transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was assigned to a mechanized, light armored Striker Unit in Attack Company 21 Infantry Legion, which he later deployed to Afghanistan with in 2012. Stationed at Terranova Company Outpost near Kandahar City, his Company’s duties were to partner with the Afghani military and local police cells, guiding them to assume control of their local districts without American intervention. His Company was then stationed at Zari Company Outpost, nearer to the Taliban’s bases of operation, and his peers were more frequently shot at even though Gellert himself never experienced ground combat. This first deployment lasted nine months. For his second deployment in 2014, Gellert received promotion to Sergeant and spent the next three years in Germany with Fox Troop, 22 Cavalry Regiment, in Vilseck. His unit primarily participated in NATO and other international military training programs or maneuvers. While in Europe, Gellert did spend considerable time traveling the continent, conversing with local people, and observing historical sights, which he enjoyed greatly. By the time he returned from Germany, Gellert’s deployment had ended, and he left the service in 2017, despite giving some thought towards staying in the Army longer. Instead, he wanted to complete his college education and was soon admitted to Grand Valley State University for a degree in nursing. Reflecting upon his service, Gellert believed the Army instilled in him a persistent work ethic, coupled with a newfound inner drive. He was also fond of the supportive, brotherly relationships he built with the other soldiers of his former units, bonds which he still maintains and cherishes as a positive outcome of his service.
Gellert, John
Gautreau, Raymond (Interview transcript and video), 2017
Afghan War, 2001-2021—Personal narratives, American
Raymond Gautreau was born on January 12, 1948 in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, and graduated high school in New Hampshire in 1965. Since his family lacked empathy, Gautreau decided to join the Marine Corps after high school despite news about the war in Vietnam. For Basic Training, he was sent to Parris Island, South Carolina. After Basic, Gautreau was transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina, for Infantry Training. After that, he was assigned the Military Occupational Specialty of artilleryman in a 105mm Howitzer Battery attached to the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Gautreau underwent artillery training with his new unit on Vieques Island near Puerto Rico before deploying to Da Nang, Vietnam. In Vietnam, he joined the A Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division at a base outside Da Nang in 1966. His unit also spent some time closer to the Demilitarized Zone at Con Thien where, one night, Gautreau was thrown from his hooch by a nearby mortar explosion. He received shrapnel in the knee, groin, hip, and dropped in and out of consciousness as medics attended to his wounds. He was then medevacked to Chu Lai Air Base for proper medical attention before being transferred to a hospital ship en route to Hong Kong because of the severity of his injuries. After nearly two months, Gautreau returned to his artillery unit at Con Thien. His unit then participated in the nearly month-long amphibious invasion of the DMZ in April of 1967. For a short period, Gautreau served as his unit’s Section Chief in charge of their artillery cannon since there were few available Corporals and Noncommissioned Officers. After Con Thien, his unit transferred to Camp Carroll. At the end of his tour, Gautreau was flown back to Da Nang, then to Okinawa, Japan, before landing in California. For the rest of his deployment, he assisted the artillery range courses for the officer training at Quantico, Virginia. Gautreau was officially discharged from the Marines in 1968 and soon took up work as an electrician’s assistant before quitting, working several small jobs, and then moving to Michigan. Reflecting upon his time in the service, Gautreau was proud of his commitment and viewed it as an overall positive experience in his life. He is also appreciative of the benefits he received through the VA and hopes his grandchildren will never have to experience war in their lifetimes.
Gautreau, Raymond J.
Fieser, Lawrence (Interview transcript and video), 2019
Larry Fieser was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1950. He joined thr Army while studying engineering at Merrimack Community College. After basic training, he trained to become an Army medic and was assigned to accompany an infantry unit. He was then flown to Bien Hoa, Vietnam, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne at Camp Evans, and was deployed to A Shau Valley for combat assault missions. While on a period of Rest and Recovery in Thailand, Fieser’s unit was hit hard by enemy forces, killing a few of his friends, including the medic who replaced him during his absence. For the rest of his tour, Fieser remained with C “Charlie” Company where his interaction with Vietnamese civilians increased. When his tour was over, Fieser was flown into Fort Lewis, Washington, where he was resupplied with new gear and dress uniforms before being sent home. At home, he felt he had to readjust himself completely from the person he had been in Vietnam. People on the homefront were generally hostile towards veterans and the war effort, so he had to censor or reserve aspects of his speech and noted how American civilians were much less communicative than soldiers in the field. When he returned to Fort Sam Houston, Fieser became an unofficial secretary for the NCOs at the base for nearly five months, which he viewed as useless. Ultimately, he was no longer interested in continuing his military service and was soon discharged. From there, Fieser resumed attendance at Merrimack Community College and went to work in the Psychiatric Ward at a VA hospital, improving its efficiency and interaction with patients over his six-year tenure. His work at the VA was emotionally and psychologically draining, so he left, got married, bought a house, and began working as an insurance agent for twenty years with Farmers Insurance. However, he yet again became bored of this mundane work, so he left and began work at Target, enjoying the physical labor and lack of mental stress of working in a department store. Later, Fieser discovered he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and pursued group therapy and meditation to quell the psychological strain. Reflecting upon his service, Fieser believed the Army taught him that there are more important things in life than material valuables and that he no longer needed to convince himself of validation or acceptance.
Fieser, Lawrence
Erskine, Vernon (Interview transcript and video), 2020
Vern Erskine was born in Allenville, Michigan in 1921. He attended and graduated high school in St. Ignace, Michigan. He was drafted to the Army in the fall of 1942 and was required to report for duty at Camp Grant, Illinois. Vern completed his basic training at Camp Livingston, Louisiana. He became part of the artillery in the 1st battalion, 101st regiment, which was attached to the 28th division. Vern was sent overseas to Europe in the fall of 1943 to serve in World War 2. He landed in Normandy 12 days after D-Day. He spent time in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and Germany. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge. During his time serving in World War 2, he was involved in various skirmishes. Vern was able to meet both General Eisenhower and General Patton while in Europe. He left Europe in the fall of 1945 to return to the U.S. After discharging from the military, Vern returned home to Michigan where he currently lives with his family.
Erskine, Vernon L.
Erickson, Stanley (Interview transcript and video), 2017
Stanley Erickson was born in Harris, Minnesota in 1919 and after high school worked his way through college as a painter in Chicago. Erickson was drafted into active duty in 1943 and went to Boca Raton, Florida for basic training and then went to a tech school in New Haven, Connecticut, where he trained to be an aircraft mechanic and was commissioned to be a flight engineering officer. After tech school, Erickson went to the Boeing School in Seattle where he learned to work on B-29s before briefly being sent to Kansas to continue his training. In 1945 Erickson left for Saipan, Japan and flew 35 missions while he was there, lasting until the end of the war. After the war Erickson joined the International Guard and served in France for a year before returning to Chicago to attend Northwestern and study and work in automatic control.
Erickson, Stanley
Ellis, Roger (Interview transcript and video), 2017
Roger Ellis was born on May 18, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in San Jose, California, where he graduated from a prep high school. Ellis then attended college for a bachelor’s degree in English and Dramatic Literature. He also participated in the Reserve Officer Training Courses for the Navy, and then the Army, but lost interest by 1963 due to conflict heating up overseas and the counterculture movement at home. In 1963, he studied abroad in Italy for a year. He then attended a master’s program in Dramatic Literature at the University of Santa Clara in California before the draft prevented him from moving onto achieve his Doctorate in 1967. Entering the Army in 1968, Ellis attended Basic Training as well as Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lewis, Washington. After training, he was deployed to Saigon, Vietnam, where he was assigned to an infantry unit at Bien Hoa Air Base. As a Light Weapons Infantryman, Ellis accompanied foot patrols that secured perimeters around Bien Hoa. Later, Ellis was reassigned as an administrative Clerk for the Morning Report Section of a Headquarters Battalion in Bien Hoa, and then in Phu Bai. He also took up photography and worked as an English teacher for orphan girls in a village near the base. At the end of his tour in 1970, Ellis was flown back to Chicago where he was officially discharged from the Army. Once back in the United States, he was surprised by the hostility of antiwar protests directed against Vietnam veterans. Ellis reunited with his wife and returned to his Doctorate program at the University of California, Berkeley where he also rejoined the antiwar protests. He grew critical of the military, economic, and human waste caused by the war, especially as the Armed Forces made their hasty retreat from Vietnam after 1973. Reflecting upon his time in the service, Ellis believed he was part of a great historical era since it was difficult to discuss his war experience with those who had not lived it. He also appreciated the Army’s veteran benefits and the greater military experience, which he used as a critical lens into contemporary American military politics.
Ellis, Roger
Diephouse, Gary (Interview transcript and video), 2017
Gary Diephouse was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on February 8, 1943. He enlisted in the Air Force on September 20, 1964. He received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, then went to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, for Air Traffic Controller School. He reported to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, in spring 1965 and was stationed there for two years. In 1967, he was sent to Taiwan and served in an advisory role to the Chinese Nationalists at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base near Taichung. After a year, there he returned to the United States and served at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for the last six months of his enlistment. He was discharged in 1968.
Diephouse, Gary
Davelaar, Harvey (Interview transcript and video), 2017
Harvey Davelaar was born in Wyoming Township, Michigan, on December 23, 1923. After graduating high school in June 1941, he worked in a war factory until he enlisted in the Navy in summer 1942. He reported for basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, in November 1942. He went to Naval Aviation Metalsmith School at Navy Pier in downtown Chicago and trained there until June 1943. From there, he went to Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, where he outfitted fighter planes and torpedo bombers with rocket racks to attack U-Boats as part of convoy escort. When the Battle of the Atlantic effectively came to an end he was sent to Naval Station Treasure Island, California, where he maintained seaplanes used for the transportation of troops and material. He was at Treasure Island until after the war’s end, then went to Moffett Field, California, as his final duty station. He was discharged on March 2, 1946.
Davelaar, Harvey