16 24 1541 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d375d7d7595432b67bfaf14e5b9bed12.m4v 0bdb96f4db22b96a573d3cb480cea279 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d1caaf22e80bf10c9cfa835782a733b6.m4v 138164e952aff99e1add3eb7429f509d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/686a607d0ed1513441d09963e55f4e8f.pdf 777da7229b178286a9f4f5d020424a64 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Ed Wietecha Vietnam War Part 1 – 49 minutes 37 seconds (00:00:47) Early Life -Born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1945 -Mother was living with her parents while father served in North Atlantic Ocean -Almost all of his uncles served in the military during World War II -Father had a career in the Navy -Served in China prior to, and during the Japanese invasion in 1937 -Father was reassigned to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois after the war -Grew up in Waukegan, Illinois -Graduated from high school in 1963 (initially says 1967, but corrects himself later) (00:02:21) Vietnam War, College, and Navy Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) -American presence in Vietnam was gaining attention in 1963 -He wanted to join the Marines and go through Platoon Leader Class -Friends at the University of Illinois suggested he join the Navy ROTC -He decided he'd do that, get commissioned, and join the Marines as an officer -Would still go through Basic School and get sorted for his specialization -Vietnam War accelerated during his time in college -Marines landed in Da Nang in 1965 followed shortly thereafter by the Army -Paid a lot of attention to the war -Major topic of discussion every week -Had classmates fighting in Vietnam -One classmate, a year older than him, was killed in action in Vietnam -Received training between junior and senior year of college -Weeding out men who couldn't physically handle military service -Lasted six weeks -He did well in class -Offered regular commission as opposed to a reserve commission -Reserve officer served for three years -Regular officer served for four years -Able to stay in even if the military downsized -Graduated and received his commission in 1967 (00:06:58) The Basic School -Sent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia for the Basic School -Got married in late August 1967 -Married for 48 years as of the time of the interview -He was the most likely to get killed in action -Wife accepted it -Did a lot of physical training -Taught about weapons and tactics -Fired pistols, rifles, flamethrowers, bazookas, anti-tank weapons, and machine guns -Basically, every weapon used by any unit equal to battalion or smaller -Learned how to lead a fire team, a squad, and a platoon -Also learned about tactics used for a company �-Mostly focused on platoon leadership -Excellent training -In Vietnam he was able to react without thinking -Trained by veterans from the Vietnam War -Taught how to lead in Vietnam, but how to lead in other situations outside of Vietnam -Emphasis on jungle combat, but also on urban warfare -The Basic School lasted five months (00:10:43) Artillery Training -Sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for Artillery Training -Main artillery training installation for Army personnel and Marine officers -Main unit was an artillery battery -Consisted of three components: guns, fire direction center, and forward observer -Fire direction center took in coordinates and translated it for gun crews -Forward observer recorded coordinates -Learned how to adjust coordinates as a forward observer -Learned how to do calculations in the fire direction center -Learned how to operate the artillery guns -Trained with the 105mm and 155mm howitzers -Lived off-base with his wife in an apartment -Conducted live-fire exercises -Had minimal contact with the civilian community -Focused on training -Lasted four or five months (00:15:14) Deployment to Vietnam -Flew out of Chicago on April 5, 1968, the day after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination -Shortly after the Tet Offensive in late January and early February 1968 -Resigned to it -Flew out of California -Stopped in Okinawa en route to refuel -Helped inventory on armory for a few days (00:16:46) Arrival in Vietnam -Landed in Da Nang, South Vietnam -Hot and it stank because of the rice paddies -Told he'd be sent north to join an amphibious task force -Traveled with a warrant officer who gathered intelligence in local communities -Taken to Phu Bai -Didn't have any weapons -Landed at a steep descent to avoid mortars -Stayed in Phu Bai for a few days -Went into Dong Ha -He was eating in a restaurant while the warrant officer talked to the owner -Told Ed they needed to leave and get back to base -Had been informed a major attack was being planned in the area -That night, he saw fighting in the hills (00:20:07) Joining Whiskey Battery -Battalion was ashore -Split into battalion forward and battalion rear -Battalion forward was in combat, and battalion rear carried out administrative duties -He was sent to Direct Support Battery �-Told to pick up combat gear -Bloody, damaged, and had bullet holes in helmets -Gear gathered from the wounded or the dead -Drove home the reality that he was in a combat zone -Assigned to Whiskey Battery in BLT 3/1 (Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion 1st Marines) -Infantry battalion with artillery unit and tanks -Task force that operated up and down the coast -Went ashore during action, then returned to ship when things calmed down -Battalion had been fighting along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) since the Tet Offensive -Driven out to the unit -Went on the route the French had used in the 1940s and 1950s and had been destroyed -Joined Whiskey Battery at Camp Carroll near Cam Lo -Other lieutenants and the company commander greeted him -Brought him to the fire direction center -He was the lieutenant with the least experience -Minimal amount of combat at the time -Whiskey Battery was a support battery -Had a 4.2 inch mortar mounted a 75mm howitzer carriage -Capable of being transported by helicopter to the field if necessary -Stayed at Camp Carroll for a few weeks (00:26:23) Operating out of Ca Lu -Moved west to Ca Lu Combat Base, east of Khe Sanh -Tasked with salvaging ammunition and occasionally firing support for infantry in the field -Heard firefights a kilometer away from his position -Sometimes bullets flew over his head, but they didn't take rocket fire like at Camp Carroll -Did Fire Direction Center work -Mostly fired harassment & interdiction fire -Firing a specified number of rounds, at random coordinates, at a specified time -Never knew if they hit anything, but the point was to scare off enemy troops (00:28:07) Fire Missions near Da Nang -Returned to Da Nang to join the 2nd Battalion 11th Marines -Stopped en route to conduct fire missions in support of the infantry -Fired multiple missions simultaneously -Breach of protocol, but necessary -Had constant communication with the forward observer in the field -Fired about 300 meters in front of the infantry -Danger close is 600 meters or less -Had more error with the 4.2 inch mortar as opposed to the traditional howitzers -Meant that rounds spent more time in the air and it could alter their trajectory -Meant that rounds were usually 100 meters off of their intended target -Infantry didn't like calling in artillery from Whiskey Battery -4.2in was too inaccurate, wasn't a commentary on the men in the unit -Usually used the 4.2in mortar to clear landing zones before the infantry landed -It was hot and boring, most of the time -Spent the days building up fortifications and occasionally shooting fire missions -Spent four months in the area around Da Nang (00:33:25) Going into the Field Pt. 1 -He complained about the lack of action and about wanting to be a forward observer -Battalion commander said that if he went into the field, and liked it, he could stay �(00:34:15) Daily Routine in Da Nang -Days started by getting up, getting new intelligence, and inspecting the guns -After that he ate breakfast and met with his gun crews -Cleaned guns and filled sandbags -Sent men out for work details, policed the area, and fired a mission or two -He figured out a way to stabilize the mortars so they didn't slide around and affect accuracy -Filled tires with rocks and put those tires under the mortars which fixed the problem (00:36:58) Morale & Discipline Problems -Infantry didn't ask for support from the 4.2 inch guns, which negatively impacted the crews' morale -Felt like they were just going through the motions and just waiting to go home -Prior to this, the men felt like they had a mission and a purpose -Didn't have any issues with drugs or alcohol abuse, at least not when he was there -Didn't notice any racial tensions, at least none that were apparent -No insubordination -Men listened to orders and followed them (00:38:16) Vietnamese Civilians -Some Vietnamese civilians were used for construction projects on base -Had villages outside of the perimeter -Never made contact with each other -Separated by barbed wire and an abandoned French minefield -He and a few other men went beyond the wire to pull weeds -One of the men noticed that the area had been seeded with antipersonnel mines -Carefully worked their way back to base -Fortunately, nobody got hurt or killed -Angry that no one warned them about the presence of landmines (00:39:36) Going into the Field Pt. 2 -New lieutenant came into the unit and was given the forward observer position -Ed thought he would get the forward observer position and be replaced by the new lieutenant -New lieutenant was wounded, and Ed became the new forward observer -Worked with men that had done multiple tours in Vietnam and had experience -Got shot at the first day in the field -Different atmosphere -Remembers eating, communal-style, out of a can of pears -Marched 13 kilometers the second night -Took mortar fire for the first time in the field -Passed a small, Vietnamese village -Saw only women and children -Ordered to put artillery fire on the village -He radioed in the coordinates, and fortunately, the mission didn't go through -Had the same experience two more times -Saw children riding on water buffaloes, and one officer ordered him to fire -He refused, and his commanding officer supported his decision -Went on a few minor operations and conducted a few sweeps -Went into the mountains -Had to be medically evacuated because his boots were doing so much damage to his feet (00:44:12) Recon Outpost -He was assigned to a recon outpost for two weeks where he could direct artillery while his feet healed -Fired on Viet Cong troops and taught the recon soldiers how to fire the artillery -Recon commander wanted him at the outpost if he ever transferred to the infantry �(00:45:12) Going into the Field Pt. 3 -Went back into the field after his feet recovered -During one mission a recon squad (eight men) was pinned down and needed artillery support -Took 25 minutes for the first artillery rounds to land on target -He reported the error to his regimental commander as soon as he could -Felt bad, because the battalion commander was at fault -Felt it needed to be addressed -Battalion commander took it maturely (00:46:47) Operation Meade River -Started a major operation in an area with a railroad line, a road, and two rivers -A four kilometer by six kilometer area surrounded by 13 battalions -He went in with the first wave -One of the helicopters in the subsequent wave got shot down -His commander was severely burned -A piece of fuselage hit him -He was medically evacuated, but was returned to the field -Had unknown hip and spine problems as a result of not being treated -Completed the operation -Saw his first napalm victims -Charred, unrecognizable, and inhuman corpses -Almost got hit by their own napalm -Radioman told the pilot to abort the drop just in time Part 2 – 43 minutes 34 seconds (00:00:03) Operation Meade River -New company commander acted professionally -Always wore his body armor in the field -Got helicoptered out of the field after being injured by the helicopter crash -Remembers their front line taking artillery and machine gun fire -Assaulted the tree line and got 15 meters inside the line when the Vietnamese opened fire -He responded by directing artillery fire on the enemy machine gun positions -Had 105mm, 155mm, and 8 inch howitzers at his disposal -Someone requested 4.2 inch mortar fire -Battery wanted to put a round 100 yards in front of his position -Once the first round hit they would continue to adjust fire toward the enemy -Ed called in the 105mm howitzers instead because they were more accurate -One Marine went down, so Ed called in artillery on the enemy position and as they retreated -Called in 200 rounds of artillery which resulted in 11 confirmed enemy dead -During the operation he only knew the progress of that operation, but not the war at large (00:05:38) Transfer to 1st Recon Battalion -He returned to his battery and was transferred to 1st Recon Battalion and joined a recon platoon -Sent out patrols of six to eight men to look for enemy -Usually consisted of a lieutenant or sergeant, a medic or corpsman, a radioman, and riflemen -Walked four kilometers over the course of a few days, then got extracted -Objective was to find the enemy then call in artillery or airstrikes (00:07:08) Recon Patrols -On his first recon patrol they were walking up a hill when a rock hit the corpsman �-Dislocated his shoulder and he had to be evacuated from the field -On his second patrol the Viet Cong ambushed them -Bullet went straight across his chest, cutting open his shirt and grazing him -Training kicked in and they immediately returned fire -One Marine got hit and went down -The remaining Marines provided suppressing fire while a helicopter came in -Leapfrogged back to the landing zone (00:09:54) Observation Posts -Sent to fixed observation posts where he adjusted artillery fire -Also taught the Marines at the posts how to better adjust artillery fire -Spent the majority of the rest of his tour on observation posts -Knew how to direct accurate artillery fire -Observation posts were manned by 15 men and sparse -Established in the middle of nowhere, foxholes, barbed wire, and maybe a bunker -Observation posts got attacked by enemy forces -At one observation post they lost a man after Ed left -At another post, half of the squad was killed, but they killed 400 enemy troops (00:13:46) Enemy Contact -Spent five months with the 1st Recon Battalion -Enemy contact never slowed down during those five months and they were always busy -1968 was a busy year after the Tet Offensive in late January -High casualty rates and frequent contact with the enemy -Always understrength during 1968 -If a company lost 50% of its men the unit was considered to be in good shape (00:15:20) R&R in Hawaii -Went to Hawaii for R&R to see his wife -Wife was concerned about his safety after she saw his wounds -Spent a week in Hawaii -Checked out of the hotel on Christmas Eve 1968 -Landed in Vietnam on December 26, 1968 (00:17:34) Vietnamese Civilians -They were in the middle of a “free fire zone” (all Vietnamese persons were considered fair targets) -He was in command of one square kilometer -There were Vietnamese civilians in the free fire zone that had been wounded by artillery fire -Called in helicopters to evacuate the Vietnamese civilians to a local hospital -An observation officer flew over the free fire zone and saw the Vietnamese civilians -Wanted artillery fire called in on the Vietnamese -Ed refused to call in a strike on civilians -If the officer pressed the issue Ed would order his men to fire on the plane -He returned to battalion headquarters and expected punishment for insubordination -Nothing happened (00:20:44) Living Conditions in Vietnam -He remembers being at a place called Go Noi Island -He was sitting in a hut and watched a huge snake come in and go out -Drank a lot of coffee in Vietnam, and there were always flies -For a while he would pick the flies out of his coffee before he drank it -He eventually got so tired that he drank the coffee with the flies in it -At night he'd cut a slit trench one foot deep and long enough that he could lay down in it -Put a poncho over the trench to keep the rain out with his rifle next to him �-Remembers the Vietnamese attacked their position one night -He woke up long enough to ask if they needed artillery then fell back asleep (00:24:08) Rear Duty in Da Nang -Near the end of his tour he became the company executive officer -Stationed at the company area in the rear -Slept in cots -He was stationed outside of Da Nang near division headquarters -Went for daily runs on “Freedom Road” -Rarely left the base -Went to the beach one Sunday to cook up some steaks -En route the Vietnamese attacked and blew up an ammunition dump -Civilians and troops panicked while Ed and his friends were stuck in the crowd -Da Nang was a primitive area -Most of the people lived in cardboard and tin shacks on the side of the road -Very minimal contact with civilians in Da Nang (00:27:32) Leaving Vietnam -Left Vietnam in spring 1969 -Stopped in Okinawa for a few days and bought a stereo -Landed in Los Angeles then flew to Chicago -Mother-in-law or sister-in-law picked him up at the airport -Wife completed her senior year of college when he got back from Vietnam -Flew home in his uniform and didn't experience any hostility -Had three more years of service to complete before getting discharged -Took some leave with his wife at the University of Illinois before resuming service (00:30:00) Stationed at Fort Sill & End of Service -His next duty station was at Fort Sill, Oklahoma -Lived in the bachelor's quarters until his wife joined him -They lived in base housing for married couples then moved into the town near Fort Sill -Got involved with one of the Catholic churches in town and taught religion classes -Befriended the priest -Spoke on behalf of the priest who was a conscientious objector -Served as the tactics instructor at Fort Sill -Taught servicemen how to set up an artillery battery -Two weeks of classroom work -One week of fieldwork -Moving artillery pieces then establish batteries -Did that for two years -Rewrote the Army doctrine on how to defend an artillery battery -Approved by the Pentagon -Spent his third year at Fort Sill working on educational material and working as a testing instructor -Developed test items and analyzed test items -During his third year he also served as a technical adviser and a scout for artillery field exercises -At the end of his Marines enlistment the Army offered him a branch transfer -He would be able to retain his rank and stay at Fort Sill, but he wanted to go back to college (00:36:59) Life after Service -Went back to Illinois for graduate school -Studied the psychology of human learning -Eventually got a master's degree in social work and worked as a teacher and as a therapist -In Grand Rapids he did personnel work for various companies �-Selection, assessment, safety, wage compensation, etc. (00:38:21) Reflections on Service -Has a lot of guilt -Dealt with a lot of PTSD -Realized that he's not a pacifist, but we can't go to war unless there's a purpose and a plan -His PTSD has significantly affected his life and his family's life -He has worked on it and been able to deal with it -Feels that he was a good officer -Saved American lives and Vietnamese lives, and he's proud of that -Conversely, he is proud of the enemy troops he killed -His time in the Marines taught him that he was capable of teaching and enjoyed it too -Suffered from PTSD related nightmares for 15 years after he came back from Vietnam � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WietechaE1913V Title A name given to the resource Wietecha, Edward J (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-12-17 Description An account of the resource Ed Wietecha was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania in 1945. He attended the University of Illinois and was part of the Navy Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the Marines in 1967. He attended Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and received Artillery Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was deployed to Vietnam on April 5, 1968, and arrived at Da Nang. He first joined Whiskey Battery in BLT 3/1 (Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines Regiment). They operated out of Camp Carroll for a few weeks then moved to Ca Lu Combat Base. He, and the rest of the unit, returned to Da Nang and joined the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Marines Regiment where he operated for four months. He went into the field as a forward observer and due to a foot injury briefly served at a recon outpost. He returned to the field as a forward observer during Operation Meade River (November 20, 1968 to December 9, 1968). After Operation Meade River he joined the 1st Recon Battalion and went on reconnaissance missions and guided artillery at observation posts. Near the end of his tour he served as the company executive officer in Da Nang. He left Vietnam in spring 1969 and spent the three remaining years of his enlistment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, serving as an artillery instructor. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wietecha, Edward J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/954152309d75bb9919a777a29bfeeb06.m4v 72958db3f978028e34f16fca33735750 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2f25470b1c9439be605248e50b1ff2ea.pdf 6e7856d97e9b988a11e58435d296e201 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Pia White Civilian (Japan) – World War II 1 hour 47 minutes 28 seconds (00:00:13) Birth & Parents' History -Pia was born in 1926 in Rome, Italy -Father (Kurusu Saburo) was Japanese and her mother was American -Father served as a diplomat for the Japanese government -Stationed at the Japanese consulate in New York City -Pia's mother's older brother worked for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company -He gave an extensive tour of the facility to the Japanese delegates -In the process he befriended Pia's father -Pia's uncle invited Pia's father to dinner which led to Pia's mother and father meeting -At the time, Pia's mother was a 19 year old student at Columbia University -Mother and father began dating and eventually got married -Father was transferred to Chicago -Pia's older brother and sister were born in Chicago -Family stayed in Chicago for three or four years -Family moved to Japan, then her father was sent to Rome -It is at this time that Pia was born -While in Japan, Pia's father's family welcomed Pia's mother and taught her Japanese customs (00:07:21) Early Life -When Pia was five or six months old the family moved to Greece -After Greece they traveled to Germany -From Germany they returned to Japan -Her earliest memories are of being in Lima, Peru -First languages she learned were Italian and Spanish -When she was six years old the family moved back to Japan (c. 1932) -She was enrolled in school, but couldn't speak Japanese -Realized other students were talking about her which prompted her to learn Japanese -Parents spoke English to each other -Lived in Japan for four years then moved to Brussels, Belgium (c. 1936) -Entirely different environment -Placed in a Catholic school run by nuns -Drank low-alcoholic/non-alcoholic beer during lunch instead of water -Brussels had poor water quality -Not many children lived in her neighborhood -Older brother had stayed in Japan, and her sister was too old to be a playmate -Learned to enjoy time alone, and spent her time reading and making things -Befriended two Brazilian girls -Learned French at the school in Belgium -Stayed in Brussels for three years (00:19:28) Return to Japan Pt. 1 -Japanese government chartered a ship to bring Japanese citizens and delegates' dependents to Japan -Her family traveled to Naples and boarded the ship there -It was a long voyage �-Traveled through Mediterranean Sea, to Suez Canal, through Indian Ocean, to South Pacific -Befriended a sailor that taught her to knit -Father stayed behind in Europe (00:21:52) Rise of Fascism -She stayed informed about world events -Sneaked into her father's office in Brussels and learned about events happening in Europe -Knew about the rise of the Nazis and other fascist regimes -Knew about the mistreatment of the Jewish people -Mother went to a Jewish doctor in Frankfurt, Germany -He told her about the discrimination and hostility he experienced as a Jew -Said that Jews were trying to get out of Germany, or better yet, Europe -Remembers the wife of a Polish diplomat talking about how Poland was in danger (00:25:27) Return to Japan Pt. 2 -Took two months to reach Japan -Stopped at Alexandria, Egypt, and went to Cairo -Saw the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx -Stopped in Singapore (00:27:55) Life in Pre-War Japan -Landed at Osaka where her brother worked, but she went to a Catholic boarding school in Tokyo -Didn't like the school because of the strictness of the nuns -For example, the girls weren't allowed to talk or make noise after dinner -Eventually begged her mother to make different arrangements -Started living with a paternal aunt in Tokyo -Only went to the school during the day, and went home at night -Nuns allowed her to teach the French class because she spoke French -A baron's brother donated a mansion to start a school for Japanese students that had lived abroad -Began attending that school -Taught by college professors -Received a college-level education while still in high school -When they returned to Japan, the war with the United States had not started yet (00:32:33) Beginning of War with United States -Lived at the family's summer cottage in a mountain village near Tokyo -Family had been renting their house in Tokyo -When her father returned to Japan (after the war began) he lived in the house in Tokyo -When the war began a lot of families moved to the village to avoid bombings -Took a train to school -She and the other older students taught the younger children basics (reading, math, etc.) -Enjoyable experience -When the war began foreigners were treated rudely in major cities -Men were drafted -Food became scarce which made breastfeeding difficult for young mother -Her mother started a clinic for young mothers -Had a doctor come once a month to help the mothers and their babies -She helped her mother collect old kimonos to be made into diapers -Japanese adored her mother because she helped the community -She didn't experience discrimination for being half-American (00:38:31) Food & Material in Wartime Japan -Shortages happened prior to December 1941 -The war in China required farmers to be conscripted �-This, in turn, caused lower food production -The war in China also required large amounts of food and material -Newspapers and radios were available in the village -Rode bicycle into farm country to collect food -Relied on a barter system -She and a cousin entertained the farmers as a way of getting extra food -Put on little comedy routines -One resident of the village was the executive of a French fertilizer company -Bought a cow, butchered it, and smoked the meat -Gave one of the legs to Pia's family (00:43:48) Working in the Police Station -Her mother learned that younger women were being conscripted to work in factories -She didn't want that for Pia, so she got her a job working at the village's police station -She helped translate conversations and documents since she was multilingual -High number of foreign citizens living in the village -Had to report to the police station when they left town and when they returned (00:44:33) German Refugees -In 1940/1941 the German government decided its women and children should return to the country -The original plan was to sail to Japan, then to Russia, and take a train back to Germany -Hitler's invasion of Russia in 1941 made the transfer of German civilians impossible -As a result, the German women and children were stuck in Japan -Many lived in a small enclave in Pia's village (00:46:38) Losing the War -Father came to visit and ultimately decided to move into the village -Shortly after that, the family's house in Tokyo was destroyed in a bombing -Her brother was drafted into the Japanese Army -He volunteered for Pilot Training -While traveling from Tokyo to her village a general and his staff boarded the train -He sat down next to her and he was a kind man -He had studied English and they discussed the language -When he got off the train he asked her name -That general became the commandant at her brother's pilot school -He recognized the last name and informed her brother he had met her sister -The general was eventually killed in action -Her brother was killed in action in 1945 a few months before the war ended -He was stationed at a major airfield conducting research on American planes -As the bombings became more frequent he was assigned to an aerial defense unit in Tokyo -On his first mission he encountered American fighter planes -By this time, America had gotten close enough to send bombers and fighters -On his first mission he was shot down and killed as a result (00:51:52) Morale of the Japanese -Her parents disagreed with the attack on Pearl Harbor -Brought the United States into a war that Japan could not win -Her father had been in the United States when the war began and was detained for a few months -He returned to Japan in 1942 as part of a delegate exchange between the U.S. and Japan -Two ships met in southern Africa allowing the delegates to return home -Knew that the news was propaganda because all of it sounded too good to be true -A friend was drafted and stationed at a fortification on a peninsula -After the war he told her that they had no rifles �-Expected to repel an American invasion using bamboo spears -When he showed American troops the fort he said the spears were for fishing -Embarrassed to tell them they planned on fighting with sticks -Heard horror stories about the bombings of Japanese cities -Went into Tokyo to take her final exams and stayed overnight during a bombing raid -Heard about the older section of Tokyo being firebombed -People jumped into a river to avoid the heat and were boiled alive -Morale got worse as the war progressed -Propaganda stayed the same as a futile attempt to bolster the people's morale (00:59:20) End of the War -Heard about the use of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki -Couldn't fathom that the atom had been used as a new weapon -Didn't know the details of the bombings until survivors talked about what they witnessed -Listened to Emperor Hirohito's surrender speech -Had never heard the Emperor speak before -Thankful that the war ended (01:01:50) Reflections on the War Pt. 1 -Most profound effect from the war was having an aversion to being cold -During the war they lived in the mountain cottage, but it was not suited for winters -Woke up freezing, with the air so cold that it made her blankets stiff -Learned how to cut firewood -Mother had bolstered her morale throughout the war -No whining, no self-pitying, just survive (xx:xx:xx) Post War -Stayed in the cottage for a long time after the war ended -Went into Tokyo with her sister to look for the ruins of the family's house -The heat from the firebombs turned the white stucco pink -Melted a stack of records into a single wax pillar -Remembers finding the house's bathtub hanging from its pipes -Only one house in the neighborhood survived the firebombs -Owned by a woman that had buckets of sand and water on her roof -When the bombs landed she picked up the bombs and dunked them in sand or water -By now she had been desensitized by violence, so seeing the house was a curiosity, not a shock (xx:xx:xx) American Occupation -First Americans they encountered were journalists that interviewed her father and foreigners -Took a few weeks before she encountered American troops -Remembers being at a train station and seeing a train full of troops -Some of them talked to her and were surprised she spoke fluent English -Once U.S. forces reached the village they took over the hotel to be used for R&R -She worked closely with the occupation forces -Had U.S. Army staff quartered in the hotel's villas -Helped find maids to clean the quarters -Began talking to an American officer in the 1st Cavalry Division, Lieutenant Ken White -He had helped design improvised, American-style showers at the hotel -The hotel had stables, so the Americans brought horses for the soldiers to ride -Lt. White allowed Pia to go horseback riding before soldiers came to ride -Another lieutenant revitalized the hotel's golf course -Hired civilians to pull the weeds and cut the grass -She played golf when soldiers weren't playing �-During the American occupation her parents rented a “storage house” in Tokyo -She stayed behind in the village to continue working (xx:xx:xx) Getting Married -Lt. White's enlistment ended, but he decided to stay in Tokyo and get a job at the Reparations Center -One day he called Pia and asked her to get married -She knew him and had worked with him for a year and ultimately decided to say yes -They got technically married at the American Consulate in Yokohama, Japan -Had their reception at the American Club in Tokyo -Had the religious ceremony conducted by a German missionary -The missionary's wife and daughter played the organ and violin for the ceremony -Her sister picked wildflowers for Pia's bridal bouquet -Wore her mother's wedding dress -Ken had to stay in Tokyo for work, and she continued to live in the village -When Ken's roommate left on business trips she stayed with him in Tokyo -After getting married they stayed in Japan for one year (xx:xx:xx) Returning to the United States -In December (1947? 1948?) she and Ken sailed back to the United States -She was pregnant with their first child and she got terribly seasick -Landed at Seattle -Remembers some of the soldiers on the ship had battery-powered radios -First time she heard radio commercials -Ken had a car in Japan, and he had it shipped back to the United States -It was unloaded at San Francisco -They took a train to San Francisco and picked up his car -From San Francisco they went to Los Angeles and stayed with Ken's uncle for a week -Drove back to Johnstown, Pennsylvania (Ken's hometown) -Stayed with Ken's older brother for a while -Moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Ken's other brother lived -Stayed there until Ken could start taking classes at Michigan State University (xx:xx:xx) Life after the War -Lived in East Lansing, Michigan, while Ken studied at Michigan State University -He graduated as an industrial engineer and got a job in Ohio with an earth moving company -They moved to Michigan where Ken got a job with the Brunswick Corporation's -Worked for the School Equipment Division -Lived in Kalamazoo, then transferred to Muskegon -He got a job in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a hardware company -While in East Lansing she took a History of Civilization course at Michigan State -She was pregnant with her second child -All of the college girls were fascinated with her pregnancy -Many had lived sheltered lives -Her parents stayed in Japan -Her father had a series of strokes and eventually died -After her father's death her mother continued to live in Japan -Ken invited Pia's mother to move to the United States to be closer to Pia and Pia's sister -Upon Pia's father's death, Pia's mother had become the matriarch of the family -Pia's father had been the oldest, and only son -This led to Pia's mother essentially being in charge of Pia's father's family -She enjoyed being the matriarch and feeling needed, so she decided to stay in Japan -She came to visit Pia and Ken while they were living in Cleveland �-She was the only living grandparent, and the children loved to hear her stories -Pia's sister had married an American lieutenant who made a career out of the Army -They lived in West Germany most of the time -She had two children -Only saw them when they came to visit -After he retired they moved to Texas, and lived there until they both died (xx:xx:xx) Reflections on the War Pt. 2 -It was a totally different maturing experience as opposed to a “normal” adolescence -She lived with the deprivation of food, the intense cold, and isolation -Got to do many things that she wouldn't have been able to do in the United States -Most traumatic experience was working at the village's police station -One of the officers was a member of the Kempeitai (Japan's version of the Gestapo) -She heard the interrogation and torture of “suspects” in one of the station's rooms -Officer realized she could hear the interrogations -Felt a young girl shouldn't have to listen to that -Moved the interrogations to an abandoned house away from the station -Deeply troubling experience for a young girl -Never told her mother about what she heard -Showed her the uglier side of humanity -Learned to accept circumstances and work within them without complaint � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WhiteP1934V Title A name given to the resource White, Pia (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-05-19 Description An account of the resource Pia White was born in 1926 in Rome, Italy, to a Japanese father and an American mother. Due to her father's job with the Japanese government, the family traveled all over the world, and she lived in the United States, Japan, and various other countries. In the late 1930s, Pia, her mother, and her siblings returned to Japan. She lived in Tokyo and attended school there. After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, she and her family moved to a summer cottage in a mountain village near Tokyo. In 1942 her father, who had been in Washington, DC, at the time of Pearl Harbor, returned to Japan as part of an exchange of diplomats and he lived in Tokyo until he joined the family at the cottage. During the war she helped gather food and worked at the village's police station as a translator. In 1945, her older brother, a pilot, was killed in action during a bombing raid on Tokyo. After the war ended, she worked closely with the American Army of Occupation by helping manage the village as an R&R location for American troops. She befriended one Lieutenant Ken White and they eventually married, returning to the United States in December (1947 or 1948). They started a family and lived in Ohio and various cities in Michigan before settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource White, Pia Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1d0cb2907a2087eec45964545ed8d7bf.m4v b9a7fc1abd447ac96c371bd1ca89db96 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8d194ab301d2a28956ae2a08f407137e.pdf 8faa7b97822c7429ebfe0f82b126d8c2 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Joyce Washburn Career (Vietnam Era-Gulf War Era) 44 minutes 56 seconds (00:00:37) Early Life -Born in October 1949 in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Grew up in Grand Rapids on the north side of the city -Father was a paint contractor and her mother worked as his secretary -Attended Creston High School -Graduated in 1967 (00:01:13) Boyfriend's Service in Vietnam -Her boyfriend in high school, Dennis Lobbezoo, enlisted in the Marines in spring 1967 -Began training in July 1967 -It was expected that young men would either go to college or join the military -He also loved his country -Deployed to Vietnam in mid-December 1967 -Stationed near the demilitarized zone -Part of Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment -Served in Da Nang, Khe Sanh, and Con Thien -Wounded at Khe Sanh and was sent to a hospital ship -Rejoined his unit in March 1968 -He was killed in action in June 1968 -She wrote him two to three times a week -She was attending college in Grand Rapids -Called home during lunch to see if she got a letter from Dennis -Talked about their future together and their plans -He would tell her that he was okay and would be home soon -He didn't talk about combat or his living conditions -When he was killed his parents were told first, then they told her parents -In a way, she knew that it was coming -They had planned on getting married when he returned from duty -Difficult time for her after he was killed, but kept going to college (00:06:45) Enlisting in the Naval Reserves -Joined the Navy Reserve in May 1968 -Promised Dennis that she would finish her bachelor's degree and finish things for him -Felt that joining the Navy Reserve was her way of finishing things -Joined the Navy Reserve with the intention of becoming a corpsman -Meant she would get the chance to treat wounded Marines -Way of coping with Dennis's death and staying in touch with him, spiritually (00:08:06) Basic Training -Went to basic training in August 1968 -Sent to United States Naval Training Center, Bainbridge in Maryland -Had a special program for training women �-Didn't know what to expect going into the Navy -Most women did clerical work, but she wanted to be a corpsman -Approved for that training after she completed basic training -Basic training was incredibly intense -Wanted it to end, but when it was over she was sad -Got up every day at 5 AM -Got dressed, made sure their beds were made properly -Most of training consisted of classes -How a uniform should look and how a locker should be arranged -Swimming classes and water survival training -Learned how to use their pants as a flotation device -Marched a lot -Learned about rank and who to salute -Had female drill instructors -Wasn't much screaming or yelling at the recruits -Drill instructor was there to encourage and guide them -Trained with only 16 other women and they were all Reservists -Came from a variety of backgrounds -Some were also in college -Remembers one girl who was from Montana -Oldest woman was 27 years old -Basic training lasted 10 weeks (00:12:33) Naval Hospital Corps School -After basic training she went back to Grand Rapids and continued with college -In summer 1969 she reported to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Received hands-on training -During the fall of 1968 and the winter of 1969 she took classes in Grand Rapids -Went to the Navy-Marine Reserve Center on Wednesday nights -Studied mostly with other male corpsmen, and only one other female corpsman -Got a lot of attention from the men, but they were also protective -There was an officer that was basically sexually harassing her -The male staff would give her jobs to get away from the officer -The school was co-ed -At the end men went to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for Field Medical Training -At Great Lakes Naval Station she received medical training -Taking a patient's pulse and temperature -Recognizing the symptoms of diseases and how to treat them -How to take medical notes for hospital records -Similar to being a licensed practical nurse (LPN) -Learned how to give shots, take blood, and make diagnoses -Learned how to treat combat wounds -Went to the hospital and treated men wounded in training and in Vietnam -Trained by nurses and higher ranking corpsmen as well as some doctors -Most of the corpsmen at the hospital were women -Male corpsmen were in Vietnam, on ships, or on coastal bases �(00:17:48) Relationship with Fellow Soldiers & Base Protocol -Her second time at Great Lakes the protocol for soldier relationships was more strictly enforced -Not allowed to show public affection with another soldier -Could be asked to present Liberty Card and ID card at any time when she was on base -Always had to be in uniform on base (00:18:54) Anti-War Protests -She was at Grand Valley State University for her junior and senior years of college -Noticed a lot of anti-war protests -Initially avoided the protestors then got angry about them -Protestors wore the names of men killed in Vietnam -Felt like the protestors were traitors -Wasn't at Great Lakes for the 1968 Democratic National Convention Riots in Chicago (00:20:27) Navy Career Pt. 1 -Finished college at Grand Valley State University -Went on active duty in the summers -After school she reenlisted and served two weeks in the summer and one weekend per month -Served in the Navy Reserves for 26 years -Did four weeks one summer in two, two week segments -Most of her service was done at Great Lakes Naval Station -Served at the naval hospital in San Diego and in Pensacola -Also got to serve at Bethesda Naval Hospital -Did work at the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington D.C. -Worked on a domestic violence program -Worked there in September 1988 -Military started to pay attention to domestic violence in the 1980s -Worked at Bethesda in 1991 and 1993 (00:23:40) Gulf War -Called up for service during the Gulf War, but she was pregnant at the time -Pregnant with youngest son, so she couldn't be deployed -Her unit was assigned to a hospital ship off the coast of Kuwait, but she didn't have to go -Her son was born the same day the bombing campaign began (January 17, 1991) (00:24:33) Navy Career Pt. 2 -Bethesda was an amazing assignment -Hospital that treats the president and the political elite -Had every possible medical technology available there -Now part of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center -Does a lot of work with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan -Worked in the Psychological Department at Great Lakes Naval Station -Did that after the Vietnam War was over, but before the Gulf War -Starting to treat men with PTSD -Unaware of psychological problems in the 1960s and 1970s -They weren't talked about and not considered a medical issue -Worked with men wounded in Vietnam -Visited a wounded soldier in the hospital at Great Lakes �-They had gone to high school together -Felt like she was doing something to help the war effort (00:28:15) Women in the Navy -At the beginning of her career women were a novelty -Allowed to be married, but could not have children -When she was stationed at Great Lakes her husband couldn't go into her barracks -Her barracks was for women only -In Pensacola they had co-ed barracks -Later in her service women were allowed to have children and not be discharged -At the end of her career combat roles were opened up to women -A lot of women worked in hospitals and the hospitals were less militarily structured -Allowed women to be treated as equals -Played on co-ed softball teams with male enlisted men and officers -Working in hospitals insulated her from the sexism that existed in the rest of the military -She was part of the unit at the Navy-Marine Reserve Center in Monroe Center, Grand Rapids -Mostly men, but still treated like an equal -Over time saw more women join that unit -They were still a minority -Still mostly did clerical or medical work (00:32:44) Civilian Careers -Did civilian jobs and raised a family when she wasn't on duty -Worked at the Department for Social Services as a caseworker -Did computer work for 10 years -Worked as a substance abuse specialist in Lansing, Michigan near the end of her Navy career -Allowed her to do substance abuse rehab work in the Navy -Got a master's degree in public administration (00:33:52) Promotion -She was the first woman in her unit to make the rank of Chief Petty Officer -Went through an informal initiation ceremony at the Reserve Center -Had another female Chief Petty Officer oversee it to make sure it was appropriate -Made Chief Petty Officer in 1989 -Pay grade of E-7 (similar to the rank of sergeant in the Army) -Allowed her to go to Chief's Clubs -More exclusivity with being a Chief Petty Officer (00:36:10) A Memorial for Dennis Note: Following information is in chronological order, not as it appears in interview -Three or four years ago she participated in the Reading of the Wall Ceremony in D.C. -Reading the names of the men and women on the Vietnam War Memorial -After that she continued to leave notes on Dennis's profile on the memorial's website -A year and a half ago she was approached by a Dr. [Edward] Byrd who was making a memorial for Dennis �-Dr. Byrd had treated Dennis on the hospital ship when he was wounded -They became friends during that time -On Dr. Byrd's last day in Vietnam he learned that Dennis had died -She and Dr. Byrd worked together to find a location in Grand Rapids for the memorial -Memorial is now at the Steelcase Library, Pew Campus, Grand Valley State University [see also interview with Dr. Byrd in this archive] -The memorial gives her a sense of closure -Feels like Dennis has been brought back home -Dennis was sponsored by a local baseball team as a local hero (00:41:32) Reflections on Service -Had wonderful experiences -Made a lot of friends -Didn't really realize she was a veteran until after she was out of the Navy -People thank her husband for his service -In return he makes sure people know Joyce is a veteran too so they can thank her as well -Learned a lot about medicine while in the Navy -Taught her how to work with people which helped with her civilian jobs � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WashburnJ1734V Title A name given to the resource Washburn, Joyce Skinner (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-02-19 Description An account of the resource Joyce Washburn was born in October 1949 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enlisted in the Navy Reserves in May 1968 and received basic training at U.S. Naval Training Center at Bainbridge, Maryland in August 1968. She returned to college then went to Naval Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois where she learned how to be a corpsman. She stayed in the Navy Reserves for twenty six years working at the hospitals at Great Lakes Naval Station, San Diego, and Pensacola. She also got to work at Bethesda Naval Hospital and U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington D.C. During her time in the Navy Reserves she helped with domestic abuse programs, drug abuse programs, and psychological trauma programs. After her service she helped a fellow veteran, Dr. Edward Byrd, with the creation of a memorial for her fiance, Dennis Lobbezoo, who was killed in Vietnam in June 1968. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Washburn, Joyce Skinner Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f6d02d99e9f4692941e445b44e0614e9.m4v cac2ab412b6886d05bd5eaa6fc4cac0a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/52fe63931afc124af9f035b10b35a89b.pdf e4ef817c66431542746efa3330b50cda PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Gene Van Zee Cold War (Korean War Era-Post Korean War Era) 46 minutes 46 seconds (00:00:38) Early Life -Born in Pella, Iowa on April 1, 1929 -Grew up there -Attended Pella High School -Father was a farmer -Gene grew up on the farm -He didn't want to grow up to be a farmer -Farm was close to town -Good place to grow up -Family did pretty well during the Great Depression -Raised pigs which helped -Meant they didn't have to spend money on manure for the crops -Didn't have to spend money on feed for the pigs -Never felt like they were poor or had financial problems (00:02:27) World War II -Listened to the radio on December 7, 1941 and heard that Pearl Harbor had been bombed -Didn't understand the implications of the attack -Knew by people's reactions that the attack was serious -Went to church in the evenings on Sunday -Remembers the pastor weeping openly talking about the attack -A lot of men enlisted in the days after the attack -Uncle was drafted -Cousin enlisted in the Army -Served as an engineer and fought at Pointe du Hoc on D-Day -Had scrap metal drives and war bond drives -Farm wasn't affected by rationing -Given extra gas for farming -Kept Victory Gardens and his mother canned a lot of food -Once he entered high school he considered the possibility that he would have to serve -Still seemed unlikely though because by that time the war was nearing its end (00:05:12) Medical School -Graduated from high school in 1947 -Went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Became interested in medicine through an advanced chemistry course -Not worried about the draft while in college -Korean War broke out in June 1950 -Pre-medical and pre-ministerial students were exempt from getting drafted -In junior year of college he applied for Medical School �-Got accepted into the University of Iowa -Told parents and his father said he'd never make it through medical school -After four years of Medical School he graduated -At the end of Medical School had to do two years of service in a foreign country or on a ship (00:10:07) Enlisting in the Navy -Joined the Navy Reserve to do his two years of compulsory service -Didn't know how to swim -Felt it would be better than being in the infantry (00:10:45) Stationed at Naval Hospital Pensacola -Processed and sent to Naval Hospital Pensacola at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida -It was an excellent place -Not confined to any particular specialty -Got a lot of medical experience -Navy training consisted of only one afternoon of training -Went into a parking lot with a Marine sergeant and marched around for an hour -Didn't receive any introductory Navy training either -Lived off-base with his wife in Pensacola -Rented a house for $100 a month -Wife spent her time taking care of the house and their daughter when she was born -Pensacola was a major hub for Navy aviation -Headquarters for Navy Pre-Flight Training -Location of the Aviation School of Medicine -Served the fleet -Had Primary and Secondary Flight Training Schools -Took care of Navy personnel and the family members of personnel -Performed 250 deliveries of babies in his first year there -Watched deliveries, then performed them, then taught how to oversee deliveries -Hospital staff worked twenty four hours a day, seven days a week -Had every other day off, then every other weekend off -The hospital served as a community hospital for the base -Treated personnel and their family members -Took care of emergencies -Dealt with casualties from training accidents -Men crashed trying to do carrier landings -Spent a year at Pensacola (00:17:06) Assignment to Japan -Given the option to leave the Navy at the end of that year, but he decided to stay in another year -Requested Italy or Hawaii as assignments -Instead, he got assigned to Japan -Wife and daughter were allowed to go with him -The move to Japan felt informal and natural which made the transition more comfortable -Drove to Pella to see his parents, then Toronto to visit his wife's family �-Reported to San Francisco to wait for a flight to Japan -Quartered in a nice hotel -Given three months to get to Japan and get established -Five days after arriving in San Francisco they boarded a plane for Japan -Flew to Honolulu, Hawaii then Wake Island then Tokyo, Japan (00:19:34) Stationed at Naval Air Station Atsugi Pt. 1 -Assigned to Naval Air Station Atsugi near Yokohama -Best naval air station overseas at the time -General MacArthur had been there to accept Japan's surrender -Had originally been used as a kamikaze base -In the mornings he took care of personnel on sick leave -In the afternoons he took care of the family members of personnel -It was effectively a family practice -Did that work for two years -Worked in a Japanese medical facility -Excellent facility and able to care for his patients well -Had a lot of barracks on the base -It was a support base for the 7th Fleet -Meant there was constant activity on the base -Planes flying in and out of the base transporting people and supplies -Chose to live off-base among the Japanese people -Lived in one of the villages near the base -First house was basic, but comfortable -No indoor plumbing, relied on kerosene lamps, and had no telephone -Had a live-in maid -Second house was a missionary's house -Modern house, finest house in the whole village -Had a garage and a yard -Allowed to transport their car from the U.S. to Japan -Took six weeks for the car to get there -Roads were unpaved and narrow (00:24:23) Evidence of the War Pt. 1 -A lot of damage from the war was still present -Japanese had cleaned up most of the rubble, but the infrastructure needed work (00:25:02) Contact with the Japanese -Treated with respect by the Japanese civilians -Got to learn some of the language -Never felt in danger in Japan -Sometimes they even left their door unlocked at night (00:26:44) Evidence of the War Pt. 2 -There was still some damage in Yokohama -Japanese were tearing down damaged buildings and clearing away the rubble -Main focus was on rebuilding roads and bridges -In his two years in Japan he saw a lot of progress in rebuilding the country (00:27:36) Travel Pt. 1 �-Drove somewhere with his wife almost every weekend -Saw Mt. Fuji -Explored the Japanese countryside -Visited the beach resorts -Visited Tokyo -Part of the city still needed repair, but downtown was in good shape (00:28:50) Stationed at Naval Air Station Atsugi Pt. 2 -For the most part, it felt like having a civilian medical practice rather than a military assignment -Service clubs did a lot for the wives of the servicemen -His second daughter was born in Japan -It was a great assignment -Two years of freedom and not a lot of extra responsibility -Usually only in called in to work once a week when he wasn't scheduled -In the U.S. it was multiple times a week at any time (00:30:14) Travel Pt. 2 -He got to see Hong Kong -Pilots needed flight time each month, so he caught a ride to Hong Kong with them -En route got to spend a night on Okinawa -Got to see the Philippines -Went to Baguio for a medical conference -Got to see Kyoto (00:31:29) Fellow Servicemen -All of the personnel he encountered were committed to their duty -Many of the men were career sailors -Personnel stationed in Japan knew it was far better than duty in Korea or aboard a ship -Never saw any segregation -Even had some black doctors in his group -Got to know a lot of people from a lot of different places in the U.S. -He never witnessed any racism -Some American servicemen married Japanese women (00:34:50) Prostitution -Had to do a lot of venereal disease control -After a while he was an expert at dealing with the diseases and controlling outbreaks -There were, effectively, U.S. government protected and military subsidized brothels near bases -This meant that one of his duties was to make sure the girls were healthy -One of the biggest problems was when soldiers came back from Tokyo or Yokohama -They came back with a disease then unwittingly spread it to the brothels -Then Gene would have to figure out which girls the soldier had slept with -This was to a) treat the girls quickly and b)contain any outbreaks -Had to deal with penicillin-resistant gonorrhea -Wrote an article about it, but got ignored by every major medical magazine -Thought the idea of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was absurd �(00:37:13) End of Service -Navy had some programs to encourage him and the other doctors to reenlist -Had no interest in making a career out of the Navy -Offered a promotion to lieutenant commander, but he wasn't interested -Enjoyed his time in Japan, was treated well and paid well by the Navy, but wanted out -When he had been at Pensacola he had been encouraged to reenlist as a flight surgeon -Had no interest in doing that -Remembers going out on the Gulf of Mexico on a carrier to watch planes land -One plane missed the carrier, crashed, and sank in the ocean -Terrible thing to see, but didn't influence his decision not to be a flight surgeon -Discharged from the Navy in 1958 (00:40:40) Life after the Service -Waited for car to get back from Japan then began looking for a place to practice -Spent two weeks in San Francisco -Decided to set aside three months to look for a place to practice -Looked in British Columbia because his father-in-law was working as a pastor there -Knew a clinic in Denver, Colorado was looking for a doctor -Pella, Iowa desperately needed a doctor, but his wife didn't want to live there -Looked in Raymond, Minnesota -Looked into a Dutch community in Wisconsin -Tried Coatesville, Pennsylvania -Didn't seem too promising though -Tried Goshen, New York -Wound up settling on Pella, Iowa because the town needed a doctor and there was family there -Lived and worked there for 42 years -Had three daughters -All three daughters also went to Calvin College -One daughter married a man in Jenison, Michigan -One daughter married a man in Chicago -One daughter married a man in Arizona -Gene and his wife wanted to be closer to their daughters -Decided the best place to move would be Grand Rapids, Michigan -Bought a condo -Feels that it was a good move -Able to be close to daughters in Jenison and Chicago -Now, all three daughters have vacation homes in Michigan -Had nine grandchildren and eight out of those nine grandchildren went to Calvin as well (00:45:20) Reflections on Service -Showed him what the world is really like -Gave him a better perspective on diversity and culture -Instilled in him and his wife a love for travel -Made him a more worldly person �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_VanZeeG1741V Title A name given to the resource VanZee, Gene (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-09 Description An account of the resource Gene Van Zee was born on April 1, 1929 in Pella, Iowa. He graduated from high school in 1947 and went to Calvin College for pre-medical school then went to the University of Iowa for medical school. He enlisted in the Navy Reserves and was stationed at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Florida taking care of personnel and the family members of those personnel. After a year at Pensacola he reenlisted and was assigned to Naval Air Station Atsugi near Yokohama, Japan. He treated American personnel there and their family members then returned to the United States and was discharged in 1958. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource VanZee, Gene Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ff85db797f2ee1b0a68072d5ebfa4f96.m4v 2d0e71a5f2702c2de1d344e3b227b897 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/284ad8b5d1af5523f7755a8af02c4a28.pdf 6db65e100973f847a100560b537d4415 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Ken Vanlier Vietnam War 19 minutes 46 seconds (00:00:05) Early Life -Born on July 14th, 1948. -Served in the Air Force. -Highest rank achieved: E5 Staff Sargent. -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. -One sibling, a brother. -Grew up in typical conservative Christian family. -Attended Christian High, graduated in 1966. -Interested in cars and motor work. -Worked at Audio Distributors. -Audio work for intercoms, churches, speaker wiring, etc. -Worked for trash disposal, made good money. -Not quite 18 when deciding to join military. -An automotive friend convinced him to join. -Joined to inactive reserves. (00:04:50) Lackland and Okinawa -Sent to Lackland Air Force base in Texas for training. -Exercise, training fields, mine fields, fording rivers. -Eventually joined the drum and bugle corps. -Initially signed up to be a loadmaster on a plane. -Got orders to be with instructional repair. -Drum and bugle corps duration lasted too long for him to do the loadmaster job. -Shipped overseas as was necessary. -Three months here and there. -Stationed out of Beale in California. -Sent to Okinawa. -Communicated with the US by Ham radio. -Occasional letters. -Remaining debris from war was evident on Okinawa. -In particular, retrieved an explosive he brought back to base to have deactivated. -Approximately 1968/1969. (00:10:00) -Worked structural repair as a mechanic on the SR-71. -Met his wife at the chapel. -Dated for three months before proposing at Disneyland. -Sent on another tour in Okinawa before returning to be married in 1970. -Left the military in March of 1971. �-Good and bad aspects of being in the Air Force: -Bad, stifling and lacking creative expression. -Good, life experiences, income to go to college. -Daughter worked on the Air Force One in Omaha. -After leaving the military, started a Christian halfway house in California. -Stayed there for two years. -Returned to Grand Rapids and joined Dykstra wholesaling, the family business. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_VanlierK1814V Title A name given to the resource Vanlier, Kenneth R (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-21 Description An account of the resource Ken Vanlier was born in Grand Rapids Michigan in 1948. He served in the Air Force during the time of the Vietnam War, achieving up to the rank of Staff Sargent. Before turning 18 Ken joined the military with an interest in flying in the Air Force. During basic training he stayed at Lackland Air Force base and joined the drum and bugle corps. Eventually he would be stationed out of Beale Air Force base and sent to Okinawa for tours as necessary. Part of his duties consisted of structural repair mechanic work on the SR-71 planes. Ken left the military in March of 1971. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Vanlier, Kenneth R. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Marvin, Cole (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8e9c7460d89c14f16cdbf5e4a99fd2bf.m4v e2f8c0cede472a23fef9aa72e716b707 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/641c328ac5ee4dd21de8eefcba809e86.pdf 13020b5dcbb8a58213f7e6d0f57c681d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Dick Unger Korean War Era 30 minutes 25 seconds (00:00:11) Early Life -Born in Polo, Illinois in 1931. -The youngest of four boys. -Enlisted November 1st 1951. -Family consisted of farmers. -Driving home while news from Pearl Harbor was played on the radio. -Wasn‟t following world news of War too closely as he was quite young. -The war movie Fall of Bataan (1943) made an impression on him. -Nearly 19 years old as of high school graduation. -Working on family farm. -Due to his drafting being imminent, he decided to enlist into the Air Force. -Signed up through recruiter in Sterling, Illinois. (00:03:10) Air Force Work in Texas and Alabama -Sent to Lackland field San Antonio, Texas. -Air Force was taking anybody that would enlist no particular requirements. -Went by train to Texas. -Lackland was too full, sent to Wichita Falls for basic training. -Time at Lackland spent waiting to be sent elsewhere. Cleaning etc. -Training at Wichita Falls: physical exercise, drills, class work, gas mask training, movie instruction, parades, rifle shooting. -Conditioning to acclimate to military lifestyle. -Discipline would consist of extra duty. -Typically nothing too bad if it‟s not flagrant. -Training lasted about six weeks. -After training received a clerks MOS -Sent to Brookley Air Force base in Mobile Alabama. -Brookley was a MATS base (military air transport service). -A point of departure for shipping out to canal zone and Puerto Rico. -Role consisted of: doing paperwork, helping personnel get housing, medical care, etc. -For all military personnel not just air force. -Office employees consisted of Air Force workers. -Living in base housing at that time. -Six months after working as a clerk he was sent to a personnel school in St. Louis. -Learned typing skills, military records keeping. -After returning from personnel training sent to transport squadron. -During this initial six months period acted as a “gopher”. -Living on base offered ability to go into town to Mobile. -Segregation was new to him. �-While riding the bus a black friend was required to sit in the back. -Air Force had racially integrated on the base itself. -The experience of segregation was unwelcome but the unfortunate status quo. (00:10:00) -Unclear why he was sent for personnel training. Served some need the Air Force had. -Personnel training: learning various forms about individuals, entering forms, keeping count of staff and individuals. -Returned to Brookley and remained until summer of 1954. -Now he was married to a woman from his hometown. -Living off base. -Re-assigned around July 1954 to Kelly Field reserve officer headquarters in Texas. -Followed the War news only generally, not in great detail. -Wasn‟t at risk to be sent overseas or into combat action. -Worked with civilian and military personnel. -Kitchen was operated by civilians. -Morale was quite good. -Job was 8‟ to „5, except for guard duty. -A typical day: wake up around 6:30. Make bed, store gear. Breakfast. Work clerk duties. Lunch. Finish by 4~5. -Plenty of work to do. Records constantly being updated. -Office dealt with the Caribbean area, not the Korean or Japanese areas. -Focused on transporting materials. -Assignment with Brookley lasted about two and a half to three years. -At this time had a “Buck” Sergeant rank (three stripes). -Made Staff Sergeant while at Kelly. -Continued to live off base. Took a travel trailer to Kelly field in Texas. -Not many other military personnel lived off base in the trailer park. -Wife was working in a factory that made moisture absorbent packaging. -Passed away due to a brain tumor after about a week. -Married for two and a half years. -He was 23 years old. -As a result of his wife‟s death he met a Methodist chaplain which led to an interest in teaching children. -Nearing end of enlistment wasn‟t applying to colleges. -Returned to Polo, Illinois. (00:21:00) Post Military Life -Began dating a woman from Midland, Michigan. -Moved to Midland to establish residency to attend school as resident. -Worked misc. jobs in Midland: such as a lumber yard. -Commercial painting carried him through school. -Utilized the GI Bill which was a great help. -Attended Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. -Biology major with history and geography minor. -First teaching job was in Vassar, Michigan. -Taught there for six years. �-Next he taught in Essexville, Michigan. -Had the opportunity to help plan curriculum and buy equipment from ground up. -Remained teaching in Essexville for the remainder of his 26 year career. -Lives in a summer cabin in Interlochen while spending time in Grand Rapids in winters. (00:25:55) Reflection and Misc. -Reflection on his military service: grants a deep appreciation for those sacrificing in the military. -Two young grandchildren that are involved with the military. -A handful of the military personnel he worked with were from WWII, most were not. -When first enlistment expired October 1955 he was offered a tour in Hawaii. -Tempted but desired to go into teaching instead. -Most beneficial skills the military taught were social skills. -Highly applicable to his teaching career. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_UngerH1882V Title A name given to the resource Unger, Harold Richard (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-09-17 Description An account of the resource Dick Unger was born in Polo, Illinois in 1931. In 1951, he enlisted in the Air Force. Initially he was sent to Lackland Field in San Antonio, Texas, but the base was overcrowded, so he was sent off to Wichita Falls for basic training. Once training was complete he was assigned to Brookley Air Force base in Mobile Alabama where his clerk duties assisted the various personnel filing work. Eventually he was re-assigned in the summer of 1954 to Kelly field in Texas where he lived with his wife off base until her tragic death. Once his enlistment expired in October 1955 he graduated from CMU as a biology major and wound up teaching in Michigan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Unger, Harold Richard Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9b18034c105d7df6b4e0c1e4bfd721d6.m4v 24133ee69c1fba728ae56068ac8e1efd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ca6b57e5e727dc09c8842d57f67cfb6b.pdf 2a21f573bf444bca87276173cd08bb91 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Phil Tolson Vietnam War 1 hour 36 minutes 20 seconds (00:00:14) Early Life -Born in Akron, Ohio in 1949 -Family moved to Los Angeles, back to Akron, then to Michigan, then to Illinois -Father worked for a salt company, rubber company, and drove trucks -Family settled in St. Clair, Michigan and he graduated from high school there in 1968 -Worked for a railroad -Worked as a switchman, clerk, telegrapher, and interlocking plant operator -Enjoyed it (00:01:21) Getting Drafted -Got drafted in March, or April, of 1969 -Knew little, to nothing, about the Vietnam War -Only knew one man that served in Vietnam -Went to Detroit for his draft physical -Didn't see any men trying to get out being drafted -Army was taking pretty much anyone (00:02:43) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training -Arrived in the middle of the night and was greeted by screaming drill sergeants -Got a couple hours of sleep his first night there Woke up the next day a little after 5 AM and began processing -Processing took one week -Received uniforms, a haircut, did paperwork, and took tests -Immediate emphasis on discipline -Taught how to do everything the "Army way" -Proper hygiene and uniform protocol -Learned about military courtesy and military justice -Received rifle training and hand to hand combat training -Learned about tactics -Learned how to set up a tent -A lot of physical training -Adjusted easily to life in the Army -Understood that he needed to comply with the orders given him -He was in good shape -Some men resisted being in the Army -Various discipline problems -Knew they didn't want to be soldiers and tried to get discharged -One soldier was so desperate that he killed himself -Basic training lasted eight weeks (00:06:57) Advanced Infantry Training �-Sent to Fort Lewis, Washington for Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) -Went on bivouacks that lasted a week to ten days -More physical training -More weapons training -Geared toward fighting in Vietnam -Tried to recreate the conditions they would experience in Vietnam -Mock villages -Escape and Evasion course -If you were caught you were taken to a mock prisoner of war camp -Trained by a mix of new sergeants and combat veterans from Vietnam -Realized that he was going to be sent to Vietnam (00:09:13) Noncommissioned Officer School -Sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for Noncommissioned Officer (NCO, sergeant) School -Volunteered for it -Didn't want to follow incompetent sergeants into battle -Immediately promoted to E-4 (corporal) -If you graduated from NCO School you became an E-5 or E-6 (sergeant or staff sergeant) -More pay, more responsibility, and more freedom as a sergeant -Best training he received -There was a lot of harassment to weed out the weaker soldiers -Received more tactics training -Received more physical training -More weapons training with a wider variety of weapons -Learned how to go out on patrols and set up ambushes -Trained with the M60 machine gun, light anti-tank weapon (LAW), recoilless rifle, and mortars -Trained by Rangers and Green Berets that had fought in Vietnam -Trained exclusively at Fort Benning -Lasted 13 weeks -Completed it around Christmas 1969 (00:13:17) Advanced Infantry Training Instructor -Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana to act as a sergeant and instruct soldiers in AIT -Recruits listened to him -Shared his room with only one other sergeant -Allowed to leave base at night once he was done for the day -Treated soldiers well because they responded well to his orders -Went on patrols in swamps and through farmers' fields -Stinking, brackish water filled with bugs and snakes -Completed that in March 1970 (00:16:08) Deployment to Vietnam -Went home for 30 days of leave -Glad to be back home -Started thinking about how bad Vietnam could be -Family handled it well �-Sent to the Oakland Replacement Depot in California -Terribly organized -Just found a bed and slept in that open bed -Only knew when to report to be bussed to a plane -Kept busy with menial duties to keep soldiers out of trouble -Stayed there for several days -Flew on a chartered commercial plane to Vietnam -Stopped in Hawaii and Guam (00:18:37) Arrival in Vietnam -Landed at Tan Son Nhut, South Vietnam -First impression was that the country was hot, humid, and it stank -Stayed near Tan Son Nhut for several days to adjust to the climate -First day there the base took rocket fire -Base personnel were nonplussed (00:20:10) Assignment to the 101st Airborne Division -Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division -Knew it was a dangerous unit and had heard of the Battle of Hamburger Hill -Flew up to Camp Evans near Hue and Quang Tri -Went through Screaming Eagle Replacement Training School (SERTS) -Learned about any enemy activity in the area -Shown what enemy booby traps looked like -Instructed on enemy tactics -Joined Bravo Company 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment in the field via helicopter -Loaded his backpack and boarded the helicopter alone -Dropped off at the landing zone and didn't see anyone around -Knocked down by the helicopter's prop wash and he couldn't get up -Believed he would get captured -Squad collected him, teased him a little bit, then helped him up -Dug in for the night -One soldier managed to dig his foxhole into a shallow grave -Joined them in April 1970 -First night in the field wasn't too bad -Unconcerned about enemy contact (00:26:32) Patrols with B Company -Assigned to a squad in a platoon in B Company -Introduced himself -Told them that he wanted to talk to the most experienced soldier in the squad -Wanted to listen to him about how to keep himself and his squad alive -Moved as a platoon -Squads went out on patrols on their own -One squad guarded the perimeter during the day and another guarded at night -Bill Williams was the company commander at the time -Green Beret and on his second tour in Vietnam -Strict, but likeable leader -Ran into light enemy contact shortly after his arrival -Travelled over hills and through thick jungle �-Never went on the trails -North Vietnamese Army used the trails and knew the trails -Allowed them to set up ambushes and booby traps -After a week in the country he got into a minor firefight -Everyone got into cover immediately and returned fire -Short, sporadic engagement -Everyone knew what to do -Didn't take any casualties, and didn't believe the NVA took any either -Went on patrols until B Company went to Firebase Ripcord (00:33:41) Stationed at Firebase Ripcord -Got to Firebase Ripcord in early July 1970 -Going to Ripcord used to be like a semi-R&R -Hot meals, hot showers, stay out of the rain, sleep in a bed, use a toilet [latrine-no running water] -Usually rotated onto Ripcord for one week then left after that week -When they initially got there it was a great place to be -Prior to getting to Ripcord they noticed more enemy activity -Signs of increased enemy movement -Used trails, broken limbs off of trees, and newly built bunkers -If they found a bunker they tossed in a grenade to clear it -Got back to Camp Evans before going to Ripcord -Returned to Camp Evans at random and stayed for only a few days at a time -Had a battalion stand down at Camp Evans in late June 1970 -Walked onto Ripcord out of the field -Ripcord was on top of a bare hill top -Barbed wire formed the first line of defense -Behind the barbed wire were claymore lines and remote detonated barrels of napalm -Further up the hill were bunkers manned by infantrymen -At the top of the hill were the key parts of the firebase: -Artillery, helipads, ammo dump, fuel dump, aid station, and command center -Started to have more contact in the field before going onto Ripcord -More fighting around Hill 805 near Ripcord (00:41:05) Siege of Firebase Ripcord Pt. 1 -Siege of Firebase Ripcord began on July 1, 1970-Hill 902 attacked that night -Stayed at Ripcord through the siege in July -Stationed in a bunker overlooking valleys and mountains -Took more enemy mortar fire as the siege intensified -More enemy sappers trying to get up the hill -Probing the perimeter to make a map of the firebase -He never saw any North Vietnamese soldiers -Mortar teams fired down the hill at random trying to hit possible NVA rendezvous points -As July continued the NVA artillery barrage got more intense -Eventually got so bad that it was safer to stay in a bunker �-Took about 20 rounds every minute -Barrage lasted for a week -A U.S. Chinook helicopter crashed on Ripcord on July 18 -Watched it crash, catch fire, and cause the ammo dump to explode -The ammo dump exploding only made the barrage feel more intense -Could only send up one man to collect water and food for the men in the bunkers -NVA snipers fired up the hill at them -Received little information about the ongoing battle -Watched firefights going on at night (00:47:28) Fall of Firebase Ripcord -Received little advancing warning that Ripcord was being evacuated -Told a couple days before the firebase fell that the firebase was being evacuated -On July 23, 1970 Chinooks came in to bring out the artillery guns first -Men on the perimeter moved up the hill to the command center to wait for a helicopter -Artillery and small arms fire got worse throughout the day -He got wounded by a mortar shell -Had to go from bunker to bunker to avoid getting hit by shrapnel or bullets -He was the last man to get out of his bunker -Wounded men were evacuated first -Told that no more helicopters could come until the fire let up -Some men considered surrendering to the North Vietnamese -Men spread out, dug in, and fired down the hill at the advancing enemy soldiers -He got knocked out and woke up later in the day after sundown -Finally managed to get on a helicopter with one other soldier (00:55:30) Regrouping at Camp Evans -Flight back to Camp Evans took about 15 or 20 minutes -Got a hot meal -Went to the aid station to get the shrapnel taken out of his leg -Told he should go to a larger hospital, but he refused -Battalion surgeon removed the shrapnel from his leg -Ordered to stay on a cot for 19 days so the leg could recover -Surgeon brought him food and changed his bandages every day -Stayed in the Camp Evans post office for a little while -Brought American prisoners to the Army jail in Long Binh -Took a truck to Phu Bai then flew to Saigon and from there to Long Binh (01:00:42) Fighting on Hill 805 -During the Ripcord Campaign he saw action on Hill 805 -Came in on a landing zone near Hill 805 that was occupied by NVA troops -Took fire as soon as they landed -Took cover behind a log -Saw a man get hit as soon as he got off his helicopter -Phil went over to help him -He and a medic were able to get a man behind the log -Firefight stopped and he regrouped with squadmates -Moved up Hill 805 -Found a dead enemy soldier �-Looked Chinese, not Vietnamese -Appeared to have poisoned himself -Found an abandoned bunker with medical supplies and weapons -Placed the dead soldier in the bunker and blew up the bunker (01:07:53) Siege of Firebase Ripcord Pt. 2 -During the siege of Ripcord they laid down miles of wire in hopes of stopping the NVA -Proved to be useless when the siege got worse (01:10:20) Soviet Military Presence -His unit saw a Soviet military advisor during a patrol near Hill 805 -Heard movement near his squad's position -He went over to see if they were South Vietnamese/American or enemy soldiers -Turned out to be his platoon's lieutenant -Lieutenant yelled at Phil for seeing one soldier in his squad not wearing a shirt -Phil explained that that was impossible since his squad was with him -Man was described as being tall, white, and blonde -Evidence points to the conclusion that the man was a Russian (01:12:18) Escorting Prisoners & Drug Use -While at Camp Evans he escorted American prisoners down to Long Binh near Saigon -Did that three times -All the men he escorted had gotten in trouble for drug use -Knew there was drug use in the rear, but it didn't cause any major problems -Didn't think anyone did drugs in the field (01:13:59) Returning to B Company -Returned to his unit after about one month of recovery at Camp Evans -Most of the same men he served with at Ripcord were still in B Company -Had not sustained a lot of casualties at Ripcord -Went on patrols -Didn't see any enemy activity -Had some Kit Carson scouts -Kit Carson scouts: Viet Cong that defected to help South Vietanm -Rewarded with some land and shelter -The scouts were allowed to return home every month on leave -Sometimes they all went home at the same time then enemy activity got worse -Never seemed to be any help -Stayed with B Company until January 1971 when he left Vietnam (01:16:28) R&R -Went on R&R in Hawaii -Married his high school sweetheart -Is still married to her as of 2015 -Wasn't a good feeling going back to Vietnam, but knew he would get home soon -Got married in September 1970 �-Had to be in Vietnam for a while to get R&R -Married and engaged men got to go on R&R first -They went to Hawaii -Single, or married men that didn't want to see wives went to Australia, Thailand, etc. -Went on R&R in Vietnam -Went to a Vietnamese beach resort -It was beautiful and safe (01:18:42) Coming Home & End of Service -Wanted to leave, but didn't want to leave his friends in Vietnam -Got home in the middle of the night -Wife was renting an apartment -He was allowed 30 days of rest before he had to go back to work -Stayed in the apartment for almost all 30 days -He was so bored with civilian life he thought about returning to Vietnam -Didn't visit his parents for a month and a half, but they didn't visit him either -Took 19 hours to fly from Vietnam to Fort Lewis, Washington -Got a steak dinner -Took three days to get discharged -Flew back to Michigan from Washington -Wasn't harassed by protestors or civilians on his way home (01:20:59) Life after the War -Went back to work for the railroad -New workers resented him for getting his job back -Went to work for a salt company and lived in Chicago for a few years -Transferred back to Michigan -Worked for the salt company for 18 and a half years -Worked 11 jobs in 10 years -Got a job with the government for five years then permanently retired -Had issues with PTSD after the war -Took 20 years to get diagnosed and get medicated (01:23:42) Reflections on Service -Felt it was a good thing for him -Taught him about real priorities -Learned that if there is an issue to take action, don't just complain -If there is no viable solution for the problem, then forget about it -Showed him what he was capable of doing -Taught him that he could live with less if he needed to -Didn't talk about his experiences until later -No one seemed that interested at the time (01:25:34) Ripcord Reunions -Contacted by the writer Keith Nolan for Nolan's book on the Battle of Firebase Ripcord -Learned about the Ripcord Association and its reunions through Keith -Attended the first Ripcord Reunion and enjoyed it -Went to three or four more after that first one -When those veterans were together it was like they were all young men again � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_TolsonT1888V Title A name given to the resource Tolson, Thomas Phillip (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-10-09 Description An account of the resource Phil Tolson was born in Akron, Ohio in 1949. He was drafted in March, or April, 1969 and received his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was sent to Fort Lewis, Washington for Advanced Infantry Training then went to Fort Benning, Georgia for Noncommissioned Officer School and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He helped train new infantrymen at Fort Polk until March 1970 when he was deployed to Vietnam. Upon arrival in Vietnam he was assigned to lead a squad in Bravo Company 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. They went on patrols around Camp Evans and Firebase Ripcord before going onto Ripcord in late June/early July 1970. Bravo Company was stuck on Firebase Ripcord through the battle from July 1 to July 23 when the base was evacuated. During the evacuation Phil was wounded and recovered at Camp Evans for a month before rejoining his unit. He conducted patrols with Bravo Company until he left Vietnam in January 1971 and was discharged at Fort Lewis, Washington. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tolson, Thomas Phillip Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a03f0b135047f65163829f57efa638e1.m4v 4938d126c28e974dafbdb83e9a3ba531 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/aba657b2b808257936c0015c3b5593e3.pdf db891b9e8a744f62d25189504ce64a75 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Beatrice Takeuchi World War II (Japanese-American Citizen) 45 minutes 52 seconds (00:00:13) Early Life & Family History -Born on May 6, 1921, in Seattle, Washington -Parents had both been born in Japan and migrated to the United States -Father came to the United States first -He was a graduate of Waseda University in Tokyo -Studied Shakespeare and wanted to come to America to study -Planned on translating Shakespeare into Japanese -Translated English news into Japanese for the Japanese community -Learned that job, hands-on -Had worked with a Freudian psychologist in Tokyo for nine years -Most likely came to the United States in either the 1900s or 1910s -Started a printing shop that turned into a daily, Japanese newspaper -Her parents’ marriage was an arranged one -Beatrice’s mother came to the United States as a bride-to-be -Met Beatrice’s father for the first time ever in Seattle -Married by a Japanese Episcopalian priest -Had a good marriage -Grew up in Seattle -Attended school with Italian, Greek, and Japanese children (00:06:58) Start of the War -Before Japan attacked America, her father worked to improve Japanese-American relations -Followed the news coming from Japan and Asia -For example, he followed the news about the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 -Father died before the attack on Pearl Harbor -Mother and grandfather were disappointed by the attack, and deeply upset that it happened (00:08:43) Deportation Pt. 1 -Remembers seeing posters from the local government posted on telephone poles -Alerting Japanese-American citizens they would have to leave the city -Didn’t think anything like that would’ve happened -Had to leave by June 1942 -Signs went up in April -Younger Japanese-Americans felt no strong connection to Japan aside from family -Weren’t sure what it meant for her -Complied and didn’t resist the order -Felt there was no point in trying to fight the government anyway -Japanese and Chinese citizens didn’t get along with each other �-After the deportations began, Chinese citizens seized the Japanese real estate -Passive hostility -Doesn’t remember any overt harassment or violence -Sold their home -In retrospect, she’s surprised there were no protests and that the Japanese went quietly -Total compliance in leaving their lives behind -Left Seattle in June 1942 (00:13:26) Temporary Camp – Puyallup Assembly Center -Note: Most likely the Puyallup Assembly Center at the Western Washington Fairgrounds -Reported to the local fairgrounds -The buildings used for animals had become temporary barracks for the people -Larger buildings were turned into mess halls and assembly halls -Spent two (or three) months at the first camp -Drove there in the family car, and the Army bought the car -No organization, and a lot of the people had free time on their hands -A lot of the girls took up knitting to pass the time -No one knew what was happening, or what would happen next -The Army controlled the camp -Soldiers armed with rifles patrolled the perimeter of the camp (00:16:45) Permanent Camp – Minidoka War Relocation Center -Army built a system of permanent concentration camps in the interior of the United States -Placed in passenger cars and taken by train away from the Puyallup Assembly Center -Blackout curtains covered the windows of the passenger cars -Took three days to reach their destination in Idaho -Unloaded in the middle of the desert, at the Minidoka War Relocation Center -Barracks were still being built when they arrived -Perimeter was surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers -Realized then, that she was being held prisoner in her own country -Brother had been a fourth-year journalism student at the University of Washington -Became active in the community -Formed baseball teams -Gathered teachers and organized classes, to continue children’s education -Had classes for kindergarteners through fifth grade -Unfortunately, most teenagers still had nothing to do in the camp -She had been an art student in college before getting deported -Passed time sketching what she saw -The barracks they slept in were basically Army barracks -Her family was kept in a small space with cots and a metal stove -No privacy -Had to dress, and undress, with virtually no privacy -Sometimes tried to talk with the guards, but the guards limited contact with prisoners -Prisoners were used for menial tasks at the camp, such as cooking and cleaning -Brother had contact with the civilian controllers of the camp �-Some civilians volunteered at the camp (00:25:08) Leaving the Camp -Stayed at the camp for less than a year, because she fell ill and got to return to college -Mother suggested she contact her old professor in Washington about going to college -Had to go to college outside of the “Exclusion Area” on the West Coast -Contacted a school in Chicago, and she was accepted -She had contracted a gastrointestinal disease due to unsanitary conditions -Treated after she went to Chicago (00:27:19) Chicago School of Design -Attended the Chicago School of Design -Relatively new school -Founded in 1937, and called “New Bauhaus” after the original in Germany -She studied design -Studied in Chicago for two years -Mother sent Beatrice money while she lived in Chicago -Eventually decided to move to Washington D.C. to get a job -In Chicago, she stayed with one of her teachers -No problems with harassment from people in Chicago (00:30:15) Working in Washington D.C. -Worked for the Housing Agency in Washington D.C. -Worked on publications for them -It was a good job with good coworkers -Got along well with her supervisor (00:31:13) Other Japanese-Americans -There were other Japanese-Americans in Chicago and Washington D.C. -No thoughts of conspiring against the government -Often wonders why they were so compliant with their oppression -Confusing time of loyalty -Parents’ country versus her country (00:33:00) End of the War -She was in Washington D.C. at the end of the war in August 1945 -Feeling of relief that the war was over -Felt as if there had been a release of pressure, being a Japanese woman -Got married in Washington D.C. and had her first child in D.C. (00:35:10) Family Leaving the Camp -Mother’s sister married a farmer from Georgia -Grandfather, mother, and a few brothers moved to Georgia to be close to aunt -Allowed to leave the camp -Oldest brother was 4-F, meaning he was unfit for military service -Second, oldest brother was also 4-F due to intestinal troubles -Her other brother was too young to serve in the military (00:36:56) Seizure of Family’s Property -Father had owned a type casting machine �-He had bought it to make his own Japanese character tiles -Cheaper than ordering them from Japan -Remembers Chinese newspaper workers coming over in the middle of the night -Asking her father to make some Chinese tiles for the paper -Came at night because China and Japan were at war -Japanese and Chinese people avoided each other in protest -Brother sold off the press before the family got deported -Government seized the type casting machine as well as the tiles -Eventually wound up in the hands of General MacArthur in the Philippines -At least, that’s what the government told the family -She went to the War Department to ask about the location of the machine -Refereed to an office in New York City -Told her it couldn’t be returned to her, and family never saw it again (00:42:52) Interactions with Government & White Americans -Remembers FBI agents coming to their home -They were polite and inspected her father’s library -Mother was very compliant and allowed them to take material of interest -White Americans she encountered were very polite -No recollections of racism, harassment, or overt hostility -Very civil interactions -Police and military officials were also very civil -Surprisingly polite � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_TakeuchiB2089V Title A name given to the resource Takeuchi, Beatrice (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-01-10 Description An account of the resource Beatrice Takeuchi was born in Seattle, Washington, on May 6, 1921. In June 1942, she, and the rest of her family, was deported to the Puyallup Assembly Center at the Western Washington Fairgrounds, due to Executive Order 9066. Her family sold their house and their car, and her father's printing equipment was seized by the government. She was held at Puyallup Assembly Center for two or three months before getting transferred to Minidoka War Relocation Center in Idaho. Due to unsanitary conditions at the camp, she fell ill which contributed to her being allowed to leave the camp. She had also been an art student, and was allowed to continue her studies at the Chicago School of Design. Beatrice then found work in Washington D.C. and was there when the war ended. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Takeuchi, Beatrice Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0ced328f5b7a03516b57e6cb2a5e2a22.m4v 9c8ee447de87e7bc8cf3a8e6a9e6f11a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/954d1a973ea1dd0d1f845fd7d28f717d.pdf d624c6685a9fa9595f15c7086788c85d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Lee Stevens World War II (Civilian); Cold War 1 hour 2 minutes 21 seconds (00:00:16) Early Life -Born in Manila, Philippines, on August 21, 1930 -Father was in the Army and stationed in the Philippines -Grandfather owned a business in the Philippines -His grandfather was a close friend to General Douglas MacArthur -Lee’s father wasn’t under MacArthur’s command -General MacArthur was Lee’s godfather -Grew up in the Philippines -Mother died when he was born -Father remarried to a Spanish woman -Attended Catholic schools -After the 2nd grade, boys and girls were segregated -Learned to speak Spanish and Tagalog -English and Tagalog were more prevalent in schools, though (00:04:20) Start of the War -Had no idea there would be a war with Japan -Didn’t pay attention to Japan’s aggression in Asia -He was 11 years old when the Japanese attacked the Philippines on December 8, 1941 -Father got a call early in the morning and told the family America was at war -Still didn’t register to Lee what that meant (00:05:27) The Fall of the Philippines -Near the end of December, American forces retreated to the Bataan Peninsula -General MacArthur declared Manila an “open city” -This meant all military personnel had left the city and closed the bases -Intention was to spare the city from Japanese bombing, but they bombed anyway -When the Japanese took over Manila, they didn’t initially target Americans -Started with rounding up American adult men, then the women -His grandfather was detained -Given two hours to pack any belongings he wanted to bring in suitcases -His maternal grandparents and maternal aunt were detained -All adults were being sent to the concentration camp at the University of Santo Tomas -Eventually, children as young as 11 and 12 years old were being detained too -His mother and half-brother were unaffected by the initial detainment order -They were allowed to visit Lee in the camp -American and Filipino forces surrendered in early May 1942 �-American prisoners-of-war were paraded through Manila in front of civilians -Forced to watch the prisoners marched through the city -Someone whistled, and it sounded like the way his father whistled -His uncle told him not to indicate that he knew his father if he saw him -When his father passed, he dropped his captain insignia on the road -Waited for the parade to end and he picked up the insignia (00:10:28) Interned at University of Santo Tomas -Quartered with his grandfather at the University of Santo Tomas -Women and younger children were placed in administrative buildings -Men and pre-teen boys were placed in the gymnasium -Given chances to see his mother and half-brother -Japanese got arrogant about winning the war and allowed detainees a little freedom -Cracked down when they started losing territory in the Pacific -Death rate was high in the camp -Didn’t pay attention to the deaths when they happened -Deaths were caused by disease and abuse at the hands of the Japanese -Forced to bow to Japanese guards -Didn’t want to bow and planned on resisting -Adults convinced him to obey, because the Japanese would’ve killed him -Told him the Japanese could control his body, but not his mind -Most of the guards followed Japanese custom and returned the bow -Treated better because they were civilians -Later heard stories about the extreme torture and deprivation of prisoners-of-war -Civilians prisoners were subjected to a “milder” form of abuse and deprivation -Three men tried to escape and they were caught -Japanese held a mock trial, forced them to dig their own graves, and shot them (00:17:46) Contact with Filipinos -Filipinos were allowed to visit the camp, along with his mother and half-brother -Allowed to build shacks near the gym -Filipinos helped Lee and his grandfather build a shack -Not a good place to be in a typhoon (00:18:55) Food & Living Conditions at Santo Tomas -They were served pre-prepared food from the Japanese by other prisoners -Prisoners were allowed to share food with each other -Subject to inspection by Japanese guards -Looking for anti-Japanese notes, or any food they wanted to take -Allowed a sum of money to give to Filipinos to buy groceries as per international law -The guards then took the good food and left the scraps to the prisoners -Rice ration dwindled as the Japanese continued to lose the war -Canned food ran out after a while -Rationed four sheets of toilet paper per day, per prisoner -The men gave their toilet paper to the women and used newspaper -Received Red Cross packages containing food, and luxury items like cigarettes �-The packs of Old Gold cigarettes had a poem about freedom on the packages -The Japanese discovered this and forbade the distribution of Red Cross packages (00:22:38) Disease at Santo Tomas -He contracted a form of dysentery during his time at Santo Tomas -Received treatment for it on the return voyage to the United States -Gained a lot of weight -Doctors in the camp had very little to work with to treat diseases -Had medications from the Red Cross, but the guards took it if they needed it -Managed to avoid contracting malaria, but it was rampant in the camp (00:24:15) Guards at Santo Tomas -The original guards were sent to the frontline as the war deteriorated for the Japanese -Treatment varied with each commandant -Guards were allowed to slap prisoners if they felt they deserved it -Prisoners played baseball against the Japanese soldiers -Never won a game against them to avoid antagonizing them -Never confronted the guards about anything (00:26:15) Abuse of Prisoners -His grandfather was taken to a police station and tortured because they thought he was a spy -Ripped out his toenails and beat him -Discharged him and told him he had to walk the three miles back to camp -A Filipino with a horse-drawn taxi brought him back to Santo Tomas (00:27:47) The Fate of His Father -On January 31, 1945, U.S. Rangers and Filipino resistance liberated POW camp Cabanatuan -On January 27, Lee’s father had been taken from Cabanatuan to go to Japan as slave labor -He was placed in New Bilibid Prison in Manila -Lee was allowed to go see his father through a prison window -From New Bilibid he was placed on a ship bound for Japan -Because the ship was unmarked, it was accidentally sunk by the Americans -His father survived the sinking and was placed back in captivity -He was placed on a “Hell ship” which was accidentally sunk by the Americans -He didn’t survive the sinking -Lee didn’t learn about his father’s death until after the war -His grandfather brought him to the United States to attend military school -His mother stayed behind in the Philippines -Lee received a letter from her saying that she had remarried -He knew then that his father had not survived the war (00:31:00) Liberation -On October 20, 1944, U.S. forces landed on Leyte beginning the liberation of the Philippines -American forces moved on to Luzon in January 1945 -On February 3, 1945, Lee heard shooting at the front gates of Santo Tomas -He feared they were all going to be executed by the retreating Japanese -U.S. tanks and troops flooded into the camp -People jumped and screamed for joy knowing their liberation had come �-Some of the guards took women and children hostage in one of the education buildings -Threatened to kill them if they weren’t allowed to walk free -A deal was negotiated and the hostages were released -On that day, fried Spam, dehydrated potatoes, and canned peas became his favorite meal -Served to him by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division -Allowed to join his mother as the Japanese were pushed from Manila -There were still Japanese soldiers in the city and his mother got shot in the shoulder -She was standing in front of him, and he would’ve died without her (00:36:36) Coming to America Pt. 1 -He left the Philippines on August 27, 1945, shortly after turning 15 -Came to the United States aboard a troop transport -Escorted by a convoy until they reached Hawaii -Fears that rogue Japanese submarines would still attack American ships -Spoiled by the soldiers coming home on the ship -Gave him and the other children candy -There was a former teacher that gave him and the other children lessons on the ship -He had had some education in the camp, but it was censored (00:38:49) Manila Post-Liberation -By the time Manila had been liberated, all five bridges in the city had been destroyed -The Army used pontoon bridges to replace the originals -Walked through the rubble of Manila and found a Japanese corpse -Kicked it out of frustration -Saw the old walled-city of Manila (original Spanish city) -Everything but the churches had been laid to waste by American bombers -Final Japanese stronghold of the Battle for Manila (00:40:49) Coming to America Pt. 2 -Landed at San Francisco -Grandfather arranged for him to attend a military school in San Rafael, California -Putting him on track to study at West Point Army Academy -Prioritized because his father had been an officer and recipient of the Silver Star -Sent to Pentwater, Michigan, to stay with a cousin -He completed his education in Pentwater and decided not to pursue West Point -Went to Western Michigan University in 1949 and studied education (00:43:27) Getting Drafted -He received a draft notice after graduating from college -Excused from service because he had been a prisoner during World War II -Returned to college to pursue a graduate degree -Received another draft notice at 23 years old (00:44:25) Basic Training -Sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, for basic training -Passed barracks inspection every time because he had grown up in a military household -Knew what to expect from basic training because of his father and the military school -He was the oldest recruit in his training unit �-Received extra responsibility because of his age and assisted the master sergeant -Did his basic training in 1954 -By then, the Korean War was over -Still expected to go to South Korea for occupation duty (00:48:20) Assignment to Third Army Headquarters -He was initially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division -Lee’s wife got pregnant, and his grandfather pulled some strings to get Lee reassigned -Transferred to Third Army Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia (00:49:05) Intelligence Training & Intelligence Duties Pt. 1 -Before his assignment to Fort McPherson, he received intelligence training -Sent to Fort Holabird, Maryland, for intelligence training -Learned how to keep classified information out of enemy hands -Learned how to gather information from enemy sources and report on it -Received training with a wide variety of handguns -Dealt with counterintelligence -Investigating possible spies and persons of questionable loyalty -He handled classified documents and needed special security clearance -At Fort Holabird, he was questioned about his cousin’s husband -He had been a postmaster and was caught for embezzling -Meant Lee’s intelligence duties were questioned (00:52:04) General MacArthur’s Removal -In April 1951, President Truman relieved General MacArthur of command -This was due to irreconcilable differences between the two men -Despite his removal from command, MacArthur still had power due to his reputation -Lee understood and agreed with Truman’s action, but found it a little drastic (00:53:29) Intelligence Duties Pt. 2 -Being in intelligence made the other enlisted men and officers nervous around him -Knew that if he was around, someone was getting investigated -Made every effort not to allow anyone to know about his powerful connections (00:56:04) Life after Service -Discharged in 1956 -Returned to college, completed his master’s degree, and pursued a doctorate -Go a job in a school system in northern Michigan near a ski resort -Daughters enjoyed going skiing -He started as a principal at the school -Worked in an administrative capacity for a while, then returned to principal work -Didn’t like being distant from the students in administration (00:57:50) Reflections -His experiences in Manila shaped his experience in the Army -Deeply thankful to the soldiers that liberated his camp -Never got the chance to thank his liberators from the 1st Cavalry Division -Has never met anyone that was present for the liberation for Santo Tomas -Feels that his time in the Army made him a better man �-Carried his Army experience with him as a principal -Insured that all young men could meet the physical demands of military service � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StevensL2093V Title A name given to the resource Stevens, Lee (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-01-16 Description An account of the resource Lee Stevens was born in Manila, Philippines, on August 21, 1930. He was 11 years old when the Japanese attacked the Philippines on December 8, 1941, and witnessed the invasion and occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese. His father, a captain in the U.S. Army, was taken prisoner and interned at Cabanatuan prisoner-of-war camp until his death aboard a "hell ship" in late January (or early February) 1945. Lee was interned with his grandfather at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila for the duration of the occupation, but his Spanish stepmother and his half-brother were allowed to be free due to not being American. On February 3, 1945, troops from the 1st Cavalry Division liberated Santo Tomas and on August 27, 1945, he and his grandfather left the Philippines. After completing college, he was drafted into the Army in 1954 and received his basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. He received Intelligence Training at Fort Holabird, Maryland, and was initially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Due to being the godson of General Douglas MacArthur and his grandfather maintaining contact with the general, Lee was reassigned to Third Army Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He was discharged in 1956. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stevens, Lee Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army. Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8994293287960e47b5c2e86b7a0376fc.m4v fbad168f3e67aecd593026d828183400 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bb641fe57a7140fbbcc3cd318621cdfa.m4v 96dad111ddb59164bbd8fb3bcb231360 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75062da6e3d141d66ecad1ffc39dd408.pdf 8b59810517657d395dc50f70184b207c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Kurt Stauff Cold War; Peacetime; War on Terror Part 1 – 1 hour 6 minutes 49 seconds (00:00:27) Early Life & Family History -Born in November 1954 in Jackson, Michigan -Maternal grandfather served in the Navy during World War II -Witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor -Served in the South Pacific aboard a destroyer -A lot of men on his father's side served as officers in the Army -His uncle on his father's side served in the infantry during the Vietnam War -Killed in action in 1970 -Has seen his uncle's name on the Vietnam War Memorial -Went to school in Grass Lake, Michigan, for kindergarten and first grade -Spent the rest of his education in the Ionia school system -Graduated from Ionia High School -Accepted into Michigan State University -After one year at MSU he decided to leave college -Graduated high school in January 1972 -Worked for the Michigan Bell Telephone Company in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan -Worked for his father and took classes at Grand Valley State College (now University) -Worked in carpet sales and in the warehouse (00:07:18) Enlisting in the Navy -Worked in carpet sales in Grand Rapids, Michigan when his father and younger brother died -His employers served in the Army and the Navy -Encouraged Kurt to explore the idea of enlisting -Went to recruiting centers in Grand Rapids -Life in the Army didn't appeal to him -Took the Navy's aptitude test -Could do anything in the Navy except nuclear technology because he was too old -Qualified to be a Sonar Technician on submarines -Appealed to him because he could operate, maintain, and repair hardware -Enlisted in the Navy in December 1982 (00:09:36) Training -Began Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, on June 20, 1983 -Did his Basic Enlisted Submarine Training in Groton, Connecticut -Most likely at the Naval Submarine Base New London -Given a psychological examination to insure he could spend extended time on a submarine -Learned about submarine systems, protocol, and trained on a simulator -Graduated second in his class -Given an idea of what to expect -Went to Submarine Sonar Technician Apprenticeship School in San Diego, California -Learning how work as a Sonar Technician aboard a submarine -Sent to “C School” to learn about individual equipment systems (basically, specialized training) -Completed two years of training before he boarded a submarine �(00:13:02) Service aboard the USS Pargo (SSN-650) -Came back to Michigan on leave for 30 days before reporting for duty -In December 1984 he reported to the USS Pargo (SSN-650) -A Sturgeon Class submarine that was 492 feet long -Didn't have enough bunks for the crew, so they had to “hot rack” (rotated sleeping schedule) -Three crewmen had to share two bunks -As one crewman got off watch, another crewman could get into the bunk -Hygiene was important to avoid health problems -Crew functioned like a large family -Learned about Damage Control on a submarine -Depended on each other for survival -Had to know how to save the ship, because there is no abandoning ship -Learned how to control fires, floods, and radiation leaks -Assigned to secure a compartment during an emergency -Finds submarines to be more efficient than surface ships (00:17:39) Submarine Service in the Pacific Ocean -USS Pargo was placed in dry dock at Bremerton, Washington for two years of repair -Served aboard fast-attack submarines and a ballistic submarine out of Pearl Harbor (00:18:17) Cold War & the Arctic Sea -Did three months in the Arctic Sea chasing Soviet submarines -Got within 20 nautical miles of the North Pole -Surfaced and saw the Polar Ice Caps -When they were in the Arctic Sea the submarine got colder -Heard the ice moving via sonar -Rough water -Rolled 50o and pitched forward and back -Got his “Blue Nose Certificate” for crossing the Arctic Circle -The “Blue Nose Certificate” is a hazing ceremony for sailors -Sat on an ice block, drank hot sauce and fish oil, and answer embarrassing questions -The United States had better technology than the Soviet Union -Spied on each other and gathered intelligence -Remembers when John Walker was arrested for treason -Had gathered intelligence about American submarines and sold it to the Soviet Union -He felt that Walker should have been executed for treason -Could have put numerous American lives at risk (00:24:24) Submarine Exercises off Pacific Coast -Passed through Panama Canal to get to the Pacific Ocean -Went on a torpedo exercise off the coast of San Diego -Stopped at an island near Canada -Operated around the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Vancouver, Canada (00:26:22) Instructing & Further Training -Spent the majority of the 1980s on submarines, instructing, or training -Taught sailors how to use Auxiliary Sonar Gear -He spent his time instructing during the Gulf War (00:27:33) Transfer to Mine Warfare -Served on submarines in the early 1990s -Trained on a new sonar system for Los Angeles Class submarines -Developed a chronic medical issue which disqualified him for submarine service, but not the Navy -Disappointed because he was up for promotion to Chief Petty Officer (E7) �-In 1994 he received mine warfare training at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut -From 1995 to 1997 he trained to be a mine man in Charleston, South Carolina -Learned about storage, maintenance, and repair of undersea mines -Had to know the skills of five other positions -In 2000 he made the rank of Mine Man Chief Petty Officer (00:33:32) Married in the Navy -Difficult being married in the Navy -Had to move around a lot -Deployed for nine months at a time -Went on one Mediterranean Sea tour for six months straight -Navy has a family support system for spouses and children -Wife had been exposed to Navy life, but didn't know what the reality would be -Got divorced after three years -Amicable separation (00:37:09) Mine Warfare Service Pt. 1 -From 1997 to 2000 he served aboard the USS Patriot (MCM-7) in Sasebo, Japan -Traveled to Singapore, Borneo, South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong -Worked with South Koreans and they had good mine warfare -Conducted exercises with South Koreans -Friendly, but they had a problem with not living up to their promises -For example, they offered material, but couldn't procure it -In 2000 he went to the Mine Warfare Training Center at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas -Had minesweepers and mine hunters (00:41:13) September 11th Attacks -He was serving as an instructor on September 11, 2001 -Going down to the smoking area and he passed through a lounge -Saw the news that the jet hit the World Trade Center's North Tower -Locked down the base for a week -Everybody was scared and angry especially after the jet hit the Pentagon -Felt they needed to retaliate (00:45:00) War on Terror & Iraq War -Continued instruction during the War on Terror -Had mine ships reinforced in Bahrain -Had to get a hospital ship to Umm Qasr during the Iraq War -Sent a minesweeper to insure it was safe for a hospital ship to enter the port -He was stationed in Bahrain to help oversee the mine countermeasure warfare -At that time he was a Senior Chief Petty Officer (E8) -Sent Navy personnel to Afghanistan to assist the Army with explosive disposal and other duties -In charge of 350 enlisted personnel in Bahrain -Two ships with 60 crewmen each -Explosive ordnance disposal personnel, air squadron personnel, and shore personnel -Stationed in Bahrain for one year (00:51:13) Mine Warfare Service Pt. 2 -Returned to Japan and became the Command Senior Chief Petty Officer on the USS Patriot -Conducted more exercises -Went to Brunei and to Vladivostok, Russia -Strange to be in a Russian port after years of Russia being the enemy of the United States -Had been in Vladivostok before during the Cold War, gathering intelligence -Surprised by the shabby and filthy condition of the port �-Garbage clogged the harbor -Russians were friendly -Arrived at Vladivostok around July 4th -Remembers that it was rainy and muddy (00:56:37) Traveling the Pacific Ocean & Visiting Japan -Visited Hiroshima, Japan; Pearl Harbor; Okinawa' and other parts of Japan -Japanese welcomed Americans -Did exercises with the Japanese -Spent a week on a Japanese ship -Different kind of culture -Visited the memorials at Pearl Harbor -Surprised by the number of Japanese coming to show their respect -Made more sense after he went to the memorial at Hiroshima -Moving to see the memorial at Hiroshima -Made him understand how much the Japanese suffered during World War II -Allowed to go anywhere in Japan he wanted to go -Navy advised against going to certain areas of Japanese ports (01:02:20) USS Indianapolis & Navy Protocol -The USS Indianapolis tragedy changed navigation protocols for the Navy -Note: USS Indianapolis torpedoed on July 30, 1945, resulting in deaths of 879 sailors -Navy made a new navigation protocol -Ships have prescribed navigation points on planned routes -Once a ship reaches a point it must radio in it that it reached the point -If a ship doesn't reach its point, it must notify command that it hasn't sunk -Improvement for tracking ships -In the event of a sinking the Navy can locate the ship faster (01:04:22) Promotion to Master Chief Petty Officer -Promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) in 2007 -Worked at the Mine Shop in Charleston, South Carolina as the Logistics Department Head -In May 2007 he was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer -Only one of five active Master Chiefs in the Navy at one time -Pinnacle of his career Part 2 – 29 minutes 41 seconds (00:00:01) Duty as Master Chief Petty Officer -There is a Squadron Chief, Sea Chief, a Shore Chief, Mining Chief -As his rank went up, his billet (station) choices decrease -There were three Mine Shops he could serve at -Okinawa, Charleston, and San Diego -San Diego: Naval Mine Anti-Submarine Warfare or Mobile Mine Assembly Group -At San Diego he would be in charge of the other Mine Shops -Coordinated his billet choice with the other master chiefs (00:01:40) Stationed at San Diego -He returned to San Diego -Served as the senior mine warfare adviser to an admiral -There were two master chiefs stationed at San Diego -Mine warfare master chief (him) and a sonar master chief -He helped train and assess at the squadron level for three major fleets �-Pacific Fleet at Sasebo, Japan -3rd Fleet at San Diego -5th Fleet in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf -Taught techniques and tactics or assessed the fleets' mine warfare -Had to tell the skippers of mine ships if performed well, or poorly -Gave them pointers -Only stepped in if a skipper did something stupid or dangerous -Most of them performed well (00:04:40) Mine Warfare Fleet in the 21st Century -Mine countermeasure fleet is outdated and has no spare parts -Nobody thinks about the mine fleet until mines become a problem -Short on ships, money, and training -Believes that training has improved since the fleet got a new admiral -Potential enemies have an abundance of undersea mines -Even one mine can stop commercial shipping in an area -Mine hunting takes forever as it is, and with a weak fleet it becomes even more tedious (00:07:40) Reflecting on Career -Spent 29 ½ years in the Navy (1983-2012) -His responsibilities immensely increased at the end -When he was busiest he had the most fun -Learned people skills and how to handle situations -Got to watch sailors under his command grow up and advance through the ranks -It was like watching children grow -Majority of career spent preparing younger sailors to take his place in the future -Great sense of satisfaction knowing his replacements were ready -Felt the Navy and the country was in good hands -Knew it was time for him to step aside -Doesn't regret his career in the Navy, but would've done certain things differently (00:�10:34) Commanders in Chief -President Reagan built up the military after the Vietnam War -Wanted a 600-ship Navy and outpace the Soviets -Increased the hardware, training, and personnel -Returned a sense of pride to the military -Inspiring and supportive -President Clinton wasn't too bad, but felt he had a disdain for his Naval attaches -Felt “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy was unnecessary -Knew gay sailors and it never caused any problems because they just did their jobs -Caused unnecessary witch hunts -President George H.W. Bush operated the same as President Reagan -President George W. Bush was a good commander in chief -Supportive of the military -Ex-military -Not the best at policy, but Kurt felt confident with him as his leader -President Obama reduced the military's size and funding to pre World War II levels -Feels less prepared if the country had to fight a major war (00:17:21) Accomplishments & Commendations -Major accomplishments happened after he made Chief Petty Officer -Meant he was usually the ranking enlisted man at sea -2000 – 2012 was the peak of his career �-Received letters of commendation from the governors of states he served in -Received letters of commendation from the presidents he served under -All except for President Reagan who had died before Kurt's retirement -His most cherished award was the Meritorious Service Medal -Received the Chief's Cutlass -A ceremonial award presented to him when he left Charleston -Symbolic of the enlisted man in the Navy -Used to be given to enlisted men in the 1800s to repel boarders (00:21:17) Faith in the Navy -He turned to God when he felt that he needed guidance, inspiration, or just to vent -Prayed more when he became a petty officer and had to make decisions -Chaplains were available if men wanted, or needed religious services -There was a Protestant chaplain or a Catholic chaplain -Protestant chaplain did not ascribe to any specific Protestant denomination -Made services generic -It was difficult for him to establish himself at a civilian church of his own denomination -Moved too often to make lasting connections (00:24:39) Changes in the Navy -Positive changes in the Navy were advances in technology and faster aircraft and ships -Safety also improved as technology advanced -Robots were being introduced as a way to search and destroy mines -Put fewer sailors at risk -Major negative change in the Navy was a drop in morale -Started off high in the 1980s, but continued to trend downward -Felt the government was trying to treat the military too much like a civilian industry -Applauded equality, but felt the government tried too hard to appease people � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StauffK1936V Title A name given to the resource Stauff, Kurt M (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-05-11 Description An account of the resource Kurt Stauff was born in November 1954 in Jackson, Michigan. In December 1982 he enlisted in the Navy. He started basic training on June 20, 1983 at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, and received Basic Enlisted Submarine Training at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut. He attended the Submarine Sonar Technician Apprenticeship School in San Diego, California and received further training at "C School." After two years of training he boarded the submarine, USS Pargo (SSN-650) in December 1984. He went on intelligence gathering missions, torpedo exercises, and got to sail north of the Arctic Circle. For a short time he served aboard fast-attack submarines and ballistic submarines out of Pearl Harbor. In 1994 he transferred to mine warfare and from 1995 to 1997 he trained in Charleston, South Carolina. From 1997 to 2000 he served aboard the USS Patriot (MCM-7) at Sasebo, Japan, then returned to the United States to serve as an instructor. During the War in Iraq he spent a year in Bahrain overseeing mine sweeping missions in the area. In 2007 he reached his highest rank, Master Chief Petty Officer (E9), and spent the next five years as the mine warfare master chief to an admiral. He retired from the Navy in 2012. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stauff, Kurt M. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hammond, Steve (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/43c59f0ad1a8254ded207d9c70a8225b.m4v d37319e237978a50bae431f29ae54592 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f3768665b25429d50fa4869ae4ce68a9.pdf 317467e7d2634b15a8860b7f7fbef0a6 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Otto Skoppek World War II (Germany Army) 1 hour 48 minutes 40 seconds (00:00:15) Early Life on the Farm -Born in the country near Treuberg in East Prussia on December 15, 1916 -Family owned a large farm -Had orchards, grew corn, clover and potatoes, and owned cows and pigs -Local butcher came to them with a horse drawn cart -Their farm was in the “Land of 1,000 Lakes,” known as the Masurian Lake District -Produced a lot of rye -Hs father grew a wide variety of potatoes -Yellow, blue, white, red and a larger type that were fed to the livestock -Had enough livestock that they could sell some and keep some to feed the family -No electricity on the farm, and everything was powered by either kerosene or petroleum -Had a smokehouse for meats, and his father made an assortment of sausages -Mother baked homemade bread -Walked three to four miles to school -His family made their own butter and chilled it in their cellar -Only had to buy salt, sugar, and other things they couldn’t produce on the farm -Used roots and homemade remedies to treat sicknesses -Able to fish on their farm -Father used a homemade trap fashioned out of animal bones and wood -Had a pure creek that ran through their property and connected two lakes -Caught fish that weighed five to seven pounds -There was also a pond on the farm’s land -Father hunted rabbits in the winter with a hunting dog -Dozens of spruce trees grew on their property -His mother gathered mushrooms and cooked them in butter -His father used a small tractor and some horses to work the land -There were red elk in the area, and his father and other farmers hunted them -If you got one, you brought the meat to the butcher to be sold to the other people -Allowed to keep the antlers and two of the elk’s teeth -His father brought the teeth to a jeweler -Embedded in a necklace made out of African gold -Inherited the necklace from his father (00:21:38) Early Life & Education -In the 1920s, things were bad for Germany -There was hyperinflation, then it stabilized, only to be upset by the Great Depression -Throughout the 1920s, the Nazis began their rise to power �-Father made enough money to afford to send his children to high school and college -Education was free, but had to pay for additional expenses -He attended high school in Treuberg, but had to live in an apartment -Had to prove to his teachers that he wanted an education, so he could go to college -Visited his family on the weekends -Chance to get homemade food -On some weekends his mother made cakes and preserved fruits -Had a huge basement in which to store crops and food for livestock -Father had a hand operated machine in the basement -Used it to make sauerkraut out of cabbage grown on the farm -Grew cucumbers around the house and used them to make pickles -Paired the homemade pickles and sauerkraut with the homemade meats -Had 25 fruit trees in their yard -Especially remembers the pear trees and winter apple trees -Mother candied the fruit -Finished high school when he was 13 and went to college -Only way to become an officer in the German Army was by attending college (00:34:00) Paratrooper in North Africa Pt. 1 -He served as a paratrooper in North Africa -Went on missions behind enemy lines -Learned to land with both feet to avoid breaking a leg -Used a parachute that opened near the ground -Allowed for rapid and stealthy insertion (00:35:50) College & Forestry Work Pt. 1 -Went to college in Konigsberg, also in East Prussia -Famous for its historic German leaders -Rich, food producing area -Good for Stalin when it was ceded to the Soviet Union -He studied science in college with an emphasis on forestry work -Did that because he came from a wooded area -Remembers there being a dance hall and beer garden in the woods -Popular with the people -Had a variety of beers and meat (00:44:20) War Reparations -After World War I, the Germans had to surrender gold jewelry to pay for war reparations -After World War II, the Germans had to pay with land and agriculture -Eastern Germans were forced off their lands and had to move to West Germany (00:45:58) Forestry Work Pt. 2 -After college, he started receiving practical forestry training in Treuberg -Worked with a forester in the field and in the office -Managed land and wood being used by farmers -Some of the foresters only had a high school education, but were still educated men -Managed forest consumption for firewood and housing �-Had a sawmill -Worked as a forester through the 1930s (00:50:30) Nazism -Never felt like he was under the control of the Nazi Party -Soldiers didn’t use the Nazi salute, they used the regular salute -While in North Africa, under Field Marshal Rommel, they were just soldiers and not Nazis -Didn’t know about the Nazi atrocities being committed in Europe (00:51:55) Stationed in North Africa -Had a good relationship with the Arabs in North Africa -Ate rations that were lacking in vitamins -Soldiers lost their teeth because of the lack in nutrients (00:52:30) Start of World War II -He was working as a forester in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland (00:52:50) Stationed in Tunis Pt. 1 -He had a good office position in Tunis, Tunisia -Investigated a bicycle theft -It was a beautiful city -People were a mix of Italian and Arabic descent -Made silver jewelry -Wonderful people -Brought local cuisine to Otto and the other German soldiers in the city -Very friendly people -Remembers being on guard duty and seeing the silhouette of a large dog -Someone told him it was a hyena, so he shot it -The next day, a farmer came to them and told them that someone shot his dog (00:56:45) Surrendering to the Americans Pt. 1 -He had been drafted into the German Army and was assigned to Rommel’s Afrika Korps -By the end of the North African Campaign, they had run out of food, ammunition, and weapons -German supply lines had been cut -Forced to surrender because there was no way they could fight -Captured by American forces and told they would be brought to the U.S. as prisoners-of-war -*Note: Based on outside information, Otto was captured in 1943 -An American general applauded the behavior of the Afrika Korps -Under strict orders from Rommel to treat Allied prisoners with humanity -Never killed them, and always tried to feed them (01:00:07) Assignment to the Afrika Korps -He went into the German Army because he had spent almost his entire life in Treuberg -Wanted to do something different -Army was a chance at personal progress and a better future -Selected for service in North Africa in Rommel’s Afrika Korps (01:01:38) Prisoner-of-War -He and other German prisoners-of-war were brought to the United States -Put to work on a cotton plantation in Texas near the Mexican border �-Given a burlap sack and ordered to fill the sack -He was the first of his group to fill the sack -Picked cotton with both hands -Stayed at the prisoner-of-war camp in Texas until the war’s end -Treated well by the Americans -Moved to a green bean canning factory in Wyoming -American workers needed a vacation -In one month, the Germans produced 20,000 more cans than the American workers -American overseers rewarded them with a big box of cigars -Stayed in America for one year longer after World War II’s end -Issued tickets to buy goods at the factory store in Wyoming -Able to buy cigarettes and cigars that were unavailable in postwar Germany -Allowed to bring them back to Germany with them (01:06:36) Returning to Germany -Flown back to Europe and landed at a field near Amsterdam -Brought to a transit camp under British authority -British troops seized everything that the Germans had bought in America -Later that night, he and some others snuck over and stole back their goods -Flown from the Netherlands to Germany -By now, Germany had been divided into East and West Germany -Soviets had taken as much as they could from the Germans in East Germany -Visited his parents who were living in East Germany -Had to go through a border checkpoint manned by Soviet troops -He had terrible teeth due to the nutritional deprivation he experienced in North Africa -Went to a local dentist, but didn’t have any money to pay him -Still had a few cartons of cigarettes and a box of cigars -Dentist accepted the American tobacco as payment-in-kind -Gave Otto gold teeth replacements for the ones he lost -Not allowed to return to East Prussia since it was directly under Russian control -Parents lost everything and had to move to East Germany -He settled in West Germany and worked around there (01:12:13) Moving to America -Decided to return to America -During his time in West Germany he would send some goods to his parents in East Germany -Bits of food and clothing that he could get to them -Felt that Germany was too crowded and he wanted to return to the United States -Went to the American consulate in Hamburg to get approval -The decision was made by an American official -Explained that he’d had a good experience in America and wanted to return -Told the official that he had been in the Afrika Korps under Rommel -Immediately granted approval to immigrate to the U.S. -Americans had a deep respect for Rommel and his soldiers �(01:15:25) Airborne Mission in Tunisia -There was a memorable airborne mission behind French and Moroccan lines -*Note: Based on this information, he was most likely in the Ramcke Parachute Brigade -Landed behind enemy lines at midnight, and tasked with destroying enemy artillery -Went up against French and Moroccan troops -French and Moroccan artillery had been harassing nearby German infantry and tanks -Preventing the German tanks from advancing -Caught the French and Moroccans while they were sleeping -Told the guards not to sound the alarm or they would all be killed -Had a special explosive charge that would render the artillery pieces unusable -Ignited the charge, placed it in the breech, and 30 seconds later destroyed the gun -This mission happened in Tunisia -He was in a team of 16 paratroopers up against hundreds, or thousands, of Allied troops -Fired a flare to signal to the German tanks the artillery had been destroyed -German infantry and tanks advanced and linked up with Otto’s team (01:18:30) Stationed in Tunis Pt. 2 -Took over a consulate in Tunis -Had a cook -It was good duty -Needed to find bicycles for German soldiers -Transferred to office duty because he’d spent enough time on the frontline -People in Tunis were friendly (01:21:40) Surrendering to the Americans Pt. 2 -Pulled out of office duty because more Allied troops were coming into North Africa -Sent back to the frontline -Eventually ran out of ammunition and weapons -Saw American troops on the waterfront and knew they had to surrender -Decided it would be better to surrender to the Americans than keep fighting -Placed on a large ship bound for the United States -U-Boats had discovered that the ship was transporting German prisoners-of-war -POWs were afraid because they didn’t know the U-Boats knew that -Had good food on the ship -Sailed to Texas where their prisoner-of-war camp was located (01:24:30) Fighting in North Africa -Fought in Libya and Egypt -Found out that they couldn’t win the war like they thought they would -By early 1943, German forces on the southern Eastern Front had collapsed -Fought at El Alamein, Tobruk, and Sollum -His unit was sent to help regular infantry when they got in a tough situation -Usually inserted behind enemy lines to disrupt enemy forces -Then had to work back to the German line -He made a total of 16 jumps as a paratrooper -Did six combat jumps in North Africa �-Most combat jumps were against French forces, but did a couple against the British -Moroccans were vicious fighters -Had taken three German soldiers prisoner and executed them (0:31:22) Life in America -Sponsored by Peter Cook when Otto moved to the U.S. with his wife and son -*Note: Based on outside information, Otto and his family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1957 -Got a job with Volkswagen since he’d had automotive experience in Germany -Became a manager -Stayed with the company when it became Mazda Great Lakes -Bought a car for $950 and had a home -When he worked for Volkswagen, then Mazda, he got a new car every year -Sold to a dedicated buyer and never had to spend more than $100 on a new car -The worst thing was when he had to relinquish his driver’s license -On doctor’s recommendation, due to sight trouble in his right eye -Able to drive until he was 98 years old (01:44:32) Reflections on Service -People lost so much in the war, and in a way, he counts himself as fortunate -He lost his brothers in the fighting on the Eastern Front -He wonders if he would have survived the war if he hadn’t been in North Africa Main interview ends <At various points throughout the interview, Otto mentions that he can play the harmonica and has memorized about 500 songs of German, French, Russian, and South American origin. From (01:47:25) – (01:48:37) he plays a song as conclusion to his interview.> � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SkoppekO2099V Title A name given to the resource Skoppek, Otto (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-02-07 Description An account of the resource Otto Skoppek was born near Treuberg, East Prussia, on December 15, 1916. Sometime in the early 1940s, he enlisted in the German Army and was assigned to Field Marshal Rommel's Afrika Korps. He served as a paratrooper and went behind British and French lines to disrupt their forces so the Germans could advance. Based on this information, he was most likely in the Ramcke Parachute Brigade. He saw fighting across North Africa in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, and was stationed in Tunis for a time. He did six combat jumps, and fought at El Alamein, Tobruk, and Sollum. In 1943, due to dire supply shortages, he and the other German forces surrendered to American forces. Due to being under Rommel's command, they were treated with great respect and civility. Otto was brought to America and spent the rest of the war at a prisoner-of-war camp in Texas near the Mexican border picking cotton, then briefly at a canning factory in Wyoming. He returned to Germany (most likely in 1946 or 1947), and lived in West Germany until 1957 when he and his wife and child moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Skoppek, Otto Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Germany. Army. Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e0b8102e5863b2b75f29da0a3478938d.m4v 487b450a9a43bf1efb51e7ff2c6d9cfe https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/766ccc9494f4040b0b09b5adef90743d.pdf 2e9828472319b1df1481cf7341e46dc3 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Harold Schaffer World War II 1 hour 30 minutes 54 seconds (00:00:19) Early Life -Born in Flint, Michigan on February 3, 1925 -Grew up in Flint -Both of his parents worked for General Motors in the factory -They had steady work during the Great Depression -He had one brother -Graduated from high school in 1943 (00:01:25) Start of the War -Paid attention to the fighting happening in Europe and Asia -He was listening to the radio Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 when Japan attacked the U.S. -Ran into the kitchen and told his parents about the news -Knew about Hitler's advances in Europe and the Japanese ambassadors in Washington D.C. -Got most of his news from school or from the radio -Didn't know how serious things would get -Heard a little about rationing going into effect -Knew that essential materials like gasoline would be rationed (00:03:55) Getting Drafted -Received his draft notice on July 22, 1943 -Reported for duty on August 12, 1943 -Had registered for the draft when he turned eighteen -Tried to enlist in the Army Air Force to be a pilot, but got rejected -Passed his exams and was sent to Selfridge Field, Michigan for further processing -Half of the men were accepted and the other half were rejected there -Still doesn't know why he got rejected -Went to Fort Custer, Michigan for processing and induction after getting drafted -Got assigned to the Army Air Force there -Issued clothing (00:06:57) Basic Training -Sent to Amarillo, Texas for basic training -Most likely Amarillo Army Air Field -Learned how to take orders and about Army etiquette -He had no problem adjusting to the Army -To him it was a different, new experience -Lived in barracks and ate in a mess hall -Drill sergeants were pretty good -Demanded attention and compliance �-Some men had trouble with adjusting -Some men didn't even know their left foot from their right foot (00:09:53) Ordnance Training -After basic training you got assigned to specialized training -He was initially selected for Gunnery School at Harlingen Army Airfield, Texas -His orders were changed for Flight School -He stayed at Amarillo for a few weeks -Became friends with a drill sergeant -His orders got changed again and he went to Augusta, Georgia -The Army Air Force was building up ordnance companies -The 2012th, 2013th, 2014th, and 2015th -Each company consisted of two hundred men -His company was sent to Jackson, Mississippi -Started getting into the technical aspect there -He held the rank of technician (similar to sergeant, but without leadership responsibility) -Became an expert in his field -Higher skill led to higher rank which led to higher pay -He attained the rank of Technician 4th Grade (similar in pay to sergeant) -From Jackson, Mississippi he went to Aberdeen, Maryland -Most likely Aberdeen Proving Ground -Spent a month there -After that he went to San Francisco, California -Spent a week there waiting for a ship -He was in an ordnance-maintenance company -Meant fixing ground vehicles for the Army Air Force -Mechanics dealt with the aircraft -He didn't have any trouble learning how to fix things despite having no formal experience (00:21:44) Deployment to the Pacific Theatre -Deployed out of San Francisco, California in August 1944 -There were 10,000-15,000 men on the ship he sailed on -His company was quartered on the top deck -Sailed on a converted cruise ship -Sailed alone -Remembers passing under the Golden Gate Bridge -There was a sign that said, "Welcome home, boys!" for after the war -At sea for thirty days -Stopped at Hollandia for a couple weeks -Incredibly hot -Didn't do much there -Sailed from Hollandia to Biak (00:26:47) Stationed at Biak Pt. 1 -There was a B-24 bomb group, B-25 bomb group, P-38 squadron, and C-47 transport planes �-Also an Australian P-40 squadron and a New Zealander P-40 squadron -Biak had a runway that ran over 5,000 feet long -Runway was made of crushed coral -Unloaded equipment and helped set up camp after they arrived -Had to learn how to drive on the left side of the road -After a couple days he got used to it -Left the United States in August 1944 and arrived at Biak in September 1944 -Started building camp from scratch -Lived in tents and established a tent village -Slept on folding cots -Had mosquito netting -Took Atabrine to prevent malaria -Turned your skin yellow -Had one large tent that served as company headquarters -After a while they made modifications to make the camp more comfortable -A few men made a washing machine out of an engine, transmission, and a 55 gallon drum -Had one man that did their laundry -Had minimal clothing to wash though -Modified their clothing to be more comfortable in the tropical weather -Had a water tank on racks with a blowtorch to heat the water -Used it as a gravity fed shower -There was a hangar sized tent for all of their equipment -Large enough to fit two or three fighter planes -Had to keep their equipment out of the rain -It didn't rain much, but when it did it rained a lot -Worked in there -Saw it as a job that had to be done -Had a constant stream of work (00:42:12) Downtime in Biak -Talked with the aircraft mechanics -Had some downtime if there weren't any projects to work on -Talked to air crews -Rode on B-24s and B-25s during test flights after repairs were done -Flew at tree top level -Talked to the mechanics and the flight crews -Went to the ocean and fished with grenades -Natives joined them to get their share of fish -Natives knew to stay out of the water when the grenades exploded -They enjoyed being there for the grenade fishing -Visited other outfits on the island -There was a field hospital and some infantrymen on R&R -Talked to them and heard their war stories (00:46:44) Japanese Bombing -Lost men due to Japanese bombing -Nicknamed a single Japanese bomber "Washing Machine Charlie" �-Flew over at night and dropped bombs indiscriminately -Used anti-personnel bombs to wound and demoralize the American troops -Remembers walking back from a movie one night -Heard the Japanese bomber coming over and he dove for cover hoping to survive -That's when a few men got killed or wounded -He was able to make it through without getting hurt (00:48:53) Working with other Servicemen Pt. 1 -Got along well with the men in his company because they all felt like they were in the same boat -Knew basically everyone in his unit -Met and talked with a few Australian and New Zealander pilots -Talked about where they came from (00:50:10) Plane Crash -Remembers watching an Australian or New Zealander P-40 trying to take off -The pilot couldn't see over the propellor and flew into a fuel tank -The plane, the fuel tank, and the truck carrying the tank exploded -Killed the pilot (00:52:31) Contact with Japanese Soldiers -Japanese soldiers snuck into their camp to steal food -Stragglers that weren't fighting, but hadn't surrendered -Hid out in caves in the jungle (00:54:28) Stationed in the Philippines Pt. 1 -Stayed on Biak for about one year -Note: Most likely for a little less than a year, but definitely into summer 1945 -Moved to Clark Field in the Philippines -From there to Manila -Thought they were going to Saipan to prepare for the invasion of Japan, but then the war ended -By the time they got to Clark Field the area was secure -Had contact with the Filipinos -They did odd jobs like cleaning, helping the cooks, or getting supplies -Filipinos were glad that the Americans were there -Continued with maintenance work at Clark Field (01:00:25) Fighter Pilots -Knew the famous ace Richard Bong while stationed on Biak -Fighter pilots did barrel rolls to show how many planes they shot down -Each roll represented a kill -The fighter planes took off at dawn with the bombers for missions -Sometimes escorted bombers to targets 800 miles away -Australian and New Zealander pilots were ambitious risk takers (01:03:21) Working with other Servicement Pt. 2 -Everyone knew they were there for a reason -Everyone got along and dealt with their situation well because they were in it together -They only complained about wanting to go home, but even that was minimal -They all knew who their enemy was and that their enemy needed to be fought and �defeated -After the war ended in Europe some of those men were shipped to the Pacific -They were used to going to cities for fun -Bored with how little there was to do -Some men had difficulties adjusting to the primitive conditions (01:06:53) End of the War Pt. 1 -Once they got to the Philippines he knew they would win the war -It was just a matter of time -On Biak when President Roosevelt died (April 12, 1945) -Heard about the atomic bombs being dropped -Talked about how that might end the war -Received very little information about the war though -Only got news from letters from home and rumors pilots heard in Australia -Pilots also brought fresh eggs and beef from Australia -Did it as a favor to the maintenance men (01:12:21) Stationed in the Philippines Pt. 2 -Filipinos were friendly -They were glad to see the Americans -Never had any problems with them (01:12:47) End of the War Pt. 2 -When Japan surrendered the question became, "When are we going home?" -Filipinos were glad that the war was over -Sent to Nichols Field in Manila near the end of the war -Had their personnel and equipment there to wait for the next move -Stayed there for two or three weeks -Moved there shortly after the atomic bombs were dropped (01:15:54) Coming Home & End of Service -Returned to the U.S. in February 1946 -Took a Liberty Ship back to the United States -Took a couple weeks to return to the U.S. -Ran into the tail end of a typhoon -Remembers being hit by a huge wave that made the whole ship shake -Pulled into San Pedro Harbor in Los Angeles, California -Got served food by German prisoners of war -Stayed there for a couple weeks waiting for paperwork to be processed -German POWs antagonized the GIs a little bit -Gave out small portions of food unless challenged about it -Some men were ready to jump over the counter and attack the prisoners -From Los Angeles he went to Fort Sheridan, Illinois -Got discharged there in February 1946 -Took a bus back to Flint (01:22:10) Life after the War -Attended college in Flint, Kansas City, and Lansing -Got a variety of jobs and moved around a few times �-Worked in Wisconsin; Lansing, Michigan; and wound up in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Studied engineering in college -Took two years of college at Flint Junior College -Completed college in Kansas City and Lansing -Worked for the airline industry for fourteen years -Worked for Ford in Detroit -Worked on the road for five or six years -Got a job at Rapistan in Grand Rapids -Has lived in Grand Rapids ever since (01:24:46) Reflections on Service & Talons Out Honor Flight -Didn't mind his time in the service -Never got leave during two and a half years in the Army -Thought about staying in the Army, but ultimately decided to go to college -Feels that God took care of him during the war -Went on the Talons Out Honor Flight to Washington D.C. in May 2015 -Got thanked by everyone he and the other veterans met -Unforgettable experience -Feels that he was just doing his job -It was a definite culture shock going straight from high school into the Army -Believes that World War II was a different kind of war compared to conflicts after it -Knew who your enemy was (uniformed combatants) and what your enemy was -Has empathy for the younger veterans and what they endured in Iraq and Afghanistan -Disgusted with how humanity continues to fight itself � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_SchafferH1776V Title A name given to the resource Schaffer, Harold (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-06-02 Description An account of the resource Harold Schaffer was born on February 3, 1925 in Flint, Michigan. After graduating from high school in June 1943 he received his draft notice on July 23, 1943 and reported for active duty on August 12, 1943. He was processed at Fort Custer, Michigan and got assigned to the Army Air Force. He was sent to Amarillo Army Air Field, Texas for basic training and got selected for ordnance training. He trained in Augusta, Georgia and was assigned to an ordnance-maintenance company, then trained in Jackson, Mississippi and Aberdeen, Maryland. He deployed out of San Francisco, California on August 1944 and arrived at Biak in September 1944. His ordnance-maintenance company serviced the ground vehicles used by the Army Air Force and endured mosquitos, intense heat, and bombings from the Japanese. After about a year they moved up to the Philippines and got stationed at Clark Field. Near the end of the war they were sent to Nichols Field near Manila and stayed there through the end of the war. In February 1946 he returned to the United States and was discharged at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Schaffer, Harold Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jones, Adam (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Air Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/be9f3a4481977101d3f967604e2a46bd.m4v ce51212d68fd2b6a4ed1d24318b5dab0 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3713de853103d9a3d059837296bf1755.pdf 19dd0cf5bc86308f2950182d2367c661 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Larry Rosencrans Vietnam War 1 hour 44 minutes 12 seconds (00:00:16) Early Life -Born in Muskegon Michigan, on December 2nd 1948. -Grew up in Muskego, but moved often. -Attended school in Whitehall and several other schools. -Step father worked various jobs: construction, roofing, baking, bus driving, postal carrier, raised animals, etc. -Graduated from Oakridge High School in 1967. -During high school worked at a foundry. -Received his draft notice in 1969. -Signed up for college, but drafted before taking classes. -Had lost older friends to the Vietnam War already. -Although he didn’t go out of his way to pay close attention to news of the War, he did pick up on a number of things. -Recalls getting out of Ravenna High School the day Kennedy was shot. -Saw newscasts during the time of the Tet Offensive. -Considered moving to Canada in spite of the draft. -However he chose to be drafted. -Took a vote amongst their family. -Family was no stranger to hunting and using guns. (00:05:00) -He was familiar with hunting for purpose. -However he was not interested in killing people. -Busses shuttled them from downtown Muskegon to Detroit for physical exams. -Exam standards did not seem too picky. Very rushed. -Some men attempted to fail the exam by getting drunk the night before. -After physicals they were sent back to Muskegon for induction. -Next they were sent to Detroit once again. -Captains were ordering certain men to wax the floor. Basic Training at Fort Knox and AIT Training at Fort Polk -From Detroit they were sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training. -He was not a smoker or drinker, so often he would be indoors in the barracks. -He trained with a number of people from Muskegon as well. -Training consisted of marching, firing range practice, working to think as a unit, exercise. -The camp next door had an ersatz pool full of sugar sand. -Swimming was part of that unit’s routine. (00:10:00) -In general the drill sergeants treated them like dirt. -He has a hearing condition that caused him to hear vowels differently. �-E.g. hearing “towel” instead of “shovel”. -Caused him to frequently get punished for what was a misunderstanding. -They never followed up on his explanations. -Basic training lasted about 6 ~ 8 weeks. -Their Sergeant conflicted with the top Sergeant of the Company and got fired. -And so they trained without a Platoon Sergeant for a time. -Eventually their platoon was given a “babysitter”. -During their assignment he was chosen for officer school. -He was assigned to Tigerland in Fort Polk Louisiana for infantry training. -Never applied for officer’s school. -Likely chosen because his scores were good. -He also had a SPN number (SPN or SPD or SDN code) that was a secret code intended to show to potential employers that he would be a “trouble maker”. -Fort Polk weather was just like a humid jungle. -Locals would occasionally fire guns dangerously nearby. -Mock Vietnamese villages were setup. -Training in mud. (00:15:00) -A Jeep was buried amongst the mud. -While they were being lectured they had a mock Viet Cong sneak up behind the speaker to illustrate the importance of awareness. -Some of the military training officials had already been to the War in Vietnam. -Heard highly unconventional things from them about taking their own weapons with them. -E.g. sawed-off shotguns. -The veterans told them stories about mutilations, from both sides. -They were exposed to gas to experience what it would be like. -He desired to be as prepared as possible, so he requested to repeat the gas chamber. -There were opportunities to leave the base. -However he wasn’t interested. -Not interested in partying. -The town wasn’t considered safe. (00:20:00) -While growing up he was heavily exposed to Christian teaching. -He was on the Bible debate team. -AIT training at Fort Polk lasted about 6 ~ 8 weeks. -At the graduation exam, the entire Company failed. -Part of the exam: blind folded gun assembly. -While piercing a tire with his bayonet it got stuck. -Friends of his that got lost on a maneuver. -They sent them all to Vietnam anyway. -They were given X amount of days before reporting to San Diego to depart to Vietnam. -Larry, with his friends, convinced a local to fly them via biplane to the airport. -Returned home from there before departing to Vietnam. -The buck sergeants that were doing the training were new and in training themselves. -Flew home via a civilian chartered plane. �(00:25:00) -On the flight to Vietnam they stopped in Alaska, then an island of Japan, then to Vietnam. -Possible they may have stopped at the Philippines as well. Vietnam in the Jungles -Uncertain of their landing site, but it was either Long Binh or Bien Hoa -Landed in Vietnam during the day. -Next took another vehicle to a different site closer to their unit. -Upon landing he was struck by the powerful smell of the musk and rot in the jungle. -Witnessed piles high of black body bags with dead soldiers. -The veteran soldiers were highly emotional at the sight of their arrival. -He arrived in Vietnam in July of 1969. -An adjustment to earlier statements: -May have taken a flight from Okinawa to this Vietnam base. -Near Saigon. A base very large in size. -Locals attempted to sell the new soldiers a variety of items. -E.g. marijuana packed in cigarettes for $2.00. (00:30:00) -Eventually they arrived at Camp Enari, near Pleiku Vietnam. -4th infantry division’s base. -Next they proceeded to their brief training. -Shooting at “pop up” mock targets. -Included women, children, dogs. -Instruction on hygiene: keeping their feet dry to avoid dry rot. -Shots up to date. -No training on Vietnamese culture or locals. -He was assigned to 1st [Battalion] of the 12th [Regiment] 4th Infantry [Division], Charlie Company, the second platoon. -Upon his arrival his platoon was out in the jungle. -He was dropped off at landing zone Penny (LZ Penny). -Endured some minor attacks while they waited for the platoon to return. -They returned on August 3rd, and he left with them the next day. -Adjusting to the new experiences was a lot to take in. -Getting cut on foliage, mosquitoes, paranoia about noises, weather. -A machine gunner had his weapon caught on a branch and shot himself in the leg. -No thorough instruction: they were given roles amongst their team walking in the jungle. -Using the machete in front. -Being “on point” by the third day. (00:35:00) -Taking turns having guard duty. -The entire Company was out in the jungle on a sweep. -Heavy casualties meant that many roles were left empty. -The first night in the jungle he experienced. -Very uncomfortable but not attacked. -Humidity, mosquitoes, downpours, then fog. -Recalling another night; they were waiting for a Lieutenant to arrive. �-One of the soldiers had prostitutes flown in to the site. -It was at that time the Lieutenant arrived. -Essentially ignored the situation. -Larry as well as a soldier of Hopi Indian descent were the only two to abstain. (00:40:00) -Began volunteering for assignments. -Considered it more desirable than the alternatives. E.g. spit shining. -At that point would have preferred to “take a bullet” just to get out of Vietnam. -Leading up to this, a number of experiences that wore out his stamina for the War: -A large assault on an NVA position -Given food, movies, and a free call home. -He came down with malaria three times. -Given flu shots for his malaria symptoms. -Eventually when he had malaria the fourth time, sent to Japan. -Was not treated for malaria properly by the military. -Additionally he was allergic to penicillin. -Also while in the Japanese hospital (later) he found out he had G6PD. -A genetic blood condition. -The jungle is so thick that you can’t see more than a foot ahead of you. (00:45:00) -Happened upon some kind of ancient pyramid structure in the jungle. -While on assignment to pick up a CIA “ghost”. -After coming to a town that had been abandoned in their expectation, his comrades wanted to rob the locals of their abandoned valuables. -He managed to talk them out of it. -Once they found the CIA “ghost” they insisted that he walk in front of them through jungle. -Because of distrust of government officials. -E.g. government had claimed there was a cease fire on New Year’s, however it was a lie. -Wondered whether he could be a double agent. -Another type of assignment he would volunteer for: -Listening for any movement. -Communicated via radio noise. -A friend he knew was on a listening assignment when a tiger attacked him. (00:50:00) -Witnessed explosions, tracers, and bullets in the background and in the sky at night. -A different time, this was shortly after he arrived, there was a rocket attack. -Killed their motor team, three men and a sergeant were wounded. -Returned fire which granted him a combat infantry medal. -Yet another event while rescuing a platoon: -He was injured in his finger. -Several soldiers were killed in an ambush. -He cleared the way and returned with the platoon. (00:55:00) -Recounts an attack where he injured his hand. -It was not life threatening and so they opted to wait until the next day to treat it. -Their experiences were of living in the jungle. Not at a base. �-He became a radio operator. He would hear surreal and shocking things over radio. -E.g. soldiers that would leave the area to go to the bathroom, lapse in protocol and be mistakenly shot by their own soldiers. (01:00:00) -One assignment he was ordered to protect bulldozers. -Due to the monsoons and the chaos they were likely drinking the chemicals from Agent Orange. -They would use M113 carriers to flush enemies out of the brush. -Riding the carriers like a horse or a bull. -Some soldiers would harass locals doing their wash by shooting near them and watching them flee. -One instance, on the M113 carrier he ran into a nest of ants. -After throwing his shirt into the carrier hatch he accidentally spread the ants to those inside. -His duration with the 4th Infantry Division lasted approximately from August 3rd until October of 1969. (01:05:00) Leaving Vietnam and Fort Hood -Signed up for training in small engine repair. -He was taken by helicopter back to Camp Enari and then back to the base where he was to be trained. -His new superior was pleased to have a soldier with experience as a new mechanic. -Not a “pencil pusher” type. -No formal training. Learning as you go. -A few days later he came down with malaria again. -Some time in November. -Before Christmas at some point he was taken to Japan for his malaria. -Stayed there until February. -Now he is intended to be sent back to the US. -Requires flying back to Vietnam to do so. -Once back in Vietnam he discovered he had no flying or traveling orders. (01:10:00) -Eventually he traded money in exchange for getting his flying orders. -Leaves Vietnam in February. -Is sent to Fort Hood, Texas. -Given enough to go home to see family before returning to Fort Hood. -In the US, he was insulted during times he would wear his uniform. -Despite any political disagreement, he was proud for his service. -At Fort Hood, he was assigned the light heavy duty mechanic duty. -Then became a clerk, and a motor pool clerk. -Worked as a specialist. -Had on job training for automotive repair. -Because of these new benefits it was highly tempting to remain in the military. -But because of the seeming senselessness of some decision making he desired to leave. -His duration at Fort Hood lasted from 1970 to 1972. -He was present during the protest by Jane Fonda. (01:15:00) �-During his time there he would drink occasional wine (mixed with soda). -During his time in the hospital in Japan he smoked marijuana once. -Then at Fort Hood he had marijuana occasionally. -Served a purpose for him to lessen his nightmares and help relax. -The military didn’t attempt to convince him to remain in the service. -He made his intentions clear. Returning to Earlier Comments, Misc. and Post War Life -Encountered the local Vietnamese during sweeps. -After the one battle, they swept a significant city nearby. -Encountered them in observation, searching, etc. -Not very much prolonged interaction. (01:20:00) -Garbage dumps had to be guarded so locals couldn’t make weapons. -The moral when he arrived in Vietnam was very low. -Casualties and attacks had worn them down. -Have low expectations: “consider yourself already dead”. -That way everything else is a positive. -Regarding his location when he was flown out for the small engine repair assignment: -Last leg of his flight took him into Saigon. -Yet there’s no flight from there so he’s required to take a taxi with guns and ammo. -Had a lengthy conversation with the taxi driver about his home life and beliefs. (01:25:00) -Did not witness very much racial tension on the base during his time. -Because he was in the jungle, the situation was different. -Required more trust. (01:30:00) -At Fort Hood he had quite a few black friends. -In one situation they were made to leave a German club. -Dreams and nightmares from his service still linger. -Undertook stress management at the VA. -However the bureaucracy and legalities are a burden. -Has not received his purple heart. (01:35:00) -During one of his malaria recovery periods in treatment there was rocket fire nearby. -They moved the patients to a bunker. -He met Johnny Cash while they were taking refuge in the bunker. -After his discharge from the military in 1972 he went to Muskegon Community College. -Went for auto mechanics. -Worked at a dealership where he was injured in a car accident. -Underwent training at Ferris for heavy equipment management. -Transferred to Western Michigan University to finish Bachelor of Science degree. -While in Fort Hood he married and had a family. -Divorced in 72/73. -Entered a second marriage. -Worked as an auditor for Speedway. �-Went into automotive management. (01:40:00) -Often changed jobs, got bored and required something new. -Went to massage school. -Positive aspects of service in the military: -Met some good people. -Traveled the world. -Helped to give him a broader view of the world and events. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_RosencransL1901V Title A name given to the resource Rosencrans, Larry Michael (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-11-24 Description An account of the resource Larry Rosencrans was born in Muskegon, Michigan in 1948. After high school he was drafted in 1967 and his basic training took place at Fort Knox, Kentucky. At Fort Polk, Louisiana he underwent his AIT training before being sent to Vietnam in 1969. Near Pleiku Vietnam at Camp Enari he underwent more training, and then he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. In the jungles Larry would participate in a number of missions until 1969 when he left Vietnam. From 1970-1972 his mechanical repair skills came in handy in Fort Hood, Texas where he worked as a heavy duty mechanic, then later as a motor pool clerk. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rosencrans, Larry Michael Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e218f46f4c29a0e281d1a98145fb3aad.m4v 31ef878c64ba2f75c6af55ed3dac293f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/60e39d05f3fa54fdc257000177f215b6.pdf 07ad7809c34b587ad67ebe59e9e3cfe2 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Theresa Robinson Post-Vietnam Cold War 55 minutes 47 seconds (00:00:39) Early Life -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 20, 1955 at St. Mary's Hospital -Grew up in Grand Rapids -Father was the plant supervisor for Packaging Corporation of America -Served in World War Two as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army (00:01:32) Vietnam War & Racial Conflict -Watched the news a lot while growing up -It was a big deal when they did the draft lottery on the evening news -Randomly selected a birthday, and all men born on that day were drafted -Older brother enlisted in the Navy to avoid being sent to Vietnam as a draftee -Served as a corpsman in the United States -There was racial tension in Grand Rapids -Remembers curfews at 6 PM -Remembers the racial fighting happening in downtown Grand Rapids -Went to St. Alphonsus Catholic School and Catholic Central High School -Very few minority students, but she was exposed to poor and minority people -Had no problems with poor, or non-white people (00:05:14) Enlisting in the Navy -Graduated from high school at 17 years old -Started college with the intention of becoming a nurse -Decided that that wasn't for her -Worked at Meijer and didn't enjoy it -An older sister's friend came and stayed with Theresa's family for a little while -Talked about basic training in the Navy -Impressed Theresa and persuaded her to enlsit in the Navy -Went and talked to a Navy recruiter -Signed up to take a test to get into the Navy -Encouraged to go into electronics or another math oriented duty in the Navy -Wanted to be a personnelman so she could work with people -Sworn in in Detroit -18 years old when she enlisted in the Navy -Family didn't approve of her enlisting in the Navy -Father and older brother didn't want her to join -Father felt that women didn't belong in the military -Brother didn't think the military was worth joining -Enlisted in February 1974 (00:10:05) Basic Training -Went to Naval Training Center Orlando, Florida for basic training -Men and women trained together �-Reported to Detroit to go to Florida -Mother saw her off, but her father was too emotional to see her off -Excited to start her time in the Navy -Flew down to Orlando -Sat next to a girl from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan -Greeted by a stern Naval officer -Brought to a bus and waited for more recruits -Same officer boarded the bus and barked orders at the new recruits -Took her by surprise -Arrived at the base at night -Got up at 5:30 AM the next day -Assigned to a training company -30 to 40 women in each training company -Each company shared a barracks -Competed against the other training companies -Basic training lasted nine weeks -Passed her locker inspection without any difficulties -Catholic schools prepared her for discipline and taking orders -Understood the necessity of taking orders -Some women didn't understand why they needed to take orders -One woman washed out after two weeks because she found out that she was pregnant -She was in Training Company 3104 -Had to create a flag and write a marching song for the company -Last training company to be treated like women -Didn't run because it was considered to be improper for women to run -Some of the physical training was cancelled due to the heat -Only did part of the obstacle course -Did swimming tests -Some women were afraid of the water -Did calisthenics in a gym -Learned how to properly march -Stood watch in the barracks -Night before a physical competition a jealous company commander tore apart their bunks -Jealous that Theresa's company was performing so well -Had to get their bunks and lockers organized by 6 AM, the day of the competition -Spent part of each day in classes -Learned about the Uniform Code of Military Justice and took tests on it -Learned about Navy terminology -Taught Navy rank and protocol -Made sure to salute everyone during basic training -Learned how to behave as a sailor -The week before graduating from basic training they received liberty -Had to be back to base by midnight -Went to the fanciest restaurant that they could find and had a few cocktails �-Volunteered to be a squad leader -Encountered hostility from black female recruits because she was white and Polish -Received threats -Offered protection, but she declined -Hostility came as a shock to her -Thought racial conflicts ended in the 1960s -Saw a lot of sexism in the Navy (00:24:15) Personnel School -At the end of basic training she was sent to "A" School -Stayed at Naval Training Center Orlando for that -Made sure that her contract specified two things: -The length of her enlistment -She would become a personnelman -Allowed to come and go with more freedom -Had a room and shared it with only one other female sailor -Spent nights at the Enlisted Men's Club -Learned how to type up paperwork and the proper terms to use in that paperwork -Based on memorization, so it wasn't very difficult -At the end of "A" School you filled out a "dream sheet" (where you wanted to serve) -She wound up getting assigned to San Diego -Remembers one of her choices was Spain (00:27:12) Stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar -Sent to Naval Air Station, Miramar in San Diego, California -Assigned to the Personnel Office for VF-124, a fighter plane squadron -Note: She may have been in VF-121, not VF-124 -Pilots in the squadron trained with the F-14 fighter jet -Most elite fighter jet in the military at the time -Took care of enlisted men's records -Had only one computer in the Personnel Office and only one sailor knew how to use it -Used electric typewriters for paperwork -There were seven enlisted personnel and one officer in her office -She was the newest person in the office -There were only three women and the rest were men -Had some Filipinos working in the office -They all made Polish jokes directed at her -She finally retaliated and made a Filipino joke -Got in trouble and was reprimanded for the joke -Defended herself and called out the double standard -After that the workplace environment improved -Transferred to the Student Personnel Office -Better environment -Gave tours of the base for the new personnel and helped them with any problems -Loved doing that work (00:32:31) Sexism in the Navy Pt. 1 -Didn't have a car and had to walk from her barracks to the office in her dress uniform �-Men cat called, whistled, and yelled obscenities at her -Bought a car just so she didn't have to walk from her barracks to the office -Female sailors were sent to a dance just so they could dance with male sailors -Told to go have dinner with sailors on a New Zealand ship -Didn't behave any better than the American sailors -Ordered to supervise the cleaning of the office -One of the men refused to listen to her orders -Her boyfriend (future-husband) came in and intervened on her behalf -Boyfriend was commended and she was apologized to by the commander (00:36:45) Officers -Worked with a lot of pilots -Easy going and just wanted to fly -Had one officer that was an older man and a fair man -One Master Chief got in a lot of trouble for attacking her at the Enlisted Men's Club -He later apologized to her after he sobered up (00:38:17) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -Grew up a lot -Learned to stand her ground (00:38:28) Iranian Pilots -There were a lot of Iranian pilots at NAS Miramar when she was there -Didn't talk to the American pilots -Didn't talk to the American enlisted personnel -She asked her company commander why there were Iranian pilots on the base -They were being trained with the F-14 and being sold some of the F-14s -Weren't being sold any spare parts (00:39:47) Getting Married -Had been at NAS Miramar for about a half a year when she met her husband -Met him at the Enlisted Men's Club -He drove her to a convenience store on base to get a pack of cigarettes -He even went inside and bough them for her -Got married while they were both still on active duty (00:41:25) Sexism in the Navy Pt. 2 -Men and women lived in separate barracks -Even the women were divided based on sexuality -Straight women were on the second floor of the barracks -Lesbians were on the third floor of the barracks -Received a lot of attention from the male sailors -There were Marines on the base and one of the Marines paid a lot of attention to her -She agreed to go on a casual date and eventually had to fight her way out of his car -Marine officer learned about the incident and apologized to her -Offending Marine disappeared and was never seen again -After she got married most of the harassment faded away (00:45:37) Lost Pilots �-While at NAS Miramar two F-14s were lost in one week -Meant that four pilots were killed -The squadron mourned for two weeks -Planes had gone into a death spiral and the men ejected straight into the ground -Tragedy was made even worse because some of the men had families (00:46:35) End of Service -She signed up for a "2 by 6" enlistment -Two years of active duty -Two years of active reserve -Two years of inactive reserve -Discharged from active duty at NAS Miramar -Did her active reserve duty at NAS Miramar -Once a month on the base -Not liked by the active duty personnel because she was only active reserve -Married and pregnant at the time -Typed up her own discharge papers -Pregnant, which meant she would be discharged and never had to serve -Less than a year later her husband got out of the Navy (00:48:50) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -It was a great experience mixed with bad experiences -Learned to understand the importance of the military -Learned more about the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement -Felt that the protestors were attacking the wrong people -Should have gone after the politicians, not the soldiers -Didn't tell people she was a veteran until later in life -Feels that politicians should be protested, but soldiers should be supported (00:50:53) Veterans' Groups -Got involved with veterans' groups when she was in her late 40s, or early 50s -Got involved with the American Legion -Became the commander of American Legion Post 258 -Still involved with American Legion Post 459 -Commander of United Veterans Council of Kent County, Michigan -Wants to make sure that veterans get benefits and loved ones are recognized -Veterans and loved ones of veterans make sacrifices -Involved with the Kent County Veterans' Millage -Works in the Veterans' Services Office -Staffed by younger veterans -Feels that we owe it to veterans to help them (00:54:04) Civilian Life -Now works as a real estate agent -Has done that for 17 years -Had four children and raised them -Became a real estate agent after she got done raising her children -Even in the Navy she was encouraged to go into real estate � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_RobinsonT1749V Title A name given to the resource Robinson, Theresa (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-23 Description An account of the resource Theresa Robinson was born on September 20, 1955 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enlisted in the Navy in February 1974 and began basic training at Naval Training Center Orlando, Florida in March 1974. She received personnelman training at Naval Training Center Orlando and upon completion of that was assigned to Naval Air Station Miramar, California. She worked in the Personnel Office and the Student Personnel Office for VF-121 (an F-14 fighter squadron). She completed her active duty at NAS Miramar and voluntarily left the active reserves in either late 1976, or early 1977. Theresa was the commander of American Legion Post 258 and is still a member of American Legion Post 459. She is also the commander of the United Veterans Council of Kent County, Michigan and works in the Veterans' Services Office. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Robinson, Theresa Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Naval Reserve. Women's Reserve Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/481a2069776f2f3fc6f235d512c86daf.m4v 2288b500001b75e9dec72f3510ab7e2a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/98bafa2e7f6d031cc1238bca07cdd759.pdf 8002cb5f203f19c1ae547a0352f2a94c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project George Robinson Post-Vietnam Cold War 59 minutes 29 seconds (00:00:38) Early Life -Born in Billings, Montana on July 3, 1954 -Father was transferred to California, Washington, Kansas, and back to Montana -Settled down in Montana when George was nine years old -Worked in finance services -Served aboard the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) in the Korean War -Mother was a medical secretary and did transcriptions for doctors -Graduated from high school in 1973 (00:02:30) Vietnam War -Very aware of the Vietnam War -Watched the evening news and saw footage from the war and anti-war protests -Father was pro-military -He was in the Civil Air Patrol and the Reserve Officers' Training Corps in high school -Aware of the events happening in the country and in Vietnam -Two of his football coaches were drafted and sent to fight in Vietnam -Came back changed men -Older brother was drafted, but never got called up to serve (00:04:47) Enlisting in the Navy -Planned on enlisting in the Navy after high school -Always fascinated by planes and the water -Meant that since middle school he was interested in going into Naval Aviation -Enlisted two or three months before graduating (spring 1973) -Recruiters were happy that he enlisted -Went to Butte, Montana for his enlistment physicals -Exciting to get into the Navy -Took an aptitude test to see where he would do well in the Navy -Told he would do well as an aviation structure mechanic -Fit him well since he liked to work with his hands -Eventually got the job that he was promised (00:07:51) Basic Training -Ordered to report to San Diego, California for basic training -Got to fly there, which he enjoyed -Went through basic training with his best friend -When they arrived in San Diego the Navy recruits were calmly told to go wait for a bus -The Marine recruits were screamed at and immediately given orders -Arrived in San Diego at night -Brought into a big room on the base -Formed a training company -Given a brief orientation �-Taken to get food then issued a bunk for the night -The next day they got up early and walked over to a building for further processing -Vaccinations, haircut, and breakfast -Basic training was split into two phases -Together they amounted to about nine weeks -Shorter because the Vietnam War was coming to an end -First phase of basic training was a week and a half, or two weeks -Worked on discipline, protocol, and getting used to working as a unit -A lot of the recruits resisted discipline -Didn't make sense to him since they were all volunteers -There was some ethnic tension in the first phase of training -Had an idea of what to expect from his experience in the ROTC -If someone resisted, or made a mistake, the entire company was punished -Ex. Standing at attention in the cold at 12:30 AM -Men washed out -One man smashed his own head on bathroom tile to get discharged -Next phase focused on the details of being a sailor -Navy history -Uniform Code of Military Justice -Ranks in the Navy -Seamanship -Didn't receive any specialized training in basic training -Basic training consisted of marches and classroom work -Learned about ships and the parts of ships -Had a mock ship called the USS Recruit (TDE-1) Learned about how to navigate a ship and the jargon used on a ship -Learned how to fight fires on ships -How to go into a room with a fire and put out a fire -Received gas training -Went into a room and put on a gas mask, then tear gas was pumped into the room -Once the room filled with gas they had to take off their masks -Unenjoyable, but not traumatizing -There was a lot of pomp and ceremony for graduation -Received orders for further training -"Cinderella Liberty" -Got to leave base, but had to be back by midnight -Received dress uniforms -All white, and more like an officer's uniform than the "traditional" uniform -Marching to graduation a seagull pooped on him -Nothing he could do to clean it off -Didn't get in trouble for it though (00:23:17) Aviation Structure Mechanic School -Received orders for Naval Air Technical Training Center Memphis -Sent to the "A" School to learn how to be an aviation structure mechanic -"A" School would be like undergraduate school �-"Fleet" is like an internship, and "C" School is like graduate school -Lasted six weeks -Focused on learning about metallurgy and riveting -A lot of classroom work and hands-on training -Learned about hydraulics, metals, and locks and oxygen systems -Trained from 9 AM to 5 PM then had homework -The base was away from Memphis, and there wasn't much to do on base except study -Didn't bother him because he was underage anyway -Limited transportation off base limited travel off base too (00:27:00) Stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar -Received orders for VFP-63 at NAS Miramar, San Diego, California -VFP-63: Light photographic squadron of the Navy -Upon arrival he checked in with the chief of the squadron -Had jets coming and going all the time, so it was always very loud -Worked with variants of the F-8 Crusader -F8J: fighter jet and RF-8G: photo reconnaisance -There were five detachments aboard five different carriers at sea, and the "Home Guard" -He was part of the "Home Guard" which supported the five detachments -Supplied jets to the detachments and repaired jets for the detachments -Helped train new pilots before they went to an aircraft carrier -There was always something to do -The F-8s were older jets and always needed repair -Repaired jets due to rough carrier landings, or hard landings at Miramar -Replacing brakes, arresting gear, or landing gear -Stopping corrosion from salt water -The base worked 24 hours a day and there were three different shifts -Afternoon and evening shifts were more relaxed -Had enough work, so there was always something to do -Went to Naval Air Station North Island and collected parts from the "boneyard" -Place where planes were retired and used for scrap (00:33:27) Carrier Duty -Did "night qualifications" aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Ranger aircraft carriers -Went aboard a carrier for two weeks and sailed around Alameda, California -Pilots had to fly at night before going to a carrier at sea -He worked as a troubleshooter on the flight deck at night -There were never any major injuries or accidents while he was on the carriers -Most injuries were basic bumps and scrapes -Worst accident happened after he left the USS Ranger -A jet made a hard landing and the landing gear hit, and killed, a sailor -Jets took basic damage because of being flown by new pilots -Exciting to be on the flight deck of aircraft carriers (00:37:13) Men of VFP-63 -Unit was diverse in terms of military careers -One man had fought with the Marines in Vietnam and transferred to the Navy -Men that had been in Vietnam and served off the coast of Vietnam �-A lot of them had enlisted out of high school (00:38:26) Post-Vietnam Military Climate & Morale -Saigon fell in April 1975 -After the fall of Saigon the Navy maintained a minimal presence near Vietnam -There were financial cuts to the military -Negative public opinion of the military after the Vietnam War -Civilians ignored servicemen, but weren't rude -Felt like being nonexistent -Shops wanted money from sailors, but didn't want to deal with sailors -Morale was good in his unit -Nobody was having major problems, or getting thrown in jail -There was recreational drug use, but it never caused problems (00:41:56) Foreign Military -Saw Iranian officers at NAS Miramar -Buying stripped down F-14 fighter jets from the U.S. government -Fortunately, they weren't sold any scrap parts -In 1979 Iran was taken over by religious extremists (00:44:30) Downtime -Spent time with cowboys -Went to country bars -Set up informal, impromptu rodeos -Didn't spend a lot of time in downtown San Diego -There were still a lot of hippies in San Diego -Found them interesting, but felt no connection with them (00:45:40) Getting Married -Met his wife, Theresa, while stationed at NAS Miramar -Wife was in VF-121 -Known for Top Gun -Met his wife at the Enlisted Men's Club in late 1975 -Navy didn't care about fraternizing between men and women -At the time, women were kept separate from the men -Different barracks -Not allowed to serve aboard ships -Most did clerical or medical work -Didn't notice any tension between men and women -There were more men in the Navy than women if his own unit was evident -Received orders for HT-8 (helicopter squadron) in Florida -Supposed to report there the week he was scheduled to get married -Wife pulled some strings and his orders for HT-8 were cancelled -Got married and moved into an apartment in San Diego -Secluded, nice apartment, but it got broken into -Decided to move to an apartment in Poway, California (north of San Diego) -Brand new apartment -Spent their first Christmas there together -Lived below the poverty line, but managed (00:52:43) End of Service �-Signed up for four years -Planned on making a career out of the Navy, but getting married changed that -Doesn't regret getting married, just wonders how different life would've been -Left active duty in August 1977 (00:53:43) Life after the Navy -Had his first child, a son, in May 1977 -Went on to have three more children -Planned on returning to Montana, but the economy was bad -Moved to Theresa's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan -Lived with her parents for a few months -Got a job at Metzgar Conveyors through his in-laws -Applied to a lot of different businesses that dealt with airplanes -Didn't have the necessary license paperwork from the Navy, so he couldn't do that -Brother-in-law worked for the Postal Service -Took the Civil Service Test and a year later he was hired -Wound up working for the Post Office for 37 years (00:57:07) Reflections on Service -Helped him understand different people and different ethnicities -Exposure, working, and living with different people -Showed him that everyone is human, for better and for worse � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_RobinsonG1750V Title A name given to the resource Robinson, George S (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-23 Description An account of the resource George Robinson was born on July 3, 1954 in Billings, Montana. Shortly before graduating from high school in 1973 he enlisted in the Navy. He received basic training in San Diego, California and went to Aviation Structure Mechanic School at Naval Air Technical Training Center Memphis, Tennessee. He was assigned to Naval Air Station Miramar, California and worked in VFP-63 (a photo reconnaisance squadron). He also did work aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Ranger on two week training exercises near Alameda, California. He stayed with VFP-63 at NAS Miramar until he left active duty in August 1977. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Robinson, George S. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/34b64558d00a7960c3d05d1adeefeb87.m4v 9ee0a3998cc126e13e370d78f5aa891b https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1783334ffdafbd2d9deba39b0521c53d.pdf de84a473c04c9db1fd3627c95eee8329 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Allan Reynolds World War II & Cold War (1946-1961) 51 minutes 14 seconds (00:00:25) Early Life -Born in Grand Haven, Michigan -Most likely born on April 19, 1923 -Lived there for five years -Lived in a big Army tent on the beach -Taught himself how to swim -Caught and sold crabs -Father was a crewmember of a cargo ship -Parents divorced when he was five or six years old -Had a brother two and a half years older than him -After his parents divorced he, his mother, and brother moved to Coopersville, Michigan -Lived on a farm there for six months -Moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Moved all over Grand Rapids until they settled on the West Side on Turner Avenue -Went to Creston High School for a few weeks before transferring to Union High School -Graduated from Union High School in 1941 (00:03:45) Enlisting in the Navy -Enlisted in the Navy after graduating from high school -Always wanted to join the Navy and see the world -Wanted to get into naval aviation (00:04:19) Training -Received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Sent to Aviation Radio School in San Diego, California -Learned radio code -Learned about radio instruments (gyroscopes, compasses, and radio equipment) -Enjoyed that training -At the end of Aviation Radio School he was allowed to choose Hawaii or Alaska for his station -Chose Alaska because it seemed more adventurous than Hawaii (00:05:35) Start of the War -On December 7, 1941 he was on a mountain overlooking the base in Alaska -Note: Most likely stationed at Naval Air Station Kodiak -Saw planes taking off from the airfield -A group of infantrymen threw him a rifle -He ran down to the base to see what was happening -Ordered to man a machine gun emplacement at the end of the runway -Had never used a machine gun before -Had no idea if Alaska was going to be attacked too �(00:06:40) Battle of the Aleutian Islands -Transferred to Dutch Harbor, Amaknak Island of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska -Flew patrols looking for Japanese ships -If they found any they maintained their distance and reported their finding -Japanese attacked and invaded the Aleutian Islands at Attu and Kiska in June 1942 -Flew raids out of Dutch Harbor against the invading Japanese -Didn't have to directly engage the Japanese -On one occasion they almost sank one of their own submarines -Each patrol plane had a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radioman (his position) and an engineer (00:09:29) Flight School Pt. 1 -Sent to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington -Squadron received new aircraft -Volunteered to go to Flight School -Accepted into the program -Received two years of flight training -Started off training in Louisiana with the Piper Cub -Sent to Memphis, Tennessee for training with biplanes -Completed training in Pensacola, Florida with mult-engine aircraft -Trained with the PBY and PBM -Received his pilot wings there -Mother and future-wife came to that ceremony -Loved flying -Beautiful flying over cities at night -On one flight he saw a complete, circular rainbow above the clouds -Flight School kept him out of the fighting (00:13:06) Adjusting to the Navy -Had no problem with Navy discipline -Received the Good Conduct Medal (00:13:20) Leave -Allowed 30 days of leave each year -Didn't use it though because he was busy with Flight School (00:14:20) Flight School Pt. 2 -After the first 30 days of Flight School the majority of training was class work -Learned about navigation, weather maps, law, and aviation history -Upon completion he was an Aviation Pilot, Petty Officer 1st Class as an Ensign -Had a commission -At the bottom of the officer hierarchy -Felt like being a recruit again (00:15:54) Operational Training -Received Operational Training in Jacksonville and Naval Air Station Banana River, Florida -Further training with multi-engine, heavy aircraft with the PBY and PBM -Six months of training (00:16:30) Operation Crossroads -At Bikini Atoll in 1946 for atomic bomb tests with VH-4 Squadron �-His plane was the first to land in the lagoon after the explosion to collect a water sample -Had to wear Geiger counters to monitor radiation exposure -Blast was so bright they couldn't look directly at it -Remembers watching the mushroom cloud roll up into the sky -Gave him an idea of how destructive the atomic bombs used on Japan were (00:18:52) Stationed on the West Coast -After Flight School he was stationed on the West Coast -Never had to engage in combat while he was stationed on the West Coast -Flew patrols over the Pacific Ocean looking for Japanese ships -Flew at 10,000 feet -Had heaters in the plane -Wore cumbersome leather flight suits (00:19:51) Living Conditions in the Navy -While in Bikini Atoll they slept in barracks -In Alaska he slept in a Quonset hut -Got snowed in once -Had a single pot-bellied stove for warmth -Couldn't even open the door -Had to dig their way to the latrine tent (00:21:01) Morale & Contact with Home -Morale was high -Attributes that to the fact that everyone in his squadron were volunteers -Regularly received mail from home -Future-wife wrote him every day (00:22:07) Timeline of World War Two -At the beginning of the war he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands -Spent most of the war in Flight School training around the United States -On the West Coast for the end of the war (00:23:52) Operation Highjump -From the Bikini Atoll his unit returned to the United States to be decommissioned -At the time, the U.S. feared a possible Soviet settlement in Antarctica -Decided to send down military personnel to map Antarctica before they couldn't -Formed two new squadrons to gather intelligence -One squadron was basically wiped out in a crash -Set back the operation because his squadron had to help -Eventually got to Antarctica and began their mapping operations -Mapped and photographed everything from Bellamy's Islands to the Ross Ice Shelf -Got down to Antarctica on Christmas 1946 -He had a trough named after him; Reynolds Trough -Low, long frozen area in Antarctica -Previously undiscovered -Flew along the coast with photographers -Enjoyabe and interesting expedition -Saw huge icebergs and deep, wildly blue crevasses in the glaciers -Discovered a collection of frozen lakes �-Landed in them and took samples -Used seaplanes and launched from the seaplane tenders USS Pine Island and USS Currituck -Slept and ate on the ship that they launched from -Left the Antarctic on April 19, 1947 (his birthday) -Never saw any Soviets during the expedition (00:29:04) Navy Career -He was in the Navy for 10 years and decided to reenlist -Missed his family and thought about getting out, but decided to stay in for 10 more years -Had a wife and three daughters living in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the time -They were able to accompany him at future duty stations -Stationed at Midway, various parts of the U.S., and spent two years in Great Britain -Family was able to accompany him in those places -Able to travel around Europe with his family when he was in Great Britain -Went to Tsingtao, China and Yokosuka, Japan after the Antarctica expedition -Flew patrols in China and Japan -Watched Chinese Communists and Chinese Nationalists fighting near Tsingtao -Eventually returned to the United States -Flew the largest seaplane in service between Alameda, California and Honolulu, Hawaii -Carried personnel and cargo (00:34:06) Navy Legal Officer -Received legal training and became a lawyer in the Navy -Became the legal officer of his squadron -Assigned lawyers to court martial cases -Reviewed court martial cases -Mostly enjoyed that work -Had a conflict with his commanding officer over one case -An officer got drunk and tried to break into the PX -Commander wanted to press chargers -Allan decided that the case ought to be dropped -Felt the case had been mishandled from the start -Commander eventually got removed from the base -Had problems with the civilians on the base (00:38:22) End of Service -Final assignment was back at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Assigned to the Naval Examining Center -Place that wrote exams for promotions in the Navy -He was in charge of the Processing Department -Corrected the exams and distributed the results of the exams -Retired from the Navy in September 1961 -Spent 20 years and six months in the Navy (00:39:38) Medals �-Received the American Campaign Medal -Received the Antarctica Service Medal -Officially credited with discovering Reynolds Trough (00:40:11) Reflections on Service -Taught him discipline -Learned how to make friends and how to handle losing friends -Taught him leadership and responsibility -He was a shy person until he joined the Navy -Matured with each new responsibility -First duty was being in charge of a platoon in basic training -Able to get another platoon to follow their platoon leader -Enjoyed his 20 years in the Navy -Wanted to stay in for 30 years, but wanted his family to settle down in Grand Rapids (00:43:58) Life after Service Pt. 1 -Daughters attended Union High School as well -Same as himself and as his wife (00:44:40) USO Shows -Got to see some USO Shows during his time in the Navy -Appreciated the entertainment provided by the USO -He was responsible for making sure the USO personnel were entertained -Showed them sights around the base and took them out to dinner (00:45:38) Life after Service Pt. 2 -Easily readjusted to civilian life -Took three months off to relax before looking for work -Got a job with a jewelry manufacturer -Worked for them for 18 years -Started his own engraving business out of his home -Did that for 10 years before retiring again (00:48:00) Stationed in Great Britain -His favorite part of the Navy was being stationed in the U.K. for two years with his family -Got to see a lot of Europe -Everywhere they went had recovered from the war -Saw Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands -45 day tour with his family -Treated like royalty when people found out they were Americans (00:50:08) Veterans' Group Involvement -Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for a while -Sat next to Gerald Ford a few times � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_ReynoldsA1903V Title A name given to the resource Reynolds, Allan Jay (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-11-25 Description An account of the resource Allan Reynolds was born in Grand Haven, Michigan in 1923. After graduating from high school he enlisted in the Navy in 1941 and received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois and went to Aviation Radio School in San Diego, California. He was stationed in Alaska when the war began and served at Dutch Harbor during the Aleutian Islands Campaign. He was sent to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington and volunteered for Flight School at that time. He received flight training and operational training in Louisiana, Tennessee, and finally Florida with PBY and PBM seaplanes, promoted to the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class Aviation Pilot. At the end of World War Two he flew patrols over the Pacific Coast. He was part of VH-4 Squadron at Bikini Atoll for atomic testing in summer 1946 and was part of Operation Highjump in Antarctica from December 1946 to April 1947. During the Antarctic expedition he discovered a trough that was named after him, Reynolds Trough. He made a career out of the Navy and was stationed in China, Japan, all over the U.S., and in the United Kingdom. After twenty years of service he completed his career at Great Lakes Naval Station and retired in September 1961. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reynolds, Allan Jay 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 Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2c2231b8852a23af9d89a1b779522529.m4v 72eca7c1bfc9ff04db1dda8361be046e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/00fc27c47954a5dc0aa9c1b8a7dd3706.pdf 32b6842bf97f34cdce1ad0a8d508f58d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Vernon Powers World War II 52 minutes 56 seconds (00:00:26) Early Life -Born in Dyersburg, Tennessee in (circa) 1925 -Moved to Missouri when he was six or seven years old -Lived there until he was 14 years old -He was one of ten children -Six boys and four girls in his family -Father chopped trees for a living until he was no longer physically able to -Moved to Hart, Michigan when he was 14 years old -Picked cherries in the summer -Family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan when he was 16 years old -Worked in restaurants bussing tables and waiting tables -Spent a lot of his time growing up working because his father was no longer able to work (00:02:43) Getting Drafted -Got drafted when he was 18 years old -Expected it -Older brothers were already in the military -Four of his brothers served during the war -Went to Fort Sheridan, Illinois for processing -Went there by train -Family saw him off at the train station in Grand Rapids (00:04:32) Basic Training -Sent to Camp Roberts, California for basic training -Remembers going on a 25 mile hike while carrying a 60 pound backpack -Hiked up hills -Men from the city had a hard time with that -He adjusted well to the physical training -Had no problems with discipline in the Army -Began his basic training in either late 1943 or early 1944 -Received his draft notice on December 18, 1943 -Initially assigned to field artillery during basic training (00:06:50) Armored Infantry Training -Sent to Camp Bowie, Texas and was reassigned to the armored infantry -Learned how to drive tanks and 6x6 trucks -A lot of the men didn't know how to drive -Especially the men that came from cities -He started driving when he was 12 years old, so driving tanks and trucks came easy (00:08:38) Deployment to the European Theatre �-Went to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey to board a ship -Note: Most likely part of the 13th Armored Division -Set sail in December 1944 -Atlantic Ocean was rough during the winter -A lot of the men on board got seasick, but he didn't -Attributes part of that to having a bottom bunk -Landed at Le Havre, France [January 1945] (00:10:29) Advancing through Europe -As soon as the unit was assembled they began moving inland toward Germany -Passed through France and into the Ruhr Valley in Germany -Found the Germans he met to be friendlier than the French he met -First combat he experienced was around Metz, France [note: Metz itself was taken in late 1944, but there were still Germans nearby in Alsace] -Traveled on half-tracks or in tanks when they weren't in combat -He was a scout in his unit -Went up ahead of the main force to see if there were any Germans ahead of them -Usually walked about 300 yards ahead of the unit -Slept on the ground most nights, but slept on, or in, vehicles when he could -Suffered frostbite on his fingers and toes -There was a lot of combat in the Ruhr Valley -Eventually reached Berchtesgaden, Germany at the end of the war -Germans were in full retreat across Europe when his unit arrived -Still encountered pockets of resistance though -In Simbach am Inn, Germany they found a building filled with women from all over Europe -Had been selected to breed with SS soldiers to raise an Aryan army -Friend was wounded by artillery and Vernon pulled him to safety -Had to do house to house searches as they advanced through Germany -Never knew what to expect when they entered a building -Some men would go into the house while others stood guard -Routinely found dead civilians and dead soldiers -Killed from the concussions from artillery shells and bombs -Artillery would shell an area about ten minutes before the infantry entered the area -Captured quite a few German soldiers near the end of the war -Happy to surrender -Friendly toward their American captors -Worst fighting he saw was in the Ruhr Valley -Couldn't dig in, just had to keep advancing against the Germans -Used the tanks and other armored vehicles as moving protection (00:20:14) Food -Usually ate C Rations -Cans of pork & beans, or spam -Got K Rations later in the war -Better than C Rations, but not as good as a hot meal -Always looked forward to getting a hot meal -Remembers being promised a hot meal one night �-German plane bombed their mess truck ending hopes for that -Fortunately no one was killed -Ate when they could -Sometimes they didn't have enough rations, so they were just given a large chunk of cheese (00:22:12) Contact with Home -Received letters from his girlfriend who would become his wife -Received letters from his mother -Smoked cigars and got two big boxes of cigars from home -Shared all of his cigars, save for one, with the men in his unit (00:23:04) Living Conditions Pt. 1 -Could only smoke when they weren't near German positions -Fear that the Germans might see the ember from a cigarette -Not allowed to make fires at night -Girlfriend sent him a flameless lighter (00:23:53) Veterans' Activities Pt. 1 -Regularly drinks coffee with other WWII veterans at the Peppermill Grill in Standale, Michigan -Went on the Talons Out Honor Flight to Washington D.C. (00:25:27) Morale & Discipline Pt. 1 -Had a good relationship with most of the men in his unit -Everybody in his unit was ready to fight -He felt like the war was a job that had to be done -Believed that it was a worthy cause to stop Nazism -Never felt scared (00:26:55) Visiting Paris -Visited Paris with his squad after the war in Europe was over -Had won $400 playing poker on the voyage over to Europe -Shared his money with his squadmates -Only had $20 left at the end of that trip -Visited the local bars -First time they really got to drink since they had arrived in Europe -Only time they drank in the field was if they found a single bottle of wine (00:28:04) Discipline Pt. 2 -Allowed to take food and alcohol from abandoned houses -He never took any personal possessions from abandoned houses -Doesn't remember anyone else in his unit doing that either (00:29:02) Downtime & Living Conditions Pt. 2 -Didn't have much downtime as they advanced across Europe -Either walking, sleeping, or fighting -Traveled on foot most of the time and rode in vehicles when he had the chance -Slept in a barn in France for a little while before they entered Germany -After that he slept out in the open until the war was over -Moved too fast and didn't stop long enough for performers from the USO to catch up -Didn't really have downtime until the end of the war �(00:30:37) End of the War Pt. 1 -Reached Berchtesgaden, Germany at the end of the war -Town was in the mountains and you could see the countryside around the town -Army thought Hitler had retreated to his mountaintop fortress, the Eagle's Nest -Found a ballroom in Berchtesgaden with a huge tunnel in the basement -Looked like the tunnel went toward Switzerland -Town was abandoned and littered with German military supplies -Looked like the Germans had fled the town in a hurry -Rode a BMW motorcycle down the mountain -Bailed off it before it went tumbling down the mountainside -Forgot how to use the brakes (00:32:28) Getting Wounded & Taking Casualties -Took shrapnel in his head -Frostbitten fingers and toes -Took shrapnel in his neck and leg while carrying his friend to safety in Simbach am Inn -Never sought out treatment for his wounds -Remembers setting off the metal detector in Grand Rapids City Hall due to shrapnel in his head -Could have gone to a medic, but didn't feel his wounds were serious enough for treatment -Just held his hand on the wounds until they stopped bleeding -Lost four men from his squad (00:36:07) End of the War Pt. 2 -Returned to Simbach am Inn, Germany then to Braunau am Inn, Austria across the river -Braunau am Inn: Hitler's birthplace -Found women being held in a building in Simbach -Being held there to breed with SS soldiers to breed an Aryan army -In Berchtesgaden when they heard about Victory in Europe Day (May 8, 1945) -Moved to Simbach after VE Day -Conducted patrols for one month -Went deer hunting -German woman cooked the meat for them -Stayed in a home in Simbach -Shared it with the Germans that lived there -Soviets were advancing from the east -Didn't encounter any civilians fleeing the Soviets (00:38:57) Coming Home -Had to wait for a ship to come into Le Havre, France -Drove back up to Le Havre, France -Waited a couple weeks there for the ship to arrive -Stopped in Paris en route to Le Havre -Slept on cots in a tent in summer 1945 -Eventually boarded the ship and returned to the U.S. -Most likely in July 1945 -Better voyage because it was a larger, English ship -Landed back at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey �-Served a huge steak -Couldn't even finish it because he was so used to meager meals -Got a quart of fresh milk (00:43:05) End of War Pt. 3 & End of Service -Planned on being sent to California to be sent to invade Japan -Unit was going to land at Tokyo -Went home on leave for 45 days -Home on leave when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August 1945 -Married August 26, 1945 -Went to California to complete his service -Note: If part of the 13th Armored Division then it would have been Camp Cook -Stayed in shape by playing baseball and going on hikes -Got to sleep in cots and have hot meals -Returned to Fort Sheridan, Illinois and got discharged on April 20, 1946 -Rode a train back to Grand Rapids, Michigan (00:46:03) Veterans' Activities Pt. 2 -Joined the American Legion -Used to attend meetings -Served as the sergeant of arms for one year at the post in Marne, Michigan -Donated his uniform to the American Legion Hall in Marne (00:47:16) Readjusting to Civilian Life -Had bad dreams when he came home -Didn't go to a doctor for it -Just waited for them to go away -Had one son after the war (00:49:00) Reflections on Service -Great experience -Helped him mature -Went in a rough teenager and came out a more reserved adult -Spent two and a half years of his life in the service -Learned how to be independent -Older brothers came home alive and well � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PowersV1904V Title A name given to the resource Powers, Vernon Porter (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-11-22 Description An account of the resource Vernon Powers was born in Dyersburg, Tennessee in (circa) 1925, but his family eventually settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was drafted on December 18, 1943 and was processed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois before going to Camp Roberts, California for basic training. He went to Camp Bowie, Texas for armored infantry training before deploying for Europe out of Camp Kilmer, New Jersey in December 1944 (or January 1945) most likely part of the 13th Armored Division. His unit landed in Le Havre, France then moved through Europe, seeing action in Metz, France and fighting in the Ruhr Valley, Germany. His unit advanced through Germany seeing final action in Simbach am Inn, Germany and entering Berchtesgaden, Germany on Victory in Europe Day (May 8, 1945). They patrolled the area around Simbach am Inn before returning to Le Havre, France to take a ship back to the United States. He was on leave when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and the war came to an end. He was stationed in California until he returned to Fort Sheridan, Illinois to be discharged on April 20, 1946. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Powers, Vernon Porter 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 Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1447a996eb56f3ad6b499d6e6bd73104.m4v b4b7271e17ca8797f4dba926514aaeab https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/94acfe8238bae1ce3aaff018d2bfb85e.pdf 7efe38ac295627f1c45879159c1aa715 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Wesley Pontier Length of interview: 1:26:30 (00:00) Pre-enlistment         (00:20) Born in Clifton, New Jersey on October 4, 1921 (1:00) Graduated Clifton High School in 1939 (1:09) His father was a carpenter and his mother stayed home with the children (1:45) After he graduated high school, he got a job at a hardware store o When the depression hit, he switched jobs frequently. He worked at a department store, a car dealership, and a cotton printing company. Wesley would later get a job at Manhattan Rubber, where he would work until retirement. (5:20) Heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor from his aunt who had a radio. (6:40) Enlisted because he knew he would be drafted and he wanted to choose the branch he went into (7:15) He tried to volunteer for the Coast Guard but was turned away because he had hay fever. (7:30) Signed up for the Navy in November 1942 (7:50) Training       (7:50) His training was in Bainbridge, Maryland (8:00) Placed in company 66 (8:30) Upon arrival, someone in his company got scarlet fever. His company was often in quarantine because of this (9:40) Training consisted of a lot of drilling The only weapons training he received was with a .22 (11:30) Wesley felt that his training was not very strict (12:00) After Training     (12:00) After graduation, Wesley worked in the library in Bainbridge until he was placed into the armed guard. (13:00) The armed guard operated guns on ships, he was assigned to a 3-inch gun for which he was given little practice. (15:00): He was put on the SS Utahan which joined a convoy headed to Wales (March, 1943) (16:00) Stopped in Nova Scotia where he was given weapons training with the help of the Canadian Navy �       (16:30) The Canadians guarded Wesley’s convoy in the North Atlantic o The Atlantic was very rough on the way over o It took 30 days to get to Liverpool o He would come to the realization that he did not like his job (20:00) His ship was a freighter built in 1916 (20:30) The convoy went to the city of Cardiff (21:30) He made good friends with a pharmacist and his family (23:30) After Cardiff, they went to Cuba to get a load of sugar and then went through the Panama Canal towards western South America (24:30) Spent a few days in Chilean port cities (27:30) Celebrated his birthday in Lima, Peru o Wesley speaks highly of his treatment in South America (29:00) A New Job           (29:00) They arrived in New Orleans where they were ordered to remain, but Wesley decided to visit his girlfriend in New York. (29:50) After being relieved from his ship, he went to merchant signaling school in Noroton Heights, Connecticut. (30:30) He trained using flags and blinkers. Wesley was also required to identify ships by signaling (31:25) Reassigned to the Kentuckian and sent to South America, to the same ports he had visited previously He would travel on the east coast of the U.S.; from the Jersey Shore, you could sometimes see ships burning (34:00) Placed in a large convoy (1944), he relayed information to surrounding ships (35:00) He remembers seeing men on ships ready to take part in the D-day invasion His ship had cargo that would have been valuable to the men on the beaches; unfortunately, his ship was very old and had to unload in Plymouth (38:30) They started back to the U.S. but were turned around and sent to Wales where his ship was taken, filled with concrete and sunk near the Normandy beaches. (39:30) Put on a new ship (the renamed USS America) headed to the U.S. with German prisoners (43:00) Marriage and new assignments  (43:00) When he got back to the U.S., his fiancé arranged for them to be married; They had a one week honeymoon on the Jersey Shore  (44:30) after his honeymoon, he reported back to the armed guard center in New York to be assigned to a new ship which was a Danish tanker which was headed to Aruba. The ship went back and forth from Aruba 14 times in one year � (49:00) Wesley’s ship would take water to Aruba, he would be doing this until he was eventually discharged. (51:00) Discharged         In September 1945, Wesley was discharged; he calculated that he had traveled over 80,000 miles at sea (53:00) He reflects on the humorous relationships he had with the ship crews (59:00) After leaving the navy, Wesley returned to work for Manhattan Rubber, he would eventually become a time study man (1:01:30) Transferred to Bridgeport Connecticut and eventually became a sales engineer He was eventually moved to Charleston, South Carolina; throughout his career, he often worked with asbestos. Wesley would work with sales, manufacturing, and advertising for his company (1:09:00) When his brother died (1981), Wesley was given a large amount of money. He retired from his job after working there for nearly 42 years and moved to Florida, where he had inherited his brother’s house (1:13:00) after living in Florida for over nine years, Wesley and his wife, who now required a wheelchair, moved to Michigan. He says that this was the best decision he ever made; he got into gardening and painting (1:19:00) Wesley feels that the Navy made him good at following orders and keeping his nose clean. Additionally, the Navy gave him the opportunity to see many astounding things. He also developed a love for the sea; he would go on 11 cruises with his wife � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PontierW1864V Title A name given to the resource Pontier, Wesley (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-08-03 Description An account of the resource Wesley Pontier was born on October 4, 1921 in Clifton, New Jersey and served in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the navy in 1942 and trained in Bainbridge Maryland. He had several jobs while in the Navy his most accomplished position was that of a signalman. Wesley traveled to many different parts of the world including Canada, Wales, Cuba, Chile, Peru, and Venezuela. During his interview, he recalls seeing men and ships preparing for the invasion of Normandy. After being discharged in December of 1945, Wesley returned to work for Manhattan rubber where he had worked before joining the navy. During his time in the navy, Wesley traveled over 80,000 miles at sea. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pontier, Wesley Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d5a35c5fb214e60cd8add17c62c82c07.m4v cad2b6ba0653c5c3e69d4f9c7d13b9c6 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/98ac5ef0aa4619c057a64b479e40fde5.pdf ef4d660db6bb80d5670d806452c02208 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Bryan Pogodzinski Cold War, Iraq War 15 minutes 38 seconds (00:00:10) Early Life -Born on September 15th, 1964. -Served as a Master Sergeant in the Air Force. -Born on Carswell Air Force base in Fort Worth Texas. -Father was in the Air Force for four years. -Later became a factory worker for Rockwell. -Mother worked for a bank. -Siblings: -One brother a year older (also born at Carswell). -A sister (born in Michigan). -Before entering the military worked for a farm, grocery store, hung dry wall, misc work. -A friend of his father’s convinced him to join the military. -Flew to Cleveland to the recruiting station to join. -Chose the Air Force due to his father being in the Air Force. (00:01:50) Training and Cold War Era -Began training around the start of 1986. -Training “old school” break you down to build you up approach. -Some difficulty with being away from friends and family. -Eventually adjusted to the routine. -Not as focused on physical training in the Air Force. -Tedious attention to detail activities. E.g. folding clothes. -Desirable to pay attention to detailed technical info. -Lived in 70102nd basic military training squadron (BMTS). -Started with 58 members, lost 8 dropouts over time. -No free time. -No set routine aside from meals. -Lots of running and marching. -First station after training: Dyess Air Force base in Abilene Texas. -First daughter was eventually born there. -Dyess was a Strategic Air Command base (SAC) -High profile for its nuclear weaponry during 60s-80s. -B1 Bomber was introduced there. -Congress people were present often. -His role there was a security police officer for the Air Force. -Cold War ended while he was in Europe. (00:07:07) Iraq War -Served in Operation Desert Shield �-Worked for the 555th MP Company -Experienced drive by shootings, insurgent attacks, security risks with Kuwait politicians, helicopter crashes, etc. -On his role in the military: -investigated and found $4 million of stolen helicopter parts. -Dealing with drugs, alcohol, pornography, prostitution rings (mentioned later at 13:12) -Similar roles to a county police officer. -Made good friends in the military. -Keeps in touch with a lot of fellow military members. -Communicating with family at that time was with phones, and there was e-mailing. -First deployment lasted four months, second deployment lasted eight months. -Before deployment “Spin up training”, in New Jersey for five weeks. -Not much free time while deployed. -Swimming in the pool or simply catching more sleep. -Difficulty with re-adjusting to civilian life. -No family/children overseas to have to orient yourself toward. -Not a community that shares the same knowledge/experience. -Values the education and experiences the military offered. -Pursuing a PhD which should be completed soon. -Seen places others may only read about. E.g. Germany before and after Berlin Wall. -After returning from military worked at a car manufacturing job. -Changed paths to focus on education. -Received bachelors, two master’s degrees, now finishing a PhD. -Worked for Children Protective Services in Allegan County. -Now works with children with behavioral disorders and autistic children. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PogodzinskiB1824V Title A name given to the resource Pogodzinski, Bryan (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-25 Description An account of the resource Bryan Pogodzinski was born on September 15th 1964. He was active in the military during the Cold War as well as the Iraq War and served as a Master Sargent in the Air Force. During the Cold War he was stationed at Dyess Air Force base where the B1 Bomber was introduced. Later he was part of Operation Desert Shield in Iraq. There he worked for the 555th Military Police Company dealing with security risks. After leaving the military he focused on education and is soon to complete his PhD. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pogodzinski, Bryan Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaczanowski, Claire (Interviewer) Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3ffa930916c7a3a7ba8ca7e0e696b144.m4v 0b8b4a9f8b349efca846ccad69fd5fcd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d29839184bc81fa63562b72cced7cc1c.pdf df982496f3e3d0c7ef508b6ef449870a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Thomas Pacic World War II-Post War 1 hour 23 minutes 48 seconds (00:00:16) Early Life -Born in Youngstown, Ohio on November 23, 1927 -Had an older brother born on the same date -Went to St. Peter & Paul Catholic School for elementary school -Attended that school for eight years -Attended high school and graduated -Most likely in 1945 -Had eight siblings -Father was a Croatian immigrant and his mother had been born in the United States -Father owned two bars -After they went dry he opened a grocery store -Father made his own wine and whiskey in the basement and shared it with family -Legal since he wasn’t selling it (00:02:48) World War II -Oldest brother joined the Army in 1940 -Third oldest brother joined the Navy -Brother born on November 23rd (most likely) had polio and eventually died -Older brother was partially deaf and in college which meant that he couldn’t get drafted -Since all of his brothers were gone during the war he worked in the bar -Remembers hearing about the attack on Pearl Harbor -Had the radio on and the report came over the radio -As young as he was he knew that it was bad -Didn’t know what was going to happen to his older brother -Mother and father were devastated -Father still had relatives in Croatia (at the time part of Yugoslavia) -Thomas never thought that he wouldn’t have to serve -Knew that it was just a matter of time before he would have to serve (00:06:52) Enlisting in the Coast Guard -Enlisted in the Coast Guard after he turned eighteen in November 1945 -War was completely over in September 1945, but there was still a draft -He didn’t want to sleep in a foxhole, and he enjoyed the water -Coast Guard offered a two year enlistment as opposed to four years -There was also a base in Cleveland, close to Youngstown -Enlisted in December 1945 (00:07:35) Basic Training -Received orders to go to Curtis Bay, Baltimore, Maryland -Reported there on January 8, 1946 -Took a train to Maryland -Told immediately that they would only get one month of training �-Training was usually three, or four months long -Training consisted of marching, drilling, standing watch, and washing your own clothes -It was cold during the winter even in Maryland -Training went by fast -Heavy emphasis on discipline and regimen -Didn’t mind it; learned to take orders, carry them out, and just keep going -Remembers some men trying to resist the military system -Punished with extra duty (usually more Kitchen Patrol (KP)) -Learned how to shoot a rifle on the rifle range -Had to pass a swimming test -Easy for him because he had worked as an auxiliary lifeguard at a local pool -Taught the history of the Coast Guard, its functions, and how to tie knots -Officers training them were career sailors and served in World War II -Completed basic training and received a week of leave to explore Baltimore (00:14:23) Assignment to Cargo Ship & First Cruise in the Coast Guard -First assignment was aboard a cargo ship -Joined the ship and learned about doing watches in the crow’s nest -Also just learned general information about the ship -Task was minesweeping and removing mines as they made their way to the West Coast -Difficult work - Had a magnetized cable that pushed mines away from the ship -Destination was San Diego, California -Got seasick on his first cruise -Worst part of the voyage was sailing past a cape in Virginia -Water was always rough -Passed through the Caribbean Sea and the Panama Canal -Got to experience the whole process of the ship moving through the locks -Sailed up the West Coast -Got a mine near San Diego then continued on to San Francisco -Received one week of leave in San Francisco -Interesting experience to be so far away from home -Left San Francisco and sailed north to Seattle -Preparing to sail up to Coast Guard stations in the Aleutian Islands (00:19:05) Stationed in Florida & Puerto Rico -Received orders to go to Miami, Florida -Reported to the Coast Guard station in Miami -Helped with the seaplanes -Waiting for transportation to San Juan, Puerto Rico -Eventually got a flight down to San Juan on a military plane -Enjoyed Puerto Rico because it was always warm -First job was to run messages back and forth between officers and the sickbay (00:20:57) Reassignment -Sent home because his sister had terminal cancer -Transferred to Cleveland to be closer to his family -Told by the Coast Guard that he would not be sent back to Puerto Rico -They wanted to keep him at least within 100 miles of Youngstown, Ohio �-He left Puerto Rico in June 1946 and his sister died in early September 1946 (00:21:55) Stationed at Coast Guard Station Erie Pt. 1 -Sent to Coast Guard Station Erie, Pennsylvania because they needed more men -Simple lifeboat and lighthouse station on Lake Erie -Only a few men there -When he got there he went to work almost immediately -Spent a lot of time responding to SOS signals and missing person reports -Had a 32 foot lifeboat and two 18 foot crash boats -Constantly in use, and constantly needed repairs -Had Coast Guard Auxiliary men come up to help them since they were shorthanded -The station was on a bay with a channel separating them from the lighthouse -After getting out of the bay you were on Lake Erie -Rescued people when storms blew up -Sailboats capsized frequently which demanded a quick reaction from the station -Took care of people in the bay first because they were in smaller boats -The larger boats were on Lake Erie and could handle themselves better -Weather forecasting wasn't accurate and they relied on a simple communication network -Relayed information through a system of telephones and radios (00:26:40) Rescue Commendation -He was awarded a commendation for rescuing two people -They were on patrol in one of their boats looking for two missing children -Went into a lagoon and saw two people struggling in the water -Without pause, he grabbed a life ring and dove in and swam toward them -The woman grabbed onto Thomas which dragged both of them down -Thomas managed to get them back up and put the life ring on her -After she was stable he turned to help the husband -Learned that they were a husband and wife, and that she was pregnant -Had been in a canoe and she fell in, and the husband jumped in to save her -Got the canoe afloat, but the wife refused to get back into it -Got the couple on the Coast Guard ship then tied up the canoe -Brought the canoe back to the rental shop -Woman didn't lose the baby -That rescue was the most dramatic event that happened in the Coast Guard (00:31:12) End of Coast Guard Service Pt. 1 -Stayed at Coast Guard Station Erie until he got discharged -Pressured to reenlist for an additional two years -Declined because his father had terminal cancer and he wanted to be with his father -Got discharged in May 1947 and his father died in December 1947 (00:32:06) Stationed at Coast Guard Station Erie Pt. 2 -Found that things quieted down in the fall, and they didn't do anything in the winter -Lived eighteen miles away from town -Took care of maintenance and plowing during the winter -The harbor would freeze, but the channel froze "to eye and touch" �-Means that the channel looked frozen, but was not -Had to go change the lighthouse light and check the batteries -Could drive around the channel, or walk across it to save time -Officers decided that it would be safe to walk across the "frozen" channel -Crossing 80-100 yards of ice -Water was still flowing underneath the ice making it unstable -He tied a rope around his waist and carried an oar over his head -The oar would help displace his weight if he fell in -Started to cross the channel and then in an instant he went through the ice -Panicked and threw away the oar -Other sailor froze and didn't pull him out -Managed to find the hole and pull himself out of the water -Slowly moved back to the stable ice then walked back to shore -Returned to the station and told the officers that he fell through the ice -Allowed to shower and warm up then drove over to the lighthouse -No one else tried to walk across the channel that winter -Part of the peninsula belonged to the Coast Guard, but the rest was civilian -Kept busy during the summer and the winter -Took out buoys in the summer then brought them in in the winter -Had to cook their own food -Given an allowance of $1.26 a day for food -Had a Southern man that was an excellent cook and a good man -Went into town to get mail and groceries -Could go into town on the weekends if they weren't busy -Remembers being sent out to look for an elderly man that supposedly drowned -Went out in a small boat, with hooks, probing the water for a corpse -Found a lot of junk, but didn't find a body -Rescued a lot of boaters during his time in the Coast Guard -People were always grateful -Helped some smaller fishing trawlers in Lake Erie -People in Erie enjoyed the Coast Guard presence and enjoyed seeing Coast Guardsmen -Civilians always tried to help them whenever they could (00:47:37) End of Coast Guard Service Pt. 2 & Joining the Naval Reserves -Got out of the Coast Guard in May 1947 -Father passed away in December 1947 -Helped in the bar until going to college in Chicago with one of his best friends -Had another friend that didn't want to go into the Army -Decided to enlist in the Naval Reserves -Thomas decided to enlist in the Naval Reserves too -Went to Navy Pier, Chicago and enlisted there -Had been attending a trade school in Chicago -Returned to Youngstown, Ohio and his friend joined the Air Force �-Thomas decided to stay in the Reserves -Continued to attend meetings (00:49:50) Cruises with the Naval Reserves -Picked the USS Missouri for his two week training cruise -Picked up the Missouri in Norfolk, Virginia -Trained every day as a general seaman -Did everything that the other seamen did -Chipping paint, doing drills, and going to battlestations -Sailed down the Caribbean Sea -The following year he went on a training cruise aboard a minesweeper -Picked it up in Charleston, South Carolina -Sailed down to the Caribbean Sea -Would never go on a small ship like that again (00:51:25) Active Duty in the Navy Pt. 1 -Went active duty when the Korean War began in summer 1950 -Reported for active duty on November 8, 1950 -Went to Philadelphia for indoctrination -Assigned to stevedore duty -Meant handling cargo on ships and on bases -Sent to Norfolk, Virginia to join a cargo handling battalion -Received training on how to handle cargo -Learned how to drive a forklift and learned how to use heavy winches -Had to know how to do everything in case one man couldn't do his job -Received well by the veterans because the reservists had experience -He was part of a hatch crew in A Company -Assigned to various cargo ships -Loaded supplies in Norfolk -Did seamen duties while aboard the ship -Didn't get along with the crews -Made stops in the Mediterranean and Caribbean -Saw Naples, Italy; Southern France; Casablanca; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -Resupplied civilian ships that were bringing supplies to Navy bases (00:57:07) Race Relations -Most of the black Coast Guardsmen were cooks and/or servants -In the Navy he had black sailors working alongside him (00:58:06) Travel in the Coast Guard & the Navy -Liked Casablanca the least -There was a labor strike underway among the stevedores -The Navy was sent in to help deal with the cargo -Accidents happened, but he remembers a bad one in Casablanca -A local worker was climbing up from the cargo hold and then fell to his death -Watched as other workers took everything they could off the body -Best place that he saw was Villefranche-sur-Mer, France -Got to go on a few bus tours �-Enjoyed France -Didn't enjoy Italy -Didn't enjoy the food, and a lot of the Italians were unfriendly -There was a lot of damage in Naples from the Second World War -Italians still acted like the war was going on and weren't hospitable -Could go anywhere they wanted when they were in a port -Just had to report back to the ship by 8PM or 9PM -Had restricted areas in San Juan, Puerto Rico while he was there in the Coast Guard -If you got caught by the Shore Patrol you were thrown in the brig and given extra duty (01:03:00) End of Service in the Navy Pt. 1 -Stayed in the Navy until June 1953 -Did five years of service in the Navy -Four years of his enlistment, plus one extra year during the Korean War -Got out of active duty, then got discharged from the Reserves (01:03:45) Active Duty in the Navy Pt. 2 -Did a lot of training with Landing Ship, Tanks (LSTs) -Went down rope ladders from LSTs into smaller landing craft -Preparation for another war, or any other military intervention -Had to do ship to ship supply operations -Load cargo nets with supplies then send them over to another ship -Had to send the cargo nets over and then drop them on the deck -Had to deal with the ships' movement on the water -Practiced taking on fuel -Grabbing fuel hoses from the other ship then filling fuel tanks -Had to be able to do these operations at night -If the seas were too rough the supply operation would get called off -Didn't get called off often though, had to have the experience (01:08:17) Getting Hurt & End of Service in the Navy Pt. 2 -Sent up to the Marine base in Red Bank, New Jersey -Went out to the pier and loaded, and unloaded, ammunition from ships -Stationed there for a few months in the winter -Got injured while on the pier -He was on the pier teaching new sailors how to handle rockets -Picking up 125 pound rockets from a conveyor belt then load them onto a pallet -Once the pallet was full it would get loaded onto a ship -Had to handle these rockets with care -Went to pick up a rocket and dropped it hard throwing out his back -Taken by ambulance back to the Marine base -Ran out of gas while on the way back to the base -Placed in the sick bay -From the Marine base got sent back to Norfolk to recover -Had sprained his back and there was nothing they could do for it -Just had to let his back recover �-Sent to Williamsburg, Virginia to work in the ship service section -Light duty, worked every night of the week, but got to sleep in every day -Stayed there until he got discharged from the Navy in June 1953 (01:14:52) Life after the Service -Went to Columbus, Ohio where his wife and child were living -Got a job at Timken Roller Bearings -Worked there for one year and then got laid off -Moved to Youngstown, Ohio and enrolled at Youngstown State University -Studied there for four years -Worked at the family bar at night -Got a degree in business administration -Got a job with the state of Ohio in the tax department -Lost his job with the state after a Republican government took office -After three months he got a job with the Cleveland Stevedore Company in Cleveland, Ohio -Got a job with them as an accountant -Went to Cleveland State University then the University of Akron -Drove between Cleveland for work and Akron for school -Lived between both cities, roughly 45 minutes from Akron -Got a job with the Eaton Corporation in Cleveland -Worked with them for twenty five years and then retired -Got transferred to a plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan and another one in Tennessee -Returned to Ohio to take care of his mother-in-law until she passed away -Daughter lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, so he and his wife moved to Grand Rapids (01:22:22) Reflections on Service -Enjoyed his time in the Coast Guard and the Navy -Could have made a career out of it, but wanted to spend time with his wife and child -Enjoyed the Coast Guard, but liked seeing the world via the Navy -Believes that all young men and women should serve in the military as well as every president -Feels that it would give them a different outlook when it comes to the military � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_PacicT1852V Title A name given to the resource Pacic, Thomas (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-07-07 Description An account of the resource Thomas Pacic was born in Youngstown, Ohio on November 23, 1927. After graduating from high school in 1945 he enlisted in the Coast Guard in December 1945. He received orders to go to Curtis Bay in Baltimore, Maryland for basic training. He reported for basic training on January 8, 1946 and received rifle training, swimming training, the history of the Coast Guard, the function of the Coast Guard, and how to tie knots. His first assignment in the Coast Guard was aboard a cargo ship looking for mines left over from the war. They sailed down the East Coast, through the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal, and up the West Coast. He got to see San Diego and San Francisco before being stationed in Miami, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He spent the rest of his time at Coast Guard Station Erie, Pennsylvania where he helped rescue boaters and received a medal for saving a pregnant woman and her husband. He left the Coast Guard in May 1947 and then joined the Naval Reserves. He went on cruises aboard the USS Missouri and a minesweeper as well as cargo ships as part of a stevedore unit. During the Korean War he was on active duty helping with supply operations in the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. After getting injured working in Red Bank, New Jersey he was discharged from the Navy in June 1953. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pacic, Thomas Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American United States. Coast Guard United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9ba88397cda0e842dece570f7d22ff8d.m4v 0ac9c3396ab3cc259e1d1130a27f5cd6 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/51c49294fa8a6ca0451fd465b61ed3ce.pdf 0961a82e5979f6d2046dd4c28632b856 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Phil Owens Iraq War 43 minutes 5 seconds (07:10) Early Life, Boot Camp and Training -Born on December 31st, 1984 in Grand Rapids Michigan. -Served in the Marines with the highest rank of E5 sergeant. -Mother is a teacher, and his father is an automotive engineer. -Siblings – an older sister and a younger brother. -Enlisted in the military out of high school. -Wished to join the military since he was young. -Father and his brothers were both in the Marines. -Basic training in San Diego lasted 13 weeks. -Graduated in October of 2003. -Supply operations and administration schooling at Camp LeJeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. -Then returned to California to be stationed with an infantry battalion he was with before. -Role and duties: continuing training Marines with infantry, gear inventory, tracking serial numbers of weaponry gear and food, and budgeting. -Instructors are intense but serve their purpose. -Living in barracks, similar to dorms. -One or two roommates. Based on a squad. -Food is basic, not bad but not great. -Made good long term friends socializing. -Deeply trusting. -Physical training (P.T.) everyday from a variety of exercises. -Running, squats, etc. -Needed to be able to haul an 80 lbs pack of supplies 13 ~ 15 miles. -Went to machine gunner school. -Such as the 50 caliber, mk 19 grenade launcher, M240 machine gun. (18:20) Fallujah and Haditha Iraq -Sent to Fallujah, Iraq from 2004 to 2005. -The Second Battle of Fallujah, or Operation Phantom Fury. -Second tour was at the dam in Haditha, Iraq. -Locals were more present in the Fallujah area. -Atmosphere was like the Wild West. -Seemed similar to Vietnam in terms of War similarities. -Citizens were not necessarily reticent to assist the US military. -“House to house”, little by little approach. -Battles were very intense. -Considers that the American Sniper movie was fairly accurate in terms of battle portrayal. -Played soccer with some of the locals. �(25:00) -Recreation: watching movies, internet cafes, listening to music, video games, pranks, working out. -Making use of the limited things available. -Being part of the supplies crew he was able to direct exercise supplies to further remote bases with less options. -Family and friends would send food they couldn’t otherwise receive on base. -During holidays attempted to make do. To make wherever they were feel like home. -After two tours in Iraq, he extended his time by six months. -His battalion went on a deployment by ship. -He stayed in the US in order to direct supplies to them quicker. -Also took funeral detail. -Has respect for the colonel and sergeant major he worked with during the Battle of Fallujah. -After the first tour he was able to meet with his family in California. -Continued to see them here and there during 10 day spans of time. (33:35) Discharge and Returning to the US -Discharged from the military in 2008. -Re-adjusting to civilian life can be difficult to “turn off”. -He is part of the VFW, Wounded Warrior Project, and Disabled American Veterans. -Recently started a reunion with others for a 3rd Battalion reunion. -Post discharge, worked at a machine shop for a while. -Received his degree in athletic training. -Worked as a clinical athletic trainer for a hospital. -Now planning to work for the State Police. -Always been a very athletic personality. -Participated in football, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics at the junior Olympic level. -Sports and medicine seemed appealing. -Married six months before being discharged from the military. -Married for a little over six years until divorce. -While the conflicts are over politically, the lingering effects of the War are a common problem for military members. -Wishes to live in a way that justifies the struggle of the conflict and the deceased. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_OwensP1827V Title A name given to the resource Owens, Philip James (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-24 Description An account of the resource Phil Owens was born in 1984 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted to the Marines and undertook boot camp in San Diego, California. After graduating in 2003 he was educated for supply operations and administration at Camp LeJune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. His role involved training, keeping track of inventory and serial numbers of gear, and budgeting. Additionally he trained to use specialized weapons in machine gunner school such as the MK19 grenade launcher and the M240. Owens returned to the 3rd Marines battalion in California before being sent on two tours of duty to Iraq. From 2004 to 2005 he was situated in Fallujah where the Second Battle of Fallujah was taking place. The second tour was located in Haditha Iraq. In 2008 he was honorably discharged from the Marines and continues to participate in a variety of groups for war veterans and working as a clinical athletic trainer. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Owens, Philip James Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Houser, Bryce (Interviewer) Caledonia High School (Caledonia, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/848138b744ec3ee00f0cb33b6a7fa7a1.m4v f50cb3e9fd0cd40ebb04e11796ff5eb0 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a8e912f14ef4659fc1e08eef8cb2c17d.pdf f199cc46520fb736535d37187940b6d0 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Allan Ostar World War II 2 hours 2 minutes 39 seconds (00:00:12) Early Life -Born on September 4, 1924 in East Orange, New Jersey -Moved around New Jersey during the Great Depression -Father had had a career in the Army -Family settled in Philadelphia and he graduated from high school there -Family had owned a candy store then went onto managing a children clothing store in Philadelphia (00:01:56) Rise of Fascism & the Spanish Civil War -Became interested in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s -Rose money for the Abraham Lincoln Brigade which fought the fascists -Note: Abraham Lincoln Brigade had 2,800 American volunteer soldiers -Became interested in enlisting to fight against fascism -Aware of Germany and Italy violating international treaties to support the fascists -Had to be careful about showing your support for the Republicans/Loyalists -The Soviet Union supported the Spanish Republic -If you supported the Republic then you were suspected of being communist -Felt that there should have been more public attention -Didn't know as much about Germany and the rise of Nazism -Knew about the German American Bund and Father Coughlin -German American Bund was an American party that supported the Nazis -Father Coughlin had a radio show espousing pro-German views -There were concerns that Germany was using Spain as a testing ground for its military (00:05:36) World War II – September 1, 1939 to December 6, 1941 -Noticed more public attention given to World War II as the United States prepared for war -Lived near the SKF Ball Bearing Plant in Philadelphia -Noticed more activity at the factory as America prepared for war -On September 16, 1940, Congress enacted a draft for men aged 21 years or older -Father was still in the National Guard -Family was patriotic and ready to serve the country if necessary (00:07:23) America's Entry into World War II -Remembers being in school on December 8, 1941 -Students talked about the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th -Unaware of anyone enlisting while still in high school -Vaguely aware of U-Boats prowling the Eastern Seaboard and sinking merchant ships (00:09:35) College & the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) -Went to Pennsylvania State University and joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps -In the ROTC he learned about marching and map reading -Required to do two years of ROTC, but the second two years were optional -Entered college in the fall of 1942 -Expected to join the military either by enlisting or by getting drafted -Started off by studying pre-med then went on to studying psychology -Also took a radio course -Professor felt that he should learned a practical skill for the military �-Learned about radio technology and operating radios -Finished his first year of college (00�:12:22) Enlisting in the Army -Joined the Enlisted Reserve Corps while in college -Male students were encouraged to join -Able to stay in college until you were needed for military service -More freedom to choose the service branch -Volunteered for active duty and joined the Army -Inducted at Fort Meade, Maryland -Took tests and qualified to be a radio operator -Led to being assigned to the Signal Corps (00:14:35) Training at Camp Crowder -Sent to Camp Crowder, Missouri, for Basic Training and Signal Corps Training -Received Radio Training -Learned how to string wire and operate a switchboard in Signal Corps Training -Sent to Camp Crowder by train -Long train ride from Fort Meade -Had basic, uncomfortable barracks -During field exercises he got covered in ticks and chiggers -During Basic Training he rose early and ate breakfast -If he didn't have kitchen duty then he drilled and marched -Learned how to fire and maintain a rifle -Everyone had to do some cleaning and some kitchen duty -Adjusted well to life in the Army -Felt that the Boy Scouts had prepared him for it -Enjoyed camping and being outside -Time in the ROTC also prepared him -There was a lot of physical training -Running and going on the obstacle course -Drill sergeants worked to instill a sense of discipline in the recruits -Take orders and get tough (both physically and psychologically) -Imposed arbitrary penalties if you broke a rule -Extra kitchen duty, extra guard duty, picking up cigarette butts, etc. -He stayed out of trouble -Allowed passes to go off base -Not much to do -There were a few bars and a USO Hall hosted dances -Qualified as a radio operator -Learned about British and American radio procedure -How to communicate with the British on the radio -Didn't realize it at the time, but this was in preparation for the invasion of Normandy -Helped teach incoming recruits about British radio protocols (00:24:53) Engineer Training -Had an Army General Classification Test score of 130 (or 135) -Meant he would be sent to a college for specialized training -Very high score -For example, only needed 110 to go to Officer Candidate School -Placed in the Army Specialized Training Program to learn how to be an engineer -Sent to Colorado State University for testing �-From Colorado State he went to the University of Denver for engineer training -University of Denver partnered with Regis College to train soldiers in the ASTP -Jesuit priests were excellent professors -Great experience, but he didn't enjoy the calculus class -Received college credit -Stayed for one term -Had classes from morning until night -Allowed to go into Denver -Welcoming community -Fell in love with Colorado and the Rocky Mountains -Went on dates with local girls (00:29:40) Joining the 42nd Infantry Division -ASTP was shut down because the Army needed more infantrymen than specialists -Some men, including Allan, went to create new divisions as opposed to being replacements -He went to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, to join the reactivated 42nd Infantry Division -Unit had served in World War I with Douglas MacArthur -Originally comprised of National Guard units from all over the country -Led to it being known as the “Rainbow Division” -Some officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) had served in Alaska -Experienced a culture clash between the NCOs and the new enlisted men -Most of the NCOs had only graduated high school, or had not graduated high school -Most of the new enlisted men were college educated -The NCOs had disdain for the “college boys” -Initially assigned to K Company, 242nd Infantry Regiment -Trained on the Browning Automatic Rifle -Ironic, because it was one of the heaviest weapons, and he was one of the smallest men -Transferred to Headquarters (HQ) Company, 242nd Infantry Regiment -Operated the radio for the regimental commander -Got to ride in the commander's jeep -Transferred to the Cannon Company of the 242nd Infantry Regiment -Each infantry regiment had a cannon company made up of 105mm artillery pieces -Similar to the howitzer, but smaller, more maneuverable, used for close support -The Cannon Company had a fire control center and forward observers -He strung wire between the observations posts or worked at the fire control center -Received more infantry training while at Camp Gruber -He was part of the USO Regimental Band and played the saxophone -Able to get out of dirtier, or undesirable work because he had rehearsals to go to -Visited Tulsa on passes and began dating a girl there (00:42:17) Deployment to Europe -In November 1944, some of the infantry regiments were selected to deploy to the European Theater -The 242nd Infantry Regiment was one of them -Went to New York City and boarded a troopship -Converted freighter that was capable of holding 1,000 men -Everyone got seasick on the voyage -Had submarine drills -Sailed as part of a convoy -Passed through the Straits of Gibraltar -High level of U-Boat activity -If a ship fell behind the convoy had to keep moving �-One ship fell behind and got torpedoed -Bad weather on the crossing -Spent as much time on deck as possible to help with the seasickness -Got two meals a day (00:46:11) Arrival in France -Landed at Marseille, France, in late November/early December 1944 -Sent to a camp north of Marseille -Cold, and set up on rocky ground -He'd been taught how to drive in Oklahoma, and was ordered to drive a jeep to the camp -The road leading to the camp was icy and steep -Driving a brand new jeep, he went into a skid and hit a wall -He was unharmed, but the jeep was severely damaged -Gathered equipment (00:50:04) Battle of the Bulge -Initially assigned to the 3rd Army to help with the fighting in Belgium -Got to drive a jeep north instead of riding in a truck or a boxcar -The 42nd Infantry Division was reassigned to the 7th Army -In late December 1944 the Germans threatened the Alsace-Lorraine and the city of Strasbourg -This was part of Germany's final offensive, “Operation North Wind” (Nordwind) -The division went into the area around Strasbourg in late December 1944 to help defend the city -French forces were in the city and needed assistance -Cannon Company set up on the Rhine River and fired across the river at German positions -French pulled south into the Colmar Pocket to drive out the Germans -Note: This Allied maneuver happened in the middle of January 1945 -Cannon Company sent out patrols and captured some German soldiers -He had learned some German in college and was able to serve as an interpreter -One POW showed him a leaflet that said Germany was using old men and boys -The POW then pointed at Allan because he thought Allan was a teenage boy -POWs told him that they had been told the 42nd Infantry Division troops were convicts (00:56:05) Operation North Wind (Nordwind) -Germans launched Operation Nordwind on December 31, 1944 -German forces led by Heinrich Himmler -Strike into Alsace-Lorraine to distract the Allies from the fighting in Belgium -Last major German offensive of the war nd -42 Infantry Division was part of Task Force Linden -Defended a 30 mile stretch of territory -Unprepared -Lacked artillery and tanks -Had some tank destroyers (lightly armored anti-tank vehicles) -Regiment moved north and the Germans attacked their position in early January 1945 -Faced superior German tanks -He was on the top floor of a train station directing artillery fire at tanks and armored infantry -Trying to use the 105mm cannons as direct fire as opposed to artillery -American tanks were forced to retreat -He stayed behind as long as he could to direct artillery fire so U.S. tanks could retreat -Risked being overrun and killed or captured -Received the Bronze Star for that action -Finally retreated and just before he reached the jeep a mortar destroyed the jeep -Company commander was killed during that German push �-Damaging to morale because he was one of the most liked officers -Regiment was situated on the old Maginot Line -As the Cannon Company retreated, an African American tank destroyer unit covered their retreat -Went head to head with the German tanks without breaking rank -First black soldiers he saw in Europe -Has tremendous respect for them -Finest soldiers he fought with -Cannon Company successfully pulled back -Stopped the German force attacking them -Led to the unit receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation -One man in the division, Vito R. Bertoldo, received a Medal of Honor -American forces blunted the German offensive, costing the Germans resources and soldiers (01:08:11) Advancing Toward Germany -Got refitted and replacements -Moved to Hagenau, France, near the German border -Had a close call in Hagenau -Trying to maintain communications with the forward observers and division artillery -Wires set up near a factory needed repair -He volunteered to go into the open and repair the wires -Did so under German shelling and received another Bronze Star -Americans were terrified of two German weapons: the 88mm artillery and the PPSh-41 “Burp Gun” -88mm artillery could be used against planes, tanks, and people, and as regular artillery (01:11:50) Crossing the Rhine River -In March 1945 the 42nd Infantry Division crossed the Rhine River at Worms into Germany -The 42nd spearheaded the liberation of Wurzburg, Schweinfurt, and Nurnberg in April 1945 -At Nurnberg they painted a rainbow on a wall (symbol of the 42nd) that is still there -Painted a rainbow in at least one place in each town they passed through -At Schweinfurt they were tasked with capturing an underground ball bearing factory -Allies tried to bomb the factory, but it proved ineffective -Ground forces had to take the factory, but it was surrounded by 88mm artillery -After intense fighting they took the city and the factory -Encountered Volksturm and Volksgrenadier units comprised of old men and young boys -Witnessed the mass surrender of hundreds of German troops (01:15:32) Liberation of Dachau & the Holocaust -The 42nd liberated Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945 -They were en route to Munich when they encountered the camp -Dachau was the first concentration camp, originally used for political prisoners -Commandant of the camp surrendered to the 42nd Infantry Division -Still doesn't have the words to fully explain in detail what he saw at Dachau -On the approach to Dachau he saw dozens of boxcars filled with corpses stacked like cord wood -Learned that they were prisoners being transferred from Buchenwald -Only a few survivors -Germans had executed most of the prisoners before they reached Dachau -Ordered not to feed the prisoners because it could kill them -Eventually went into the camp -Learned that some of the division soldiers had executed some of the guards -Healthier prisoners armed themselves with shovels and beat the guards to death -Learned the prisoners were priests, ministers, Poles, political prisoners, gypsies, gays, and Jews -Saw the crematoriums �-The Holocaust Center has asked him to go around and talk to high school students about Dachau -Tell them what he saw -Speaks with another veteran that liberated a camp and survivors of the camps -Later retraced his steps in Europe with his son -At Dachau he saw two busloads of young German soldiers -Recruits being shown the camps -Prove it happened, never allow it again, and refuse an order if necessary -The sights and smells overwhelmed him -Didn't stay in the camp because they still needed to pursue retreating German forces -There were rumors that German soldiers moved into the mountains and civilians would take up arms -Ordered to go house-house to collect weapons and capture stragglers -Approached a house in the town of Dachau and the man said that he wasn't a Nazi -Allan searched the house anyway and found a Nazi armband -Angered by how the Germans plead ignorance about the concentration camps -Parents were non-observant Jews, but the Nazis would have seen him as “racially” Jewish -Considers himself an atheist, but it wouldn't have mattered if they knew -Knew of American Jewish soldiers captured and either executed or mistreated (01:30:12) End of the War -Advanced into Salzburg, Austria, at the end of the war -Divided Germany and Austria into occupation zones -Went into Kitzbuhel, Austria, but left after it became part of the French Occupation Zone -Moved to the village of Lofer, near Salzburg -Saw the reopening of Mozart's house and theater -Watched the first performance of Mozart's music since the Nazi occupation -One man in his unit acted as the manager for the performance -Allowed Allan and his friends to watch the performance from box seats (01:33:24) Occupation Duty Pt. 1 -At the end of the war he had a lot of “points” -Needed 85 points to return to the United States -Awarded based on combat, dependents, length of service, and commendations -Had two Bronze Stars, combat time, Combat Infantry Badge, and years in the Army -Spent the winter of 1945 in Austria -One of the first to leave from his unit -Able to communicate with Germans and Austrians because he could speak German -Useful for bartering -Spoke French which allowed him to trade with the French -Traded K Rations for fresh bread and wine -Used cigarettes to barter with the Germans (01:35:18) Capture of Luftwaffe Base & Other Prizes of War Pt. 1 -Went into a Luftwaffe base near Munich and faced no resistance -Entered the commandant's office and the commandant surrendered to him, a corporal -Gave Allan his pistol, sword, and his ceremonial dagger -Had a Walther P-38 pistol and binoculars from a German officer -Hid his prizes in his jeep (01:37:18) Exploring Germany -Friend had relatives living in Ohm, Germany -He and his friend traveled to Ohm and met his friend's aunt -Stayed in the aunt's house and got to sleep in an actual bed -Visited while the war was still being fought �(01:38:40) Occupation Duty Pt. 2 -SS troops were rumored to be hiding in the mountains, attempting to regroup and resist -Sent to look for telephone wires and see if they led to SS encampments -Helped the Germans reestablish telephone lines -Never encountered any groups of SS soldiers, but was prepared to fight if necessary (01:40:05) R&R -Got a three day pass to Paris -Stayed in a fancy hotel -Got a three day pass to Switzerland (01:42:10) Occupying Austria -Stayed in Lofer, Austria, during the winter of 1945 -The people skied everywhere, and even skied to church -He and friends tried skiing -Remembers Austrian children laughing at how ridiculous they looked -In Salzburg he was billeted in a man's house -During December 1945 he came down with a terrible cold -The man gave him sugar cubes soaked in schnapps which cured his cold (01:44:15) Other Prizes of War Pt. 2 -He and a few of his friends found a stock of calvados (French apple brandy) -Supposed to turn over alcohol to the regiment for safe keeping -He and his friends took a few sips from each bottle before loading it onto trucks -Led to them getting drunk and getting yelled at by their superior (01:46:15) Contact with Home -Had few opportunities to write home -Wrote only while on R&R or during a lull in the action -Father worried when he didn't hear from Allan for a while (01:47:12) Coming Home & End of Service Pt. 1 -Boarded a truck and went to a “Cigarette Camp” near Le Havre, France -Boarded a troopship in Le Havre and sailed back to the United States (01:47:47) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Returned to Pennsylvania State University -Had college credit from Army Specialized Training Program -Graduated in two years (01:48:15) Coming Home & End of Service Pt. 2 -Voyage home was better than the voyage to Europe -Discharged at Fort Dix, New Jersey -Encouraged to join the Reserves -Offered promotion and benefits if he joined -He declined and was lightly punished for it -Menial duty and watching educational videos -Some of his friends joined the Reserves and had to fight in the Korean War (01:49:56) Living Conditions in Europe -The winter of 1944-1945 was one of the worst winters on record -Lacked appropriate clothing, and a high number of men suffered from trench foot -He would go to the rear to collect more telephone wire -Noticed rear personnel had better clothing and shoes for the winter than front line soldiers -Deeply incensing to know they had better gear than combat troops -Sergeant that served in Alaska taught him to change his socks as often as possible -Put your socks under your armpits to dry out one pair of socks while wearing the other pair �(01:52:00) Life after the War Pt. 2 -Returned to Pennsylvania State University and majored in psychology -Worked for the student newspaper and became the editor-in-chief -Met his future wife who was a journalism major working as the news editor -Spent a lot of time together -He took some journalism courses, but never decided to major in journalism -Interested in mass communication and the psychology of communication -Joined the National Student Association and became an officer in Madison, Wisconsin -Part of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality; Civil Rights activist group) while in college -Led a campaign to integrate barber shops at Pennsylvania State Univeristy -Sent to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, for the National Student Association -Got into national public relations for the National Student Association -Started a national student newspaper -Worked closely with the University of Wisconsin -Continued his graduate work at the University of Wisconsin -Great experience -Worked with national media (Time, CBS, and NBC) -Wrote op-ed pieces for New York Times -Became the Director of Communication Services at the University of Wisconsin -Did that for ten years -Produced a video with a “kinescope” (video recording device) -Video for college course on American Government for American servicemen -Part of “correspondence courses” (precursor to online courses) -After Sputnik he was prompted to go to Washington DC for the University of Wisconsin -Went to New York City for the University of Wisconsin Interview ends abruptly @ 02:02:37 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_OstarA1935V Title A name given to the resource Ostar, Allan W (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-05-31 Description An account of the resource Allan Ostar was born on September 4, 1924, in East Orange, New Jersey. He went to Pennsylvania State University in fall 1942 and joined the Reserve Officer's Training Corps, then joined the Enlisted Reserve Corps. He volunteered for active duty and was inducted at Fort Meade, Maryland. He received Basic Training, Radio Training, and Signal Corps Training at Camp Crowder, Missouri, then was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program. He received Engineering Training at the University of Denver and Regis College until the ASTP was disbanded. Allan then received orders to go to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, to join the 42nd Infantry Division. He was initially assigned to K Company of the 242nd Infantry Regiment, then transferred to Headquarters Company, before winding up in the Cannon Company. In November 1944 the 42nd went to New York City for deployment to Europe. They arrived at Marseille, France, in late November/early December 1944 then traveled north to help the French defend Strasbourg and the Alsace-Lorraine. During "Operation Nordwind" he received a Bronze Star for staying behind to direct artillery fire and another Bronze Star in Hagenau. In March 1945 he crossed the Rhine River into Germany, and took part in the liberation of Dachau on April 29, 1945. At the end of the war he entered Austria, and served in Austria as part of the occupying force. He left Europe in late 1945 (or early 1946) and was discharged at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ostar, Allan W. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c6ce9afaaa287280d74dc687c587310b.m4v 2f2afa2b9a76d38b22197d90b7c13e8a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/800d2359ba11b2e81c9141e16d5b6b0f.pdf 5289da9fd6bb82b23b1e09e0932f76d9 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Raymond Novakoski Vietnam War Era – Stateside Service 43 minutes 3 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life -Born on January 25, 1951 in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Grew up on the northeast side of Grand Rapids -Attended Catholic Central High School -Graduated in 1969 -Father worked at Packaging Corporation of America -Mother was a housewife and took care of the family -Father involved with Polish heritage groups in Grand Rapids -Father served in World War II as a 2nd lieutenant -Fought in the European Theater (00:03:02) Vietnam War Pt. 1 -Didn't pay a lot of attention to the Vietnam War -Had high school friends whose brothers were drafted -Saw a lot of protests and opposition to the Vietnam War on the news (00:03:42) Enlisting in the Navy Reserve -Attended Davenport College for a short time -Decided that college wasn't right for him -Lost his draft deferment status -In July 1970 he realized that he would likely get drafted -Didn't want to get drafted -Took a placement test at the Navy Reserve Center in Grand Rapids -Told he could serve as a hospital corpsman -Enlisted in the Navy Reserve as a hospital corpsman -Received his draft notice after enlisting in the Navy Reserve -Went to his recruiter who took care of the problem -Enlisted in August 1970 (00:06:33) Basic Training -Went to the Navy Reserve Center in Grand Rapids prior to basic training -Received uniforms and stenciled his name and serial number on them -In the fall of 1970 he went to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for basic training -Received two weeks of basic training -Shorter than the standard eight weeks of basic training -Navy Reserve basic training was more relaxed than regular Navy basic training -Quartered in clean barracks -Had a fixed schedule -Stood watch at night, folded clothes, and made his bed aside from training -Learned to work as a team -Introduced to military discipline -Taught to think of himself as a part of a group -Remembers a few minor instances of hazing and drill instructors yelling at recruits -Not as intense as in the Army or the Marines though (00:10:42) Corpsman Training �-Received two weeks of Corpsman Training at the Great Lakes Naval Station Hospital -Got accustomed to working in a hospital -Remembers helping a Vietnam War veteran that was at the hospital with a chest wound -Changed his dressings and talked to him about his family -Never experienced hostility for being a Reservist (00:13:09) Reserve Service in Grand Rapids -Returned to Grand Rapids after training and checked in with the Navy Reserve Center -Reported to the Reserve Center once a month for a year -Served with regular people -His dentist was in the Navy Reserve -Worked with him on dental checks -Most of the Reservists were younger men -Worked odd jobs in Grand Rapids until he was called up for active duty (00:15:30) Corps School -Active duty started on August 22, 1971 -Went to San Diego for Corps School at the naval hospital -Arrived early and was sent to a holding base on 32nd Street in San Diego -Placed in a barracks and someone stole his shoes -Stayed there for three or four weeks -Spent a lot of time doing nothing, but sometimes helped in the sick bay -Corps School started in September 1971 -Assigned to a barracks near the naval hospital -Learned how to draw blood, give shots, and conduct first aid -Had a recreation center and Balboa Park near the naval hospital -Able to go to downtown San Diego -More freedom than when he was in basic training -Only had to report for classes in the morning then had the nights to himself -Practiced giving shots to each other -Corps School lasted from September 1971 to the end of January 1972 (00:20:25) Stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola -Given two options: receive a random assignment, or pick your destination -If you picked your destination you had to pay your own way to get there -He selected Key West, Florida; Pensacola, Florida; or Memphis, Tennessee -Assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida -Returned to Grand Rapids for a few days -Drove down to NAS Pensacola -Had a hospital and barracks -NAS Pensacola largely functioned as a training base for naval aviators -Worked at a ward in the hospital and worked in the emergency room a few nights -Eventually went to work in the front office of the hospital -Became a driver for a captain -Completed his time at NAS Pensacola by working in the Ear, Nose, and Throat clinic -Didn't get too many Vietnam War veterans at the hospital -Mostly treated Navy retirees and personnel dependents (spouses and children) -Did end of life care and stabilized retirees before they went to Bethesda Naval Hospital -Brought a woman to the hospital so she could deliver her baby (00:25:17) Civilian Community of Pensacola -Community enjoyed the Navy's presence -Provided opportunities for the community �-A lot of people lived in Pensacola that had served in the Navy -Didn't experience any hostility from the civilian community in Pensacola (00:26:04) Morale at NAS Pensacola -Good morale at NAS Pensacola -Personnel felt safe and appreciative that they could serve at NAS Pensacola -Enjoyed helping active duty personnel and retirees -Majority of men did their jobs and did it well (00:27:14) Vietnam War Pt. 2 -Community was stable in Pensacola -Anti-war and racial tensions weren't problematic at NAS Pensacola or in the city -Heard some racist sentiments off-base, but nothing extreme (00:28:27) Medical Work at NAS Pensacola -Remembers treating an older man -Pumped cold water into his stomach to help stop the bleeding -Gave morphine to keep him comfortable until he died -Remembers treating one younger man with leukemia (00:29:34) Driving for the Captain -Driving for the captain was relatively easy -Only asked that Raymond opened the door for him and washed the car daily -Remembers driving the captain and an admiral to meetings -Once he dropped them off all he had to do was wait outside (00:30:18) Ear, Nose, and Throat Ward -Enjoyed working in the Ear, Nose, and Throat Ward -Assisted doctors with procedures -Helped with the removal of adenoids and tonsils -Mostly treated the children of naval personnel -Some personnel needed their tonsils removed -One man had cancer on his ear and had to have it removed -Helped create a prosthetic for the man (00:33:20) End of Active Duty -Did two years of active duty and had four years of Reserve obligation -Military downsized in the 1970s, especially after American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973 -Prompted to reenlist -Offered benefits -He wanted to stay at NAS Pensacola and continue his work as a hospital corpsman -Told he couldn't do that if he reenlisted, which prompted him to get out of active duty -Active duty ended on August 21, 1973 -Returned to Grand Rapids, Michigan (00:36:30) Life after Active Duty -Got married before enlisting -After active duty he got a job at General Motors through his mother-in-law -Started working there in September 1973 and got laid off in January 1974 -Took a test at the Post Office and got a job through the United States Postal Service -Got a job as a clerk -Daughter was born in February 1974 -Stayed with the United States Postal Service for 30 years (00:38:30) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -Taught him teamwork -Learned how to be organized �-Realized that he needed to follow orders and laws even if they didn't make sense -Better for society if he followed orders and laws (00:39:23) Reserve Service after Active Duty -Did two years of active reserve service and one year of inactive reserve service -Active reserve: Train for two weeks a year -Inactive reserve: Training was optional -Learned that if he signed up for two weeks at the end of the fiscal year he wouldn't have to go -First year of active reserve he went to Groton, Connecticut for his two weeks of training -Brought his wife and daughter with him -Worked in the sickbay at the hospital -Second year of active reserve he didn't have to do two weeks of training -During inactive reserve he opted out of training (00:41:36) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Felt he fulfilled his service obligation and did what he had to do -Impacted his life in a positive way and hopes that he had a positive impact on others (00:42:13) Veterans' Groups -Was part of American Legion Post 258 in Grand Rapids -Served as the financial officer, 2nd vice commander, 1st vice commander -Served as post commander for one year -Transferred to American Legion Post 459 -Part of the United Veterans Council -Served as the adjutant and as a senior vice commander � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_NovakoskiR1789V Title A name given to the resource Novakoski, Raymond Francis (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-06-25 Description An account of the resource Raymond Novakoski was born on January 25, 1951, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Navy Reserve in August 1970. In the fall of 1970 he reported to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for two weeks of basic training then received two weeks of Corpsman Training at Great Lakes Naval Station Hospital. He stayed in Grand Rapids for a year then began his active duty service on August 22, 1971. He attended Corps School in San Diego from September 1971 through January 1972. He was stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida where he worked in the naval hospital and also served as a driver for a captain. His active duty ended on August 21, 1973, and his time in the Navy Reserve ended after two years of active reserve service and one year of inactive reserve service. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Novakoski, Raymond Francis Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Naval Reserve Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0db393dc3ccc4215e418ff7a51921646.m4v 4b2c4b159e958aa5d2c28b7edb324255 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5cd64fa81870e82212f9ae359c158be0.pdf 8a584d5eeb9f4417074466910f738023 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Kenneth McCloud World War II 59 minutes 55 seconds (00:00:18) Early Life -Born on May 5, 1920 in Tennessee -Grew up in Tennessee -Neighbor was Sergeant York -World War I hero -Means that Kenneth most likely lived and grew up in Pall Mall, Tennessee -Sergeant York served as the commander of the local Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) -Father was a teacher -Able to do it with a high school education -Mother had met his father in school -He had two brothers and three sisters -One brother was severely wounded in Germany during the war -Worked at the Oak Ridge Nuclear Plant after the war -Other brother served in the Air Force and made a career out of it -Ran an Air Force hotel in Libya until Gaddafi seized control -Father helped save his grandfather's farm -Never got paid back for that -Father had to stop teaching in 1935 because a college education became a requirement -State still granted him a pension -The Great Depression was horrible and many people were truly hungry -Father was seen as a leader in the community and helped whenever he could -Only man in town that had a high school education -Everyone went to him to resolve issues -Also worked as a justice of the peace and presided in a small claims court -Another neighbor became the Secretary of State during the war (00:10:38) Start of the War -Father kept up with news about the fighting in Europe and Asia -When Kenneth got out of high school he wanted to enlist in the Navy -Father advised him that the war would eventually come for him anyway -Father could see that a war was coming to the United States -Father got a weekly paper from Washington D.C. whick kept him up to date on current events -Working in Alcoa, Tennessee when he heard news about the attack on Pearl Harbor (00:13:10) Enlisting in the Army -Tried to get into the Army Air Force as a pilot, but he didn't have good enough depth perception -Enlisted in the Army on February 10, 1942 �-Placed in the Signal Corps because he had some electrical skills (00:14:27) Work with the Army Air Force Overseas -Went overseas with a P-38 unit -Had famed aces Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire and he knew both of them -Bong died after the war while testing flying the P-80 Shooting Star -McGuire died during the war over Negros Island -During the Battle of the Philippine Sea -Remembers when a plane crashed and destroyed a bunch of tents, but only the pilot died (00:16:30) Basic Training & Signal Corps Training -Went to Fort Oglethorpe for processing and induction -Note: In the interview Mr. McCloud says it is in Tennessee, but it is actually in Georgia -Stayed there for a week -Sent to Joplin, Missouri for basic training and Signal Corps training -Possibly Camp Crowder -Had trouble adjusting to the Army and got in trouble a lot -Punished with picking up and piling heavy rocks -Introduced to radar in Signal Corps training -Trained with older British radar -Learned how to plot targets and the location of friendly aircraft -Sent down to Florida for telephone training (00:21:40) Overseas Duty in the Pacific Theatre Pt. 1 -Took part in the liberation of the Philippines -Got deployed to New Guinea in late 1943 or early 1944 -Deployed with a signal unit -His duty was to maintain the generators used for radar -Went in once an area was secured, but not void of enemy forces -Flew from island to island via C-47 cargo planes -Helped transport jeeps -Could fit two jeeps on a C-47 -Had to make sure the jeeps were tied down or it would cause problems (00:24:32) Deployment to the Pacific Theatre -Went by ship to New Guinea -Took 21 days to reach New Guinea -Seas were rough at times -Got seasick on deployment and returning home -Sailed to New Guinea on the USS Carlisle -Had submarine alerts -One time it was only a whale -Always happened in the early morning -Did submarine drills almost every day -Sailed from San Francisco to New Caledonia to Australia then to Finschafen, New Guinea (00:27:08) Overseas Duty in the Pacific Theatre Pt. 2 -Stayed in Finschaefen, New Guinea until the invasion of Hollandia �-Spring of 1944 -Gradually pushing Japanese forces back toward Japan -Remembers flying down a valley on one island in a C-47 -Close enough to the ground that the Japanese could shoot at them with rifles -When they landed there were 45 holes in the plane -Made sure to get out of that valley in a hurry -Japanese were deeply entrenched on the islands, especially in New Guinea (00:29:53) Living Conditions Pt. 1 -Living conditions were pretty rough -A lot of times they would be in mud up to their knees -Remembers driving a jeep through mud and he started sinking -Mud went up to his waist -Australians and Americans pulled him out (00:31:21) Interactions with Australian Troops & Natives -Australians were good men -Only country he would ever want to move to because they were rugged like Americans -Had no contact with the natives in New Guinea (00:33:00) Combat in the Pacific -Japanese would attack their camps -Sneak in at night and slit a few soldiers' throats -Wake up in the morning and find the soldier next to you door -Demoralizing, but you had to keep going -Japanese forces would get pushed up into the hills -They would come out of the hills and harass American camps (00:34:42) Unit Assignments -Part of the 553d Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion -Eventually got reassigned to the 559th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion (00:35:15) Overseas Duty in the Pacific Theatre Pt. 3 -From Finschaefen, New Guinea flew to Hollandia, New Guinea -Went there once an airstrip was secured -Had fighter escorts when they flew from one island to the next -Got to Hollandia in spring/summer 1944 after the initial invasion (00:37:14) Living Conditions Pt. 2 -Living conditions were slightly better in Hollandia, New Guinea -There was more material available in Hollandia -Never short on supplies -Anything they needed they could get -Got supplies shipped shipped from the U.S. via Australia -Realized that the U.S. has always been able to take care of itself (00:38:53) Liberation of the Philippines -Stayed in Hollandia for about six months then went to the Philippines -The worst fighting he saw was when the Japanese sent in paratroopers from Formosa (Taiwan) -Didn't know how to fight them -Marines were sent in to help fight off the paratroopers �-Captured a few and learned that it was a suicide mission -Didn't see many Japanese prisoners of war until they got to the Philippines -Most Japanese forces were killed in action though -Used the Japanese prisoners for manual labor -Treated with respect even though they were the enemy -Filipinos were scolded for spitting on Japanese prisoners -Stationed on Leyte in the Philippines -Remembers visiting BayBay, Leyte -Nice place that had restaurants and hadn't been damaged by the Japanese -Transported Filipino civilians -Relationship between Filipinos and Americans was good -Still has a lot of respect for the Filipinos -Especially after everything they endured under Japanese rule -Got to the Philippines in November 1944 shortly after the invasion of the Philippines in October -Transported jeeps from New Guinea to the Philippines -Stayed in the Philippines until the end of the war (00:47:42) Occupation Duty in Japan -Sent to Japan for occupation duty in Osaka -Had to use pontoon bridges to transport vehicles from ship to shore -Then had to drive over a mountain to Osaka -Japanese civilians never attacked American soldiers -Treated American soldiers with deference and honored a conqueror -There were miles of rubble in Osaka -Industrial sectors were destroyed, but residential areas were (mostly) spared -Got to visit Kobe and Tokyo -Stayed in Japan for only five weeks -Means that he probably got to Japan in October 1945 (00:53:06) Coming Home & End of Service -Went to Yokohama for a week then boarded the SS Ernie Pyle -Sailed home with some of the men that had been with Ernie Pyle when he was killed -Seas were rough on the way home -Felt like riding an elevator -Had Thanksgiving Dinner 1945 on the way back to the U.S. -Didn't get seasick until the man next to him threw up at dinner -Pulled into Seattle in late November/early December 1945 -Sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas -Stayed there for a week -Got discharged on December 15, 1945 -Got home in time to celebrate Christmas 1945 with his wife -Married for more than 70 years Interview Ends at 00:59:55 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_McCloudK1760V Title A name given to the resource McCloud, Kenneth Edward (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-05 Description An account of the resource Kenneth McCloud was born on May 5, 1920 in Tennessee. On February 10, 1942 he enlisted in the Army and was placed in the Signal Corps. He was processed and inducted at Fort Oglethorpe then went to Joplin, Missouri (most likely Camp Crowder) for basic training and signal training. He was deployed to the Pacific Theatre in either late 1943, or early 1944, and was sent to Finschaefen, New Guinea. He stayed at Finschafen until spring 1944 following the invasion of Hollandia. During his time in the Pacific he was part of the 553rd Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion and later the 559th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion and his duty was to maintain the generators used for radar installations. In November 1944 he was sent to the Philippines and was stationed on the island of Leyte until the end of the war. Following Japan's surrender in August 1945 he was sent to Osaka, Japan for occupation duty (most likely in late September/October 1945). He stayed in Japan for five weeks then returned to the United States. He was sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas and was discharged on December 15, 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McCloud, Kenneth Edward Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jones, Adam (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf