19 24 1541 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fdd779af9406d8240ffc3f1b3d65bb74.m4v 866cfeeade829af6ae8b21bac594252e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2d549649238cb8a7d05a5c5790dfc568.pdf e4b801f47828d0856e5a2abca24a2a3b PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Joseph DiLorenzo Vietnam War 1 hour 36 minutes 27 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life -Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 3, 1948 -Grew up in Grand Rapids -Graduated from Kelloggsville High School -Took some classes at Grand Rapids Junior College (now Community College) -Worked at Steketee's Department Store -Graduated from high school in June 1966 (00:01:11) Enlisting in the Air Force & Vietnam War -Given a deferment while he attended college -After he left college he knew he would get drafted -Decided to talk to recruiters in Grand Rapids in February 1967 -Friend wanted to enlist in the Army, but that didn't appeal to Joseph -He talked to an Air Force recruiter -Took some tests and decided to enlist in the Air Force -Had seen some news about the Vietnam War -Didn't bother him too much though, he focused more on just enjoying life as a young man -Didn't know what he wanted to do with his life -Left college in January 1967 and enjoyed working at Steketee's -Many young men at college were concerned about their draft status -Joe was unconcerned because he thought the government wouldn't know his college status -Felt that being in the Air Force would be a safer bet than being an infantryman in the Army -Father had served in the Army during World War II -Served in the European Theater -Talked about his experiences -Felt that that prepared him for his own service in the Air Force -Father was neutral about Joe's decision to enlist, but his mother asserted he wouldn't go through with it -That only made him want to enlist more just to prove her wrong -Also wanted to be away from home because his mother was a strict woman -Signed the paperwork in April 1967 -In May 1967 he received a call telling him he could report in July, August, or November -He chose August 2, 1967 as his report date -Showed his mother that he was true to his word about enlisting in the Air Force -On July 1, 1967 he received his draft notice -Recruiter told him to throw it away and not worry about it (00:07:34) Basic Training -Sent to Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas for basic training -Six weeks -No longer an individual -After the first day of basic training he wondered why he enlisted -Basic training was a growing up experience for him -Focused on team-building and learning to support each other -Did drills and went on runs �-Remembers one man that couldn't run a half mile without being exhausted -Joe and another recruit supported the man while they ran -First day of basic training consisted of getting his head shaved and getting various assignments -Assigned to a barracks and assigned to a Training Instructor (TI) -Handed over his personal belongings for storage and he was issued a uniform -First couple of days consisted of being broken down and taught to fear anyone with rank -T.I.s had served in Vietnam, many had been in the Air Force for 20 years, and were sergeants -Screamed at you if you didn't show them enough respect -All it took was one time for that to happen to Joe for him to respect his TI -Everything was always done fast -Remembers being woken up in the middle of the night and ordered out of bed -T.I.s came in and messed up everyone's beds -They were given two minutes to put everything back together -Always had to make sure his boots were polished, otherwise he would be denied leave -First two weeks of basic training you couldn't have any cigarettes -Some men that thought they could handle it, couldn't -Some men washed out and had to be picked up by their parents -Knew he was immature and wanted to prove himself to his family, friends, and himself -Had been drawn to military service since he was a boy and wanted to know his capabilities -Recruits emotionally supported other recruits -Basic training consisted of a lot of physical training -Running obstacle courses and crawling through the mud -Went on the rifle range and shot the outdated M1 Garand rifle (WWII vintage) -A lot of classroom work -Taught the chain of command, problem solving, health, finances, and first aid training -Majority was more about making the recruits responsible adults -At the end of basic training went through a graduation ceremony and got issued orders -T.I.s also softened and treated the recruits like people and gave them advice -Given leave and orders for either a technical school or a base (00:17:02) Assignment to Barksdale Air Force Base -After two weeks of leave he went to Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreveport, Louisiana -Strategic Air Command base and very formal -Excited to be assigned there -As a SAC base it was a large Air Force base -B-52 bombers, U-2 spy planes, KC-130 tankers, and the SR-71 recon plane landed there once -Base also housed nuclear weapons -He was assigned to the Security Police -Guarding aircraft -Two Man Policy -Allowing two officers on an aircraft by themselves -Had to check identification before anyone boarded an aircraft -Security Police were tested to see if they paid close enough attention to IDs -Heard stories about bomber crews sleeping under their B-52 during Cuban Missile Crisis (00:19:52) Security Work at Barksdale AFB -If you didn't stop an unauthorized person you could face imprisonment at Leavenworth -Someone checked up on him every 15 minutes to see how he was doing -Had a rifle and a whistle -No problem guarding the tanker area -Supervisor patrolled the area in a jeep and there was a guard post at the entry point �-Assigned to the tanker area for six months -Transferred to the bomber area -Had Operational Readiness Inspections (ORI) once a year -Simulated nuclear attack on the U.S., bomber crews had to be ready to fly -Shut down the base and launched the bombers like they were going on a mission -Failed the inspection if the base was not 100% prepared to go to war -There were some boring days pulling security, but he enjoyed seeing the aircraft -Could listen to a transistor radio while on guard duty to pass the time -Work schedule: -Three swing shifts (3:30 p.m. to Midnight) -Three mids (Midnight to 7 a.m.) -Three day shifts -Two and a half days off -Kept him busy -Did drills with a fake intruder -Had to stop them, search them, and then throw them in the back of a truck for detention -Some of the security police did their job a little too well and hurt the volunteers -Remembers some drunk airmen wandered into an area -They were detained and sent to the base's jail (00:25:54) Life at Barksdale AFB -The barracks he lived in were at Bossier Air Base -Nuclear weapons storage facility on site -Lived in barracks built during World War II -Got to move into new barracks six months after living in the old buildings -Had good food in the Air Force -Had a movie theater, a bowling alley, and a car mechanic on base -Went off base a lot with his friends -A lot of bars and bowling alleys in the area -Formed a bowling team and competed against civilian teams -Treated well by the community around the base -Air Force provided non-military work for civilians and airmen spent money in the community -Met a lot of friendly people at a local church (00:29:21) Getting Married -Had known his wife since they were both children -Reconnected in high school and dated through high school -After he completed basic training they started dating again -Got married in 1969 -Given two weeks of leave -Went on their honeymoon in Florida -Moved into an off-base apartment near Barksdale AFB -It was good having her live there with him -Wife got a nursing job in Shreveport -Lived in Louisiana from October 1969 to December 1969 (00:32:02) Orders for Vietnam -Received his orders for Vietnam in December 1969 -Moved his wife back to Michigan in April 1970 -Had orders to report to San Antonio for pre-deployment training -Given two weeks of leave before he would have to deploy -Had hoped that he wouldn't get reassigned �-Had spent 2 ½ years at Barksdale AFB before receiving orders for Vietnam -Always knew it was a possibility that he would get reassigned (00:33:27) Pre-Deployment Training -Two other men from Barksdale received orders for Vietnam and reported to San Antonio with him -Learned how to fire M16 rifle, M60 machine gun, M79 grenade launcher, .50 caliber machine gun -Also worked with the XM174 automatic grenade launcher (fired 12 40mm grenades in 30 sec.) -Did tactical training at night and learned how to guard a perimeter at night -Had a mock-up helicopter site for training purposes -Stood guard at night Drill Instructors acted like the Viet Cong and tried to infiltrate the helicopter site -Worked with night scopes -Some men were mentally prepared to deploy while other were not -Taught some of the Vietnamese language -Shown footage of Viet Cong soldiers -Instructors instilled in them a sense of fear -They wanted you to be afraid, so you would be cautious, so you would get home alive -Did well in training -More mentally prepared than some of the other men -He was not afraid of coming home in a body bag -Would go to Vietnam, do his job, and come home -Two weeks of training, seven days a week -Still had a little down time though -Good training and he enjoyed it (00:38:48) Deployment to Vietnam -After pre-deployment training he was given 1 ½ to 2 weeks of leave to be with his wife and family -Filed paperwork -Where to send paychecks if he was killed in action and he signed up for savings bonds -He was slated for a one year tour -Flew from Grand Rapids to Chicago to Seattle -Remembers a businessman in Chicago bought him and other airmen drinks -In Seattle there were protestors -Threw eggs and dog feces at the soldiers -Stayed in Seattle a couple hours -Flew up to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska to refuel -From Alaska flew to Yokota Air Base, Japan and refueled there -Left Japan and flew to Clark Field, Philippines -Last stop before going on to Vietnam (00:41:30) Arrival in Vietnam -Landed at Cam Ranh Bay during the day -Came in steep to avoid antiaircraft fire -Beautiful beaches, blue sea, and lush foliage -Couldn't believe there was a war -When he stepped off the plane he remembers being hit by the heat and the sight of body bags -Showed him that a war was indeed going on in this country -While he was processing he ran into an old high school classmate -Stayed in Cam Ranh Bay for a couple days -Waiting for a flight to take him farther north (00:43:42) Assignment to Phu Cat Air Base & 12th Security Police Squadron -Took a Fairchild C-123 to Qui Nhon along with Vietnamese civilians �-C-7 Caribou from Qui Nhon to Phu Cat Air Base -Beautiful base in the middle of nowhere -Joined the 12th Security Police Squadron -Guarding the base perimeter and the Cobra gunships -Informed that he would pull 12 hour shifts from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. -Variety of assignments for base security -Bunkers and guard towers -Response Team and Security Alert Teams -Had armored personnel carriers and V-100 armored amphibious vehicle -.50 caliber machine gun, M60 machine gun, radio, M-16 rifles, grenades and launchers -If there was a security breach you stopped the breach -Held the line until reinforcements arrived -When he got to the base he was essentially introduced to life in Vietnam -Talked to the chaplain -Instructed to take salt tablets -Shown around the base -Met with the company commander -Assigned to a transit barracks, then a temporary barracks (00:47:15) Racial Tension -His first living quarters was filled with predominantly black airmen -Sensed the racial tension -Stayed in those living quarters for two or three weeks -Moved to new living quarters that were predominantly white -Black and white airmen voluntarily segregated -Black airmen ignored white airmen in the living quarters -Took care of each other while on guard duty regardless of race -Had black superiors and there were no problems -Lower ranking black airmen were more contentious than black officers -Remembers one racially motivated incident at Phu Cat -One white airman from Mississippi flew a Confederate flag, but he wasn't a racist -Someone threw a Molotov cocktail on the top of the roof of the white living quarters -Company commander called everyone out and told the men there would be an inspection -Polished boots, neat uniforms, and no personal material hanging in the living quarters -Never found out who threw the bomb -Racial tension eased after that incident (00:52:04) Guard Tower Duty -His first regular assignment was on a guard tower outside of the base perimeter -Volunteered for that duty -Had a .50 cal machine gun, a night scope, two M60 machine guns, grenades, and flares -Dropped off at the tower at night and got picked up in the morning -Never had any enemy contact -It was pitch black at night -Night scope helped with that -Guard tower was on a flat plain that extended for 150 to 200 yards and was at the base of a hill -Protected the north/south runway -Had an American mortar pit to the rear -Mortar crew zeroed in on the tower -If North Vietnamese or Viet Cong overran the tower it could be destroyed -Voluntary assignment that was not randomly given to airmen �-Out there by himself -Tied equipment and rifle to a pulley and raised it to the top of the tower -After that he climbed to the top of the tower -Interesting being out there -Six months of guard tower duty and he enjoyed it (00:56:40) Downtime at Phu Cat -There was a base theater with air conditioning for the men -First movie they were shown was the Green Berets -Went to the Non-commissioned Officers Club -A lot of heavy drinking -Played a lot of cards -There was an Olympic-sized swimming pool (00:57:24) Contact with Other Soldiers & Progress of the War Pt. 1 -101st Airborne Division men came to Phu Cat for their R&R -Heard combat stories from the men -Got to know some of them -In 1970, “Vietnamization” led to a lack of supplies for men in the field -Airmen traded supplies with infantrymen, because the infantrymen needed the supplies -Had a pretty good idea of what was going on in the field -Read the military newspaper, The Stars & Stripes -Wife sent him news articles about the Vietnam War -Aware of what was going on all over Vietnam in terms of combat -Fighter-bombers flew sorties out of Phu Cat Air Base into Cambodia and Laos -For a while, Phu Cat was unlisted due to the secret bombing missions over Cambodia (01:00:53) Contact with Civilians -There was a village nearby named Phu Cat -Villagers were friendly -Civilians worked on the base -Did laundry -Nice people -Problem was you couldn't tell where their loyalties lied -Seemed glad, at least, to have an American presence in the area -Airmen and soldiers gave some of their rations to civilians -Remembers the civilians ate large rice bugs -Offered one once, but he politely declined -Forbidden to go off the base (01:02:38) Prostitution & Drug Use -No problems with prostitution -Tight restrictions due to concerns about sexually transmitted diseases -Men didn't want to contract an STD and be considered unfit to go on R&R -Only substance-abuse problem was alcoholism -Beer and whiskey were widely available -One man was such an alcoholic that he could barely function most of the time (01:05:08) Enemy Contact -First rocket attack happened one morning around 6 a.m. -He was coming off duty and heading back to base -They were crossing the runway when he saw sparks in the distance -122mm rockets being fired at the base -Got out of the truck and got under it �-Rockets never hit the runways because the North Vietnamese couldn't hit any targets -During the second rocket attack the strikes were a little closer, but caused no damage -Nobody took the rocket attacks seriously -There weren't many rocket attacks during his tour in Vietnam -Recon teams went out night -Brought mines and a German Shepherd to alert them to an enemy presence -Kept the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong away -Remembers three separate rocket attacks and none of them caused any memorable damage -There were some enemy attempts to breach the perimeter -He was part of the Security Alert Team by then -He drove one of the armored vehicles and manned the grenade launchers -One one occasion they pulled up to a tower to relieve the tower guard -Heard bullets zipping past his head -The men grabbed their weapons, returned fire, and alerted the base -Forces on the north perimeter concentrated their fire on the enemy position -Didn't think about being shot at, thought about getting his uniform duty -Sent out a patrol to search the area for an enemy force -Found nothing, not even traces of an enemy force -At sunrise the Viet Cong always scattered -There were two times when he got shot at -Called to a perimeter bunker because an airman saw movement beyond the perimeter -There was nothing out there -Went down the line to give the guards coffee -Guard at the original bunker called the Security Alert Team back because he saw movement -Heard bullets pinging off of metal -Parked the armored vehicle at an angle to provide cover and return fire -Had mortar support -The next morning they found nothing (01:14:15) Security Alert Team Duty -During the second half of his tour he volunteered be on the mobile Security Alert Team -Responded to a breach in the perimeter and held off enemy until reinforcements arrived -Visited every post at night -Drove without the vehicle lights on -Had to know the perimeter and the posts well -Made sure the guards were awake -Did test firing of weapons along the perimeter -Making sure the weapons fired properly, but also kept away enemy troops -Protecting American lives and American property (01:16:20) Contact with Other Soldiers & Progress of the War Pt. 2 -Had contact with mechanics and a lot of contact with infantrymen at Phu Cat on R&R -Infantrymen didn't talk a lot -Too exhausted to talk to anyone -They had been on the DMZ and in the jungle near the Laotian border -101st Airborne Division saw a lot of action during 1970 -Major campaign and defeat at Firebase Ripcord in 1970 (01:18:22) Leadership & Relationship with Fellow Airmen -New officers listened to enlisted men that had in-country experience -Casual relationship between the officers and enlisted men -Made the enlisted men respect the officers more �(01:19:34) Contact with Home -Wrote constantly to his wife -Took a while to receive letters from home -Made calls home via satellites -Delay between calls (01:20:06) R&R in Hawaii -In February 1971 he went to Hawaii for R&R -Got to see his wife and his parents -Father didn't ask about experiences in Vietnam -Wife asked a little about his experiences -Hard to get on a plane headed back to Vietnam -Knew he would be out in June 1971 (01:21:06) End of Tour Pt. 1 -More cautious near the end of his tour -Determined that he would get home alive and intact -The last couple months in Vietnam passed more slowly than his first months in Vietnam (01:21:41) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -Life changing experience -Kind of emotionally prepared for service after hearing his father's stories -Saw some action, but has tremendous respect for infantrymen -Feels that he did his job and did it well -Wouldn't want his sons to have to go through war -Believes the Vietnam War set the tone of warfare for the rest of the 20th century and the 21st century -Glad that he served his country (01:24:13) End of Tour Pt. 2 & Coming Home -Stayed at Phu Cat Air Base for his entire tour save for R&R -Got to see Da Nang when he was en route to Hawaii -Given orders to go home one week earlier than he originally planned -Relieved from duty and got his travel paperwork in order -Flew out of Cam Ranh Bay -Spent two and a half days there -Incredibly cautious and on edge because he had no weapon -Minor rocket attacks -Dead silent when they took off from Vietnam -He had expected the men to cheer -Stopped in the Philippines -Landed in Seattle in the late afternoon -There were still protestors, but he and the other men ignored them -Went into the terminal to get out-processed -No protestors in the airport -Flew back to Grand Rapids in uniforms -Proud that he served his country and unafraid to show it -Felt the protestors had the right to protest as long as they didn't get violent -Felt we should have done more to win the war, but popular opinion was against the war -Experienced more direct antagonism from civilians before he went to Vietnam -On a flight home from Barksdale AFB a woman refused to sit next to him -Landed at Grand Rapids and there were no protests -Wife and parents greeted him -Father set up a banner at their house that read, “Welcome home Joe!” �-No protestors in the airport at Grand Rapids or in the city (01:30:50) End of Service Pt. 1 -Done with enlistment in the Air Force by time he got back to Grand Rapids -Discharged while he was in Seattle (01:31:00) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Got an apartment in downtown Grand Rapids on Wealthy and Fuller -Remembers a car backfiring at night -He unconsciously jumped out of bed and grabbed his pistol before he woke up -Only incident that ever happened after he got home from the war -Didn't talk about his time in Vietnam, mostly because no one really asked him about his time -Friends asked him generic questions about his service and the war, but nothing probing (01:32:59) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Glad that he served his country, no matter what -After he got home he learned that two high school classmates had been killed in action -Deeply affected him (01:33:30) End of Service Pt. 2 -Air Force wanted him to reenlist -Offered a bonus and his choice of base in the United States -Wife didn't want to be a military wife and he wanted to start a family -Had he been single he probably would have reenlisted -He explained his reasoning next to reenlist and the officer understood perfectly (01:35:03) Life after the War Pt. 2 -GI Bill went into effect, so he returned to Grand Rapids Junior College -Had a son -Went to school full time and worked at his wife's uncle's bar -Got a job with Witmark Catalog Showrooms -Worked for them for 25 years -Graduated from Grand Rapids Junior College with an associate's degree � 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 DiLorenzoJ1858V Title A name given to the resource DiLorenzo, Joseph James (Interview outline and video), 2015 Description An account of the resource Joseph DiLorenzo was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 3, 1948. He enlisted in the Air Force in April 1967 and reported for basic training on August 2, 1967. He received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and for two and a half years was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana guarding B-52 bombers and KC-130 tankers. In December 1969 he received orders for Vietnam and in the spring of 1970 he was deployed to Vietnam. He was stationed at Phu Cat Air Base with the 12th Security Police Squadron. For the first six months of his tour he stood guard in a tower outside of the base's perimeter, and for the second six months he was part of a mobile Security Alert Team patrolling the base's perimeter and dealing with any security breaches. At the end of his tour he returned to the United States and was discharged in Seattle, Washington. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DiLorenzo, Joseph James Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-07-23 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/47d1c70db71a3c6e8066fe8741ebe7ba.m4v 39aa7bffb605437f2ed021508721d0af https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7f7867e398cbe228dca9a5a5b023679a.pdf fbf94f1a967cd9b55add5f5b8e0e87a1 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Kathryn Bulkley World War II (Civilian), Post-WWII (Air Force) 37 minutes 14 seconds (00:00:11) Early Life -Born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1919 -Moved to North Muskegon -Graduated from North Muskegon High School -Attended community college for two years -Father was a coffee salesman and sold coffee door-to-door -Had a difficult life during the Great Depression -Father worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) -WPA: New Deal agency that hired Americans to do various jobs -For example, her father cut down trees for the WPA -Mother worked as a caretaker -Her mother contracted cancer and died when Kathryn was 21-years old -Graduated from high school in 1937 -Had 26 people in her class -After community college she went to Western Michigan University for one year (00:03:18) World War II -Worked for Continental Motors in Muskegon for a couple years -Aircraft factory -Worked for seven days a week, for 25 cents an hour -Worked on Rolls Royce engines for aircraft destined to Britain as part of the Lend-Lease Act -She worked in the paint department -Moved to Portland, Oregon, to live with sister and find work in the shipyard -Couldn’t find work -Returned to Muskegon after the war ended -Worked in the YWCA office and at the YMCA as a swimming instructor (00:06:25) Enlisting in the Air Force -Decided to enlist in the Air Force after the war -Had wanted to serve and it was something different to do -Wanted to further the medical skills she had learned in college -Didn’t know that the Air Force didn’t have its own medical service -Air Force still relied on the Army for medical services (00:08:39) Basic Training -Sent to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for basic training -Took aptitude tests -Learned how to march -A lot of foreign generals visited the base -Recruits to had to go out in formation to greet them -Remembers recruits collapsing due to the heat -Not allowed to help them -Learned how to obey orders -It wasn’t too hard for her -Strong emphasis on following orders and being disciplined �-She was older than the other recruits -She was in her late twenties, and most of the recruits were in their late teens -The drill sergeants were nice, strict, and women -Basic training lasted three or four months (00:12:47) Chanute Field, Illinois -Sent to Chanute Field, Illinois, to wait for her assignment -She had picked an assignment to work as a mechanic on an aircraft simulator -The simulator was a pod with aircraft instruments, on hydraulics, over an electronic map -Used to teach new pilots how to fly by instruments (usually for night flying) -Spent a few weeks at Chanute waiting for her final assignment (00:18:30) Stationed at Langley Air Force Base -Sent to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia -Assigned to a department to learn how to do maintenance on the flight simulators -Training lasted four months -Learned about electronics, hydraulics, instruments, and how to use the simulator -As a mechanic, she worked from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. when pilots weren’t using the simulators -First group of female mechanics -They were considered an experimental group (seeing if women could be competent mechanics) -Reported to a master sergeant -He treated the women well -She and the other female mechanics were routinely checked to see if they were doing well -They made the experiment a success, gaining women a stronger role in the military -Quartered in barracks -Slept on cots in an open area with 15 or 20 women -Worked with a lot of Southern women -Difficult to understand -They saw it as a place to advance themselves, and maybe a route to go to college -Enjoyed the work she did, but it wasn’t really practical for the civilian sector (00:24:55) Downtime & Life Off-Base -Allowed to hop flights off the base, but had to be back for duty by a specific time -Hopped a flight to New York City -On the way back she lost her seat because General Curtis Lemay needed a seat -This resulted in Kathryn being AWOL -Punished with marching in front of the flag for an hour a night for a week -Never took a flight off the base after that -Korean War didn’t make much of an impression on her when it began in June 1950 -Didn’t pay much attention to the news anyway -Had some limited entertainment options on the base -Pool, card room, and the occasional movie, but nothing exciting (00:29:10) End of Service -She wasn’t really happy at Langley, and wasn’t really happy in the Air Force -Didn’t feel like she belonged in the Air Force -Felt confined, and didn’t like it -Didn’t see herself making a career out of the Air Force -Had gone in with the mindset of staying for two years then getting out -No encouragement for reenlist -Discharged from the Air Force in 1950 (00:31:00) Life after Service -Didn’t what to do after she got out of the Air Force �-Got a job with Sealed Power in Muskegon, Michigan -Worked for them for 16 years -Went back to Western Michigan University in 1966 -Lived in on-campus apartment -Completed a degree in physical education -Got a job at Oakridge Middle School in Muskegon -Taught there for 17 years -Enjoyed the work and discovered it was her true calling (00:33:55) Segregation -Doesn’t remember any African American women in her unit -President Truman issued an executive order in 1948 desegregating the military -Took a while for the military to integrate, though -Didn’t spend time off-base in the South, so she didn’t see segregation (00:35:24) Reflections on Service -The Air Force taught her electrician skills -Helpful when she built her house � 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 BulkleyK1966V Title A name given to the resource Bulkley, Kathryn (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Kathryn Bulkley was born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1919. During World War II she worked in the Continental Motors factory in Muskegon for a few years building aircraft for the war effort. In 1948 she enlisted in the Air Force. She received her basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, then went to Chanute Field, Illinois, to wait for her assignment. She was assigned to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, to work as a mechanic on flight simulators for pilots to learn how to fly by instruments. She stayed at Langley for the duration of her enlistment and was discharged in 1950. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bulkley, Kathryn 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e388dbf5ba707bf0252fb8e2ee6321c4.m4v da057ebb392dc4257d53f8089b85556a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ffbeb09f6117bc8528fa3cf8db381896.pdf c61bc32ff4cce3fde3298dc845537bdc PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Willard Brock Cold War/Post-Korean War 22 minutes 3 seconds (00:00:23) Early Life -Born on June 8, 1936 in Gaines Township, Michigan -There were nine children in his family -Active household -Remembers every family had a garden to raise food for the family -Stored the extra food in the cellar -Attended Grand Rapids Christian High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan (00:01:49) Enlisting in the Army -Considered enlisting because the draft was still in effect when he turned 18 (c. 1954) -Enlisted with friends from high school -Wanted to serve his country, but also knew there was a likelihood he would get drafted -Always assumed he would have to do service for the country -Enlisted in the Army -He and his friends all enlisted and got discharged at the same time -Had his physical exam and his induction in Detroit (00:03:29) Basic Training -Received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri -He and his friends all received their training at Fort Leonard Wood -It was difficult -Army wanted to figure out what kind of person you were, and how you acted under pressure -All of his friends made it through basic training -Went on the infiltration course at night and was the most difficult part of basic training -Crawling under barbed wire while a machine gun fired live rounds over his head -Not too physically challenging -Difficult for heavier men -Mental and physical strength were important traits -Drill sergeants had fought in the Korean War -Tried to be imposing -Had to be tough on recruits to prepare them for the possibility of combat (00:06:17) Medical Training -Sent to Fort Sam Houston near San Antonio, Texas -Received 12 weeks of medical training there -Had volunteered for medical training and received his position of choice -Family members working in medicine prompted him to volunteer for medical training -After Fort Sam Houston he went to Fort Riley, Kansas for practical training -Worked in all of the different wards of the hospital on the base -Getting different medical experience -Not much to do outside of Fort Riley -Final part of training (00:08:00) Deployment to West Germany -He was assigned to duty West Germany -Went to Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1956 to wait for transportation �-Assignment was based on need -Flew to Germany -Flight took 18 hours -Stopped in Newfoundland, Canada to refuel -Not allowed to get off the plane -Landed at Frankfurt, Germany -Taken to Nuremberg and was stationed there for 18 months -Flew to Germany on a Navy plane -Comfortable flight (00:10:14) Stationed in Nuremberg & the Cold War -Had drills every so often to prepare in the event of a Soviet attack -Remembers soldiers being sent to the Middle East due to trouble in Lebanon -1958 Lebanon Crisis -Served as the ward master in a hospital -Meant he stayed on the base when the troops went abroad -Stationed at the 20th Station Hospital -Military hospital in Nuremberg -Treated soldiers injured in field exercises -Took care of servicemen from other branches outside of the Army (00:12:16) German Civilians -A lot of German civilians worked for the American government -Thought every American was rich -Got along well with the German people -Saw the Nazi party rally grounds where Hitler had held rallies in the 1930s -Planned to rule the world from that location (00:13:21) Travel in Europe -Got to travel around Europe -Visited the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy -Italy was a wonderful country -Food was great -Saw a lot of Italy -Spent two weeks there -Met relatives for the first time when he visited the Netherlands -Visited his mother's old home (00:14:45) Duties at the Hospital -He was in charge of the maternity ward supplies -In charge of linens in the maternity ward -Helped with labor and delivery rooms -German ambulances delivered pregnant women to the hospital -Remembers one woman gave birth before she got to a room -Always busy and enjoyed his work -Stationed at the 20th Station Hospital for 18 months (00:16:10) End of Service & Coming Home -At the end of his time in Germany he returned to the United States via troop transport -Took six days to get back to America, and it was a rough trip -Landed at New York City -Sent to Fort Sheridan, Illinois to be discharged -Involuntarily placed in the Reserves for two years -Able to serve out of Grand Rapids, Michigan �-Attended classes on medical issues -Went on training exercises for two weeks in the summer -Received that assignment because of his occupation in the Army -Achieved the rank of Specialist 3rd Class (equivalent to corporal) -Happy with that rank (00:17:54) Friendships in the Army -Kept in touch with some of his friends -One was stationed in West Germany and another was stationed in France -They were able to meet up a few times (00:18:10) Life after Service -Had to start over in terms of personal relationships -Old friends had moved on with their lives -Went back to his old job in a furniture factory -Good for readjusting to civilian life -Lost touch with most of his friends that he made in the Army (00:19:30) Reflections on Service -Realized that it was time to leave the Army when he did -Learned that there are rules and regulations in life that you have to abide by -Taught him to obey authority -Time in the Army taught him leadership and responsibility -Good experience and a good educational opportunity -Happy that he served his country � 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 BrockW1842V Title A name given to the resource Brock, Willard M (Interview outline and video), 2015 Description An account of the resource Willard Brock was born on June 8, 1936 in Gaines Township, Michigan. Around the time that he turned 18 years old he enlisted in the Army. He received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and medical training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and Fort Riley, Kansas. He was deployed to West Germany in 1956 and served 18 months at the 20th Station Hospital in Nuremberg, Germany for 18 months where he worked in the maternity ward. At the end of his time in Germany he returned to the United States and was discharged from active duty at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and served for two years in the Reserves. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Brock, Willard M. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Pattison, Jordan (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f1331970fd162fd13aa0af8d486ad1a2.m4v 1f0326f9b17401fda831bbf44de2858c https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ff30ffce22fd97e8142f651870ebd0e9.pdf 45901fb279019e16125f4b34642bd9d8 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project David Bluem Vietnam War 49 minutes 30 seconds (00:00:04) -Born on December 13th, 1944 in Saginaw, Michigan. -Highest rank achieved Specialist 5th class. -Father worked for an auto plant and the City. -Mother worked for various hospitals in food service. -Two older sisters. -Some uncles served in World War II and the Korean War. -Cousins that were in the military as well. -Father in law was a Navy vet of World War II. -A brother in law went into service the same day as him. -They both went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for basic training. -He was drafted into the military. -He graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s. -Began his Master’s for guidance and counseling when he was drafted. -Appealed the draft which was granted. -However two weeks later he was drafted anyway. -Entered service in the Army. -The Army needed draftees. -About an eight week training. -Considered himself in good health at the time, but training was difficult. -Practiced carrying one another, marching with heavy packs. -Being sent to Vietnam: -Flew out of Detroit to Fort Lewis, Washington. -Spent a few days getting prepared with gear etc. -Next flew to Anchorage, Alaska, to the Philippines, then to Japan, and finally landing in Vietnam. -Befriended a few of the military recruits. -Connected with others that were also working on their graduate degree. -They were able to help tutor certain recruits that were struggling with the written portions of the training. -Enjoyed this capability to offer a unique value to the service. -Encountered one of the recruits he tutored several weeks after arriving in Vietnam. -Typically sent letters to his wife every day. -His wife wrote back often as well. (10:00) -Sometimes she would record messages on a cassette. -He worked at aviation headquarters. -So he could not give detail about operations. -Operation was being prepared to be handed over to the Vietnamese. �-They burned much of the sensitive materials in burn barrels. -They still own the letters and cassette communications sent to one another. -Made friends with the other recruits, one was from Traverse City, Michigan. -While off duty they played volleyball, basketball, and watched movies. -Movies were fairly current. Example: Woodstock. -Slept in bunk beds in large barracks. -Very large rats were common. -Eventually he obtained a two-man room to reside in. -Marijuana use was quite common. (20:00) -Drug use seemed to be an escape method. -At the mess hall there was a box to leave your drugs and sign up for a rehab program. -Local women would wash and iron their uniforms. -The first base in Vietnam was Cam Ranh Bay. -They took refuge in a shelter while being bombed. -Eventually he was sent to Long Binh. -Aviation Brigade would take care of the helicopters. -Other than that the conflicts were in the distance. -Stayed in Long Binh most of the time. -On guard duty they were issued a rifle. -A friend that fell asleep on guard duty was demoted with a pay cut. -He was promoted from E4 to E5 while in Long Binh. -When the Vietnam War ended he had been back in the US a few years. -He was released from military service two months early to finish his Master’s degree. -Flight out of Vietnam stopped at the Philippines to refuel, and then landed in San Francisco, California. (30:00) -Used a USO area at the airport, changed to civilian clothes from anti-war concerns. -School began only a few weeks after returning to the US. -Lived in an area of Saginaw where medical helicopters would fly over. -An upsetting reminder of the War. -Began work on his specialist degree for guidance counseling. -Job market had changed since he left, difficult to find work. -Began working as a substitute teacher, and then worked with the State social services. -Eventually worked with child welfare services and retired from there. -Utilized the G.I. Bill toward his college tuition. -His job offered medical insurance so VA was not needed. -Did not maintain contact with many of the recruits from the military. -Preferred to leave the War in the past. -Highlights of the military: A Bob Hope show. (40:00) -Food in Vietnam was mostly flown in from Australia. -Quite good. Fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. -In basic training the food was much worse. -Once while he went home to visit in basic training, his wife didn’t recognize him because he was so much thinner. �-Lessons from the military: interesting to work with various people, accepting job responsibility. � 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 BluemD1819V Title A name given to the resource Bluem, David Michael (Interview outline and video), 2015 Description An account of the resource David Bluem was born in Saginaw, Michigan on December 13, 1944. He was drafted into the Vietnam War while attending grad school at Central Michigan University. In basic training he was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky for the US Army. Thereafter he was flown to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He was then sent to Long Binh he was assigned to the Aviation Brigade to take care of the helicopters. At his highest ranking he achieved the rank of E5. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bluem, David Michael Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Sprau, Sydney (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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/35c1624a41ece8adc49c6155d1152d92.m4v acce21667ccb0ced8b3ea5624f00b55f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/91ab1c910c4f88021cd07bcf9a81245c.pdf 8c96977c53a2b0818bc6efd8f63f9d1c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project David C. Bloye Cold War 1 hour 29 seconds (00:00:20) Early Life -Born on September 2, 1940, in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Grew up in Grand Rapids -Father worked as an accountant and as a project manager -Mother was a housewife -He had three younger brothers -Attended Godwin Heights Public Schools from kindergarten through senior year of high school -Graduated in June 1958 (00:01:16) Enlisting in the Navy Reserve -Enlisted in the Navy Reserve in September 1957 -Needed his parents’ permission to enlist because he was 17 -Enlisted in the “2 by 2 by 2” program -Two years of active reserve -Meeting at the reserve center once a week -Two years of active duty -Serving on a base or on a ship -Two years of inactive reserve -Don’t have to report for duty unless necessary (00:02:24) Active Reserve Duty -Started his active reserve duty while still in high school -Doing classroom work at the reserve center in downtown Grand Rapids -Military courtesies, uniform protocol, shipboard duties, terminology, etc. -Did two weeks of basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Summer after graduating from high school -Took a train to Chicago and a commuter train to the base -Continuation of classroom work -Did firefighting courses and his swim qualification test -Returned to Grand Rapids -Studied at Grand Rapids Community College for the fall semester of 1958 -Went to the reserve center on Wednesday nights (00:04:50) Active Duty -Decided to go on active duty in early 1959 -Reported for his active duty on March 17, 1959 -Flew to Philadelphia and reported to the receiving station -Interviewed by a classifier to see what he was qualified to do and what he wanted to do -He wanted to go to Electrician’s School -Waited for orders for three weeks (00:06:00) Joining the USS Norfolk (DL-1) -His orders were to join the crew of the USS Norfolk, a destroyer leader -There was no opening for Electrician’s School and he couldn’t stay at the receiving station -Went to Norfolk, Virginia, then to Portsmouth, Virginia where the ship was in dry dock -In dry dock until early April 1959 �-Went out on a shakedown cruise -Figuring out if the ship needed further repairs -He got seasick crossing the Chesapeake Bay as well as other new sailors (00:08:22) West Coast Voyage & Anti-Submarine Exercises -After the shakedown cruise they departed for the West Coast -Going there to do exercises with the new ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) system -Took a week to sail from Norfolk to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -Spent the weekend there -Took another week to get to the Panama Canal -Spent the weekend at Rodman Naval Station -Went through the Panama Canal and anchored off the coast of Acapulco, Mexico -Sailed up to Long Beach, California, for the weapons test -Had civilian technicians on board to see the test -Operated off the coast of Long Beach during the summer of 1959 (00:10:09) Duties on the USS Norfolk -He was assigned to a deck division -Maintaining the weather deck of the ship -Making sure the winches are functional, chipping paint, and painting the ship -He was assigned to mess cooking duty for three months -Clearing dishes, cleaning dishes, and cleaning the mess deck -Returned to deck division then got assigned for more mess cooking duty (00:12:07) Operating in the Caribbean Sea -After operating near California the ship returned to Norfolk for one month -Sailed down to Key West, Florida, in mid-October 1959 -Working with American submarines with the ASROC system -Able to be on deck to watch test-firings of the missiles -At sea for a week then pulled into San Juan, Puerto Rico for the weekend -Went to sea for another week then spent the weekend at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands -Anchored off shore there because the ship was too big to go into a harbor -Went to shore in a longboat -Remembers the water was so clear he could see 50 feet down -From St. Thomas they sailed back to Key West -Did that triangle from November 1959 to the spring of 1960 -Got two weeks off at Christmas -Went to sea few times during the spring and summer of 1960 (00:15:39) NATO Exercise -In early fall the Norfolk participated in a NATO exercise in the North Atlantic, above the Arctic Circle -Did anti-submarine exercises in the United Kingdom – Iceland Gap -Keeping Soviet submarines from entering that waterway -Remembers fog so thick that he couldn’t see the ends of the ship -Sky was green, water was green, and it was eerily quiet -Didn’t have contact with any of the sailors from other NATO forces (00:18:37) Visiting England -Pulled into Portsmouth, England, for a break after the NATO exercise -Saw the HMS Victory -Lord Nelson’s flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar and now a museum ship -Took a tour of the ship -Took a three-day tour of London -Saw Piccadilly Circus, Nelson Monument, Scotland Yard, Buckingham Palace, St. James Park �-Fascinating to finally see the places he’d read about in history and literature -Rode on London’s subway system, the Tube -Saw 221B Baker Street, the address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes -Visited the original Madame Tussauds wax museum (00:22:00) End of Active Duty -Left Portsmouth and returned to Norfolk, Virginia -Arrived in late November -Never went to sea again -Did maintenance work on the ship -Hitchhiked home for Christmas leave -Got a ride to US 31 Exit and got off there at 3 or 4 a.m. -No traffic and it was -20oF which resulted in him getting frostbite on the ears -A trucker picked him up and brought him to Grand Rapids -After seeing his family he went to St. Mary’s Hospital for frostbite treatment -After Christmas leave he returned to Norfolk -Sent to Portsmouth Naval Hospital for six more days of recovery -Once he got out of the hospital he had two weeks of active duty left -Given light duty on the ship -On January 19, 1961, his active duty ended -Went to Naval Air Station Anacostia -Snowstorm prevented flights or taking a Greyhound bus -Decided to take a train back to Michigan and got off at Detroit -Hitchhiked to Grand Rapids (00:28:45) Civilian Life & Inactive Reserve -By Monday morning he was back in civilian clothes and at Grand Rapids Community College -Still had to do two years of service in inactive reserve -Reported to the reserve center to let them know he was back -No longer obligated to report for meetings or training -Transferred to Western Michigan University -Worked as a switchboard operator in his dorm -Student taught at Kelloggsville High School in Kelloggsville, Michigan -Graduated from WMU with a teaching degree with a focus on history and geography -Got a job at Kelloggsville High School -Started working there in September 1964 as a teacher for senior year students -He was a 24 year old teaching 17 and 18 year old students -Taught there for 32 years -Retired from the same room he student-taught in -Second part of his Navy career happened concurrently with his teaching career (00:32:20) Cuban Missile Crisis & Berlin Wall -In October 1962 he was sitting in the student commons when he learned of the Cuban Missile Crisis -Heard about reserve forces being called to action in the event of war -He was concerned that he would be called to duty, but it never happened -Wasn’t concerned when the Berlin Wall went up in August 1961 -Mostly a land-based operation and it wasn’t aggressive like the Cuban Missile Crisis -He wasn’t too concerned when the Cuban Missile Crisis happened -If they had called him he would have gone (00:34:25) Reenlisting in the Navy Reserve -In March 1974 he reenlisted in the Navy Reserve -In September 1972 the school hired a new counselor �-He was an officer in the Army Reserve and befriended Dave -Dave learned that this officer had received a “direct commission” -Applying to be an officer without going through the regular process -Officer Candidate School or an academy -Interested him, and decided to research the Navy’s process for that -Dave took an Officer Qualification Test and passed it -Applied for a position in Naval Intelligence -Had a master’s degree in history from Michigan State University -He was 34 years old (a little older than the usual 32, or 33 year old candidate) -He was accepted for a direct commission and was made a lieutenant junior grade -One rank higher than the lowest commissioned rank of ensign (00:38:38) Intelligence Service -In March 1974 he reported to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan -Joined a Navy Intelligence unit operating out of that base -There were two other intelligence units on base -Reported for duty one night per week, and one weekend per month -Did two weeks of active duty each year -Alternated between doing intelligence tasks or getting intelligence training each year -Basic intelligence, to advanced, to anti-submarine and anti-aircraft -Navy started to experiment with computers during his time in the Reserve -He was in Reserve Intelligence Area 11 -Southeast Michigan, northern Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, and upstate New York (00:41:26) Vietnam War & Social Changes in the 1960s -He wasn’t going to be called up for service during the Vietnam War -He was 4A (prior military service) -Got married in 1965 -Working as a teacher -Watched the Vietnam War on the nightly news -Personal to him, because four of his students were killed in action -In later years he had another student killed in action in the 1983 Beirut terrorist attack -Saw social changes happen in the classroom -Dress codes became more relaxed -Less order and less discipline from students (00:45:24) End of Navy Reserve Career -Became a commanding officer of a unit in August 1994 -Commander of a small intelligence unit of 25 officers and 20 – 25 enlisted men -Retired from the Navy Reserve on July 1, 1996 -Retired from teaching on the same day (00:46:33) Gulf War -He applied for active duty during the Gulf War, but was denied -Too old and at the time he was doing more work in administration than analysis -Feels it would have been an interesting and enjoyable experience (00:48:00) End of the Cold War -In his position, the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union was not visible -More of an economic and political collapse than a military one -Common perception is that the United States outspent the Soviet Union -They couldn’t keep up militarily or civilly (00:49:40) Intelligence Information -In intelligence the sources tended to be more sensitive than the information �-There was a quick turnaround when it came to classified information -Sometimes classified information he had on his desk was in the news a week later (00:50:30) Teaching Career & Navy Career -He did his two weeks of active duty individually and scheduled it for the summer -This meant there was no conflict with his teaching job -His one weekend a month happened on the weekend, so no conflict there either -He only had to take off work once or twice during his time in the Reserve -District never objected to that or punished him with removal of benefits during active duty -It would have been a bureaucratic nightmare anyway -His two careers worked well together (00:52:13) Reflections on Service -He is satisfied with serving his country -His time on active duty, from 1959 to 1961, was a great social experience for him -Meeting and working with minorities and citizens from other parts of the country -Taught him organization and self-reliance -His time in the Navy Reserve was a special time -Getting recognized for his work -Culminated in his being promoted to commander of an intelligence unit -Working with a variety of men from different employment backgrounds -Professionals, tradesmen, police, and factory workers -Enlightening and fun to talk with them -Nice to talk to people who did something other than teach -Made a lot of his friends during his time in the Navy Reserve that became like family -Still meets with them once a year as a kind of informal reunion � 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 BloyeD1948V Title A name given to the resource Bloye, David C (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource David C. Bloye was born on September 2, 1940, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In September 1957 he enlisted in the Navy Reserve and began his active reserve duty while still in high school. After graduating from high school he received two weeks of basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. In early 1959 he applied for his two years of active duty and on March 17, 1959, he reported for active duty. He served aboard the USS Norfolk (DL-1) and went on anti-submarine exercises on the Pacific Coast, the Caribbean Sea, and in the North Atlantic. His active duty ended on January 19, 1961, and his inactive reserve duty ended two years after that. In March 1974 he reenlisted in the Navy Reserve, and after applying for a direct commission became a lieutenant junior grade. He served at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, for 20 years with a Navy Intelligence unit. In August 1994 he became the commanding officer of an intelligence unit and did that until his retirement on July 1, 1996. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bloye, David 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 Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-08-18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/15a41c42fa8501addbd181fcb4aaef81.m4v 199f861aef86a029d0db267e4a024e78 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/76cd471202c7627952c3731da11eaa40.pdf 20c10d4d5e9ca78e2f3ffe7684e58e76 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Lin Bashford Vietnam War 1 hour 15 minutes 40 seconds (00:00:25) Early Life -Born in Scott’s Bluff, Nebraska, on August 20, 1946 -Moved to Wyoming when he was two years old -Father worked for the Bureau of Reclamation -Attended high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming -Graduated in 1964 -Attended Casper Junior College for 2 years then University of Wyoming for 2 ½ years -Graduated from college with a degree in range management (bachelor degree of science) -Every six months he got an update about his draft status -Draft board kept close tabs on him (00:02:18) Getting Drafted -Got a job with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department -Tried to enlist in the National Guard -Denied enlistment because he was already slated to be drafted -Received his draft notice -Went to Denver, Colorado, to report for his draft physical and induction in April 1969 -Had ten slots open for the Marine Corps, and the draft board needed to fill those slots -He was initially selected, and didn’t want to go into the Marines as a draftee -Fortunately, someone else volunteered and filled his slot (00:05:34) Basic Training Pt. 1 -Sent to Fort Ord, California, for basic training -Taken by bus to the receiving station -Greeted by drill sergeants screaming orders at him and the other recruits -Knew what to expect because his father had served in the Army during World War II -Drill sergeants screamed at recruits and threw gear at them -Had difficulty adjusting because he was older and was used to being independent (00:07:34) Social Movements & the Vietnam War -Noticed some anti-war protests while in college -Saw more civil rights protests than anti-war protests -Remembers protests about the “Chicago Seven” -There were hippies around the university -He was part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Rifle Team -More aware of the hippies and anti-war protesters than average students -Mostly knew about the Vietnam War via the news and from conversation with friends -Knew one young man that had been killed-in-action -Knew the war was dangerous (00:10:08) Basic Training Pt. 2 -Did a lot of physical training and drilling to get into shape -Received firearms training -Did classroom work -Learned about Uniform Code of Military Justice and Army etiquette -He was in good physical shape during basic training �-Some of the drill sergeants were better than others -Some drill sergeants targeted the men that had graduated from college -If you did well, you were celebrated; if you did poorly, you were mocked -Lasted eight weeks (00:11:51) Advanced Infantry Training -Assigned to advanced infantry training at Fort Ord -Moved to a different part of the base -Learned about infantry tactics -Trained with grenades and other firearms -Went through gas training -Went into a chamber to be exposed to CS gas (form of strong tear gas) -Went on forced marches -Did week-long bivouacs -A lot of the instructors had served in Vietnam and tried to prepare recruits for Vietnam -Difficult to mimic Vietnamese climate in southern California -Began training with M14 rifle, then M16 rifle, M60 machine gun, M79 grenade launcher -Also worked with Light Anti-Tank Weapon and hand grenades -Given a brief overview of mortars -Taught how to call in mortar fire, not how to fire the mortars -Lasted eight weeks (00:14:42) Non-Commissioned Officer School -He was selected for Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) School -Originally selected to be an 11-Foxtrot (Long Range Recon Patrol) -Sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, for NCO School -Learned how to read maps, how to escape & evade capture, and how to be a leader -Received classroom and practical training -Worked as platoon sergeant, and as a squad leader -Getting experience in various leadership positions -Involuntary assignment (00:17:44) Stationed at Fort Carson -Graduated from NCO School and went to the base of his choice for on-the-job training -He selected Fort Carson, Colorado, to work with an infantry company -Assigned to unit within the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) -Served with a regular unit as a sergeant -Stationed there in January and February 1970 -Very cold during field training -Working with men that already fought in Vietnam -Got to visit his family on leave -Assigned to Fort Carson for six weeks (00:20:10) Deployment to Vietnam -Orders came for him to report to the depot in Oakland to be deployed to Vietnam -He expected it since he’d gone through NCO School -Got a few weeks of leave before his deployment -Flew in a chartered commercial airliner to Vietnam -Stopped at Honolulu, but not allowed to leave the airport (00:21:18) Arrival in Vietnam -Landed at Bien Hoa Airbase near Saigon -Noticed the overwhelming heat and stench -Smelled like a hot sewer �-Placed in a truck and taken to a reception center for incoming replacements -Assigned a bunk -Received in-country training -Living in Vietnam -Issued new clothing -Pulled guard duty, cleaning duty, and kitchen patrol -Stayed at the reception center longer for a week (00:23:44) Assignment to 101st Airborne Division -Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division operating in I Corps (northern most part of South Vietnam) -Flew in a C-130 up to Camp Eagle -Received more training there -Jungle tactics, rappelling, target practice, and patrol training -Went on patrols outside of the base with live ammunition -Stayed there for about one week (00:25:58) Joining D Company -He went to Camp Evans to join D Company of 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment -Joined them in April 1970 while the company was in the field -Pulled guard duty at Camp Evans until he joined D Company -Flew to Firebase Ripcord because the unit was there -Barren, rocky, hilltop base surrounded by barbed wire -Had artillery batteries and a helipad -Supporting artillery fire for infantry units in the field -One company stayed on the base while the other companies patrolled around it -Joined a squad in D Company (00:28:45) Patrols around Firebase Ripcord Pt. 1 -Walked off Ripcord to conduct patrols around the firebase -Operated in hot, humid, and mountainous jungle -Seemed like mass confusion to him -Walked in a staggered, single-file line -Forged their own trails -Stayed aware of booby traps -A couple men tried to help him and correct his mistakes -Sergeant Skinner helped him a lot -He was willing to learn from anyone, regardless of rank -Felt the platoon leader did an excellent job -Felt Captain Rollison was gung-ho, but cared for his men, and was respectable and competent -Started patrols in late April/early May 1970 (00:33:05) Enemy Contact -Very first day off the base they got attacked -Didn’t see much of the enemy soldiers -Saw North Vietnamese soldiers run across the trail in front of him -Realized they were people, and not just the enemy -First contact was very brief -Told to go look for an enemy presence -Found some fresh, bloody bandages, but nothing else -Nearly impossible to see targets in the jungle (00:36:15) Reassignment to Camp Evans Pt. 1 -Near the end of the battle of Firebase Ripcord (July 23, 1970) he was reassigned to the rear -Captain Rollison recommended him for company clerk duty at Camp Evans �-Felt it would be a good place for Lin’s abilities and the safest place for him (00:37:40) Patrols around Firebase Ripcord Pt. 2 -Patrolled from one hilltop to the next -Took hours to go from one night defensive position to another one -Never had a “typical” day -At night they set up a position and established a perimeter -Set up antipersonnel mines, dug foxholes, and pulled guard duty in shifts -North Vietnamese did recon probes at night, but never engaged in firefights -Heard other units getting attacked at night -One of his most vivid memories is one unit finding an enemy bunker complex -Called in an airstrike and remembers the napalm bombs exploding on the target (00:40:51) Battle of Firebase Ripcord -On July 1, 1970, the North Vietnamese began their bombardment of Firebase Ripcord -Heard the bombardment all the time -On July 7th and 8th D Company assaulted Hill 1000 -His squad stayed back (00:42:27) Life in the Field -Using the bathroom in the jungle was always a chore -Had to find a place outside the perimeter and remain vigilant -Then returned to his unit without accidentally getting shot by his own soldiers -Resupplied by helicopter -Food, water, and clothing -Ate C-rations -Cans of pork and beans, cans of ham and lima beans, and other canned foods -None of it tasted very good -Had Tabasco Sauce to make the food taste better (00:44:54) Vietnamese Scouts -Had a Vietnamese scout with his unit who was tremendously helpful -Identified tracks, booby traps, and enemy explosives -Served as interpreters for prisoners-of-war -Knew one scout that had surrendered and defected to US/South Vietnamese forces (00:46:42) Reassignment to Camp Evans Pt. 2 -Sometime in late July he was sent to company headquarters at Camp Evans -Served as a company clerk -Handled morning reports, radio traffic, leaves, R&Rs, and personnel records -Men came to Camp Evans with injuries -He monitored them and gave updates to their units in the field -Assigned men to bunker detail, kitchen patrol, and waste burning -Usually had eight to ten men from D Company at Camp Evans at any time -Going to/coming from R&R, leaving Vietnam, and sick or injured (00:49:43) Fall of Firebase Ripcord -Didn’t know a lot about the events surrounding the end of the battle of Firebase Ripcord -Knew about D Company being sent to rescue A Company -Firebase Ripcord was evacuated on July 23, and American bombers destroyed the base (00:50:47) Life at Camp Evans -Fell into a routine -Wrote letters on behalf of the captain for the men killed-in-action -Wrote more letters than he wished he’d had to -A good friend of his was killed-in-action �-D Company made some random contact after Ripcord -122mm rockets hit Camp Evans at least once a week -Learned how to take cover, fast -Didn’t sleep well -Lived in tin shacks with sandbags on top of the shacks -Had a barber, a PX (Army general store), a hospital, and a helipad for gunships -Also had an enlisted/NCO club and an officers’ club -Had Vietnamese civilians working at the barber shop and PX (00:54:30) Drug Use & Racial Tensions -Saw men using drugs at Camp Evans -Most men used weed, but there was some heroin use -Told not to talk about the heroin use -Caught a Vietnamese scout with heroin and turned him over to the military police -Units still functioned despite drug use, but some soldiers had severe problems -Drugs were a problem in the rear, but not in the field -There was racial tension at Camp Evans, and it got worse over the course of 1970 -Issues and attitudes imported from the United States -More aware of issues because he’d had law-enforcement training in college (00:58:20) R&R -Went to Australia for his R&R -Chose Australia because he wanted to get out of Southeast Asia -Treated well by the Australians -Didn’t notice any anti-war or anti-American sentiments -Explored Sydney for a few days -Visited New South Wales Conservation Office -Spent time with a conservation officer and his family -Kept in touch with them after the war -Saw a lot of the Australian wildlife -Took his R&R after he was ¾ done with his tour in Vietnam (01:01:24) Progress of Vietnam War -Noticed the “Vietnamization” process, but it was not as prevalent in I Corps -Note: Vietnamization – term used to describe transfer of fighting duties to South Vietnam -Heard about the Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division) and 4th Infantry Division leaving Vietnam (01:03:30) Work at Camp Evans -He took his job seriously -Knew how to do his job and did it well -Gave good updates to units in the field, and also managed personnel and supplies well -Processed incoming replacements -Tried to prepare them for when they joined their units -Did a lot of work on his own (01:06:27) End of Tour & End of Service -Knew about a month before his tour ended that he was nearing the end -Wrote a letter to the Chief Game Warden of Wyoming about getting his old job back -Received his orders to return to the United States -Checked out of D Company, out of 2nd Battalion, and finally out of the 101st Airborne Division -Went to Na Trang, to Saigon, and flew to Fort Lewis, Washington -Filed a lot of paperwork at Fort Lewis and got a new uniform -Offered a chance to reenlist, which he declined �(01:09:47) Coming Home -He flew home in uniform -Got hassled by protesters at the Seattle airport -Protesters taunted him, and targeted soldiers with the Combat Infantry Badge -Came as a surprise to him, because he didn’t think it would happen to him (01:11:35) Life after the War -Didn’t get his old job back -Given a temporary assignment in Casper, Wyoming, as a deputy -Did that for a month -Conducted patrols and maintained the grounds for the Department of Wildlife -After his supervisor degraded him for being a Vietnam War veteran he received transfer orders -En route to his new assignment he stopped in Rawlins, Wyoming -Knew the sheriff there, and the sheriff offered Lin a job with the department -He worked with the department for seven years -Returned to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to work as an investigator (01:15:10) Reflections on Service -Learned patience -Learned how to take orders -He would do it again, if he had to, for love of his country � 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 BashfordL1958V Title A name given to the resource Bashford, Lindon L (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Lin Bashford was born in Scott’s Bluff, Nebraska, on August 20, 1946. He was drafted in April 1969 and went to Fort Ord, California, for basic training and later advanced infantry training. He was selected for Non-Commissioned Officer School and went to Fort Benning, Georgia, to receive that training. He was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, in early 1970 before deploying to Vietnam in early spring of that year. He joined D Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in April 1970. He went on patrols around Firebase Ripcord and was in the area when the Battle of Firebase Ripcord began on July 1, 1970. Shortly before the fall of the firebase he was reassigned to Camp Evans to serve as company clerk. In early spring 1971 he returned to the United States and was discharged at Fort Lewis, Washington. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bashford, Lindon 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-08 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6449ef5b46a9da04e7a991aa6e5deba6.m4v 9b97509a37e7ff7ff81239fde87db331 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4646931beaa002fb1820c2a6a1a2c100.pdf 5f57a41dc29573173d00bf2ba59a9168 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran’s History Project Margaret Akines Note: Widow of Bill Akines (World War II veteran and survivor of the USS Indianapolis sinking.) 46 minutes 48 seconds (00:00:39) Margaret’s Early Life -Born in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 18, 1938 -Father was a tomato farmer and mother helped on the farm until she got a management job -Loved growing up in Nashville -Had three brothers and three sisters -One brother is still alive (as of 2016) -All of her sisters are still alive (as of 2016) -She is the oldest child (00:03:06) Margaret’s Adult Life -Got married when she was 15 years old -Had four children before she turned 20 years old -Got her GED when she was 40 years old -First marriage didn’t work -Worked for the Krystal fast food chain for 29 years -Became the first female area manager -Started working on a grill and through various promotions became an area manager -Retired from Krystal in 1985 -Met her second husband, Bill Akines, working at Krystal -He was her boss -Love at first sight -He had a tough exterior, but was actually a gentle man -He had two children from a previous marriage -Daughter is still alive, but son has since died -Met in 1971 and got married in 1978 -Had met her before when he came to one of the stores (00:08:48) Bill’s Involvement with the USS Indianapolis -Knew he had served during the Second World War aboard the USS Indianapolis -He didn’t talk about it often, and those details stayed in the background -He started talking about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis later in life -Invited to the dedication of the USS Indianapolis memorial in Indianapolis in 1995 -She learned more about the sinking from the other survivors and, Only 317 Survived! -Bill always shrugged off the “hero” label -He was just grateful to have survived, and remembered the comrades that died -Had gone to one or two reunions before they got married -The reunion group had lost his address, so he didn’t go to any reunions until 1995 -Sponsor of the memorial dedication reached out to him -Allowed him to go to the ceremony and reconnect with the group (00:13:12) Sinking of the USS Indianapolis -Note: USS Indianapolis torpedoed on July 30, 1945; only 317 men survived out of 1,196 �-She knew almost nothing about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis -Learned more about the sinking during the memorial dedication in 1995 -Most survivors couldn’t talk about the sinking without being emotional -Bill was only 17 years old when the ship sank -On the last day before getting rescued his life-jacket approached failure -He was on the ship’s bridge and had just gotten off duty at midnight on July 30 -Doing some quartermaster work -At 12:14 a.m. a Japanese submarine torpedoed the Indianapolis -He may have jumped overboard, or waited to slide down into the water as the ship sank -He managed to get with a larger group of survivors -Remembers sharks being in the water around his group, but not in the group -Saw sharks attacking survivors, and survivors fighting off the sharks -Sharks had been attracted by the open wounds on some of the men -Remembers the light coming from the USS Cecil J. Doyle, first ship to arrive on the scene -Like a light from heaven -Note: Began rescue operations on August 2, 1945 -Brought to Guam to recover -Bill knew they had classified material, and it was important, but didn’t know what it was -The Indianapolis had brought the atomic bomb components to Tinian on July 26, 1945 -He felt the bomb ended the war and brought about a quicker victory for the United States -Supported Captain Charles B. McVay III during the court-martial -Note: Captain McVay was court-martialed in November 1945 for losing the ship -Bill never held any ill-feelings for the captain -Felt it was a tragedy that he was being tried for losing a ship during wartime -Note: Captain McVay committed suicide in 1968 (00:25:42) Public Awareness of the Sinking -Jaws was the first time Margaret remembers seeing widespread exposure of the sinking -The dedication of the memorial in 1995 was the next major event -Remembers the campaign to exonerate Captain McVay of his court-martial -Mochitsura Hashimoto (Commander of submarine that sank the Indianapolis) -Hunter Scott (sixth grade student) -Commander of the USS Indianapolis (submarine) -All worked to see Captain McVay exonerated -Captain McVay, via Congressional resolution, had his record exonerated in July 2001 -Margaret and Bill felt it was a long time coming and the right thing to do (00:27:51) USS Indianapolis Reunions Pt. 1 -Thinks it’s wonderful that Hashimoto’s daughter and granddaughter come to the reunions -The survivors understand that it was part of the war and nothing personal -None of the men carry any hate for Commander Hashimoto or his family -She never saw any disrespect of the daughter or granddaughter -Accepted them into the reunion group and treated them like family (00:30:48) Media & Teaching about the USS Indianapolis Pt. 1 -Thrilled with the new documentary by Sarah Vladic, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy -Margaret feels the documentary is well done and serving a good purpose -Getting more public attention about the sinking in the United States and abroad -Good for the survivors to have their story known by more people -Believes the sinking ought to be taught in American History lessons -Ignored because the Navy made a fatal mistake that killed over 900 men and lost a ship -Note: Distress signal from the USS Indianapolis ignored by Navy personnel �-Feels the Navy tries to distance itself from the sinking because of the negative PR -Doesn’t surprise her (00:35:03) USS Indianapolis Reunions Pt. 2 -Bill passed away in 2011, but she still attends the reunions every year -Bill would have wanted her to go -She cares about the other survivors and the friends she made in the reunion group -Her way of staying connected to Bill (00:35:45) Media & Teaching about the USS Indianapolis Pt. 2 -People often confuse the USS Indianapolis with the USS Arizona (sunk at Pearl Harbor) -Understands why people confuse the two ships -Has found that more people are learning about the sinking -Getting more public involvement and attention -There are plans to have a memorial erected in Lansing, Michigan, for the Michigan survivor -Addition to memorials in Colorado, Texas, Connecticut and Indiana -She feels that anyone involved in the sinking deserves recognition -Every detail is important -Feels that Doug Stanton’s book, In Harm’s Way, is one of the best books about the sinking -Outstanding job of chronicling the survivors’ thoughts and feelings -Feels that Only 317 Survived! is the most personal record, In Harm’s Way best overview (00:45:21) Reflections -Proud to have been Bill’s wife -Glad she can still represent him and the story of the USS Indianapolis � 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 AkinesM1951V Title A name given to the resource Akines, Margaret (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Margaret Akines was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 18, 1938. She married Bill Akines in 1978. He was one of the 317 men that survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, and in this interview she tells about his experience surviving that catastrophe. Bill was active in the USS Indianapolis survivors’ group, and since his death in 2011 Margaret still attends the annual reunions and maintains contact with the other survivors. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Akines, Margaret 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 Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-09-12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c7b5c45615706ecd5a2e49023cb6c2fe.m4v 967b89b8e1ca834248d7728a7e851b4d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f64d805d15b43cdfd6fd83e64e90b173.pdf ef0eae97d57b41a61cb2c8adfc178d98 PDF Text Text Grand Valley Stte University Veterans History Project Emil Hurbanis (26:02) Background Information (00:12)     Served in the U.S Army. (00:14) Served in the Vietnam War. (00:18) He graduated from Western Michigan University. He had received his degree in Accounting. Several weeks after his graduation he was drafted. (00:37) Because of some training Emil was required to take to work a job at the U.S. Treasury Department, he had to change draft boards. This delayed his draft notice and gave him time to enlist. (1:01) Training (1:30)      He attended basic at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in January of 1969. (1:35) He was then sent to artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. (2:02) Emil was then sent to Virginia for Officer Candidate School to become a combat engineer. He did not complete his artillery training. Emil dropped OCS because if he was to be sent to Vietnam he did not want to go as an officer due to their short life expectancy. (3:37) He was then sent to Arizona to learn to use unattended ground sensors. He was then sent to Vietnam in October of 1969 for 1 year. (4:00) Service in Vietnam (4:20)       He recalls the country looking very beautiful from the plane. (4:25) Emil had to go through a 1 week orientation after he landed. He had to be trained with the M16 and the M60. (5:08) Emil was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division. (5:40) Emil was sent to Cambodia to set up sensors on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These were used to track enemy movement. (6:17) Emil’s favorite sensors were seismic sensors. These were dropped by helicopters. Once dropped, a bush was deployed to camouflage the sensor. (8:11) He was sent into the jungle with rangers. The rangers knew Emil’s position. He himself had no idea of his whereabouts. (9:14) Discharge (10:05)    Emil flew home on a commercial airline. He loved the safe feeling of leaving the air strip. (9:19) He landed in Oakland, California, where he was discharged in late 1970. (10:10) If something was bothering the men physically the men would have to stay for several weeks. Though Emil had an ear infection he did not tell anyone because he wanted to be discharge so badly. (11:02) �Life after Service (11:43)    Emil received a job as a revenue agent in Benton Harbor Michigan for 2 years. (11:48) In January of 1973 he was sent to Ohio to work in the criminal investigation branch. (12:06) Emil does not have any friends from his service. This was due primarily to the fast turnover of men that occurred in Emil’s unit. (12:51) Service in Vietnam (cont.) (17:28)     While in Vietnam men often didn’t sleep because if they did they would make noise. (15:00) While Emil was on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in May of 1970 there was a lot of movement on the trail. (17:30) After a bomb was dropped, Emil also had to assist clean up the targeted area. The men would examine the weapons the men had after an attack. (18:49) He received several Bronze Stars. (20:03) 1st and 9th Infantry (20:36)    The 1st infantry Devotion was one of the first to be pulled out of Vietnam. Because Emil did not have enough months to go home, he was transferred to the 9th Infantry Division. (20:37) Emil retained his job in the 9th Infantry Division but he was in rice paddies as opposed to jungle. (22:11) Emil’s most frightening moments was his first mission. When he met Rangers who were true combat soldiers it was very intimidating. (23:04) Life after Service (24:47)  He changed and came home in civilian clothes to avoid protesters. (25:01) � 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 HurbanisE1360V Title A name given to the resource Hurbanis, Emil (Interview outline and video), 2012 Description An account of the resource Emil Hurbanis served in the U.S. Army from approx. 1969-1971 in the latter half of the Vietnam War. Emil spent 1 year in country. He was first assigned to the 1st Infantry Division where he worked with unattended ground sensors on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia. He was later transferred to the 9th Infantry Division. He retained his same job but had to perform it in rice paddies. He was awarded 3 Bronze Stars. After service Emil continued his career as an accountant working to the U.S. Treasury Department. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hurbanis, Emil Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rodgers, Rob (Interviewer) Birkmeier, Nicholas (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 Michigan--History, Military Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012-02-27 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/53f3427ce03b2760f78d6159713cdc09.m4v 358c7facb71e3867489b09e588533994 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7578daea86a9bff784895a814e912940.m4v bea81b94a4fd3d77f6792f423f56ec74 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/15832424601167c3e4b8d9d442a37b0a.pdf 7068b035c13e1c96833a85fd9a623ac0 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Annemarie Hortman World War II – Civilian Part 1 – 1 hour 56 minutes 24 seconds (00:00:18) Early Life - Rangsdorf -Born in Rangsdorf, Germany, on April 14, 1939 -Mother worked before Annemarie’s birth, but stayed home to care for her -Father served in the Wehrmacht in Italy -Uncle served on the Russian Front and was killed-in-action -Father beat her, because he hated her -It was a relief for him to report for service and go away -Forced her to goosestep like a fascist soldier, and he hit her if she didn’t walk right (00:03:34) Early Life – Ingolstadt -Moved to Ingolstadt (near Munich) when she was a year old and mother was pregnant with brother -Traveled there by train -Remembers the train stopping by a ditch, and the passengers being ordered off the train -Heard an air raid siren -Didn’t know what it meant -Stayed in Ingolstadt until September 1940 -Stayed with her mother and grandmother -Put a blanket in front of the windows at night because of air raids -Never remembers her mother giving the Nazi salute -Remembers a siren at night -Told to put on two pairs of underwear and socks, a winter coat, boots, a hat, and gloves -Mother and grandmother had bag full of important documents and family jewelry -Went to the bomb shelter in Ingolstadt -Built into a hill -Went through an iron door, down a flight of concrete steps into a concrete chamber -There were wooden benches along the walls -Noticed there was no other exit, and started to cry -Then she looked up and saw air vents, which comforted her -Came back to her grandmother’s house after the raid and saw it was fine -Brother was born in Ingolstadt in August 1940 (00:18:40) Early Life – Return to Rangsdorf -Moved into another house when they returned to Rangsdorf -Remembers an old man that was their neighbor -All of the children called him “uncle” and loved him -Lived in a duplex house on the ground floor -Remembers a woman that lived there that her mother instructed her to call “aunt” -She and her brother were never allowed to go too far from the house -Remembers she and her brother breaking their mother’s umbrella by using it like a small boat -The house they lived in belonged to a Nazi officer -The woman they called “aunt” was the officer’s wife -Father came home during this time -The Nazi officer came back, and they never saw him or the “aunt” ever again -Her mother was allowed more food because she had two children �-Father brought home canned fruit from Italy, but didn’t give any of it to the family -He brought it to his mistress instead -Lived in several different houses in Rangsdorf -Only moved personal belongings, never furniture -Moved from cottage to cottage (most likely former vacation homes of wealthy Germans) -Always had the feeling that someone lived there, and there were forbidden rooms -Most likely Jewish citizens hiding in the houses -Stayed in a larger house for one night in the last two years of the war -Stayed with an older man -She and her family lived upstairs (00:32:34) The Fall of Germany Pt. 1 -Russians bombed them day and night -Always going up and down the stairs, stopped bothering to change clothes -Remembers a Russian bomb landing near the house -Adult went upstairs and went outside -She got a bloody nose -Possibly from the concussion -All but that house and one other house survived -The rest of the neighborhood was destroyed -Numerous neighbors killed in that raid -Last major action she remembers of the war (00:38:09) Food in the War -Mother usually bought flour, sugar, and other basic food items -Remembers her younger brother expressing his younger -Knows that some neighbors got extra food -Most likely feeding hidden Jewish citizens -Near the end of the war, resorted to eating beets, dandelions, and wild nuts -The old man they lived with found some fresh tomatoes and gave them to Annemarie’s mother (00:41:45) The Fall of Germany Pt. 2 -In 1945, the war came closer to Rangsdorf -Russians were on the offensive, pushing toward Berlin -Dealt with five or six months of near continuous air raids and bombardment -Starvation was more of a problem for her during the war than direct violence (00:43:03) Russian Occupation -Russians came into Rangsdorf and labeled anything they wanted as “contraband” -Confiscated the “contraband” for themselves -Remembers a Russian soldier choking her, her brother, and her mother -Neighbor got her and her brother away from the soldier -The Russian soldier gave up the intimidation and left -She told her mother that she hated the Russians -Mother told her never to hate anyone just because of their country of origin -Stuck with her her whole life -Also told Annemarie to question why the Russians were so violent -Possibly getting revenge for how Germans treated Russians -She and other children hid in a neighbor’s rabbit cages when Russian soldiers came around -Remembers playing near a bomb shelter -Russian soldier ordered her to get away from it -There was a live bomb near the shelter; soldier didn’t want Annemarie to get hurt -Russians took food from the grocery store �-German men tried to get some boxes of food while a Russian plane strafed them -Mother went down to the grocery store and grabbed a box of food while being shot at -Wound up being a box of candy, not real food like she wanted -Russians came the next day and took everything, even Annemarie’s backpack -One of the Russian soldiers broke a candy bar in half -Gave each half to Annemarie and her brother -Russian soldiers routinely searched their house -Cut open the mattress to look for mattress (00:53:38) Living in Post-War Rangsdorf -Moved into an abandoned villa -Father came home briefly after the war, then visited periodically to steal food -Bringing the stolen food to his mistress in Berlin -Got Annemarie’s mother pregnant -Her mother found out the name and address of the mistress -Confronted the mistress, said she was pregnant, and to leave the father alone -Mistress refused -Moved to another place in Ramsdorf around Christmas 1946 -She and her brother gathered pine branches to give to their mother to make her happy -Father tried to take away the pine branches, but her mother intervened -Mother took the pine branches to Berlin, and traded them for a little food as a Christmas gift -While her father was home, Annemarie got in a fight and lost -She came home from the fight, crying, and her father beat her -Told her to go find the boy, fight him again, and win (which she did) Tape stops here, and starts at (00:00:00) for Part 2, however this is not the “Part 2 disc” (00:00:11) Living in Post-War Ingolstadt -Father visited only to steal food -Mother decided to leave Rangsdorf in 1947 -Moved back to Ingolstadt and stayed with her grandmother (mother’s mother) for a while -Ingolstadt had been bombed, but was in better shape than Rangsdorf -Occupied by American soldiers, not Russian soldiers -Collected coal from trains -She and her brother took a train to Berlin for an adventure -Brother decided they should climb across the bridge’s structure to get over the rail yard -Police officer caught her and her brother at the other side of the bridge -Put them on a bridge back to Rangsdorf (00:05:02) Getting to Ingolstadt -Mother decided they needed to leave Rangsdorf to get away from the father -Went to Berlin and got stopped by German officials -Ordered to return to Rangsdorf -Mother, Annemarie’s infant sister, little brother, and herself started walking on the highway -Remembers sleeping under an overpass -Kept walking and got to the East/West German border -Russian soldiers forbade them from going through the checkpoint -An old German man told them to go off the road, under a bridge, into the woods -Stayed quiet and walked through the woods -Waited for the Russian guard to pass, then they continued -Ate a can of cold soup then passed into West Germany �-Stood at the top of a hill and could still see the Russian checkpoint -Picked up the highway and continued walking until they reached a train station in Bavaria -Mother put them on a train and planned on joining them later -Annemarie and her brother got off the train, but their mother wasn’t there -Red Cross officials cared for them until their mother came back to the train station -Finally boarded a train together and got to Ingolstadt (00:19:50) Interactions with Russian Soldiers -Remembers learning a Russian swear word from watching Russian soldiers trying to ride a bike -They heard her repeating it and told her not to say it because it was a bad word -Some of the Russians spoke limited German -One female Russian soldier taught them how to ask for food from Russian soldiers -Taught them a word that would endear them to the Russians -Showed her that not all of the Russian soldiers were bad (00:22:56) Living in Ingolstadt (Post War) Pt. 1 -Grandfather had everything confiscated by the Nazis, for speaking against Hitler -Lost his home, job, and truck -Sent to an insane asylum, then jail, then used for hard labor -In 1947 he built a new house in Ingolstadt -Grandfather had been a baker, but also made money dealing in scrap metal and scrap clothing -Released from custody after the war -Found his confiscated vehicle in the possession of a Nazi officer -Officer’s mother sold it to him -Officer came home and forced the grandfather to buy it again -By 1947 he had rebuilt his life -They stayed with her grandfather in Ingolstadt -Grandfather had a cow that Annemarie cared for -Built a barn and got a piglet -Insects chewed off the piglet’s ears, so they let it live in the house -Put it back in the barn once it was grown -Someone shot and killed the pig -Grandfather had the meat processed, but she and her family couldn’t eat it (00:32:54) Going to School Pt. 1 -Had only six months of school in Rangsdorf -Lost her hearing due to abscesses in her ears (possibly caused by bomb concussion) -Eventually resolved itself, but never completely regained her hearing (00:36:17) Living in Ingolstadt (Post War) Pt. 2 -Grandfather was self-sufficient and built everything he needed -This included buildings and necessary machines -Step-grandmother was Swiss -People disliked her because she was brutally honest and Swiss -Annemaried liked her step-grandmother because she was good and kind to Annemarie -Had trouble finding an apartment in Ingolstadt due to Germans that fled East Germany -They refused to leave Ingolstadt and returned to East Germany -Mother finally got an apartment in Ingolstadt -Remembers watching motorcycle races -There were a lot of American soldiers in Ingolstadt -Majority of them were good -Some of them were bad and committed rapes -American soldiers gave them food �-Russian soldiers had just thrown food on the ground -Amusement to watch children fight for food -Noticed some economic and social changes happening in Germany -Immediately after the war people had to buy food on credit -Grandfather gave them candy and made his own liquor -The apartment they moved into had been a former soldier’s home (00:48:57) Going to School Pt. 2 -Began going to school normally in Ingolstadt -Forced to speak High German, not Bavarian German -7th grade teacher didn’t like her very much -5th grade teacher liked her and defended her from the 7th / 8th grade teacher -Allowed her to graduate as an 8th grader despite only finishing 7th grade -Went to occupational school -Studied business for one semester, but decided she didn’t like it -Studied engineering, but didn’t complete the course -Got married before she got an engineering job -Thinks the 7th grade teacher may have been a former Nazi officer -Didn’t like Annemarie because she looked Jewish (darker hair, non-Aryan features) Part 2 – 1 hour 52 minutes 34 seconds (00:00:28) Finding a Colt -Right after the war ended they went looking for her paternal grandmother in Rangsdorf -Saw a field of dead soldiers and dead livestock -Found half of a dead soldier -She and her brother wanted their mother to fix him like a doll -Didn’t understand that a human couldn’t be fixed like that -A colt came up to them and started following them -Little brother wanted to keep the horse as a pet -Passed a wooded area and saw six dead German soldiers -Got to the village where the grandmother lived -House was bombed out and abandoned -Mother went inside and found some sugar -Went to an aunt’s apartment and it was bombed out too -Russian soldier came up and demanded the horse -The children refused -Another Russian soldier wanted to make a deal: a can of meat for the horse -Their mother insisted they make the exchange -Mother could read English -Knew it was canned pork from the United States (00:07:08) Finding a German Grenade -In a swamp near Rangsdorf she and some other children found a German hand grenade -Didn’t know what it was and they started playing catch with it -A teenager came up to them and took the grenade -Threw it into the swamp where it exploded (00:08:55) Collecting Apples -She and her brother went to the swamp near Rangsdorf to scavenge for mushrooms -One of Annemarie’s friends came along and told them where they could find apples -Brought them to an abandoned house with an apple orchard �-Filled their bag and began walking home -A Russian soldier wanted an apple, and Annemarie agreed to sell to him -He bought two apples for 20 Deutsche Marks -When she got home her mother told her to never deal with Russian soldiers again (00:12:50) Acting in Ingolstadt -Maternal grandmother and grandfather were divorced, but saw them both in Ingolstadt -Grandmother had been an actress -Got Annemarie involved with acting -She did skits where she played an old woman or another skit where she danced -Started acting when she was 12 years old and did it until she was 17 years old -Performed at beer gardens doing song and dance routines -Remembers dancing with a professional foxtrot dancer -Didn’t know she could keep up with him -Later learned that that dancer had been her grandmother’s dancing partner in the acting days (00:24:23) Meeting Her First Husband -Met her first husband through a gypsy friend -She had been at a move and three boys followed her home, and her friend drove them off -After that incident she was at a dance hall late into the night -Friend’s boyfriend’s friend (an American soldier) offered to drive her home -After that he started pursuing her -The American soldier started visiting her every weekend and writing her letters -Her mother and stepfather grew to like him -Met her first husband in 1957 -At the time she was going to school for engineering and working as a seamstress -Took an engineering test and tried to get a job with Audi -They wanted her, but the quota was filled -Asked her to come back next year, but she got married in that time -One weekend Charlie (the GI) didn’t visit or write her any letters -She worried that he was in trouble -When he showed up she realized she loved him and wanted to marry him (00:35:42) Marriage to First Husband -Made an agreement to live in Germany for a few years then move to the United States -Had a good marriage with Charlie when they lived in Germany -Had a daughter together and they were a happy family (00:37:40) Divorcing First Husband -In 1960 they moved to the United States -He flew back to the US with the Air Force -Annemarie and her daughter flew to New York City then to Pittsburgh -Her in-laws picked her up at Pittsburgh and mother-in-law instantly disliked her -Charlie showed up three days later -She found out that he was going with other women behind Annemarie’s back -Found his wallet and realized he lied about how much money he made -Gave her a meager stipend and spent the rest of his money on mistresses -Found one of his mistress's phone number -Started the divorce process and kicked him out of the house -Called the mistress and said she could have Charlie, because she didn’t want him -Moved into a trailer with her daughter, but couldn’t find a park -Ex mother-in-law had connections and kept Annemarie out of the parks -Found a private park and moved there �-Ex-mother-in-law found out where Annemarie lived -Started sending men to Annemarie to proposition her for sex to harass her -Ex mother-in-law stole Annemarie’s television -Ex mother-in-law started picking up Annemarie’s daughter from the babysitter -Had to go through five babysitters to avoid the woman -Friends advised her to get legal help -Charlie had a powerful lawyer though, stopping Annemarie from taking legal action (00:51:42) Second Marriage -Got tricked into marrying another man -Lived together from 1963 to 1964 -He abused her and her daughter -In spring 1964 she called her parents to get plane tickets to Germany -Returned to Ingolstadt with her daughter -Husband followed them two weeks later -Fortunately they worked opposite shifts in Germany -Met her old friend’s fiance and befriended him -Husband was convinced the fiance was pursuing Annemarie -Her husband tried to slit her throat then started to beat her -He left and she immediately started packing to get out of the house -He came home and punched through the door’s window -She woke up in an ambulance en route to a hospital -Wrote a letter to his boss in the US and got him sent back to the US -He left then sent tickets to her to go to the US -She couldn’t stay in Germany or he would come back -Moved to New York City -Stayed with a cousin for a couple weeks then got a job as a housekeeper for a lawyer Tape starts over at 00:00:00 however the story continues (00:00:04) Living in New York City and Oregon -Worked for the lawyer and cared for his baby girl -She had a terrible diaper rash and Annemarie cured it -Worked for the lawyer for a while until private detectives started coming to the house -Looking for Annemarie on behalf of the second husband -Went out to Oregon to be with an old friend on her wedding day -Friend decided not to get married, but fortunately it got her out of New York City -Did odd jobs and got assistance from welfare (paid for rent and electricity) -Got food from a pantry once a month -Met a couple through a friend -They were good people, had children, and Annemarie’s daughter got along with the children -Couple wanted to move back to Michigan and have Annemarie and her daughter join them -They could live with them (00:08:26) Living in Michigan -Lived with the family from Oregon -Got a job in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as a seamstress -Experienced discrimination for being an immigrant -As a result she befriended other shunned, immigrant workers -Did good work as a seamstress and got a better job �(00:14:33) Marrying Bill Hortman -Met a man named Bill through one of her coworkers -Started dating him, but was worried he would be like her previous husbands -Realized he was a good man -Married Bill Hortman -He taught her how to golf -They had two sons together, and Bill adopted her daughter -Had to get the adoption approval from Charlie -Ex-mother-in-law and her sister showed up demanding that Annemarie come home -To get married to Bill she had to get divorced from her second husband -They had separated, but never gotten a divorce -Told him that she was pregnant and that prompted him to divorce her -He dragged his feet for a while, then began the process -Annemarie told the ex-mother-in-law to leave her alone -Charlie’s mother tried to manipulate her by saying Charlie was in an abusive relationship -Annemarie told her that he could deal with it -Also had to deal with her second husband’s car payments because he couldn’t make them -She had cosigned -Eventually got away from that -Charlie’s mother stopped bothering her after seeing how Annemarie and Bill loved each other -She and Bill fought, but he never held a grudge or followed other women -Bill served in the Marines as an aircraft mechanic in World War II (00:36:57) Relationship with Parents (Adult Life) -Her mother and stepfather started visiting in 1972 -Visited every three or four years -During a visit in 2000 her stepfather had a stroke -Stepfather enjoyed the US and always wanted to stay -Flew stepfather back to Germany for treatment after his stroke for treatment by his doctor -He recovered from the stroke -In 2005 she flew back to Ingolstadt because her stepfather was in bad shape -Her mother took care of him at home -It was wonderful to see her mother in such a loving relationship (00:44:34) Annnemarie’s Biological Father -She never had contact with biological father in her adult life -She has a photo of him from the 1950s -Only keeps it as a part of the family record -Biological father had tried to molest her in Ingolstadt -Grandfather stopped him -Not long after that incident Annemarie’s mother divorced the father -He came back once to try and take her brother -Her brother had lived with him for a few years -He never let him get any gifts from Annemarie or her mother � 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 HortmanA1944V Title A name given to the resource Hortman, Annemarie (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Annemarie Hortman was born in Rangsdorf, Germany, on April 14, 1939. When she was only a year old she moved to Ingolstadt and stayed there until September 1940. At such a young age and that early in the war she remembers getting off a train during an air raid, and going into a community bomb shelter in Ingolstadt. For the rest of the war, Annemarie lived in Rangsdorf. During the last six months of the war she experienced daily bombings due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Germany and final push toward Berlin. After Germany’s surrender, she and her family stayed in Rangsdorf during part of the Soviet occupation enduring the random and often arbitrary brutality of the Soviet troops. In 1947, Annemarie, her mother, her brother, and sister fled Rangsdorf on foot and sneaked across the East/West German border. They walked to Ingolstadt where she lived until she got married to an American serviceman. Annemarie and her first husband had a child and moved to the United States in 1960. Due to her husband’s infidelity the first marriage failed, and after moving around the country and a second divorce, she met Bill Hortman and settled down with him in Walker, Michigan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hortman, Annemarie Boettner Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-09-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5e580ba47dee6be41394e934a3c347e3.m4v a9d84f549dc31020b7843e9806d5fbf9 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/77ea7b643a29ffc8149d1ea55ea3a25b.pdf 501c690005ed8d9c52ef688d1e73bbb9 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Ernest Homrich World War II-Postwar 44 minutes 43 seconds (00:00:11) Early Life -Born at his family's home in Alpine Township, Michigan on April 13, 1925 -Grew up on the farm there -Second-to-last child in the family -Family was able to keep the farm during the Great Depression -Had enough food, but had to ration it -Father had a stroke -Bedridden for 15 years -Ernest and his brother had to run the farm -Milked the cows in the morning -Fed animals and did chores at night -Stayed in school until the 11th grade -Went to school off and on -Took Fridays off and went fishing -Mother was a great help in taking care of the farm and Mr. Homrich after he had his stroke -Father lived to be 75 years old -Had his stroke when he was 60 years old -Ernest was 15 years old at the time -Grew produce and raised animals they could sell (00:03:58) Start of the War -Driving in the car when he heard on the radio that Pearl Harbor had been bombed -Paid attention to the news coming out of Europe and Asia before Pearl Harbor -No one in his family was in the military when the war began -He was 16 years old when the United States entered the war (00:05:04) Getting Drafted -Registered for the draft when he turned 18 in 1943 -Deferred for a while because he worked on the farm -When he got drafted his younger brother took over the farm -Got drafted in late 1944 after being deferred twice -Went to Detroit for a draft physical when he first registered for the draft (00:06:42) Basic Training -Went to Chicago -Sent to an Army base in Texarkana/northeast Texas -Went there by train -Ride was smoky and there was soot everywhere -Stopped along the way to let other trains pass -Took quite a while to go from Chicago to Texas -Went on hikes during basic training -High emphasis on discipline -Whatever your superiors told you to do, you did -Men that couldn't keep up with the training were discharged -Because he grew up doing farm work he was in good shape and kept up with the training �-Received rifle and grenade training -One time a sergeant dropped a live grenade -Obviously, everyone ran away -Fortunately, the grenade didn't explode -Thought that that was the end of his life -Had a little rifle experience from bird hunting on the farm -Trained with men from all over the United States -Didn't receive any specialized training -Felt sorry for the men that couldn't do the training -Men that couldn't adjust were discharged, recycled, or transferred -Training lasted 17 weeks (00�:12:17) Deployment -After basic training received a leave home -Reported to San Francisco -Didn't spend too long there -Boarded a troopship -1700 men on the ship -Had to share bunks -Didn't know where they were going -Stopped in Pearl Harbor because of boiler trouble -Remembers the song “Sentimental Journey” playing as they left -A lot of men got seasick (00:15:54) Stop in Pearl Harbor -Broke convoy to stop in Pearl Harbor because the ship's boiler needed repair -Stayed in Pearl Harbor for a month -Spent the time in Pearl Harbor with training -Fed pineapple and all of the men got “GI Trot” (diarrhea) -Limited outhouses, so some men had to defecate in the open -Next day they got up early -Men were still sick, so they were given a pill to alleviate the illness -Went out for a drill -He spent the entire day in an outhouse -Went into town once or twice -Found an old Japanese motorcycle -Pearl Harbor had been cleaned up -Saw the sunken ships left in the harbor (00:18:50) Arrival at Okinawa & End of the War -Sailed to Okinawa alone -Went in a straight line -Trying to catch up with the convoy -Dropped anchor away from Okinawa -Preparing for the invasion of Japan -All of a sudden, the war ended -Off of Okinawa for a week then the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan (00:20:48) Supply work in Inchon, Korea -Went to Inchon, Korea -Had to sleep in a partially built building -Given a cot and blankets for sleeping -Went out every morning with the high tide and came back in at night with the tide �-Used a Landing Ship Medium (LSM) to go to the ship to bring supplies to shore -Supervised Korean workers -Had to watch them closely -Had problems with them stealing beer -Had pretty good living conditions and had pretty good food -Found abandoned, one-man Japanese submarines -Note: possibly kaiten suicide torpedoes -Crudely built and made of recycled metal and wood scaffolding -Japanese had a lot of old American cars being used for scrap metal -About 40 acres of old cars -No Japanese soldiers left in Korea -Found a lot of Japanese rifles -Dumped them in the nearby river -Got his hand hurt -Two of his nails were ripped out of his hand by a winch -Unloaded trucks, tires, and lumber from the ship -Material prepared for the invasion of Japan -Burned any material they didn't need -Some soldiers sold the material to the Koreans (00:28:00) Hospital Stay in Inchon -After hurting his hand he went to a hospital in Inchon -Spent 45 days in the hospital -One of nurses baked a cake for him -He was mobile, so he could walk around (00:29:04) Working with Amphibious Engineer Unit -Set traps to catch rats -Caught a few, but not very many -Collected wood for burning in the officers' rooms (00:29:57) PX work in Korea -Reassigned to work in a post exchange (PX) -Note: Army general store -Worked in the PX for nearly a year -Had to make sure nobody stole anything -Slept with his M1 carbine to ward off thieves -Koreans mostly wanted to steal cigarettes, but would steal anything -Only American soldiers were allowed into the PX -Went out to dumps to get rid of spoiled food -Korean civilians tried to get the rotten food -Had to beat back Koreans and fill in the pits of food so they didn't get the bad food -Never wanted to see that again (00:32:45) Korean Civilians -Koreans lived in straw huts -There were open ditches that the Koreans used as toilets -Rice farmers went to the ditch to get human waste to fertilize their crop (00:34:25) Contact with Home -It was a long time before he got any mail from home -Sent money home -Mother saved it for him -Had a quite a bit of money saved up by time he got home �(00:35:15) Coming Home Pt. 1 -Went home with a group of men from different units -Pulled into Seattle -Delayed and put into barracks -Selected to clean out mess cars -Had to wait because his records were lost -Sent to Chicago -Still couldn't find his records -Sent home for a couple weeks of leave -Reported back to Chicago and got discharged (00:37:10) Life after the Army -Worked on a farm for one season -Worked for 75 cents an hour then got raised to $1 an hour -Worked in a shop for 95 cents an hour -Married in 1952 -Stayed on the farm, but worked other jobs -Younger brother hauled coal to the veterans' home (00:39:57) Reflections on Service -Learned discipline and how to follow orders -Learned a lot in Korea -Snow in Korea was the same as Michigan though -Shocked that Inchon never experienced a major fire due to all of the straw and wooden buildings -Saw a lot and learned a lot during his time in the Army (00:41:53) Downtime in Korea -Visited Seoul -Got cold showers -Luxury because they didn't get showers in Inchon -Went to Seoul quite often -More built up than Inchon -Drank a little sake -Tried 190 proof alcohol -Cut it with sugar and water to dilute it (00:44:03) Coming Home Pt. 2 -Fed really well upon his arrival in Seattle -Given whatever food he wanted � 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 HomrichE1917V Title A name given to the resource Homrich, Ernest Q (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Ernest Homrich was born in Alpine Township, Michigan on April 13, 1925. He was drafted in late 1944 and went to Texarkana/northeast Texas for basic training. After 17 weeks of basic training and a short leave home he went to San Francisco to board a troopship. En route to their destination they experienced boiler trouble and had to stay in Pearl Harbor for a month for repairs. From Pearl Harbor they sailed to Okinawa and were offshore for a week then the atomic bombs were dropped. They went to Inchon, Korea where he helped unload material and discard Japanese weapons. He injured his hand and after recovering in a hospital was assigned to work with an amphibious engineers unit then at a PX where he worked for nearly a year. Upon completion of his time in Korea he returned to the United States and was discharged in Chicago. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Homrich, Ernest Q. 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-02-09 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c48785360080c11f12e5b8860e49c30d.m4v ea254e3d4539a01341488bb7eae8660d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a007693bb58dcc5914a3a01e8e3affd5.m4v 7d743b1e1935bab9346333cfb6b7747e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ddd5b38e6c2203c6a31b1d8658df82c1.pdf 517e5d9de74ef28429c67c5913144944 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Kyle Herring War in Afghanistan Part 1 – 48 minutes 52 seconds (00:00:17) Early Life -Born in Frederick, Maryland on October 11, 1987 -Lived there for one or two years -Moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan -Parents were originally from Maryland -Lived on the southeast side of the city near Kalamazoo Avenue -Moved to Kentwood, Michigan when he was in middle school -Suburb of Grand Rapids -Attended East Kentwood High School -Last class to graduate early -Graduated in February 2006 -Father worked as an aerospace engineer for General Electric -Mother worked in healthcare for Spectrum Healthcare (00:01:20) September 11th Attacks & Start of the War on Terror -He was in eighth grade when the September 11th attacks happened in 2001 -Didn't have TVs on in the morning -Teachers came in around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. and told the students the U.S. had been attacked -Rest of the day watched the news reports coming in from New York and Washington D.C. -Aware of the severity of the attacks -Possibly more aware than other students because his family served in the military -Father served in the Marines and mother served in the Army -Father had fought in the Gulf War -Thought the U.S. would be invaded following the attacks (00:03:39) Enlisting in the National Guard -September 11th attacks contributed to his decision to join the military -Had always wanted to be a soldier -Wanted to serve in the Marines like his father -Father advised against it -Felt that Kyle would get more out of a different branch of the military -Wanted to do something with technology -When he was 16 years old he started talking with Marine recruiters -When he turned 17 the recruiters asked him to sign the paperwork -Kyle wanted to be an aircraft controller -Recruiters told him he could be in the infantry or the engineers -Friend enlisted in the Michigan National Guard -Got the job he wanted and an enlistment bonus -Talked to a National Guard recruiter and watched some different videos about technology jobs -Decided he wanted to be a multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainer -Military Occupational Specialty code: 25 Quebec -Enlisted in the spring of 2005 (00:05:40) Drilling with the National Guard -Able to start drilling with the National Guard before completing basic training �-In the summer of 2005 he visited Europe and saw London, Paris, and Barcelona -When he returned from the Europe trip he started doing drills with the National Guard -One weekend a month through the summer and his senior year (00:06:35) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Benning, Georgia on January 1, 2006 for basic training -Left Lansing, Michigan early in the morning -Landed at Atlanta and told to go to the clock tower in the airport and wait for a bus -At 9 p.m. a woman came to the tower and told him to follow him if he was a recruit -Very informal greeting -There with 100 or 200 other recruits -Pulled up to Fort Benning and drill sergeant boarded the bus -Told if they listened to him they would be fine -Went through processing at 10 or 11 p.m. -Given sweatshirts and sweatpants and ordered to change into them -Didn't sleep much the first night there -First week was spent processing -Basic training wasn't too difficult -Expected it to be like the basic training in the film, Full Metal Jacket -Disappointed that it wasn't tough -Felt prepared from hearing about his parents' experiences in the military -Graduated from basic training in April 2006 -Drill sergeants yelled at them, but not to an extreme degree -Spent most days exercising, sleeping, or going to classes -Remembers one exercise called “belly, back, and feet” -Push-ups, flutter kicks, and jogging in place -Had to change exercises when the drill sergeant commanded -A few men had trouble adjusting to the military -Trained with other slightly older recruits -Only three or four men didn't pass basic training -One of his bunk mates had to be medically discharged due to heart problems -Remembers a group of Ohioans didn't adjust well to the discipline, but they made it through -Sundays were cleaning day -One of the Ohioan recruits hid in a wall locker and slept all day on Sundays -Did a lot of weapons training, physical training, and marches with full packs -Basic infantry training -Firing a rifle, digging a foxhole, basic first aid, and using a radio (00:14:08) Signal Training -Sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia for Signal Training -Lasted 21 weeks -Trained with truck-mounted radios and satellite radios -Trained with old technology and new technology -Radios used by the French in the 1990s -French radios were set to OCONUS -Overseas radio setting, and permanent unless rewired -Learned how to rewire those radios to be used in the United States -Second part of training consisted of satellite communications (00:16:21) Joining the 156th Signal Battalion -Returned to Grand Rapids and was assigned to C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion -Stationed at Grand Valley Armory in Wyoming, Michigan (suburb of Grand Rapids) �-Did drills one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer -Attended Grand Rapids Community College while not drilling with the National Guard -Did the basic weekend/month and two weeks/summer schedule for two years -Enjoyed drilling in the National Guard -Bond forming and team building -Everyone worked well together and did a good job together (00:17:48) Medic Training -Discovered that he didn't enjoy communications work -In early 2008 the 156th Signal Battalion became part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -This resulted in the creation of a combat medic position -He wanted to become a medic, requested the position, and got it -Sent to Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (Camp Parks), California in the summer of 2008 -Base was situated in the middle of a wealthy area -Close enough to San Francisco that they could take a train there -Medic training usually took six months, but they did it in three months -14 hours of training for a while -Studied a chapter in class and read the next chapter at night -The next day took a test on the material they studied in class -Took the National Registry of EMTs Exam and half of the trainees failed it on the first attempt -Second time they took the test three quarters of them passed -Got practical training -Trained with practice mannequins, learned how to give shots, and place IVs -Rode in a civilian ambulance in Oakland, California -Treated an old woman, a homeless man, an infant, and responded to a car accident -Did that all in one, eight hour shift -Resuscitated a man in the emergency room and pronounced an infant dead an hour later -Doing practical work like that gave him confidence he hadn't had before -First half of medic training focused on basic EMT skills -Second half of medic training focused on Army medicine -For example: properly using tourniquets and moving litters -Did field exercises in the desert -Remembers on one exercise he didn't drink water until 5 p.m. -Acting squad leader and made sure the other soldiers stayed hydrated -He just forgot to do the same for himself (00:24:19 Pre-Deployment Training & Preparation -Returned to Grand Valley Armory -Alerted for mobilization -In early 2009 they received equipment and started their training -Went to Vermont for mountaineer training with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -Fun -Learned how to walk horizontally across a steep grade -Did a 20 foot rappel -On the first rappel he was carrying a 50 pound aid bag -Had to do his first rappel with the pound bag -Did a 150 foot rappel down a cliff face -Returned to Michigan after mountaineer training in Vermont -Started dating his future wife -Dated a few months and decide to try for a long term, long distance, relationship -Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana for combat training �-Three weeks -Ran practice convoys -Worked in an aid station -Did that in September 2009 -On December 3, 2009 they received their federal orders -Bused to Camp Atterbury, Indiana -Did three or four days of processing -Vaccinations and various physical tests -Land navigation training and a brief introduction of what to expect in Afghanistan -Medics received Brigade Combat Tactical Training -One week of intense medical training -Trained by special forces medics and surgeons -Learned about what IEDs could do to a person -By 2009 the Army knew more about IEDs and damage potential -Learned that they had to go back to Fort Polk because they missed a training step -Three more weeks of combat training -He was originally assigned to a Military Police platoon with brigade headquarters -Platoon got reassigned to the 1st Squadron of the 172nd Cavalry Regiment -Part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team -Did field exercises in the woods in Fort Polk -Taught the Rules of Land Warfare -What a soldier can/cannot do in combat -At Fort Polk they had fake enemies and fake civilians -Lived and operated in a fake Afghan city -Had Afghan nationals and fake reporters -Rifles with blank rounds, fake bombs, and helicopters -Pre-deployment training was worse than the actual tour in Afghanistan (00:33:23) Deployment to Afghanistan -Received orders to fly directly from Fort Polk to Afghanistan -Given 24 hours of leave -He and the other men went to Bourbon Street in New Orleans -Last time they could drink before being deployed to Afghanistan -Stayed at Fort Polk for a few days then flew out of Louisiana at 3 a.m. -Flew to Afghanistan on a chartered civilian flight -Stopped in Canada, Iceland, Ireland, and Germany to refuel -Allowed to get off the plane in Germany -Place for soldiers to eat, stretch their legs, and buy souvenirs -There were political issues with Russia which altered their flight path to Afghanistan -Flown to Kyrgyzstan -Landed at a Soviet-era airport -Beautiful and cold country -Bought an Iranian cell phone that worked in the Middle East -Boarded a C-130 and flew to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan (00:36:20) Arrival in Afghanistan -Received two days of training at Bagram Air Base -Boarded another C-130 and flew to Sharana, Afghanistan to get to Ghazni -Had to do a combat landing at night because the base took fire on a regular basis -Plane corkscrewed down to the runway -C-130 dropped the ramp and they were ordered to march off the plane �-Only had 15-20 rounds of ammunition and it was pitch black -Told to go to a reception area at the other end of the runway -Went into a transient tent -Disgusting and one of the worst places he had to stay -Contacted the unit they were replacing in Ghazni -Needed more ammunition before they they moved -In RC-East (NATO designation for eastern portion of Afghanistan) -Unit they were replacing came to pick them up from Sharana -Traveled in Cougar Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored transports -Brought them a trailer full of ammunition -Told to watch out for IEDs en route to Ghazni (00:39:45) First Contact with Enemy Troops -Reached a place called Four Corners en route to Ghazni -Afghan police were taking fire and the American forces were ordered to assist them -Got out of the MRAP and went to the left of the road -Told to watch out for a man riding a red moped -Afghan forces were taking fire on the right side of the road -Walked forward 100 or 200 yards -The red moped showed up -Everyone pointed their rifles at the man and he quickly turned around -Not the target -Took cover behind a berm and returned fire -He was ordered to stay down and hold his fire -If he, the medic, got wounded then who would take care of him? -Taking small arms fire -After 10 or 15 minutes the militants scattered and they proceeded toward Ghazni (00:42:25) Stationed in Ghazni -Final destination was Forward Operating Base (FOB) Vulcan in Ghazni -Ghazni is the capital of Ghazni Province -There was another FOB, called FOB Ghazni in the city -Provincial reconstruction, helicopter base, and a forward surgical team -FOB Vulcan was a former Soviet base from the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s -Shared it with an Afghan battalion -Minimal enemy contact -FOB Ghazni got hit by mortars and rockets on a regular basis -FOB Vulcan wasn't a large base -150 Americans stationed there -Shared the base with Polish forces -NATO commander was Polish and had a Polish 155mm artillery unit (00:44:20) Patrols in Afghanistan -Started their mission after a week of being at FOB Vulcan -Mission was to train Afghan police in the area -Went to the towns of Waghaz and Qarabagh -First time at Waghaz they took mortar fire from the mountains -Established contact with the town chieftain -Moved to Qarabagh after patrols in Waghaz -Stayed there for a few nights -Lived on Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and trained the Afghan police -Pulled security at night �-Set up a post on top of an old prison -If they saw movement they had orders to retreat -Had only 20 men at Qarabagh and couldn't taken on an enemy force -Arrived in Afghanistan in March 2010 and started conducting patrols soon -Had Thursdays off because Friday is the Muslim holy day (00:46:50) Fighting around Waghaz -The second time they went into Waghaz they took mortar fire, again -Brought a TOW missile launcher and a forward observer to call in artillery support -Fired the TOW at the enemy position and it flew into a group of trees -Mortars were landing around the compound -Knew the militants were bad shots, but they could eventually get a direct hit -Called in Polish artillery to knock out the mortar position -Lieutenant was fairly incompetent -Called in the wrong coordinates -Resulted in the artillery hitting 1,000 yards off target Part 2 – 45 minutes 39 seconds Note: Separate DVD, but time code continues (00:49:33) Fighting around Waghaz -Polish artillery was off the mark -United States artillery procedure is to fire to the right of the impact area -Polish artillery procedure is to fire to the left of the impact area -Shot again and were even more off the mark than the first time -Decided to get into MRAPs and go into the hills to find the mortars -Had F-16 fighter aircraft providing air support -Went up to a little bridge in the hills -Good chance there would be IEDs -He was in the third vehicle in line -Two of the MRAPs got across the bridge without incident -His MRAP shifted to the right and hit an IED -It was two antitank mines stacked on top of each other -Blew off a tire -Militants had been planning an ambush on the convoy -Disable a vehicle then attack with machine guns and rockets -F-16s scared them off -No one in his vehicle was injured -A few men sustained minor concussions -Recovery vehicles took forever to reach them -Traveling at one kilometer/hour (or a little over ½ mile/hour) -F-16s ran out of gas and had to leave the area -B-1 strategic bomber came to provide air support -Stayed there for a while -Pilot radioed the recovery convoy and told them to go faster -Getting bored and wanted to leave -Finally got picked up and his MRAP was repaired within a few days (00:53:30) Leaving Ghazni -Spent three months in Ghazni �-Only American forces in the area, and they were a small force -Got replaced by a larger American force -Ghazni hadn't been a bad place to be stationed -Had internet, hot food, showers, and civilians did their laundry (00:54:15) Ambushed outside of Qarabagh -Wanted to go to Qarabagh to say good bye to the Afghan police chief -Bitter and nervous that the Americans would leave and not be replaced -Stayed overnight in Qarabagh and ate breakfast with the police the next day -Left Qarabagh and he was in the last vehicle in the convoy -MRAP in front of him hit a 500 pound IED -Blast threw vehicle into the air and flipped it over -Gunner survived because he bent down to pick up a bottle of a water -Felt the shock wave in his truck -The gunner in his MRAP returned fire with machine gun and grenade launcher -His truck took three rocket propelled grenades -After each blast the gunner got back up and returned fire -MRAP caught fire and had to be evacuated -Made his way to the destroyed MRAP -Half of the vehicles in the convoy were damaged or immobilized -Ran through the blast zone and the IED produced a crater in the highway -Everyone in the destroyed MRAP was out of the truck and were wounded -Six wounded -Inside of that MRAP was covered in blood -Started treating the wounded -One soldier had internal bleeding -Told the platoon sergeant they needed to get the wounded out of the area -Other soldiers went off the road to hunt down the militants -Polish sent in helicopters to pick up the wounded -He didn't know the Polish were sending in helicopters -Saw a Mi-24 Hind fly overhead -Same helicopter used by the Russians -Astounded at the sight and didn't know what to expect next -Militants retreated -Helicopter pilot saw the blast crater and decided to land in the adjacent field -Helped get the wounded to the helicopter -Told the flight medic about the situation -Another helicopter showed up -Thought there were six litter wounded, not ambulatory -Polish armored vehicles came to support them -Patrolled the area and found a few weapons -Got into a new convoy and went to FOB Ghazni -Ate and got cleaned up -Visited the wounded -Let him put three of the more severely wounded into a helicopter -One of the men went to Germany and two went to Bagram Air Base (01:04:55) Stationed at FOB Lightning -Flown to FOB Lightning in Gardez -Spent two weeks at FOB Lightning -Worked with the 82nd Airborne Division �-Did patrols and went on a convoy to a FOB near Pakistan -FOB Lightning was a larger base -Had a mess hall open at all times with iced coffee and a panini machine -Had internet access -Could contact his family and his fiancee (01:06:20) Stationed at Charikar -Sent to Bagram Air Base for one week to await further orders -101st Airborne Division replaced them -Sent to the city of Charikar near Bagram -Worked with United Arab Emirates soldiers -Stationed at the police station in Charikar -Shared the barracks with Afghan police -Went on two foot patrols each day -Did two, three hour shifts of guard duty -One of his jobs was to bleach the water used for showering -Built up area -Civilians were allowed to go into the police station -Medium-sized city with three-story buildings -Able to send the interpreter into town to get local food -Had french fries and kebabs -American dollar was very strong -Avoided eating cold food and dairy products -Spent six months in Charikar out of a total of nine months in Afghanistan -Did the same routine every day -Brought a firearm with him everywhere he went -Got comfortable carrying a firearm with him -Never fired his rifle in anger -Medic shouldn't have to return fire in a combat situation (01:12:30) Enemy Contact in Charikar -One night they were sleeping and someone fired a rocket propelled grenade at the station -Local that angry about a political decision made by the U.S. military -No wounded and no killed -Pulled guard duty at night because he enjoyed the coolness of the evening -One night he heard fire on Route 1 -Went into the tactical operations center (TOC) -Told NATO Macedonian forces had been attacked -Being sent to Charikar -When the Macedonians arrived they were on edge -Jumped out of the trucks and pointing their rifles -An American unit near them hit an IED and lost their medic (01:14:52) U.S. Ambassador visit to Charikar -U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan came to Charikar to visit the provincial governor -Had jets, layers of security, and Secretary of State security forces -Afghan police were on the road in front of the governor's compound -Remembers a blue tanker truck coming up to the compound -Afghan police let it go through the roadblock -Secretary of State security thought it was a suicide truck -Turned out to be fine -Ready for it to explode and deal with the consequences �(01:16:52) United Nations Presence -United Nations World Food Program operated in the area -Used white vans and SUVs with no armor -Drove around Charikar -Never made sense to him why they'd use civilian vehicles -Never got attacked (01:17:50) Contact with Afghan Civilians -A lot of contact with Afghan civilians -Patrolled the markets in Charikar -There was a canal next to the police compound -Threw candy to children who stood on the other side of the canal -A sucker hit a little girl in the head -Brought her and her father over to the compound -Gave her another sucker, and a stuffed animal, and bandages -Father was happy and understood that it was an accident -Afghans knew that he was a medic and less intimidating than the other soldiers -Thought he had magic pills that could treat anything -Remembers in Qarabagh a man approached him and said his leg hurt -Couldn't give him pain pills because he could be allergic -Gave him a red Tic-Tac -Man came back a week later complaining of leg pain again -Gave him a yellow Tic-Tac and the man requested a red one -There was a blind man in Charikar that asked to be healed -Couldn't grasp that Kyle wasn't a doctor or a miracle worker -Apologized to the man and gave him some American money for his trouble -Treated one Afghan policeman with an infected ankle from wearing his boots wrong -Took a picture together -Trusted the Afghan interpreter because he was in just as much danger as they were -Gave him a first aid kit and a shotgun or an AK-47 rifle if they had a spare (01:22:50) Mystery Weapons Cache -He was on guard duty one night and an Afghan police cargo truck came into the compound -Truck was filled with crates of rifles, ammunition, rocket launchers, and rockets -Helped the Afghan police unload the truck -Went into a basement on the compound and it was filled with weapons and ammunition -Didn't know it existed -Had no idea why the Afghan police had it -Radioed 86th Brigade headquarters and told them about the weapons cache -They didn't know it existed either -Piles of Chinese, Egyptian, Soviet, and unmarked weapons (01:25:37) End of Deployment & Coming Home -Deployment ended in December 2010 -Stayed at Bagram Air Base for one week -in Thanksgiving 2010 President Obama came to Bagram Air Base -Delayed coming home -Out processed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana -Came home to Grand Rapids and was greeted by the community -Stopped at Kyrgyzstan en route to the United States -One soldier broke his ankle walking out to the plane �-Had two choices: fly home with a broken ankle, or stay behind for treatment -Decided to fly home with the broken ankle -Took a year to get his ankle fixed (01:27:02) Assignment to the 126th Cavalry Regiment & Current National Guard Service -While on his deployment he was promoted to the rank of sergeant (E-5) -Spent three more months with C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion -Moved across the hall at Grand Valley Armory and was reassigned to 126th Cavalry Regiment -Placed on full-time orders for a couple years then became Active Guard Reserve (AGR, career) -Worked for eight months as a National Guard recruiter at Grand Valley Armory -Went back to work as medical readiness sergeant with the 126th Cavalry Regiment -Job as of time of interview -Managing medical documents -Overseeing a platoon of medics -Administering flu shots -Medical exams -General healthcare of soldiers (01:28:15) Reflections on Service -Made him a calmer individual -More confident -More to life -Drinks less after his deployment -Appreciates life more -Spent nine months without TV, cell phone, and limited internet -Misses the order and routine of Afghanistan -Still maintains a routine as a civilian (01:29:46) Wounded in Ghazni -In Ghazni after the 500 pound IED explosion -He was in the mess hall and the FOB started taking rocket fire -Ran toward bunkers and a rocket exploded in front of him -Attack happened near Easter 2010 -Doesn't remember the blast, but remembers getting up from the ground -Saw a man lying in the middle of the road -Acted without thinking -Base was still taking rocket fire -Wounded man was a Navy corpsman -Entire right side was peppered with shrapnel -Polish ambulance came to help treat the corpsman -Helped the Polish soldiers treat the man -Reunited with his platoon -One week later he found the corpsman survived and was being treated in Germany -Spent three months in therapy due to sustaining a traumatic brain injury -Didn't qualify for a Purple Heart -Placed on rest for two days and ordered to relax -Still has ringing in his ears and memory problems -Works with a lot of soldiers that have traumatic brain injuries -Is able to relate with them � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context HerringK1933V Title A name given to the resource Herring, Kyle (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Kyle Herring was born in Frederick, Maryland on October 11, 1987, but grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He enlisted in the Michigan National Guard when he was 17 years old in spring 2005 and drilled during his senior year. In January 2006 he received basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia then went to Fort Gordon, Georgia for signal training. He joined C Company of the 156th Signal Battalion at the Grand Valley Armory in Wyoming, Michigan. In early 2008 a medic slot opened and he volunteered for it. He received medic training at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, California. In early 2009 they received deployment orders and spent most of 2009 training in Vermont; Camp Atterbury, Indiana; and Fort Polk, Louisiana. He was attached to 1st Squadron of the 172nd Cavalry Regiment of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. They deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010 and he was stationed at Forward Operating Base Vulcan (Ghazni) for three months working with local police in Waghaz and Qarabagh. He suffered a concussive injury in Ghazni. He was also stationed at FOB Lighting (Gardez) and at the police station in Charikar for six months. In December 2010 the deployment ended and he returned home. After three months he joined the 126th Cavalry Regiment and went on full-time, active duty as the medical readiness non-commissioned officer. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Herring, Kyle Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jones, Adam (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American United States. National Guard Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-03-17 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/83b2554bc73f39523d44476a7a7e4562.m4v e6c610d796d72cb473d8f72c24c63855 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fab0d0fcc75611c53237f7e97fa72a2a.pdf 99ac32fc6cbb39a843b7b3b311c6fced PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Earl O. Henry Jr. Cold War – Vietnam Era 1 hour 5 minutes 6 seconds Note: Earl is also telling the story of his father, Earl O. Henry, who died on the USS Indianapolis. (00:00:40) Earl Jr.’s Early Life -Born in Mayfield, Kentucky, on June 19, 1945 -Lived there until he was 8 years old -Father died on the USS Indianapolis when Earl was only six weeks old -Moved to Nashville, Tennessee -Lived there for the rest of his life save for time in college and the Army -Mother grew up in Mayfield and attended Western Kentucky State Teachers College -Taught in Tennessee and met Earl’s father in Tennessee -Had a fairly normal childhood -Grandfather and uncle became father figures for him -Uncle took him to baseball games, on fishing trips, and effectively acted as his father (00:03:30) College & Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps -Attended Vanderbilt University and majored in business -Went to University of Washington for graduate school -Got his Masters of Business Administration -Joined the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in college -Went to ROTC summer camp in 1965 -Received six weeks of basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky -The same as regular basic training just without biological or chemical warfare training -Went on the infiltration course -Crawling under barbed wire while live rounds are shot over your head -Ran on Heartbreak, Misery, and Agony Hill -Became an officer in the Army upon completion of college and ROTC training -Note: Most likely a 2nd lieutenant (00:05:30) Service as a Quartermaster Officer -Sent to Fort Lee, Virginia, for Quartermaster and Officer Basic Training -Received training on how to manage non-commissioned officers’ clubs and officers’ clubs -Remembers scandals in the NCO and officers’ clubs at the time -Army wanted men with accounting and business knowledge to handle the clubs -Assigned to the officers’ club at Fort Knox -Worked with non-commissioned officers, officers, and civilian workers -Nontraditional position for an officer -Spent nearly two years in the Army -Discharged six weeks earlier than planned date due to spending cuts -Doesn’t regret forgoing a career in the Army, because it wasn’t for him -1969 to 1971 was not an ideal time to be in the Army -Poor morale and bad esprit de corps -Fortunately, he never experienced any harassment from people for being in the military (00:09:41) Earl Sr.’s Early Life -Born in Clinton, Tennessee, in 1911 and grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee �-Attended and graduated from Knoxville High School -Collected bird cards from Arm & Hammer (similar to baseball cards) -Joined the Bird Club and became an amateur ornithologist -Had good eyesight, good hearing, and the ability to imitate bird calls -Led to him recording bird calls at the Naval Academy in January 1944 -Proficient with taxidermy -Allowed to collect one male and one female bird of each species for taxidermy -Mounted 88 birds and donated them to the Ijams Nature Center -Mother kept three mounted ducks as a memory of him -Father attended the University of Tennessee to study dentistry -Graduated from there in 1935 (00:15:17) Naval Service – Stateside -Came to Knoxville to practice dentistry -Went on Navy active duty with America’s entry into World War II -He and Earl’s mother got married in October 1941 -Earl’s parents were at a party on December 7, 1941 -When the last guest arrived they said that Pearl Harbor had been bombed -Ordered to report to Parris Island, South Carolina -Earl’s mother was able to join him in South Carolina -They rented a cottage in Beaufort -Stayed there for a year -Earl’s father received orders to report to the Naval Academy to join the Dental Corps -Parents moved to Annapolis, Maryland (00:19:57) Service on the USS Indianapolis -In 1944 he volunteered for sea duty and was assigned to the USS Indianapolis -Earl Sr. felt he should take his turn at sea like other men -Service on the Indianapolis was considered a prime assignment -Joined the USS Indianapolis at Saipan on July 25, 1944 -Flown out to Saipan -Father painted a war poster in August 1944 -Bald eagle defending the US flag, clutching a bleeding snake with a Rising Sun around its tail -USS Indianapolis returned to Mare Island in San Francisco in November 1944 for repairs -Earl’s mother came out to meet him there -Spent Thanksgiving 1944 together -Stayed there for six weeks -Visited relatives in Fresno -Mother returned home after that visit -USS Indianapolis took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945 -At the time the Indianapolis was Admiral Spruance’s flagship -Assisted during the battle of Okinawa -On March 31, 1945, the day before troops hit the island a kamikaze hit the Indianapolis -Nine men were killed as a result -Admiral Spruance transferred to a different ship -Returned to Mare Island for reapirs -Got a three week leave to Mayfield -Earl (Jr.) was not expected until the end of July -Grandparents visited for a week while he was in Mayfield -Visited the naval facilities in Memphis as a possible postwar duty station -Had dinner with Earl Jr.’s mother and had their picture taken �-Only family photo (since Earl’s mother was pregnant) -Earl Sr.’s leave ended and he returned to Mare Island to board the USS Indianapolis -Received news that Earl Jr. had been born six weeks early -If Earl Sr. had known, he could have gotten an extension of leave, and lived (00:30:13) Secret Mission & Sinking of the USS Indianapolis -Indianapolis received orders for a secret mission -Note: Mission was to deliver the atomic bomb components to Tinian -Stopped at Guam en route to Tinian and received baby photos of Earl Jr. -Sent a short note to Earl Jr., last communication before dying -Note: At 12:14 a.m. on July 30 the I-58 torpedoed and sank the USS Indianapolis -300 crewmen went down with the ship, among them Earl O. Henry Sr. -Earl Jr.’s mother received news of Earl Sr.’s death on the same day Japan surrendered -A few weeks later, Earl’s mother went to a movie and saw a newsreel featuring the I-58 -Ran out of the theater crying -She contacted Captain McVay III (captain of the Indianapolis) to ask about Earl Sr. -Told her that Earl Sr. was a proud father and showed the crew pictures of Earl Jr. (00:41:00) USS Indianapolis Reunions & Other Events -Earl Jr. and his mother went to the 25th survivors’ reunion in 1970 -Painful experience -Always assumed Earl Sr. went down with the ship, and other crewmen confirmed it -Glad he got to talk with other survivors including his father’s closest friends -Went to the dedication of the national memorial in Indianapolis (coincided with 50th reunion) -Made prints of his father’s war poster (with the eagle) to distribute at the event -In 2005 he finally got the chance to present his father’s story at that year’s reunion -In 2005 he began speaking at middle schools about the sinking of the ship and his father’s story -In 2005, the American Legion magazine ran an article about Earl Sr. -He was interviewed for Sara Vladic’s documentary about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis -Participated in presentation about the sinking at a community college -Saw the Enola Gay (B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb) with two other Indianapolis survivors -Note: The Enola Gay dropped the Little Boy atom bomb delivered by the Indianapolis -Also visited the World War II Memorial with those same survivors (00:52:44) Media about the USS Indianapolis Pt. 1 -Sara Vladic, a director, started the Indianapolis Legacy Project -The Indianapolis Legacy Project: 10 year long project interviewing survivors and families -Way of documenting the experiences of the crewmen, both living and dead -Directed a documentary, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy, about the sinking of the ship -Abandon Ship!, published in 1958, was the first major book dealing with the sinking -Later books, such as Only 317 Survived and In Harm’s Way, include new information from the Navy (00:56:30) Opinion of Captain McVay III -Knows that his father deeply respected Captain McVay III -Earl Jr. feels that Captain McVay shouldn’t have been court-martialed for losing the ship -Note: Only captain to be tried and found guilty for losing a ship in wartime. Later committed suicide in 1968 over the guilt. -Feels the Navy unfairly treated Captain McVay -Sees him as a victim just like the other crewmen (00:58:28) Media about the USS Indianapolis Pt. 2 -USS Indianapolis is receiving more exposure -Believes the film, Jaws, helped introduce more people to the story of the sinking -Note: One of the characters in the film survived the sinking �(00:59:55) Public Knowledge about the Sinking -Strange that schools tend to not talk about World War II, with no attention given to the Indianapolis -Even the World War II Museum (in New Orleans) only has a small plaque about the ship -Interviewer, as of 2016, is working on erecting a memorial in Lansing, Michigan -Commemorating the Michigan crewmen -Hopefully, more memorials will lead to more people learning about the Indianapolis -New book, Indianapolis, has a planned release date of Memorial Day 2017 (01:03:05) Connection with Other Survivors -In 2012, he visited one of the survivors who served as one of the ship’s doctors -The doctor, Earl Sr. and the ship’s chaplain tried to look after the other crewmen on leave -Watched over them and kept them safe -The chaplain, Father Thomas Conway, survived the sinking but died before rescue -There is memorial for Father Conway in Waterbury, Connecticut � 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 HenryE1945V Title A name given to the resource Henry, Earl O. Jr (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Earl O. Henry Jr. was born in Mayfield, Kentucky, on June 19, 1945. He attended Vanderbilt University and the University of Washington, and while in college was in the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. After graduation he was commissioned as an officer in the Army and received Quartermaster and Officer Basic Training at Fort Lee, Virginia. He was assigned to manage the officers’ club at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served from 1969 to 1971. Earl’s father, Earl O. Henry Sr., was born in Clinton, Tennessee, in 1911. He served as an officer and a dentist in the Navy. With America’s entry into World War II, he served at Parris Island, South Carolina then joined the Dental Corps at the Naval Academy. In 1944 he volunteered for sea duty and was assigned to the USS Indianapolis. He joined the ship on July 25, 1944 at Saipan. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima and survived the kamikaze attack near Okinawa on March 31, 1945. Earl Sr. was aboard the USS Indianapolis when it delivered the atomic bomb components to Tinian, and was killed in action when the I-58 sank the Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Henry, Earl O Jr 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 Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-08-23 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7b93c8610dade654b749b847dbf1a72a.m4v 92ace895f96e03b02c561cda6b37349f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75156d96c45b61e7434f05690f2a6764.pdf eb43b65c1b46636d79e230e0201c2228 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Duane Harvey World War II 1 hour 36 minutes 44 seconds (00:00:11) Early Life -Born in Smelter City, Oklahoma in 1924 -Father worked at the Eagle Pitcher Zinc Smelter -Worked part time during the Great Depression -Also worked odd jobs to supplement his income -Area did not get greatly affected by the Dust Bowl -Had “dusty days” but not the massive dust storms like western Oklahoma -Stayed in the same town growing up -Had two brothers and one sister, he was the youngest -Finished high school in 1943 (00:03:53) Start of the War and Getting Drafted -Heard about Pearl Harbor via the radio and by word of mouth -Aware of the war in Europe prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor -Local newspaper would cover the conflict -Didn’t expect the United States to get involved -A lot of the men in town enlisted after Pearl Harbor was bombed -National Guard members were mobilized -Didn’t consider enlisting -Felt he was too young and wanted to complete high school first -Draft was instated in 1942 [1941, but he was only old enough to be eligible in 1942] -Draft boards had quotas to fill which meant all men became eligible for drafting -Meant that when you turned eighteen you had to report to your local draft board -Granted deferments for thirty or sixty days before you were classified -Classified as 1A (fit for service) or 4F (unfit) for example -Still had to complete high school before you began basic training though (00:08:50) Basic Training -Started basic training in July 1943 -Got inducted at Fort Sill, Oklahoma -Took tests to determine which part of the Army you would serve in -Got sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland for ordnance -Had a specialized replacement training center there for new draftees -Got issued his fatigues at Fort Sill before going to Aberdeen Proving Grounds -At Aberdeen got assigned to a barracks and his training unit -Basic training lasted eight weeks -Typical morning consisted of physical training, drills, and introduction to Army protocol -In the afternoon they were given firearms training which led to rifle qualification -Discipline was very strict in basic training -For infractions you had to do pushups or were given extra kitchen patrol duty -For him it was easy to adjust to living in the Army �-Had grown up with simple meals and few, to no luxuries -Had more clothes as a soldier than as a civilian -Didn’t have trouble with following orders -Grew up obeying teachers and parents and felt that the Army was no different -Recruits and draftees came from all over the United States -Trained with men from New York City, Chicago, and California -Got introduced to Poles, Italians, and Jewish men -Lived with these men so you bonded with them and ignored the differences (00:18:40) Ordnance and Other Training at Aberdeen Proving Grounds -After basic training began training to specialize in small arms, field artillery, and vehicles -Got assigned to a new group of trainees at Aberdeen Proving Ground -Ordinance training lasted about eight to twelve weeks -During this time got sent to Fort Meade, Maryland as part of a special training group -Showed promise of being a leader so he was put through Noncommissioned Officer School -Learned how to lead and how to teach other soldiers -Specifically requested not to be assigned to be a drill sergeant though -Final part of training was an urban combat course (00:22:05) Deployment to England -After training got sent to a staging area in Pennsylvania -From Pennsylvania got sent to New York City to board a troop ship in May 1944 -Wound up arriving in England just before D-Day -Had been granted a two week leave home prior to being deployed -Sailed over to England aboard the S.S. Argentina -Traveled with a convoy of other ships -Weather wasn’t bad and doesn’t recall getting seasick -At night no one was allowed on deck, and during the day the deck was extremely crowded -Led to not having much to do in the way of occupying time (00:26:21) Arrival in England -Ship stopped at Glasgow, Scotland -Did not disembark there and instead boarded a ferry bound for Liverpool, England -From Liverpool got sent to Birmingham -By now D-Day was well underway -In England he was assigned to Litchfield Barracks as part of an antiaircraft unit -Part of the 10th Replacement Depot -Started to receive word about how many troops had been lost in Normandy -Noncombatant soldiers were being reassigned to be riflemen -Others were offered the chance to join the 501st Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division -He volunteered because it would let him stay in England longer (00:31:06) Paratrooper Training -After volunteering to join the 501st he was sent to a “jump” (parachuting) school in England -Led by the well-known (from Band of Brothers) Captain Sobel -He never had any problems with him though -Carried out mock jumps on the ground -Repetitive drills that involved pretending to jump out of a C47 plane -Physical training was intense -Command wanted to wash out the volunteers that weren’t suited to be paratroopers �-Learned how to pack their parachutes a few days before a live jump -During the second week of training he did his first live jump -Did five jumps at varying altitudes and qualified to be a paratrooper in one day (00:38:12) Deployment to France -By now the 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne were in Holland as part of Operation: Market Garden -Because it was a British operation American replacements weren’t being sent to Holland -He got sent to Mourmelon, France to join B Company of the 501st Regiment for a couple weeks -Wound up getting assigned to an S2 Squad in Headquarters Company -Job was to man the observation posts and to deal with prisoners of war -Upon arriving in France got advised to wear warm clothes for where he was being transferred (00:44:02) The Battle of Bastogne -Joined an S2 Squad with 327th Glider Infantry Regiment in Bastogne, Belgium in December -When he arrived there snow was already on the ground -Within a couple days he was selected to be part of a team to establish a roadblock -Set it up on the east side of Bastogne -First day there didn’t have any contact with the Germans -The next day they were shelled and lost a few soldiers -He spent most of his time on the back side of Bastogne -Didn’t get attacked by the Germans as bad as the front position did -Knew that Bastogne was surrounded by Germans -Word that they were surrounded traveled quickly -Knew that the possibility of being surrounded came with being a paratrooper -Had to dig into frozen ground to create their foxholes -The best way to survive was to dig a foxhole and hunker down in it -Unit was poorly supplied during the German siege of Bastogne -Stayed with the 327th Regiment for about a week before being rotated out (00:50:35) Alsace-Lorraine Pt. 1 -After Bastogne he rejoined his original S2 Squad -For three days he would man an observation post then get rotated back to headquarters -In their observation post had a field telephone, but no radio -Had to rely on calling a radio operator to make a longer range call -Remembers operating in an observation post in Alsace-Lorraine when he encountered Germans -Observed a German mortar crew that was nearby, but of no real threat -Sergeant ordered him to shoot them -Refused on strategic and ethical grounds: saw no reason to shoot them -Sergeant ordered another soldier to fire and that soldier did -Alerted the Germans to their position -Germans began to mortar their post and they were forced to move as a result (00:55:40) Detail about Bastogne -While in Bastogne he got the chance to stay in a nearby castle a few times -Helped provide security for the officers that were being kept there -Secure position and optimum for protection of high ranking soldiers -While there he found an officer’s down sleeping bag unattended in a hallway -Managed to grab it while no one was looking -Kept him warm throughout the winter in Europe �-Still has the sleeping bag to this day (00:58:05) Returning to France Pt. 1 -In March 1945 he was able to return to Mourmelon, France -Given a chance to shave and shower -Also given a haircut -Essentially given a small psychological reprieve from living in the field for months -Despite what his unit went through morale was always good (01:00:42) Alsace-Lorraine Pt. 2 -In Alsace-Lorraine during the Battle of the Bulge the objective was to maintain the frontline -Didn’t want to make any grandiose advances against the Germans -Just wanted to make sure that the Germans didn’t break through their line (01:03:50) German Prisoners of War -While his division would press an attack the S2 Squads would follow behind to collect POWs -His job was to guard them and transport them for later holding and interrogation -Saw most of the prisoners as just Germans, not as young or old, just as Germans -Most of the Germans were complacent with becoming prisoners of war -Knew they’d be treated well and were ready to stop fighting -Occasionally German prisoners would be shot if they weren’t worth transporting -Made no distinction between rank or affiliation with infamous units like the Waffen-SS (01:08:10) Returning to France Pt. 2 -After being sent to Mourmelon, France in March 1945 the 501st was kept there -Idea was to help keep the Soviet advance in check -Also began to pull German POWs away from the frontline to the rear -Concerned about the prospect of the Russians massacring German POWs (01:11:44) Interactions with Civilian Populaces -Had more interactions with the English civilians than with most European civilians -Language barrier in mainland Europe made communication more difficult -Initially found the French to be welcoming, but soon noticed they were opportunistic -The price of goods being sold by French merchants was being driven up -Had disdain for that behavior -Passes were handed out for visiting Paris and visiting the French countryside -Most men opted to stay on their bases though -Had no reason to go into cities or villages because food was too scarce (01:14:00) Occupation Duty in Germany Pt. 1 -At the end of the war he was sent to join the 101st Airborne in Berchtesgaden, Germany -Objective was to help carry out occupation duties and maintain an American presence -Helped to keep the Soviets from advancing out of their prescribed zones -Personnel in the 501st were being rotated to the 101st’s frontline positions -Men like Duane were being used to relieve the men who had been in longer -He was assigned to the 81st Airborne Antiaircraft Glider Battalion -After the end of the war in Europe the 101st Airborne was slated for the invasion of Japan -After the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered the 101st was deactivated (01:17:20) Coming Home -After the 101st was deactivated he was reassigned to the 82nd Airborne Division -Completed his service with them and returned home with them -Sailed from Southampton, England to New York City �-Marched in a 5th Avenue Victory Parade in New York City with the 82nd Airborne -Still considered himself to be a “Screaming Eagle” of the 101st Airborne though -When he got home it was January 1946 (01:18:00) Occupation Duty in Germany Pt. 2 -While still in Europe he remembers at the end of the war staying in “cigarette camps” -Military camps that had been named after cigarette brands -After the war ended he was assigned to be part of the force carrying out occupation duties -Still viewed the Germans with suspicion and disdain -Fraternization with the Germans was not allowed at least at first (01:19:30) The Death of Don Fair -Remembers one soldier by the name of Don Fair that he knew from high school -Got killed during a German artillery attack near Bastogne -Often wonders about what Don Fair could have been and done in life? -What could he have contributed to the Army and to the larger war effort? (01:21:26) The Death of Gulick -Near the end of the war he was attached to A Company for a raid across an ice covered river AT 01:22:00 to 01:22:20 SOUND CUTS OUT -Got placed in charge of six replacements -Basically told to keep them out of the way -Once the raiding party crossed the river he instructed the replacements on what to do -Follow his lead, don’t get in the way and follow the guy in front of you -Five of the replacements wound up missing -During the raid captured three German soldiers -Missing replacements returned with one soldier severely wounded -On the way back to base that soldier died -Last soldier killed in the last action of the war his unit saw -Later in life met a sergeant who happened to know who the wounded soldier’s name was Gulick -Learned that Gulick had survived D-Day and Operation Market Garden -Struck by how this soldier had survived so much only to be killed in the last action -Wondered what this man’s life could have been like had he survived (01:27:10) Reflections on Russian Contribution -Astounded by how much the Russians lost in fighting the Germans -Believes that had it not been for their sacrifice D-Day would have failed -Feels that mainstream culture needs to recognize what the Russians did for the war effort (01:30:04) End of Service and Life after the War -Went to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas and was discharged from there -Even in January 1946 when he was discharged men were still being drafted -Struck by how young the draftees that he saw looked -Felt that the war had forced him to grow up -Went to college after the war -During that time got married and had children -Knows that without the GI Bill he would not have gotten to go to college -Got married to a woman who became a doctor -He studied geology and went on to do various work -His wife was the “bread winner” of their household -Uncommon at the time, but he didn’t mind it �(01:34:50) Reflections on Service -Life as a civilian during the Great Depression wasn’t much different than being in the Army -In some ways being in the Army was an improvement -Serving with people from different backgrounds made him able to be more tolerant -Showed him that it was better just to get along and work together on a goal � 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 HarveyD1597V Title A name given to the resource Harvey, Duane (Interview outline and video), 2014 Description An account of the resource Duane Harvey was born in Smelter City, Oklahoma in 1924. He grew up there and finished high school there in 1943. He was drafted in 1942, but allowed to complete high school and was inducted into the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in July 1943. He was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland for basic training and for ordnance training. In the spring of 1944 he was sent over to England and arrived just prior to the D-Day Invasion. He was stationed at the Litchfield Barracks part of the 10th Replacement Depot until he volunteered to join the 501st Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division and become a paratrooper. After completing paratrooper and “jump” (parachuting) training in England he was sent over to Mourmelon, France where he was first assigned to B Company and later joined an S2 Squad in Headquarters Company dealing primarily with observation posts and processing German prisoners of war. He saw action at Bastogne and in Alsace-Lorraine during the Battle of the Bulge and after the war ended was part of the American occupying force in Germany, and returned home in January 1946. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Harvey, Duane 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 Michigan--History, Military World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014-06-05 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0c6c68bf966f66bd6564852e9cd27771.m4v 048dc23ae45bdd326442c09c08134847 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f7f8b4aa0155cb538be790e4471d7f7f.pdf e5b9e3c8b3a6c45703a037ecc976b4a6 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Edgar Harrell World War II 2 hours 16 minutes 1 second (00:00:32) Early Life -Born in western Kentucky in 1924 -Parents were farmers -Had an older sister, six younger brothers, and one younger sister -During the Great Depression everyone they knew was poor -$1 for a day’s work was considered good pay -Taught him valuable life lessons -Being on a farm allowed them to be self-sufficient -Had vegetables, an orchard, and some livestock -Mother canned a lot of fruits and vegetables -Had a battery-powered radio since the farm didn’t have electricity -Allowed them to keep up with news after the war began (00:05:30) Start of the War -Aware of Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 and the start of the war in Europe in 1939 -On December 7, 1941, he was at church when he heard the news about Pearl Harbor -Remembers President Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech on December 8 -Followed the news about the fighting in Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, and the South Pacific (00:07:05) Enlisting in the Marines -Didn’t want to wait to get drafted -Enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 -Two of his younger brothers served in the Army during the war -One fought at Okinawa then was part of the occupying force in Japan -Another brother served in Germany as part of the occupation force (00:08:30) Training -Sent to San Diego for basic training -Sent to Sea School -Learning how to serve as a Marine aboard a ship (00:08:55) Joining the USS Indianapolis -Sent to join the USS Indianapolis in San Francisco -Note: Most likely after the Aleutian Islands Campaign or after the Battle of Tarawa -Joined the USS Indianapolis as part of the Marine garrison -Couldn’t believe the size of the Indianapolis -Thought it was big enough to win the war on its own (00:09:53) Battles in the Pacific Theater Pt. 1 -Saw mop up operations at the islands of Kwajalein and Eniwetok (c. January and February 1944) -Saw the invasion of Saipan, Tinian and Guam (c. June and July 1944) -Participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea (c. June 1944) -Saw the invasion of Peleliu (c. fall of 1944) -Saw the invasion of Iwo Jima (c. February 1945) -Saw the bombardment of Okinawa (c. March 1945) (00:10:22) Secret Mission Pt. 1 -He helped guard the atomic bomb components on board the USS Indianapolis �-Picked up the atomic bomb components on July 16, 1945, at Hunters Point, California -Delivered their secret cargo to Tinian on July 26 -Didn’t know what the components were or about the Manhattan Project -On July 16, scientists at Los Alamos conducted the successful Trinity atom bomb test (00:11:28) Battles in the Pacific Theater Pt. 2 -He didn’t land with the other Marines at Iwo Jima -Stayed on board the ship during the bombardment -Indianapolis was closer to the island than the landing craft -At Saipan and Iwo Jima the Japanese had mountain bunkers with blast doors -Hid artillery batteries behind the blast doors (00:13:12) End of War in Europe -Remembers hearing the news about Germany’s surrender on May 8, 1945 -Happy to hear about it -Remembers “Tokyo Rose” trying to feed them misinformation -Note: “Tokyo Rose” was an English-speaking propagandist for Japan (00:14:38) Battles in the Pacific Theater Pt. 3 -At the Battle of the Philippine Sea they fought the last of the Japanese fleet -USS Indianapolis was part of Task Force 58 -The Japanese lost 550 – 650 aircraft in that one battle as opposed to 123 American aircraft shot down (00:16:00) “Tokyo Rose” - “Tokyo Rose” was an English-speaking propaganda organ of the Empire of Japan -Demoralize and misinform American soldiers -She and her “facts” became a running joke as the war dragged on -Her information became obviously wrong once it became apparent the US was winning (00:17:03) Admiral Raymond A. Spruance -Admiral Spruance used the USS Indianapolis as his flagship -Used it until a kamikaze damaged the ship near Okinawa on March 31, 1945 -Only encounter with Admiral Spruance was saluting him -Remembers seeing Admiral Spruance walking on the deck and talking with his aides -Knew that he was an instrumental leader at the Battle of Midway (00:18:20) USS Indianapolis at Start of War -USS Indianapolis had been stationed at Pearl Harbor just before the attack -On December 5, 1941, the ship received orders to go to the Johnston Atoll -Got resupplied -On December 7, the ship received word that Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor -Before the war, the Indianapolis had served as the “Ship of State” for President Roosevelt -Returned to Pearl Harbor to survey damage and regroup (00:21:00) Death of President Roosevelt & Presidency of Harry Truman -On April 12, 1945, President Roosevelt died -Sad time -Felt they were in good hands with President Truman -Right man at the right time -President Roosevelt’s death felt like a personal loss (00:22:00) Battle of Okinawa -USS Indianapolis served at the Battle of Okinawa for the bombardment of the island -Arrived on station in mid-March 1945 -Remembers seeing the carriers behind the bombardment ships -The Indianapolis was close to shore to bombard Okinawa -Told they were too close to shore and move back �-He was on watch on March 31, 1945 when radar detected an incoming Japanese aircraft -Ordered onto an antiaircraft battery -He got onto a 40mm antiaircraft battery and never got a round off -Another Marine on a 20mm battery opened fire on the Japanese plane -The kamikaze hit the ship on the port side -One of its bombs passed through the hull, through ship, and exploded in the bottom -Killed nine men -He helped push the kamikaze debris overboard -Engineers made a temporary patch to allow the Indianapolis to get back to California for repairs (00:26:36) Secret Mission Pt. 2 -Made it back to California and went to the Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs -On July 16, they went to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard -A huge crate was loaded onto the Indianapolis with high ranking officers observing -He was corporal of the guard and told to set a watch for the crate -No one was allowed to loiter around the crate -Two Air Force officers came aboard with a metal container in a locked cage -He followed them and set a watch by the room where they placed the container -Learned that these “officers” were actually nuclear scientists -Passed under the Golden Gate Bridge after they received word of the successful Trinity test -Note: Trinity test: First successful atomic bomb detonation at Los Alamos, New Mexico -Delivered the atomic bomb components at Tinian on July 26, 1945 -Had orders to proceed to the Philippines to assemble for the invasion of Japan -Stopped at Guam to refuel and resupply -Denied escort despite the sinking of the USS Underhill in the area on July 24 -Navy knew that Japanese submarines were operating in the area -Denied underwater detection equipment (00:31:30) Sinking of the USS Indianapolis Pt. 1 -On July 30, 1945, at 12:14 a.m. the Japanese submarine I-58 launched torpedoes at the Indianapolis -Two of the torpedoes struck the Indianapolis -He was asleep on the deck at the time -Ship had slowed down to give the engines a break -Captain McVay decided it was dark enough, thus safe enough, to stop zig-zagging -The first torpedo destroyed the bow of the ship -The previous night he had slept on a place that was vaporized by the explosion -The second torpedo hit near the Marines compartment -Set off the #2 Turret ammunition magazine -Felt the ship moving forward and water rushing into the ship -Realized the ship was sinking -Felt secondary explosions below deck -Made his way to the quarter deck to report to his emergency station -En route he saw officers come up from below decks covered in flash burns -Before he got to his emergency station he realized he didn’t have a life jacket -His lieutenant was at the emergency station -Edgar told him the ship was sinking and they needed life jackets -Lieutenant refused to cut down life jackets until given order to abandon ship -Ship lost power which meant they lost in-ship communications -Water started coming onto the quarter deck, so he cut down life jackets -Men started shouting to abandon ship -He ran over to the port side because the ship was listing �-Saw the blackness of the night and sea -Did a lot praying and pleading with God to get home -Climbed over the railing, jumped overboard, and swam away from the ship -Saw the fantail rise, the propellers still turning, and men jumping overboard -Some jumped and hit the propellers on the way down -Saw more secondary explosions and heard a rush of air escaping the ship (00:44:43) Survival – First Couple Days -He found another sailor -A lot of men were injured and some lacked life jackets -Found two other Marines -One was a new Marine that had suffered multiple bone fractures during the sinking -He lingered for an hour and died -The other Marine was a friend from his squad -He was covered in engine oil -By the second day he could hardly see due to the oil and the saltwater -He wanted to commit suicide, but Edgar stopped him -On the second day he started seeing men drinking saltwater -As a result these men hallucinated and went crazy -They thought friends were Japanese soldiers and attacked them, or thought friends had water -His lips were swollen and cracked irritated by the oil and saltwater -Men swam away and got attacked by sharks -Couldn’t go to help them -Found men missing the lower half of their body, or a leg, or had been disemboweled -Gathered dog tags from the dead -Remembers a rain cloud passing over them -He cupped his hands to collect rainwater, but it mixed with engine oil -After drinking the oil and rainwater he vomited losing the water -Daytime temperatures reached 100o -By the third day, countless men had died from drowning or shark attacks -Life jackets lost their buoyancy -This meant you had to exert energy just to stay afloat (00:53:20) Survival – Joining a Group -He and his Marine friend joined a group of 17 men on the third day -Another group of survivors joined them with a raft and fresh life jackets -Learned to wring out the jackets and let them dry in the raft to regain buoyancy -Saw planes fly overheard at 30,000 feet -Too high to see the survivors -Thought they were closer to the Philippines than they really were -Wanted to try to paddle to the Philippines, 500 miles away -Found a crate floating in the water -Swam to it and discovered it was rotten potatoes -Washed away the rotten skin and found the core was still good -He filled his pockets with potatoes and brought them back to his group -Heard more voices and found another group of survivors with a lieutenant he recognized -The swells died down -Got separated from his raft and his Marine friend -He was with the lieutenant and another sailor -Sailor eventually died -Started believing the lieutenant was his Uncle Edwin �(01:03:10) Rescue -On August 2, he saw the plane piloted by Lieutenant Gwinn and Lieutenant Colwell -Edgar started shouting and splashing the water -Lt. Gwinn had gone into the bomb bay to retrieve a faulty radio antenna -Saw men and debris in the water, and someone using a signal mirror -Lt. Gwinn brought his PV-1 Ventura down to about 1,000 feet -Surveyed the debris field and the survivors in the water -Tilted his wings to let them know he saw them -Lt. Gwinn radioed Lt. Marks, a PBY Catalina seaplane pilot, of the situation -Lt. Marks radioed the USS Cecil J. Doyle about the situation -Despite contrary orders, Lt. Marks landed his seaplane and started picking up survivors -Ultimately, the seaplane never flew again -Lt. Marks picked up Edgar and the lieutenant -A couple dozen men had already been packed inside the aircraft -Edgar’s Marine friend had already been picked up -All toll, Lt. Marks recovered 56 survivors -USS Cecil J. Doyle arrived on the scene and took the PBY crew and the survivors aboard -Other destroyers and destroyer escorts came to the scene and recovered the remaining survivors -Out of a crew of 1,196 only 317 men survived -USS Cecil J. Doyle sailed to Peleliu so the men could be treated at the field hospital there (01:10:24) Commander Hashimoto -Commander Hashimoto confirmed that the Indianapolis sank in only 12 minutes and other details -Commander Hashimoto refused to shoot survivors in the water -Left the area because he mistook the Indianapolis’s engine noise as another ship -Met Commander Hashimoto (commander of the I-58) after the war and saw he was a good man -Commander Hashimoto came to the court-martial of Captain McVay to defend the captain -He has since come to reunions as a way of making peace -He lost his entire family due to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima -His granddaughter and great-grandchildren come to reunions -He has met them, they have forgiven each other, and he sees them as family (01:16:45) Recovery & End of War -After being rescued by the Cecil J. Doyle he was taken to Peleliu for initial recovery -Taken to Guam by the hospital ship, USS Tranquility -At the hospital at Guam he remembers men wrapped in Vaseline gauze to recover from burns -On August 6 he remembers being in a cot and being told about the destruction of Hiroshima -Admiral Spruance presented him with a Purple Heart -Stayed in Guam for a while -Got to the United States on October 2, 1945 -On October 4 he was admitted to Balboa Hospital with a ruptured appendix -Received 29 days of antibacterial treatment with a new drug, penicillin -Felt honored that the Indianapolis had helped end the war (01:23:35) General Douglas MacArthur -Heard more criticism of General MacArthur after the war than during it -He didn’t feel that he had a right to criticize a general being an enlisted man -Plus, General MacArthur was an Army general, not a Marine general (01:25:03) Navy’s Response to Sinking -Navy didn’t send his family a telegram until August 12 letting them know he was alive -Navy didn’t want the public to know about the Indianapolis until the war was near its end �(01:27:06) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Came home in poor physical and psychological shape -Felt he should wait to get married until he was in better health -His girlfriend waited for him -On July 25, 1947, he and his girlfriend got married -As of July 2016 they celebrated 69 years of marriage -Thankful that he got to live his life after the war and the sinking (01:30:12) Captain Charles B. McVay III -He knew that Captain McVay had two sons and a grandson -Knew that Captain McVay wasn’t an emotional man, but he respected his subordinates -Remembers Captain McVay fishing with enlisted men -Respected him for doing that -Saddened to hear that Captain McVay was being tried for losing the USS Indianapolis -Wrote a letter to Captain McVay to say he would go to Washington DC to defend him during trial -In 1960 the survivors held their first organized reunion -Edgar invited Captain McVay and he came -All of the attending survivors greeted Captain McVay at the Indianapolis airport -Captain McVay remembered Edgar and shook hands with him -Captain McVay was the only captain to be put on trial for losing a ship in wartime -The Navy needed a scapegoat for losing the USS Indianapolis -Naval personnel had ignored distress signals from the Indianapolis -Admiral King had made extremely bad decisions concerning the Indianapolis -Commander Hashimoto came to the trial to testify in favor of Captain McVay -Said that Captain McVay couldn’t have done anything to avoid the sinking -In 1968, Captain McVay committed suicide -Years of guilt and hate mail from grieving families took its toll on him -Hunter Scott, a 12 year old student, began working to exonerate Captain McVay -In October 2000 Congress exonerated Captain McVay for loss of the USS Indianapolis -In July 2001 the Navy purged Captain McVay’s record of all wrongdoing -Captain McVay had earned a Bronze Star for his actions at Okinawa -Navy denied him the commendation due to the court-martial (01:43:18) Sharks -Saw sharks 6 – 10 feet away from him taking down bodies -Saw shark fins only a matter of feet away from him -When the sharks dove down he felt them brush against his legs and feet -Heard men scream as the sharks attacked them (01:44:45) September 11th Attacks -The September 11th attacks felt like a repeat of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the beginning of WWII -Felt that the government lacked appropriate foresight and allowed dangerous persons into the country (01:46:03) Reflections on the USS Indianapolis -He can still relive the events of the sinking and surviving after the sinking -He can still see these things in his mind’s eye -Feels that not enough people know about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis -Considers it an honor that he can still tell his story and the story of the ship (01:48:20) Public Awareness of the USS Indianapolis -Feels that the Navy tried to cover up or ignore the sinking of the USS Indianapolis -The Navy’s reaction to the sinking made the Navy look bad -Too many high-ranking personnel made too many serious mistakes -Trying to avoid a PR nightmare due to the miscarriage of justice with Captain McVay �(01:50:16) Life after the War Pt. 2 -Had two children, one daughter and one son -Had eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren -Son worked as a pastor -He was involved with his church as a teacher and as a lay-minister -Served as a trustee at the Moody Bible Institute for 15 years (01:52:29) African-American Sailors -Had some African-American sailors aboard the USS Indianapolis -None of them survived the sinking -They served as assistants to the officers, cleaners, and cooks -Their compartment flooded first when the ship began to sink -He was friends with one black sailor, Clarence Sims -Believes these men died as a result of segregation -Had separate, and most likely poorer quarters (01:55:35) Captain Edward L. Parke -Captain Edward L. Parke was the commanding officer of the Marines on the USS Indianapolis -Remembers that he was relatively new on the ship, and tough -He respected Captain Parke -Captain Parke directly ordered Edgar to set a watch for the atomic bomb components -Knew that Captain Parke had fought at islands early in the war -After the sinking, Captain Parke tended to wounded men and surrendered his life jacket to men -Continued to lead and care for men until he died -There is a swimming facility at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego named in his honor (01:59:15) Captain McVay’s Exoneration -Never heard one survivor say that Captain McVay deserved to be tried for losing the ship -None of them felt he was responsible for losing the ship or the sailors dying (02:00:49) Remembering the USS Indianapolis -Has been to the national memorial for the USS Indianapolis in Indianapolis -Emotional event when it was first unveiled in 1995 -Has been to the memorial on other occasions -On Veterans’ Day people have come up to him and asked him about the sinking -People from the Smithsonian Institute and from Ireland have wanted to interview him -He invited them to come to reunions so they can get more stories than his -National Geographic and Dr. Robert Ballard are still looking for the wreck of the Indianapolis -Plans to send unmanned submarines to look for the wreck -There are also plans to place a memorial on the wreck site if the wreck is found -Expedition planned for spring or summer 2017 -If they find the wreck it will provide closure for him, and probably for other survivors -Aware of Sara Vladic’s documentary, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy -He is also aware of USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage starring Nicholas Cage coming in fall 2016 � 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 HarrellE1946V Title A name given to the resource Harrell, Edgar (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Edgar Harrell was born in western Kentucky in 1924. In 1943 he enlisted in the Marine Corps, received basic training in San Diego and was selected for Sea School to serve as a marine aboard a ship. Upon completion of training he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis. Edgar saw combat aboard the Indianapolis at major battles in the Pacific Theater including the Philippine Sea, Iwo Jima, and the bombardment of Okinawa. After delivering the atomic bomb components to Tinian on July 26, 1945, the Indianapolis was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-58 on July 30, 1945. Edgar was one of the 317 men to survive the sinking of the Indianapolis and being stranded at sea. He was picked up on August 2, 1945, by the seaplane piloted by Lieutenant Marks and was transferred to the USS Cecil J. Doyle. He recovered at Peleliu, and was brought to Guam on the USS Tranquility. Edgar arrived in the US on October 2, 1945, but due to appendicitis was kept at Balboa Hospital until early November 1945, and was discharged from the Marines after that. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Harrell, Edgar 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 World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-08-22 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3ae10ce17d2007be15aea98c5674fb69.m4v 1de39d5ceaca8b265b5b97662c231624 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d2b62e26141fc638890b2aa251984f8e.pdf a9e440c6002e5118335062a6e2a0c0b9 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Rick Hahn Vietnam War, Cold War, & Gulf War 1 hour 43 minutes 4 seconds (00:00:20) Early Life -Born on November 9, 1949, in Howell, Michigan -Grew up there -Lived there until he was 23 years old (save for two years in the Army) -Father worked for a local telephone company -Mother worked for city hall -Graduated from high school in 1967 -Worked during the summers and attended Grand Rapids Community College -Found that college wasn’t for him and got a job instead (00:01:53) Enlisting in the Army -Talked to the draft board to ask when he would get drafted -Told he would be drafted in June 1969 -Decided to enlist in the Army in February 1969 (00:03:19) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for basic training -At the time, drill sergeants could strike recruits -He was in good physical shape -The emphasis on discipline was the hardest part of adjusting, for him -Required orders and permission for every part of life -Every night they had to wax and buff the floors of the barracks -Treated better by drill sergeants near the end of basic training (00:05:35) Awareness of Vietnam War -He was aware of the situation in Vietnam -Later found out that 1969 and 1970 were some of the worst years of the war -Didn’t know that at the time (00:06:34) Advanced Infantry Training -After eight weeks of basic training he went to advanced infantry training (AIT) -Went to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for AIT -Learned infantry tactics -Taught how to use mortars and work in the fire direction center (getting coordinates for mortars) -Only one man from his AIT group didn’t go to Vietnam -Trained with a mix of draftees and enlistees -Treated a little better during AIT -Maintained discipline -Lasted eight weeks -Completed in June 1969 �(00:08:32) Deployment to Vietnam -Given one month of leave before deployment to Vietnam -Went to the Oakland Replacement Depot in Oakland, California -Processing center for outgoing soldiers -Flew over in a chartered commercial flight (same airline he flew over during the Gulf War) -Stopped in Alaska and Japan (00:10:38) Arrival in Vietnam -Landed at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in the afternoon -Vietnam was hot, hotter than Georgia -Sent to an in-processing center -He got picked for guard duty -Heard incoming rounds around the perimeter -Didn’t know it was incoming fire -Next day the incoming men were placed in formation to be sorted into units -Stayed at the processing center for about a week -Waiting for assignment and learned about customs in Vietnam (00:13:58) Joining the 101st Airborne Division -Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division -Unit operated in I Corps (northernmost part of South Vietnam) -Sent to Camp Evans -Flew up to the base in a C-130 -Did more in-processing and paperwork -Assigned to Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, of the 506th Infantry Regiment -Joined his unit in early August 1969 -Part of a mortar platoon -Had three sections (or nine mortars) with five men per gun (00:17:16) Patrols & Operations -Went into the jungle and stayed there for about two weeks -Sometimes went to landing zones, and sometimes went in with line companies (regular infantry) -If they went with a line company, they went with C Company -The five men had different roles in the field -Squad leader carried the gunsight -Gunner carried the tube -Assistant gunner carried tripod -Ammo bearers carried base plate and rounds -Infantrymen gladly carried an extra mortar round or two -Mortarmen stayed in the middle of the perimeter at night -Operated in the hills of I Corps -Supported the withdrawal of the 3rd Marines from the Demilitarized Zone -Operated out of various firebases -Periodically rotated to Camp Evans (00:22:50) Enemy Contact -When he first joined the 101st, he learned the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong feared the 101st �-That fear lasted until the Battle of Firebase Ripcord in July 1970 -Experienced short-lived ambushes or the occasional sniper -Patrolled in the A Shau Valley -Note: Part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail that got supplies to communist forces -Saw “Hamburger Hill” where that battle happened -Basically, in the same amount of danger as a regular infantryman (00:25:15) Morale in the Mortar Platoon -Morale seemed pretty good in the mortar platoon -Had a couple draftees that didn’t want to be there -Didn’t notice any larger morale problems like drug use, insubordination, or racial tension -Men did their jobs and took care of each other, even if they opposed the war -Spent his entire tour with that mortar platoon -Didn’t remember a high turnover of personnel -Just the standard rotation of men joining and leaving the unit (00:27:18) Establishing Firebase Ripcord -In March 1970, 2nd Battalion launched Operation Texas Star to establish Firebase Ripcord -He was on either Firebase Bastogne or Firebase Rakkasan to support the operation -In mid-April, C Company took the hill and began to establish a firebase -His mortar platoon got to Ripcord in June -Helped build mortar positions -No enemy activity at the time (00:29:33) R&R -Went to Thailand for his second R&R -Went to Sydney, Australia, for his first R&R -Got a second R&R by total happenstance -Bumped into the man in charge of R&Rs, and let him take a second one (00:30:33) Battle of Firebase Ripcord Pt. 1 -He got back to Ripcord on July 2nd or 3rd -The battle had already begun on July 1st -They had started getting fire missions in June and the frequency picked up through July -Fired every day from July 1st until the 23rd -Infantry fed coordinates to the mortars if they spotted enemy artillery positions -The actual mortar was set in the middle of a pit with sandbags and ammo boxes around it -Next to the pit the men had built a bunker into the side of the hill -The mortar pit didn’t have any protection save for the sandbags -His mortar pit took an incoming round and set a box of fuses on fire -Rick left the bunker and put out the fire before it ignited the actual mortar rounds -Started taking more and heavier North Vietnamese mortar fire -On July 18th, the North Vietnamese shot down a Chinook helicopter -It crashed on the artillery batteries and the artillery ammo dump -Rick stayed in his bunker for four hours until all the ammo cooked off -Remembers stray rounds hitting the side of his bunker -Only one man was killed, but the artillery batteries and ammunition were destroyed �(00:38:50) The Fall of Firebase Ripcord -The decision was made to abandon, and destroy, Firebase Ripcord on July 23rd -Remembers running up to the top of the hill with the mortar pieces to get to the helicopter -He caught a man before he fell out of the helicopter -Held onto him all the way back to Camp Evans -He was on one of the last helicopters off Ripcord -Saw the North Vietnamese troops coming out of the jungle and advancing up the hill (00:40:58) Battle of Firebase Ripcord Pt. 2 -Days on Ripcord were fairly routine except for the bombardment and fire missions -Ate and bathed around the incoming fire and the fire missions -Enemy bombardment made it difficult to move around the base, and draw food and supplies (00:41:45) End of Tour -Only had a week left in his tour after the fall of Firebase Ripcord -Started his out-processing after he left Ripcord -Went to Eagle Beach with the rest of the battalion for two or three days -Eagle Beach was a secure beach in Vietnam for soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division -Asked if he wanted to go into the field his last three or four days -He declined and would have refused if they had tried to make him go -At Camp Evans, he watched the destruction of Firebase Ripcord -B-52 bombers carpet-bombed the firebase -Fighter jets followed that up with napalm -A soldier that went to Ripcord after the bombardment said the hill had been flattened (00:44:40) Coming Home -He left Vietnam by way of Cam Ranh Bay -Landed at Seattle -Processed, given a new uniform and a steak dinner -Given a leave home to Michigan -Saw protesters at the Detroit airport -Didn’t mind the anti-war protesters until one of them spit on him -Police officer intervened to stop a fight -Sympathized with Rick, but told him a fight wasn’t worth it -He expected protesters (00:48:15) Stationed at Fort Hood & End of Enlistment -Sent to Fort Hood, Texas, to be in a mortar unit with other Vietnam War veterans -Had daily work and not much else to do -Saw more racial tension at Fort Hood -There were problems between soldiers -All the mortarmen lived on one floor of the barracks, and other units on separate floors -A few men on the next floor didn’t like the mortarmen -They dealt with the issue internally without getting command involved -The Black Power movement and KKK were present, but not in abundant numbers -Men in Vietnam had smoked weed, but he didn’t partake -Stayed at Fort Hood for the rest of his enlistment �-Spent 30 days at home because of a broken hand -Returned to Fort Hood in October 1970 -Left Fort Hood in February 1971 -Encouraged to reenlist, but he didn’t feel pressured to reenlist (00:52:50) Life after First Enlistment -Went back to Michigan and took off a few weeks before getting a job -Got a job then worked various jobs -Married in 1973 -First child in 1974 -Had a job with PepsiCo, but the economy wasn’t stable -Wanted a job with better stability (00:53:50) Reenlisting in the Army -He decided to reenlist in the Army to have a more stable job and a consistent paycheck -Reenlisted in 1975 -Didn’t know what to expect when he reenlisted -He wanted to get a position in the engineers, but wound up back in the mortars -Sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for refresher training -Lasted three weeks -A condensed version of basic training -Reminded of Army regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice -Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana -Part of the training command for refresher training on mortars -That training only lasted five days (00:58:23) Stationed at Fort Ord -Sent to Fort Ord, California, where he joined the 7th Infantry Division -Stayed at Fort Ord for a little over a year -Easy adjustment because the Army had gotten easier -Better pay and less discipline -Wife stayed in Michigan to have their (second?) baby -She waited a few months after having the baby, then came to Fort Ord -Lived with his wife off-base in the town of Salinas -Enjoyed being in California -There wasn’t much to do except train and do guard duty (01:01:28) Tours in South Korea -He went to South Korea for a tour -Joined Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division -Headquarters Company had mortars, snipers, and the recon platoon -Based near the Demilitarized Zone -Arrived in South Korea in 1978 (or 1979) -North Korea tried to make trouble every day during that tour -Rotated on and off the Demilitarized Zone -Set up mortars near Panmunjom -Remembers a patrol got lost in the Demilitarized Zone and wound up in a minefield �-Had to send in a helicopter to recover the patrol -Took the lost patrol to Camp Howze -Helicopter pilot had served in Vietnam -Very close to North Korea -North Korea tried to probe the line -Never had fire missions, but almost had one -South Korea was a confused state -Tension between the people and the government -North Korean defectors -There was an observation post the North Koreans shot at on a regular basis -Never shot directly at the post, but around it -He did three tours in South Korea in four years -His family had come with him -South Korea was transitioning into democracy during his time in the country -Got divorced, and married a South Korean woman -Got to see more of South Korea and learn about the culture -In the rural areas, the Koreans stared at him because Americans were such a rarity -He enjoyed Korea -Between his tours, he was at Fort Hood and Fort Ord (01:12:30) Hardship Duty in Sacramento -Got hardship duty in Sacramento, California, because he and his wife lost their baby -Baby was born two months early, and died after about 24 hours -Wife returned to South Korea to be with her family for about a month -Thought it would be a chance for her to recover, but it didn’t work out (01:14:45) Tour in West Germany -Sent to Aschaffenburg, West Germany, in the mid-1980s -Served with the 3rd Infantry Division -Supporting Allied and other American forces in the event of a Soviet invasion -Enjoyed his time in Germany -Good economy for American soldiers -Germans treated Americans well, at least they treated him well -Discipline in the Army had changed even more -Treated the troops under his command fairly -Quality of troops increased by making the Army an all-volunteer force (01:18:38) Stationed at Fort Riley -After his tour in Germany he was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas -Part of mortars, but also the S3 non-commissioned officer (part of operations) -Planned training schedules -Part of the nucleus of the battalion -Worked with staff officers -Got along better with higher-ranking officers (majors and up) -Possibly because he was closer in age to them than younger officers �(01:21:24) Operation Desert Shield & Deployment -Placed on alert when Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990 -Transferred back into mortars and started doing more training -He had combat experience, and was made platoon sergeant -Went to Fort Ord for more pre-deployment training -Put their equipment on a train to Houston, so that it could go by sea to Saudi Arabia -Flew over to Saudi Arabia -Stopped in Greece -Landed in Saudi Arabia and moved to a staging area -Gathered personnel and equipment to get organized before the war -Took about a month for everyone and everything to arrive -He and a few other personnel went ahead of the main body to establish the staging area -He deployed with the 1st Infantry Division (01:26:10) Operation Desert Storm -Remembers hearing the B-52s flying into Iraq and he knew the war had begun -Stationed on the Saudi Arabia/Iraq border -Stared moving into Iraq during the aerial bombardment -Told nothing about what to expect going into Iraq -Had some nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) weapons training -How to put on an NBC suit and survive an attack -Knew that Iraq had chemical weapons and used them in the past -Advanced into Iraq -Stopped at Safwan, Iraq, where the Iraqi military signed the ceasefire agreement -Did some fire missions to counter Iraqi artillery and mortars -His section destroyed an Iraqi artillery position -His section used self-propelled mortars (most likely the M1064 mortar carrier) -Took Iraqi artillery fire -It was good to have Rick in the unit, because he had combat experience -Captured an abandoned Iraqi position -Grabbed an Iraqi mortar in case they needed extra firepower -The war didn’t last long due to the aerial bombardment and superiority of Coalition forces -The Iraqis were outclassed and outgunned -Iraqi survivors said tanks had been destroyed without seeing the enemy tank -Heard about an American unit that lost men because they played with unexploded ordinance -Significant number of casualties due to friendly fire or accidents -Main concern during the war was the deployment of chemical weapons -Stayed in the Middle East for five months (01:38:27) Retirement from Army -He retired from the Army in 1993 -Served at Fort Riley after the Gulf War until his retirement (01:38:45) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2000 -A friend helped push him to get help �-Had struggled with alcohol to cope with some of the memories -It was a different life experience getting to see places he never thought he’d see -Enjoyed the travel he did in the Army -Has now been out of the Army longer than he was in the Army (01:40:58) Life after Retirement -He got a job driving semi-trucks -Worked with his wife -Did that for about a decade -Permanently retired after ten years of driving truck (01:42:00) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Discipline was the most drastic change in the Army -Believes the lack of discipline is the cause of problems in the modern Army � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context HahnR1961V Title A name given to the resource Hahn, Rick (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Rick Hahn was born in Howell, Michigan, on November 9, 1949. He enlisted in the Army in February 1969, and received his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He went on to receive mortar training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Upon completion of training he was deployed to Vietnam in August 1969. He joined the mortar platoon in Headquarters Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Infantry Division. For the rest of 1969 and the early part of 1970 he went on patrols around Camp Evans. In June 1970, he and his unit were stationed on Firebase Ripcord, and he participated in the Battle of Firebase Ripcord from July 1, 1970 – July 23, 1970 when the firebase was evacuated. Shortly thereafter, he returned to the United States and was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, until his enlistment ended in February 1971. He reenlisted in the Army in 1975 and served for another 18 years at a variety of bases with a variety of units (Fort Ord, California, with the 7th Infantry Division; three tours in South Korea; a tour in West Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division; and at Fort Riley, Kansas). He also served in the Gulf War with the 1st Infantry Division. Rick retired from the Army in 1993. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hahn, Rick Edward 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-07 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0b2b029301dd3f19231277740dc5bae5.m4v 114a07759778ae9b2462971878bcf5af https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/79b13d99ec1acfe564f87bf5316a1f75.pdf 2cacb83ccbc6e58ab44171b20908235a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Steven Gunn Vietnam War 1 hour 14 minutes 45 seconds (00:00:17) Early Life -Born in Austin, Texas, in 1946 -Spent some time in El Paso, Texas -Family moved to Clinton, Mississippi, when he was in second grade -Grew up there -Graduated from high school in 1964 -Attended Mississippi College for one year, then Houston Baptist University, then Baylor University -Completed his bachelor degree in 1968 -Went to the University of Chicago to get his master’s degree in social work (00:02:04) Getting Drafted & Awareness of Vietnam War -Draft board contacted him in the middle of his year at University of Chicago -Allowed to complete the year -Reported for duty in Chicago in August 1969 -He disagreed with the war and didn’t want to contribute to the killing -Applied for conscientious objector status, so he wouldn’t be a combatant -Could have applied for non-military service, but didn’t think he would get it -Didn’t want to move to Canada -Being a conscientious objector meant he would serve as a medic (00:05:05) Basic Training -Sent to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for basic training -Trained with other conscientious objectors -They weren’t harassed by the drill sergeants for being conscientious objectors -Did physical training -Learned some basic land navigation skills -Went on marches and learned about military protocol (rank, who to salute, etc.) -Didn’t receive any weapons or hand-to-hand training -Lasted eight weeks (00:06:56) Medic Training -Stayed at Fort Sam Houston for medic training -Trained how to be an orderly in a hospital, how to treat sucking chest wounds, and basic First Aid -Lasted ten weeks (00:08:21) Deployment to Vietnam -Given a leave home before deploying to Vietnam -Sent to Vietnam in January 1970 -Flew from the United States to Japan to Vietnam on a chartered civilian airliner -Landed at Cam Ranh Bay -Didn’t make much of an impression on him -Hot, but not oppressive -Went through processing and issued jungle fatigues and boots -Received his unit assignment at Cam Ranh Bay (00:11:17) Assignment to 101st Airborne Division -Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Camp Evans �-Initially assigned to Headquarters (HQ) Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment -Battalion headquarters was at Camp Evans, and Camp Evans was located near Phu Bai -Unit was in the field operating near firebases in the area -Didn’t have any problems joining his unit (00:14:58) Operating around Camp Evans Pt. 1 -Went into the field with Delta Company -Served in the field with them for six months -Doesn’t remember much about his first few days in the field -Patrolled, slept in the field, and ate C-rations -Handed out anti-malaria pills -Remembers finding a pit that led to an underground bunker complex -Doused it with gasoline then set it on fire -Treated a man who had gotten singed -Nobody commented about him not carrying a weapon (00:17:00) Operation Texas Star – Establishing Firebase Ripcord -In March 1970, the 101st Airborne Division launched Operation Texas Star -Reestablishing Firebase Ripcord on the A Shau Valley -Went into that area via helicopter -Feet dangling out of a Huey helicopter -Dropped off at the landing zone -When they landed they got shot at a couple times -Moved to wherever they were told to go -Company operated as a full unit, but the platoons split up while in the field (00:20:05) Operating around Camp Evans Pt. 2 -Participated in one ambush in the Flatlands -Only five or six men -Considered a low risk situation, otherwise he wouldn’t have gone with them -Had a Chieu Hoi scout with them -Note: Chieu Hoi scouts were North Vietnamese defectors working with US forces -Nothing happened (00:21:25) Patrols in the Mountains -In the mountains they walked single file with some space between each soldier -Follow the man in front of you -Used trails and also forged their own paths -Jungle was thick, but it looked more like a forest than a stereotypical jungle -Saw a beautiful, green bamboo viper -It was a rocky, steep, and forested areas (00:23:35) Leadership in Delta Company -The first platoon leader was incompetent -More concerned about how much peanut butter he had than anything else -Didn’t know how to use night vision goggles -Basically focused on himself -Captain Rollison took command of D Company and dismissed the incompetent platoon leader -Steven joined a platoon under the command of Jim McCall -At first he found Captain Rollison to be intimidating and thought he was a redneck -In retrospect, he realizes how competent and strong he was as a leader -Positive and respectful man -Steven came from a college town, with college-educated parents -Had a negative perception of anyone that behaved like a redneck �(00:27:27) Patrols around Firebase Ripcord Pt. 1 -From March through June 1970 D Company patrolled the area around Firebase Ripcord -Not too many injuries -He was sent with a squad to collect the bodies of men killed in a helicopter crash -Carried the body bags back to a company command post -Treated a soldier that contracted a venereal disease while on R&R -Administered penicillin -Issued daily anti-malaria pills -Had anti-fungal medication available to him -Most of the medical work he did involved carrying dead soldiers back to base (00:30:40) Awareness of Firebase Ripcord Area -Squad leaders had regional maps -He knew where Hill 1000 was in relation to Firebase Ripcord -He didn’t know too much else about their area of operations -He followed orders and didn’t pay attention to their locations -Doesn’t remember having any constant feeling of paranoia (00:32:05) Extracting Alpha Company & Battle of Hill 1000 -Remembers when D Company went into the field to rescue Alpha Company -Camped near the helipads the night before they went into the field -Scared about going up Hill 1000 (00:32:50) Staying on Firebase Ripcord -Slept in a bunker made of sandbags and wood on the perimeter of Firebase Ripcord -Remembers eating rice and fish with South Vietnamese artillerymen -Took mortar fire and treated a sucking chest wound until the man could be evacuated -Stayed on Firebase Ripcord between patrols -D Company stayed at Ripcord for a few weeks pulling base security (00:35:14) Patrols around Firebase Ripcord Pt. 2 -Saw some action in May 1970 -Moving up a hill and stopped to rest -He looked up and saw a North Vietnamese soldier walking toward him -Lieutenant McCall shot the enemy soldier -Close enough that some blood and gore splattered on Steven (00:37:20) Battle of Firebase Ripcord – Hill 1000 -On July 1, 1970, the North Vietnamese attacked Firebase Ripcord -Remembers being told they were going out to take Hill 1000 -Walked single file up to Hill 1000 -Treated a man with a shrapnel wound in the butt -On July 7 D Company attacked Hill 1000, and got stopped -On July 8 D Company and C Company attacked Hill 1000 again -C Company got up their side of the hill, but D Company was unable to get up their side -Remembers a conscientious objector medic with C Company getting killed at Hill 1000 -First day in the field -Colonel Lucas ordered Jeff Wilcox (commander of C Company) to attack Hill 1000 again -Wilcox blew up at Lucas and refused to send his men in for a suicide attack -One of the men killed at Hill 1000 was Lewis Howard -Knew him best out of the men killed in action -Had to leave his body behind at Hill 1000 (00:44:00) Battle of Firebase Ripcord – Extracting Delta Company & Alpha Company -On July 22, D Company went out to extract D Company of 1st Battalion of 506th Infantry Regiment �-On July 23, D Company went out to extract A Company of 2nd Battalion of 506th Infantry Regiment -Flew out to a landing zone near Alpha Company’s position and started walking toward them -Heard explosions and small-arms fire, but the bulk of North Vietnamese had retreated -At Alpha’s position he saw a lot of dead soldiers -Started making poncho litters (litter made of sturdy branches and ponchos) -Loaded the dead soldiers and their weapons onto helicopters -Delta created a landing zone at Alpha’s position to extract everyone -Heard some random small-arms fire at them, but nothing direct -Pulled out of the area and went to Camp Evans -On July 23, Ripcord was evacuated then destroyed by B-52 bombers (00:49:19) Downtime Pt. 1 -Went to Eagle Beach in late June 1970 -Note: Eagle Beach – secured area on South China Sea for 101st Airborne men to relax -Had a few stand downs at Camp Evans -Chance to get haircuts, get new fatigues, and drink beer (00:50:52) Medical Service at Villages -He was pulled out of the field to work in medical staff at Camp Evans -Went on med caps – sending out medical personnel to service villages -He also recorded statistics from med caps -Got to villages via trucks -Had a South Vietnamese soldier as an interpreter and some troops for protection -No hostilities -Treated civilians -Remembers a lot of children being around -Reminded him of his experience doing a medical mission in Honduras during college (00:53:00) Contact with Vietnamese -The South Vietnamese interpreters were educated, friendly, and fun people to be around -Chu Hoys were rough and focused on surviving the war -Children were friendly and asked American soldiers for candy -Villagers were old, led rough lives, and smoke terrible smelling cigarettes (00:54:50) Life at Camp Evans – Drugs & Race Relations -Operated out of Camp Evans for six months doing med caps -Chance to relax -Avoided contact with officers -Remembers a sergeant tried to get the men to do morning formations -The men refused -He insisted until someone threatened to kill him -Smoked a lot of marijuana during his time at Camp Evans -White and black soldiers had a place they called, “the Hole” -Friendly environment to smoke pot together -Quite a few men addicted to heroin -They nodded off during guard duty -Leadership didn’t do anything about it -One black soldier got sent to Long Binh Jail for attempting to kill a sergeant or an officer -Seemed like black and white soldiers got along well (00:59:20) Contact with Home -Got one phone call home -Didn’t write home too much �(00:59:40) Downtime Pt. 2 -Spent a lot of time doing photography while at Camp Evans -Passed the time by reading, smoking pot, meditating, and playing guitar (01:00:44) Bronze Star -Remembers an award ceremony at Camp Evans -He got a Bronze Star for his work during the extraction of Alpha Company -Doesn’t understand why he got one, he felt like he was just doing his job -Felt honored that Captain Rawlinson put in for Steven to get a Bronze Star (01:02:25) End of Service -He counted the days he had left on his “FTA” calendar (Fuck the Army) -Wanted to get out of the Army as soon as possible, so he added three months to his tour in Vietnam -This would allow him to get discharged as soon as he returned to the United States -Didn’t want to do six months of stateside duty -Got an early discharge in March 1971 -Flew out of Cam Ranh Bay -Missed his original flight, so he waited two days for another flight -Met a soldier with a severe heroin addiction hiding in a bunker -Arrived at Fort Lewis, Washington, and given a steak dinner -Rather than see it as a reward, it came off as insulting -Out-processed at Fort Lewis -Dental exam, physical, told he had hearing loss due to his exposure to gunfire (01:07:50) Life after the War -Went to Los Angeles to visit a friend the hitchhiked up to San Francisco -Hitchhiked back to Mississippi to visit his family -Returned to San Francisco and lived there for the summer of 1971 -Got an apartment and attended meditation sessions at a zen center -Went back to Chicago to finish his master’s degree -Got a job at KidsPeace, a children’s behavioral health association, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania -Worked there as a social worker helping emotionally disturbed children -Lived at a local zen center for a while -Worked at KidsPeace for 36 years -Still lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as of 2016 (01:11:45) Reflections on Service -His time in Vietnam led to a spiritual awakening -Led to him meditating daily and having a holistic view of spirituality -Didn’t have typical PTSD, but had a form of it -Various addictions, worked a lot, occasional depression, and jumpy from loud noises -Attended a Ripcord Association Reunion in 2013 and again in 2016 -Chance to reconnect with the men he served with, and talk about their similar experiences � 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 GunnS1960V Title A name given to the resource Gunn, Steven W (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Steven Gunn was born in Austin, Texas, in 1946, but spent the majority of his childhood/adolescence in Clinton, Mississippi. In the winter of 1968 the draft board contacted him, but he didn’t have to report for service until August 1969. He opposed the war and registered as a conscientious objector. He received basic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and stayed at that base for his medic training. He was deployed to Vietnam in January 1970, and he joined the 101st Airborne Division at Camp Evans. He started with Headquarters Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment, then transferred to Delta Company. For his first six months in Vietnam he went into the field with D Company, and from March through July they operated around Firebase Ripcord. During the Battle of Firebase Ripcord (July 1 – July 23) Steven took part in the Battle of Hill 1000 and Delta’s rescuing of Alpha Company. Steven was reassigned to work out of Camp Evans to go into nearby villages to service the civilians. His tour ended in March 1971 and upon arrival at Fort Lewis, Washington, he was discharged from the Army. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gunn, Steven 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-07 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/085171896ca9d6935569ebef59190a66.m4v 105e11dfcd0cb65959ed00d2ef2510c4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5ada95cb70c30c43502c99c9a0a11d7a.pdf 8c88d5c3699fe32d46fae497095e7f69 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Bill Groom 58 minutes 28 seconds (00:00:40) Early Life -Born on March 10, 1951, in Greenville, Michigan -Father served in World War II and fought the Japanese in the Pacific Theater -Before the war he worked as a taxi driver in Belding, Michigan -After the war he worked in factories in Belding and Ionia, Michigan -Mother worked as a waitress -Grandfather served in World War I -Didn't talk about his experiences in Europe -Had an older brother that died on May 8, 2014 -Younger brother lives in Ionia -Grew up in Fenwick, Michigan, for 10 or 11 years -Family lost the house in a fire -Moved to Carson City, Michigan, for two years -Moved to Sheridan, Michigan, for four years -Mother worked part-time for an electrician -Remembers when most of the roads were made of gravel -Spent entire days outside with his friends -Parents placed his older brother in a state home in Coldwater, Michigan -He lived there until 1972 when a foster family took him in -Bill took him out to eat, or took him to the fair at least once a month -Attended Central Montcalm High School -Graduated in 1969 (00:05:42) Vietnam War & Enlisting in the Air Force -Didn't pay too much attention to the Vietnam War and other national events -Knew that he wanted to fight and help win the war -His draft number was 400 -The higher the number, the less of a chance he would get drafted -Friend and him decided to enlist in the Air Force in their senior year of high school -Six month delayed enlistment -Meant he would start training after he graduated from high school (00:08:42) Training & First Duty Station -Sent to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for basic training -Lasted six weeks -Sent to Lewistown Air Force Station, Montana, as his first duty station -Assigned to a radar site and the 694th Radar Squadron -Had received maintenance training and advanced training with diesel mechanics -Learned about vehicle maintenance and operation (00�:10:26) Service during Vietnam War -In October 1972 he volunteered to go overseas to Vietnam -Spent a year overseas -Stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand -Saw it as a new, exciting adventure -Dating his future wife at the time -Stopped in Saigon, South Vietnam, for a few days �-Originally supposed to be stationed there -Volunteered to work in the bomb dump at U-Tapao -Storage of heavy bombs as well as loading and unloading bombs from aircraft -Remembers Saigon was loud, about as big as Detroit, and dirty -Enjoyed his time in Thailand -Saw a B-52 bomber crash in front of him -Heard the men screaming as they burned alive -Tail gunner had survived by bailing out over the ocean -Six out of the seven crewmen died in the crash -Bomber had taken severe damage on a bombing run -Lost half of its engines -Pilot attempted to land, but crashed on the runway -Saw Bob Hope as part of USO performance and got to shake his hand -Tremendous morale boost for the men -Had contact with “Agent Orange” (highly toxic defoliant) -Has since suffered no ill-effects from the chemical -Didn't know he had been exposed at the time -Visited Bangkok three or four times -Went to the bars -Got there by bus -Tight security in the city -Three militants tried to throw a satchel charge into the B-52 hangar -Neutralized the intruders to send a message to any future attacks -Served in Thailand for one year and one day -Left on October 3, 1973 -In April 1975 South Vietnam fell -Involved with Operation Linebacker II in December 1972 -Sent out 100 B-52 bombers every 24 hours -Worked 12 to 14 hours a day handling bombs -Bombardment of Hanoi, North Vietnam (00:21:35) Enlisting in the Air National Guard & Overview of Service -Discharged from active duty in the Air Force in San Francisco -Came home and worked as a civilian for a year -Enlisted in the Air National Guard at Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1975 -Became a full-time technician for the Air National Guard in 1980 to March, 2008 (00:22:54) Civilian Life -Married four years before having any children -Had two sons and a daughter -Worked at Attwood in Lowell, Michigan -Worked as a material handler in the warehouse -Flexible with his Air National Guard schedule -Younger brother worked with him (00:24:24) Stationed at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base -Worked on vehicles at the base -Went to Diesel School -Learned how to work on firetrucks and refueling trucks -As a full-time guardsmen he wore his uniform every day and worked 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. -Enjoyed full-time work -Worked as a “federal technician” �(00:25:47) Children -One son enlisted in the Air Force and the other enlisted in the Air National Guard -They both accepted Bill's career and were motivated by it to enlist -Daughter accepted his career, and it didn't bother her (00:26:30) Gulf War -On-call during the Gulf War -He would be deployed if necessary -Thought he would be in the war and be gone for a while -Sons were in high school at the time, and his daughter was in elementary school -Attended a parade in Greenville for Air National Guard and the National Guard -Trained personnel how to do maintenance in a combat zone -Remove parts from aircraft to repair another aircraft faster than wait for parts -Knew there would be conflict in the future as long as Saddam Hussein lived (00:30:35) Oldest Son's Service -Oldest son enlisted in the Air National Guard after high school -Inspired by Bill's military service -Served as a crew chief on the A-10 Warthog (anti-tank aircraft) -Went to Italy together on a deployment -Most likely Aviano Air Base (00:32:12) Yugoslavian Conflicts -Deployed to Italy due to fighting in Yugoslavia, specifically Kosovo -Note: Either Operation Deliberate Force (August-September 1995) or Operation Allied Force (March-June 1998) -Kept vehicles maintained on the base and drove around the base -Italy was the best foreign country he ever served in -Great food, hospitable people, and beautiful countryside -Visited Venice -Dirty water, sprawling city, and cleaner than Thailand -Cost $50 (USD) for a gondola ride (00:35:02) Younger Son's Service -Second son enlisted in the Air Force because of his brother and Bill's service -Served as a crew chief for the F-16 Fighting Falcon (fighter jet) -Stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina -Enjoyed hearing his sons argue about which aircraft was better (00:37:05) Nephew's Service -His nephew enlisted in the Air National Guard -Started as an engineer, but transferred to food service -Hurt his ankle after falling from a telephone pole (00:38:38) September 11th Attack -He was on base on September 11, 2001 -A worker told him that a jet struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center -Watched the second jet hit the South Tower in real time -Base placed on lock down for three days -Not allowed to leave the base for three days -Slept on a cot in his office -Sickened knowing how many people died so fast -After the jet hit the Pentagon he thought it was the beginning of a world war -Thought the attackers were either really smart or really stupid -Knew it would be a long war �(00:42:05) Deployment to Middle East -Deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in 2002 -In Saudi Arabia he worked on maintenance -In Kuwait he worked as a supervisor -Kept vehicles running and get necessary parts for vehicles (00:44:45) Iraq War -Felt the United States would be in Iraq longer than we were -Knew the war would go on until Saddam was captured or killed -Hard to send men to Iraq, especially if they were married or had children -Tried to ask for volunteers from the single men before he asked the married men -Once all the single men went he had to send the married men -Last group of men he sent over came back before he retired from the Air National Guard (00:46:36) Highest Rank -Highest rank he attained was Chief Master Sergeant (E9) -Got promoted to Chief Master Sergeant in 2003 -Served as a Chief Master Sergeant for the last five years of his career -Had no idea he would ever reach that rank -Excited and proud of his achievement -Family was proud of him -Family came to his promotion ceremony -One son and his wife each pinned a stripe on his uniform (00:48:17) Parents -Mother and father are buried at the VA cemetery in Battle Creek -Father influenced his decision to enlist in the Air Force -Gave him advice while he was in the Air Force -When Bill told him about the crash in Thailand, he told Bill to expect casualties (00:49:52) Telling His Story -Has nine grandchildren, and none of them have asked about his service yet -There are some things he'll tell them, but other things he won't tell them -Things he probably won't ever tell anyone (00:50:22) Presidents -First commander-in-chief he served under was President Nixon -Found his untrustworthy -Found President Carter to be a strange man, but supportive of the military -Thought President Reagan was the best commander-in-chief -Gave the military a lot of funding and support -President Bush (the first), was supportive and a close second to President Reagan -Had no use for President Clinton -Thought President Bush (the second) was a good leader and supportive of the military -Got out before President Obama became the president (00:53:51) Inspirations & Influences -One of the best supervisors he had was at Lewistown Air Force Station, Montana -Told Bill that Bill would make a career out of the military -Admired two colonels at Battle Creek -Both had started as enlisted men and worked their way up through the ranks -Believes he had at least one positive influence on one of his subordinates in the Air National Guard (00:55:35) Retirement -Happy to have gotten out because he got sick of the politics -Sad to leave because he left a lot of friends �-Keeps in touch with some of them, and others he has lost touch with -Reconnected with a man that served with him in Thailand (00:56:33) Awards -Has a lot of service coins and rewards from his time in the Air Force and Air National Guard -Still carries his Chief Master Sergeant coin in his pocket since he received it -Given a lever-action rifle with his name, rank, and years of service inscribed on it when he retired � 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 GroomB1940V Title A name given to the resource Groom, Bill (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Bill Groom was born on March 10, 1951, in Greenville, Michigan. In 1969 he enlisted in the Air Force and received basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. His first duty station was at Lewistown Air Force Station, Montana, with the 694th Radar Squadron where he maintained and operated vehicles. In 1972 he volunteered for overseas service, and was deployed to Thailand in October 1972. He was stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield where he helped load and unload bombs onto B-52 bombers. He stayed overseas for one year then returned home. He was discharged from active duty in San Francisco in October 1973. In 1975 he joined the Air National Guard at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Michigan. In 1980 he went full-time and served as a technician, working on a variety of vehicles. In the mid-1990s he deployed to Italy during the Kosovo conflict, and later in 2002 he deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to assist with maintenance and supervision of maintenance. He continued to serve in the Air National Guard until he retired in March 2008 with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Groom, Bill 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 Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-06-18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2b574a3aa333207dca67482b8b3cabaf.m4v 9d7c3192ee1c292aacd70530e1e77c53 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4ab8b7d56d970454d4158de085e229e8.pdf b737c7055729bdf528453f9f5a53ba77 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Glenn Gronevelt Vietnam War 1 hour 27 minutes 57 seconds (00:00:42) Early Life -Born in Grand Haven, Michigan in 1947 -Father worked in construction with his brother -Glenn started working with his father in construction when he was 12 years old -Grew up in Grand Haven -Graduated from high school in 1965 -Went to junior college -Graduated with an associate degree in drafting in 1968 -Started dating his future wife and they were planning on getting married (00:01:58) Enlisting in the Navy -He believed he would eventually get drafted -Wife had a nursing degree -Recruiters approached him and his girlfriend about enlisting in the military -With a construction background he was told he could join the Navy with rank and rating -He would be an E-7 (chief petty officer; similar to an Army sergeant first class) -Navy said they would take him as an E-5 (petty officer, second class; similar to sergeant) -He would have the ranking of carpenter in a construction battalion (CB or “Seabee”) -Went to Detroit for a physical three times -Enlisted in the Navy in January or February 1969 -Nearly got drafted before getting approved for the Navy -One day after his third physical and getting approved for the Navy he received his draft notice -Men tried to get out of military service -Failing the colorblindness test -Some men drank a lot of coffee so they had high blood pressure during the physical -Physical examiners made them sit until their blood pressure normalized (00:06:05) Awareness of the Vietnam War -Listened to the ABC radio broadcaster Paul Harvey at noon -He was a conservative radio broadcaster that talked about the Vietnam War -Saw news reports about Vietnam on the evening news -Viewed the Vietnam War with a sense of fatalism -Knew he would probably have to go to war and accepted that fact -Neutral about the politics and morality of the war -Paul Harvey started off as a supporter of the war, then as it dragged on he became negative (00:07:38) Navy Introductory Course -Sent to the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi -Five week introductory course in the Navy -Learned about the history of the Seabees, about rank in the Navy, and about ratings in the Navy -Taught to think of yourself as part of a unit -Not as extreme as in the Marines -Treated with a little more respect because you had work experience -Still knew what your place was in the unit -Went through a screening process to see if what your rank and rating ought to be �-He was dropped to E-4 (petty officer third class) and changed to being a steel worker -Coerced to stay in the Navy with a lower rank -You could leave the Navy, and as soon as you left you would get drafted -Expected to be disciplined, to maintain a clean uniform and bed, and to have proper hygiene -If you made a mistake you were punished -Trained with a mix of men -They all went to different battalions -Only one man he trained with went with him to Vietnam (00:13:24) Enlistment Schedule Pt. 1 -Tour in Vietnam would be 12 months -A Seabee enlistment was for 30 months -Normal enlistment was for 24 months -Needed to serve three months in the United States -Serve nine months in Vietnam -Serve six months in the United States -Serve another nine months in Vietnam (00:15:22) Combat Training -Received 18 days of leave after the training in Gulfport -Got married during the leave -Sent to Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, California for combat training -Learned how to storm machine gun nests -Lasted four weeks (00:16:10) Deployment to Vietnam -Sent north to Tacoma, Washington -Boarded a plane to fly to Vietnam the next day -Stopped in Guam then flew on to Vietnam -Flew on a chartered TWA airliner (00:16:59) Arrival in Vietnam -Arrived in Vietnam on June 1, 1969 -Arrived on a weekend, so the battalion wasn't working -Got off the plane in Cam Ranh Bay -It was very hot and he could smell the jungle -Will never forget a smell like that -Processed at the airport -At 10 PM he got on a truck and drove to the far end of the peninsula where his battalion was stationed -Saw flares going off -Passed an ammunition dump -Didn't know that the further down the peninsula you went the safer you were -Assigned to a bunk at the Seabee base -On Monday morning he was directed to battalion headquarters for more processing -He was basically on his own for two days -Found the mess hall on his own -Went to a beautiful nearby beach (00:20:21) Seabee Base at Cam Ranh Bay -The barracks were pretty good at the Seabee base -Had huge fans circulating air -Had an air conditioned recreation room in the barracks -Two stories -Bathrooms were in a separate building next to the barracks �-Had hot and cold running water and flushing toilets -Able to build what they wanted because they were a construction battalion -Army had the worst living conditions on Cam Ranh Bay -Air Force had the best living conditions on Cam Ranh Bay -Sidewalks, flower boxes, and other hallmarks of a “normal” American community -Had bunkers built between the barracks -The further up the peninsula you went the more bunkers you saw -Buildings further up the peninsula had 55 gallon drums filled with sand around the base of buildings (00:22:55) Enemy Contact -Viet Cong militants harassed Cam Ranh Bay -Usually attacked at 4:30 or 5 AM -Sporadically fired mortars or rockets at the base in the hopes of hitting something -Saw more attacks at the naval air base than at the Seabee base -Took random sniper fire at the Seabee base -Viet Cong sneaked onto the ridge around the base and took shots at the Seabee base -Caught a few Viet Cong trying to sneak in by way of the sea -They were caught and detained (00:25:30) Construction Duty in Cam Ranh Bay -Processed on Monday after he arrived in Vietnam -Had his picture taken and it was sent home to show his family he was in Vietnam -Assigned to a company -Spent the next six months working in Cam Ranh Bay -Assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 302 -302 handled the southern half of Vietnam (I Corps and II Corps) -Duty was to maintain various naval facilities -Worked at the naval air facility quite a bit -Did dock maintenance for Patrol Boat, River (PBRs) and Patrol Craft Fast (“Swift boats”) -Worked with teams of three to ten men -Went out for projects that lasted a few days to a few weeks -Build mud boxes for the masons to make their bricks -Did a lot of welding repair -Installed new exhaust fans in the kitchen -Went in at 7 or 8 PM to start working -Cooks were grateful so they let the Seabees have free access to the cooler -They had one of the Seabees working the griddle and cooking them food while they worked -That project took about one week (00:29:30) Daily Routine -Got up in the morning and reported for roll call with his company -Went about doing maintenance work -Work day ended at about 5 PM -Went to get dinner then had the rest of the night to yourself -Go to the movie theater -Go to the Enlisted Men Club -Pass the time with other forms of recreation -Sometimes had to do drills at night -Go to the bunkers or go to a fighting position (00:30:55) Shore Patrol Duty -Seabees had to do Shore Patrol duty -He did Shore Patrol duty a few times �-As a Shore Patrolman he carried a pistol, a badge, and a nightstick -Patrolled the beach, the Enlisted Men Club, and the movie theater -Keeping things in order and dealing with troublemakers -At the Enlisted Men Club he was stationed outside of the women's dressing room -Keeping out men trying to get into the room -Never ran into any problems as a Shore Patrolmen -Men respected the Shore Patrolmen because they had total backing from command -Primarily policed sailors, but also soldiers and airmen (00:33:20) Vietnamese Civilians Pt. 1 -Had a lot of Vietnamese civilians working at Cam Ranh Bay -They were bused onto the base in the morning -Had an older Vietnamese man working in the metal shop with them -Learning how to do metalwork -Remembers he was a very nice man -A lot of civilians did cleaning and other manual labor -At night they were searched for stolen goods then bused back off the base -Didn't detect any Viet Cong sympathizers -Heard a story about a Vietnamese barber that worked on an American base -One night the base was attacked and the next day the soldiers found the barber's body -He had been a Viet Cong militant -Didn't really know for sure who was, and who wasn't, part of the Viet Cong (00:35:55) Downtime in Cam Ranh Bay -Didn't get off of Cam Ranh Bay for the first five or six months in Vietnam -Went up the peninsula to the larger post exchanges (PX: military general store) -Could buy cameras, fans, refrigerators, etc. -Able to move around the peninsula with a lot of freedom (00:36:45) Construction Duty in Cat Lo -Assigned to a small construction detachment in the fishing village of Cat Lo -Mission was to use pontoons to create barges that could move supplies up and down the Saigon River -Took a few weeks -Stationed at a small Army base near Cat Lo -Had a tank farm, 155mm howitzers, a chain-link fence around the base, and bunkers -Remembers lying in bed and hearing explosions -He jumped out of his bunk into his boots and threw on his flak jacket -Ran into a nearby bunker, but no one joined him -Howitzers were doing a fire mission, so the explosions were outgoing fire not incoming (00:39:51) Construction Duty in New Port -Returned to Cam Ranh Bay from Cat Lo then got sent to a construction detachment in New Port -New Port was a supply area in Saigon on the Saigon River -Held supplies until they got distributed throughout the country -The Seabees built an extension to increase the supply area of the warehouse -Spent four or five weeks there (00:41:05) Vietnamization -Returned to Cam Ranh Bay to build a two-building schoolhouse for South Vietnamese sailors -Beginning of the Vietnamization processing -Turning the war over to the South Vietnamese and pulling U.S. troops out of Vietnam -Seabee battalions stayed behind -Mission changed from maintenance to building villages -Idea was to build villages for the South Vietnamese soldiers' families �-If the soldiers had their families nearby they wouldn't desert -Gave the Vietnamese buildings with rooms and indoor plumbing -Designed a building that would serve as a concrete block factory for building projects -First concrete block factory built in Vietnam -Chief of Naval Operations came to Vietnam to visit the factory -Helped his lieutenant commander's career -Built a second concrete block factory between Saigon and Long Binh (00:46:25) Pay Problem with the Navy -The Navy offered him a reward program where he would get a $300 bonus -Bonus got reduced to only $25 -Refused to accept that -Wrote his congressman for support -Battalion commander refused to budge on the deal -He wound up accepting the $25 bonus -Only got $20 because there was a $5 tax (00:48:40) Saigon -Able to travel throughout Saigon -Saw the Saigon Zoo, the Presidential Palace, pagodas, and embassies -Visited restaurants and tried local food -Went to the markets in Saigon -You could buy anything in Saigon (drugs, sex, produce, meats) -A lot less restricted in Saigon -Basically given free reign in Saigon -There were huge P.X.s in Saigon -A lot of black market activity in Saigon -You could buy a carton of cigarettes for $1.50 -You could then trade that carton on the black market for 10x its worth -Same with a box of Tide laundry detergent -Could get free alcohol for a month by working with bartenders to get them supplies -Didn't carry weapons in Saigon -Curfew was set at 10 PM -Military Police were pretty strict at enforcing that curfew -Some men rented apartments in Saigon so they could live with their Vietnamese girlfriends -Only had to show up for roll call in the morning (00:53:44) Enlistment Schedule Pt. 2 -In Vietnam for 13 months -Normal tour was 12 months -Had gotten shipped out a month early -Possible to have gotten stationed somewhere for 12 months and a second tour in Vietnam -If you volunteered to stay in Vietnam for an extra month you wouldn't have to do a second tour (00:55:35) R&R -Got at least one guaranteed R&R -In February 1970 he took his R&R in Hawaii -Five days -Government paid for his plane ticket and his wife's ticket (00:56:35) Loss of a Friend -Wife met a couple in Hawaii whose son was a Marine in Vietnam -Husband was a friend with his father, so Glenn grew up with the Marine son -Son was killed in action �-Family initially wanted him to escort their son's body home -Decided against it because they didn't want to associate Glenn with that (00:57:32) Opinion of the Vietnam War -Brother-in-law had served in Vietnam before Glenn -He believed the Vietnamese were second class humans -After his tour in Vietnam Glenn could at least understand where he was coming from -He was neutral going over to Vietnam -After his tour he saw it as a civil war between the Vietnamese, not an international conflict -America had no business being there -Believes American politicians killed 58,000 American servicemen and countless civilians -Disappointed in America's leadership -Domino Theory was never going to happen and the leaders should have admitted that (01:00:32) Invasion of Cambodia -He was in Saigon during the invasion of Cambodia in spring of 1970 -Saw President Nixon tell the American people that the United States had not invaded Cambodia -He saw huge convoys headed toward Cambodia -Wondered how much the government lied to the American people about Vietnam -How gullible were the American people? -He became cynical over the government control of the press -Knew that stories and facts weren't being given to the American people -Meant that the people weren't able to make an informed decision about the war -Believes the deception went back to the Eisenhower Administration in the 1950s -How many North Vietnamese, Viet Cong, and civilians were actually killed? -No way of ever really knowing how many people died in the war (01:04:28) Drug Use & Racial Tension -Drug use was always there in Vietnam -Smelled burning weed in the guard bunkers -Civilians brought drugs onto bases -Could buy any drug you wanted -Remembers an old man that always offered opium to him -Did not see any drug problems in his unit -Alcohol abuse was more of a problem than illegal drugs -Enlisted Men Club served alcohol to everyone -Saw racial tensions on the periphery -Had black men in his battalion -Always saw cooperation between the races when they worked -Did not see any black officers -Black sailors and soldiers were used for common labor -There was some self-imposed segregation among the men -In Saigon there was a neighborhood where black soldiers rented apartments -White servicemen were not welcome -Remembers black soldiers being frustrated with fighting a “white man's war” -Visited Long Binh Jail -Predominantly black prisoners (01:10:36) Vietnamese Civilians Pt. 2 -Left Vietnam with a positive view of the Vietnamese people -Wanted to help modernize the Vietnamese and give them better living conditions -Wondered if the United States set their progress back because of the war -Befriended a Vietnamese maid �-Exchanged language dictionaries -Got to know a Vietnamese girl that worked at a cafeteria in New Port in Saigon -Learned about the cultural and familial expectations of young women in Vietnam -Wanted to learn more about the Vietnamese culture -They were innovative and intelligent people -Especially when it came to mechanical things (01:14:12) Coming Home & End of Service -Left Vietnam on July 1, 1970 -Flew back to the United States via Okinawa -Flew back into Tacom, Washington -Told they would initially be processed quickly so they could get home for the 4th of July -He then reported to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois for final discharge -Advised to fly home in civilian clothing to avoid harassment -Civilians should have been angry with the politicians, not the servicemen -Given three options: -Reassignment to another construction battalion -Join a Navy Reserve unit closer to home -Full discharge -Picked full discharge -Did 16 months of active duty (01:17:34) Life after the War -Took a little time off to be with his family -Had a job waiting for him with his old company when he got home -Started building his own house -Daughter was born shortly after he got home -Rejoined civilian society with no problems -Stayed with the company for a year then explored other options in the maintenance industry (01:19:09) Reflections on Service -Proud of his time he spent in the Navy -Still greatly admires the Navy -Not proud of the Vietnam War -Every Memorial Day he still visits the grave of the Marine he knew killed in Vietnam -Glad he served his country despite the conflict (01:20:30) Contact with South Korean Soldiers -There were South Korean (Republic of Korea; ROK) soldiers stationed at Cam Ranh Bay -Didn't have a lot of contact with them -They were extremely serious about fighting communism because of the Korean War -They saw things in black and white with little to no gray area -They believed the South Vietnamese should stand up and fight for their country -Shot South Vietnamese soldiers if they tried to retreat -Very tough men -Encountered some South Korean troops in Saigon -Vietnamese didn't like the South Koreans -ROK soldiers and Navy SEALs worked together to train South Vietnamese special forces (01:23:55) Interrogation of Viet Cong -Heard that the interrogation process was brutal at times -Viet Cong prisoners would be taken up into a helicopter for questioning -If they refused to cooperate they were thrown out of the helicopter -Remembers seeing a helicopter hovering in the air �-Friend started taking pictures with his camera -When the pictures developed they saw a body falling from the helicopter -Interrogation was done by the United States, South Koreans, and the South Vietnamese -Understood that war is a lot of ugliness, unfortunately (01:26:35) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Would like to see more stories about the support personnel of the Vietnam War -Understands the combat personnel had it bad though -There was no rear in Vietnam unlike in World War II -Meant that even being in the rear meant getting shot at and shelled -A lot of support personnel made the combat possible � 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 GroneveltG1862V Title A name given to the resource Gronevelt, Glenn (Interview outline and video), 2015 Description An account of the resource Glenn Gronevelt was born in Grand Haven, Michigan in 1947. In early 1969 he enlisted in the Navy to be serve with the “Seabees” (Construction Battalions). He received introductory training at Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi then went to Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, California for combat training. He was deployed to Vietnam in late May 1969 and arrived on June 1, 1969. He was assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 302 and did construction work in Cam Ranh Bay, at New Port warehouse in Saigon, in Cat Lo, and he helped with building projects part of the “Vietnamization” process. During his time in Vietnam he also remembers witnessing first hand the movement of troops and supplies into Cambodia. He left Vietnam on July 1, 1970 and after visiting his family for the 4th of July he reported to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois and was discharged from the Navy. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gronevelt, Glenn Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-07-30 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2878bf468a4f82d1388e86c4aeddd926.m4v 50212b83daa406758530f9787946e177 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ea8c3c03e78bf7769ee2efb86b4c084f.pdf dadd8e7156fec898f6f5e4eb367c96ca PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Gerald Frazine World War II 35 minutes 16 seconds (00:00:15) Early Life -Born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1925 -Grew up in Muskegon and attended St. Joseph Catholic School -Played basketball in high school -Stayed in school through the 11th grade -Received his draft notice after the 11th grade -Grew up during the Great Depression -Father was laid-off a few times during the Depression -Helped his father deliver coal as a job -Went to the surplus store to get necessities -Father eventually got steady employment -During the summers, he helped install wells with the Civilian Conservation Corps -Travelled to camps all over Michigan (00:03:21) Start of the War & Getting Drafted -Heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor on the radio -If he hadn’t heard it on the radio he would’ve heard it from another person -News travelled quickly by word-of-mouth -Planned on enlisting after graduating from high school -Wound up getting drafted and decided to enlist in the Navy a year early (00:03:59) Boot Camp -Shortly after getting drafted he reported to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for boot camp -Boot camp lasted six weeks -Consisted of physical training and some classroom work (00:04:53) Radio School -He wanted to be a submariner, but he was placed in amphibious communications -Sent to the Radio School at Great Lakes Naval Station for two months -Branch of the University of Michigan -Did well in Radio School, so he wound up in Flotilla Flagship Command for amphibious ships -Able to go home every weekend during Radio School -Took a “milk train” back to Michigan -Occasionally got leaves to downtown Chicago (00:07:43) Deployment to Pacific Theater -After Radio School, he and his class went to Seneca, Illinois, to board a Landing Ship Transport -Formed an LST convoy and gathered crews for each ship -Sailed down the Mississippi River -The helmsman of his ship was not good at his job �-Managed to hit a river barge, and a bridge -Entered the Gulf of Mexico at the same time a hurricane hit the gulf -He never got so sick in his life -LST didn’t handle heavy seas well -Had waves that were 30 feet higher than the ship -After the hurricane, they sailed through the Panama Canal, up the West Coast, to San Diego -Stayed in San Diego for three days taking on ammunition and other supplies -Sailed to Pearl Harbor from San Diego -Didn’t see the United States for 2 ½ years -There was still some damage at Pearl Harbor from the attack in 1941 -Stayed at Pearl Harbor for four, or five, days (00:10:48) Sailing around the South Pacific Pt. 1 -Crossed the Equator en route to their first island -Had a King Neptune Ceremony for sailors that had never crossed the Equator -Traditional hazing ceremony -Ultimately crossed the Equator 13 times during the war -He kept a log of the islands they sailed to and the days they got to each island -Went to Guadalcanal after the battle to load and unload supplies (00:13:40) Invasion of Leyte & Battle of Leyte Gulf -Participated in the invasion of Leyte on October 20, 1944 -That was the third or fourth amphibious assault he witnessed -His LST was in the first or second wave of the invasion -Encountered suicide boats -One managed to break through and damage the ship’s fantail -Had to drop anchor for three days while divers repaired the fantail -Aware of the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 23, 1944 – October 26, 1944) -He was on the flotilla flagship and heard the radio traffic during the naval battle -Concerning battle, because the Americans were outgunned -Japanese had battleships, and Americans had smaller ships -Americans won the battle, and crippled Japanese naval capabilities (00:15:45) Pacific Theater Invasions Pt. 1 & Noncombat Missions -Participated in the Mariana Islands Campaign -Liberation of Guam, Saipan, and Tinian -Went to liberated islands to load and unload supplies and troops (00:16:19) Enemy Aircraft & Submarines -Got strafed a few times, but never got attacked by dive bombers -Had 20mm and 40mm antiaircraft guns on the LST -Saw three kamikazes during the war -His LST shot down one or two of them -Kamikazes never hit his ship -Had two separate incidents when Japanese submarines shadowed his convoy -Waiting for a moment to attack the convoy, but they never did -Most of the men in the convoy didn’t know about the presence of Japanese submarines �-He only knew because of his radio position -Didn’t lose any ships to the submarines (00:18:27) Sailing around the South Pacific Pt. 2 -Went ashore a couple times at some of the secured islands -Doesn’t remember which islands he went ashore at -Never stayed long at the islands (00:19:10) Duties on the Landing Ship Transport -Did a little quartermaster work (supply handling) on top of his regular radio work -His typical days consisted of four-hour radio watches -If they went to general quarters, he stayed at his duty-station until the end of general quarters -Placed on full-alert at duty-station during general quarters -Trained on the 20mm antiaircraft gun -He was competent with the 20mm -Sometimes had tow-target planes while they travelled between islands -Planes carrying targets for target practice with antiaircraft guns (00:21:37) Officers & Crew -He got to know most of the men in his ship’s crew -During his time on the LST they switched captains once or twice -Traded junior officers (lower-ranking commissioned officers) a couple times -Had one sailor that was 39-years old, and he was considered an “old man” -Most of the crewmen were 19 – 22 years old -Didn’t have any black sailors on his ship (00:23:54) Sailing around the South Pacific Pt. 3 -LSTs could go ashore to load and unload supplies, because they were amphibious -He helped with loading/unloading supplies a few times -Never spent more than a few days at any one island -During one trip they were at sea for about three weeks -Mostly sailed north and south in the South Pacific -Didn’t go back to Pearl Harbor during the war (00:25:38) Pacific Theater Invasions Pt. 2 -He was on radio watch during invasions -For most invasions, they either carried combat vehicles, or supplies pertaining to the invasion -Remembers taking enemy fire a couple times -Japanese used artillery, then transitioned to small-arms fire, when the ships got close -Took only one casualty during an invasion (00:27:25) Progress of the War -He didn’t pay much attention to the progress of the war -Focused more on the ship’s next destination (00:27:40) Battle of Okinawa, End of War & End of Service -Present for the invasion and liberation of Okinawa from April through June 1945 -After Okinawa, they waited for their next mission, probably the invasion of Japan -The use of the atomic bombs negated the invasion of Japan -Understood what the atomic bombs were, because of the high number of casualties �-With the war over, his LST was decommissioned and given to the Chinese -Boarded a ship bound for Pearl Harbor, and from Pearl Harbor went back to San Diego -Took a train to Great Lakes Naval Station, and was discharged there -Spent a lot of time after the war just waiting to be discharged -Out-processed and discharged at Great Lakes Naval Station -Didn’t take too long -Most likely discharged from the Navy in late 1945 (or possibly early 1946) (00:32:18) Life after the War -Returned to Muskegon, and got engaged to the girl he’d been dating in high school -Got a job with a company that installed wells and wires, and started building a home -Got married on June 7, 1947 -Adopted two sons -Worked at the company for 46 years, travelling around Michigan and the Great Lakes states (00:34:07) Reflections on Service -Prepared him for adulthood -Taught him discipline, orderliness, and an appreciation for being in good shape -Believes that you’ll take something positive with you if you serve � 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 FrazineG1967V Title A name given to the resource Frazine, Gerald (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Gerald Frazine was born in Muskegon, Michigan, in 1925. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943, and went to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for his boot camp and Radio School. Upon completing training, he boarded a Landing Ship Transport (LST) and sailed to San Diego (via the Mississippi River and the Panama Canal) before going to the Pacific Theater. He served as the radio operator on the flotilla flagship, but also handled supplies and knew how to operate a 20mm antiaircraft gun. Gerald participated in the invasion of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan during the Mariana Islands Campaign; the invasion of Leyte during the Philippines Campaign; and the final battle of the Pacific Theater, Okinawa. After the war, he sailed back to San Diego then returned to Great Lakes Naval Station to be discharged from the Navy in late 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Frazine, Gerald 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dffc29bb5c6001948863470a52c83108.m4v 790658918a58d424f83b312b3fca5229 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ad68db824e7fb0fd51f3d46389a4419f.pdf 5a557bc1ad4549bb2f1be8b050579641 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Louis Kayo Erwin Sr. World War II 1 hour 9 minutes 23 seconds (00:00:38) Early Life -Born in Dayton, Tennessee, on March 1, 1925 -Moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee when he was 16 years old -Parents got a divorce when he was young -Lived with his mother and grandparents in Big Spring, Tennessee -Grew up on a farm -Picked cotton and corn -It was hard work and busy, but a great experience -Grandfather had a grist mill -Ground corn for other farmers, took a small cut as payment -Put “shoes” on mules -It was hard living because of the Great Depression, but they survived -Raised hogs for meat -Farm allowed them to be self-sufficient -Sold their cotton and tobacco -Had an orchard -Provided them with fruit for canning and jellies -Had no electricity or gas lines -Used oil lamps for light and wood for heat and cooking -Used their cellar to keep perishables cool, and a smokehouse to preserve meat -Got up at 5 a.m. every day -No radio (00:07:00) Enlisting in the Navy Pt. 1 -Moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he was 16 years old -Older brother joined the Marines -Served with the 1st Marines Division in the South Pacific -Louis joined the Navy to be closer with his brother -Older brother contracted malaria and was evacuated to Australia -Survived the war and is still alive as of 2016 (00:09:57) Start of the War -Had a paper route in Chattanooga -Learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor when he was throwing papers -Remembers recruitment posters being put up at the Post Office (00:10:54) Enlisting in the Navy Pt. 2 -Enlisted in the Navy when he was 17 years old, on December 20, 1942 -Sent to Nashville for an entrance exam (00:11:22) Basic Training -Sent to San Diego for basic training on December 26, 1942 -It was difficult -Taught discipline and responsibility -Took swimming tests -Had to swim two laps, then remove pants and use them as a flotation device �-Did drills and went on five-mile marches -Anxious about when he received orders, and where he received orders -Navy needed crewmen for its ships (00:13:10) Assignment to the USS Bunker Hill & the USS Indianapolis -Initially received orders for the USS Bunker Hill, then received orders for the USS Indianapolis -The Bunker Hill was an aircraft carrier and the Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser -Taken by ship to the USS Bunker Hill at Pearl Harbor -Stayed in a barracks in a pineapple field until the Bunker Hill arrived at Pearl Harbor -Assigned to the deck division (5 inch guns) on the Bunker Hill -Received orders for the USS Indianapolis while he was on the USS Bunker Hill -Didn’t matter to him which ship he served on -Liked the idea of serving on a heavy cruiser -USS Indianapolis had 8 inch guns, 5 inch guns, 40mm guns, 20mm guns, and .50 caliber guns -Joined the Indianapolis in late April/early May 1943 -After the Indianapolis aided with the liberation of the Aleutian Islands -Note: The Indianapolis didn’t get to Hawaii until August 1943, but he may have received orders for the USS Indianapolis in early summer 1943. (00:17:28) Invasion of Tarawa -First major operation he participated in was the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943 -Remembers planes and ships bombarding the island for five or six days -Stripped the island of its vegetation -The Indianapolis had two catapult planes to spot targets and coordinate the ship’s guns -Note: Catapult planes: Smaller aircraft launched from the ship via catapults -On the day of the invasion, November 20, he saw multitudes of landing craft approaching the island -Craft got stuck on the coral reef, forcing marines to wade ashore under machine gun fire (00:19:50) Major Pacific Campaigns & The Invasion of Okinawa -Participated in the following campaigns: -Gilbert & Marshall Islands Campaign (included Tarawa): November 1943 – February 1944 -The Mariana Islands Campaign: June 1944 – November 1944 -Battle of Saipan -Battle of Tinian -Liberation of Guam -In February 1945, the Indianapolis participated in the bombardment of Iwo Jima -On March 24, 1945, the Indianapolis began its participated in the bombardment of Okinawa -On March 31, a kamikaze hit the Indianapolis -The attack killed 9 and wounded 38 (00:20:26) Repairs & Secret Mission -Following the kamikaze attack, the USS Indianapolis sailed to California for repairs -After repairs, the Indianapolis received orders for a secret mission to Tinian -Went to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, California, to get the atomic bomb components -Departed from Hunters Point on July 16, 1945 -They arrived at Tinian and successfully unloaded the components on July 26, 1945 -From Tinian they sailed to Guam, and left Guam on July 28 (00:21:15) Sinking of the USS Indianapolis Pt. 1 -After leaving Guam they had orders to sail to Leyte in the Philippines -At 12:14 a.m. on July 30, the Japanese submarine I-58 torpedoed and sank the USS Indianapolis -For the next four days and five nights, the survivors were stranded in shark-infested waters -300 men went down with the ship, and another 583 men died in the water -Only 317 crewmen survived �(00:21:50) Survival -The life jackets they had were only good for 72 hours -Louis swam away from the ship once he jumped overboard -Last he saw of the ship was its fantail in the air and its propellers still turning -Joined a group of 250 men (Dr. Haynes’s group) -Only 56 of those men survived long enough to be rescued -Men started to hallucinate from drinking the saltwater -Imagined the ship rising to the surface, an ice cream stand, a beer vendor, hotels -Men died as a result of shark attacks, exposure, salt poisoning and thirst -Heard men screaming at night due to sharks attacking them -The goal of getting home and seeing his family again kept him alive -Had nothing to eat or drink -Saw high-altitude aircraft fly over, but they were too high to see them -Most of the men were covered in oil which also made them hard to spot in the water -The saltwater and life jacket rubbed his skin raw -Sharks came by every day -When they did, he held up his legs to keep them away from the sharks -Felt them brush his legs, and most of the time the sharks were only five or six feet away -At first, men splashed to try and scare off the sharks -Unfortunately, the sharks mistook the splashing as fish and came closer -During the day he prayed for night to cool off, and at night he prayed for the day to warm up -Covered in engine oil -Took off his pants because they added extra weight and pulled him down -Saved his socks so he could wet them and put them on his face to stay cool -When they dried they left behind salt residue which burned his skin -He would dip them in the water and put them back on his face to get relief (00:28:28) Rescue -On August 2 he saw Lt. Gwinn and Lt. Colwell’s PV-1 Ventura -They were the first to discover the survivors -They flew low, and signaled that they had seen the survivors and would go for help -Lt. Marks flew to the scene in his PBY and, despite contrary orders, landed to aid the survivors -Brought men aboard, and once the plane was full he tied men to the wings -Louis was one of the 56 men to go aboard Lt. Marks’s PBY -One of the ship’s doctors distributed freshwater to the survivors on the PBY -Each man was allowed two sips of water, then passed it onto the next man -When the cup was emptied it would be refilled -The USS Cecil J. Doyle arrived on the scene to pick up the survivors -Most of the men were too weak to climb the rope ladder on the side of the ship -Used rubber rafts to transport them from water or the PBY to the ship -Brought the survivors and the crew of Lt. Marks aboard the Cecil J. Doyle -Once everyone was aboard they sank the PBY -Weight of the survivors damaged the plane making it impossible to fly -Once aboard, they washed off the engine oil -The crewmen of the Cecil J. Doyle gave their bunks to the Indianapolis survivors (00:34:19) Recovery & End of the War -Louis and other survivors were brought to the island of Peleliu -Stayed in the hospital there for four or five days -Survivors placed on board the USS Tranquility (a hospital ship) -Brought to Hospital 18 on Guam �-On August 16 he and the other survivors heard about the atomic bombs and Japan’s surrender -Told that they had transported the components for the bombs that helped end the war -The survivors cheered when they learned that the war was over -Given buckets of ice cream to help regain weight -One of his friends, Ed Brown, also survived the sinking -They stayed friends after the war (00:39:17) Sinking of the USS Indianapolis Pt. 2 -He had just got off watch at midnight and laid down in his hammock when the first torpedo hit -Second torpedo knocked him out of bed -He ran to the port (left) side of the ship and began cutting down life jackets and passing them out -When it became apparent that the ship was going down, he jumped overboard and swam away -Last he saw of the ship was its fantail in the air and its propellers still turning -It sank after only 12 minutes (00:41:08) Coming Home -Came back to the United States on the USS Hollandia with other survivors once he recovered -Landed at San Diego -Greeted by Red Cross personnel -Survivors were thrown a parade -Men ran up to them and handed them glasses of beer -Issued new clothing -Given 30 days of leave -Went home to Chattanooga (00:42:53) End of Service -Needed 44 points to be discharged -Points awarded based on rank, dependents, length of service, and combat seen -Sent to Nashville to receive further orders -Assigned to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California for amphibious training -Sent to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado and a few weeks later he was offered a discharge -He said yes to being discharged -Had originally planned on making a 20 year career out of the Navy -After the sinking of the USS Indianapolis he changed his mind -He went to Memphis and was discharged there -Most likely in fall or winter 1945 (00:44:28) Captain McVay -Never interacted with Captain McVay, but Louis saw him a lot -Knew that Captain McVay, some sailors, and some Marines got on a life raft -Never saw them after the sinking because they drifted in a different direction (00:46:08) Father Thomas Conway -Saw Father Thomas Conway in the water among the survivors -Father Conway checked to see which men had died -He collected their dog tags, performed Last Rites, and removed their life jacket -Father Conway died on August 2, just a few hours before Lt. Gwinn/Lt. Colwell spotted them (00:48:00) Court-martial of Captain McVay -In the hospital, he and the other survivors were ordered to write a letter about the sinking -Their position at the time of the sinking, their actions, and general experience -In the years after the war, Captain McVay put together two survivors’ reunions -In 1968, Louis learned about Captain McVay’s court-martial and suicide -Court-martial happened in November 1945 -Found guilty of losing the USS Indianapolis �-Only time an American captain was tried for losing his ship in wartime -Used as a scapegoat for the Navy -After years of guilt, Captain McVay committed suicide in 1968 -In 2001, Captain McVay was exonerated and the court-martial removed from his record -Felt hurt that Captain McVay was tried and found guilty -He was a fine captain and did everything he possibly could -Note: Commander Hashimoto of the I-58 said Cpt. McVay couldn’t have avoided the torpedoes -He was a good man and he gladly served under him (00:50:10) Life after the War -Got married on May 4, 1946 -Married for 62 years -Had a son and a daughter -Worked for a brewer for three years -Got a job with a beer distribution company -Drove truck for them for seven years -Worked as a manager for 28 years -Has five great-grandchildren (00:54:45) Public Awareness of the USS Indianapolis Pt. 1 -The movie, Jaws, was the first major public exposure of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis -People started to ask him about the sinking after seeing the movie -He saw the movie -Captain Quint’s story about the sinking was pretty accurate (00:56:12) Reunions -Went to the first survivors’ reunion in 1960 -Remembers the men saluting Captain McVay when he arrived -May have given Captain McVay a ride to the reunion from the airport, but doesn’t remember (00:56:53) Exoneration of Captain McVay -Wonderful news when he heard about Captain McVay’s exoneration in 2001 -Survivors tried so hard, for so long to get his record cleared -Sorry that Captain McVay wasn’t alive to see it happen -Feels that the hate mail he received contributed to his suicide in 1968 (00:57:55) Public Awareness of the USS Indianapolis Pt. 2 -Believes that people didn’t pay attention to the Indianapolis because it happened at the end of the war -Media focused on the end of the war -Feels that Hunter Scott (an 11 year old student), brought attention to the sinking -Also helped with Captain McVay’s exoneration -Reunions help with public awareness -Survivors didn’t talk about the sinking until other people started asking about it -Finds that people still tend to confuse the Indianapolis with the USS Arizona (sunk at Pearl Harbor) -Believes that the sinking of the Indianapolis should be part of the US history curriculum -He goes to schools to talk about the sinking -Thinks that Sara Vladic’s documentary will bring awareness to the sinking -Glad the someone took such an interest in the USS Indianapolis -He was interviewed by National Geographic about the sinking (01:05:58) Search for the Wreck -At the 70th anniversary reunion, Robert Ballard expressed interest in searching for the wreck -Famous for discovering the wreck of the Titanic -Louis hopes that Dr. Ballard can find it and see what, if anything, is left of the ship -Also get some closure about the remains of the men that went down with the ship �(01:07:42) USS Indianapolis Memorial -Interviewer plans on erecting an Indianapolis memorial in Lansing, Michigan -Commemorating the 50 Michigan sailors that served on the USS Indianapolis -Hopes it will bring more public awareness about the sinking � 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 ErwinL1950V Title A name given to the resource Erwin, Louis (Interview outline and video), 2016 Description An account of the resource Louis Kayo Erwin Sr. was born in Dayton, Tennessee, on March 1, 1925. He grew up in Dayton then on a farm in Big Spring, Tennessee. When he was 16 he moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and enlisted in the Navy when he was 17 years old. He enlisted on December 20, 1942, and on December 26 he shipped out for basic training in San Diego. Louis initially received orders for the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill. He stayed on the Bunker Hill until summer 1943 when he joined the USS Indianapolis. He saw action at Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and Iwo Jima. In March 1945 the Indianapolis was struck by a kamikaze forcing them to return to the US for repairs. In July 1945 they received orders for a secret mission. On July 16, 1945, the atomic bomb components were loaded onto the USS Indianapolis at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and they delivered the components on July 26, 1945 at Tinian. On July 30, the I-58 torpedoed and sank the USS Indianapolis. Louis and the other survivors had to endure exposure, shark attacks, and saltwater poisoning. On August 2 a seaplane spotted the survivors and they were rescued. Louis and only 316 other crewmen survived. After recovering on Peleliu and Guam he returned to the United States. He briefly served at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado before being discharged in late 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Erwin, Louis 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 World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-09-10 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/954bc6beffe28e1d41ade01a487be8c7.mp4 99482344831b53876b85a4b1bbe160e6 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/70070bc602bd85a9d5b1b0fd7c06b0f8.pdf 137e467e6f442f661e6782e08e53379d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran's History Project World War II Bill Karpowicz Total Time (01:12:18) Background (00:00:48)  Bill was born February 10th, 1924 in Muskegon, Michigan and had four sisters; Bill's father worked as a shoe repairman and in a foundry while his mother worked for Amazon Mills (00:01:55) ◦ Bill enlisted in the military on February 18th, 1942 right after he turned 18 and wound up in the Marine Corps (00:02:53) Military Training (00:03:05)  Bill had previously served in the National Guard in G Company, 126th Infantry 32nd Division in Muskegon, but had been too young to go with them when they were mobilized in October 1940 (00:03:17) ◦ Bill did his Marine boot camp at Camp Elliot in San Diego, California (00:04:19) ▪ The recruits mostly did rifle and bayonet practice- anything that pertained to combat; he mentions that the military had to train you and get you to combat in a fast manner (00:05:05)  Bill's training in California lasted for 12 weeks; there was no liberty to move about town as they had to stay at the base (00:06:35)  From Camp Elliot Bill went to North Carolina and became part of the 3rd infantry Marine Division- which became Camp Lejeune (00:07:47) ◦ Bill was stayed in North Carolina from June to November of 1942 (00:09:30) ▪ He trained on a M1903 Springfield rifle and then the M1 Garand semiautomatic rifle as well as pistols, machine guns, and mortars (00:10:49) ▪ Bill arrived at Camp Pendleton, California via train all the way across the country (00:11:50)  The training at Camp Pendleton involved hills and water training where they had to qualify to swim (00:14:15)  Bill was put on a massive ship to cross the pacific which fit around 6,000 troops; there was a ceremony once the ship crossed the equator and some troops were hazed as part of the ritual (00:17:13) ◦ The men picked were called “oddballs” or “pollywogs” and were hazed as part of crossing the equator process (00:17:55) ◦ Bill landed in February of 1943 in Auckland, New Zealand (00:19:07) ◦ The training in New Zealand, which was very mountainous, consisted of hikes of 25 and 75 miles (00:20:44) ▪ After New Zealand, Bill and the other men went to Guadalcanal for a few months of training (00:21:42) ▪ Bill was stationed near an airbase where there was often air raids in the nighttime (00:22:53) ▪ Bill's training in Guadalcanal consisted of how the Japanese fought (00:23:59) �◦ To prevent catching malaria, Bill had to take a pill called Atabrine which fought off malaria (00:25:45) Combat & Additional Training (00:26:28)  Bill moved to Bougainville Island around the fall of 1943 (00:26:28) ◦ There was fighting going on at Bougainville between the Japanese and United States (00:29:15) ◦ Although Bill's first introduction to combat was at Bougainville, he comments that it was peaceful compared to the other islands in the area (00:29:54) ▪ Bill was sent back to Guadalcanal for training after a stint in Bougainville (00:30:20)  After Guadalcanal, he was then sent to Marshall Islands for additional trainingmostly swimming (00:31:23) ◦ Bill was with M-Company, a weapons company- mortars and machine guns; he was then transferred to K-Company which was just rifles (00:32:50) ▪ After Bougainville, Bill was sent to Guam; Bill's division was the first wave in Guam (00:33:25) ▪ The Japanese did not resist their landing on the beach in Guam until Bill and the other men reached the first hill (00:34:15)  As Bill and his company went further inland, he encountered the Japanese for the first time as combat ensued (00:36:56)  A banzai attack included a rush of Japanese infantry forces at night after they drank their booze or sake; the Japanese would pick up their dead and leave by the time morning cam (00:38:16)  Bill's time in Guam was spent patrolling and defending against bonzai attacks (00:39:49) ◦ Bill was on the front line and although the Japanese got quite close, they never broke into the line (00:41:13) ◦ Bill was injured in the leg by shrapnel from a grenade in a firefight against the Japanese (00:44:22) ▪ Bill stayed at the first aid station for a few days; after he stayed on a galley with the cooks where he tried sake for the first time (00:44:57) Iwo Jima (00:46:37)  Bill spent six months on Guam before he moved off to Iwo Jima (00:46:37) ◦ There wasn't much communication between Bill and his family as it took a while for letters to be mailed (00:47:30) ▪ Bill's regiment was not part of the initial assault at Iwo Jima as they came at a later date (00:49:04) ▪ By the time Bill's regiment landed, the initial firing had stopped and it was quiet (00:49:35) ▪ While serving at Iwo Jima, Bill saw some pretty gruesome injuries to his fellow servicemen take place (00:52:09)  Bill mentioned that the enemy was well hidden into the ground and would pop out and surprise them at certain times (00:52:55) ◦ Iwo Jima was a dangerous place at the time; there were minefields in certain �◦ areas- Bill had some close calls (00:53:48) The Japanese had hidden artillery and mortars; they would probe and attack mostly at night (00:54:39) ▪ “A lot” of Bill's company got killed or wounded while at Iwo Jima; “luck of the draw” is how he described Iwo Jima (00:56:42)  Bill was on Iwo Jima for about a week before he was sent back to Guam (00:57:50)  No matter how bad combat was, the morale was up- if it was down the men would not have survived (00:58:08) ◦ The Marine Corps was trained to move on down the line if a lieutenant or captain was killed or injured (00:59:38) Back to the United States (01:01:45)  Bill and the regiment took a ship back to the United States and landed at San Pedro, Los Angeles, California; from their they went to the Marine Corps base and called home (01:03:02) ◦ Bill received a 30 day furlough home for leave; home was “entirely different” for Bill this time around (01:03:35) ◦ He traveled from San Diego to Chicago to Muskegon via train (01:04:09) ▪ After his 30 day furlough Bill was sent to DeLand, Florida (01:05:03)  Bill did security at a naval air station in Florida and continued training in the swamplands (01:05:24) ◦ Bill received his discharge papers right after the two atomic bombs hit Japan; he took a bus from DeLand to Daytona and then a plane home (01:07:43) ▪ After military life, Bill worked as a printmaker at a printshop in Muskegon (01:08:33)  Bill graduated from High School while working at a printshop; thereafter he worked as a policeman in Grand Rapids and since has retired (01:10:33) ◦ Bill says he enjoyed every bit of his Marine Corps time (01:11:28) � 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 KarpowiczW1529V Title A name given to the resource Karpowicz, William (Interview outline and video), 2013 Description An account of the resource Bill was born on February 10th, 1924 in Muskegon, Michigan. He enlisted in the military on February 18th, 1942 right after he turned 18 and was placed in the Marine Corps. He did his boot camp at Camp Elliot in San Diego, California. From Camp Elliot Bill went to North Carolina and became part of the 3rd infantry Marine Division- which became Camp Lejeune. After training in Auckland, New Zealand, Bill was sent to Guadalcanal for additional training. Bill partook in fighting at Bougainville Island in the fall of 1943; he was then sent back to Guadalcanal. From there, Bill and his division were sent to Guam. Bill received the Purple Heart in Guam after he was hit with shrapnel from a Japanese grenade. After six months in Guam, Bill was sent to Iwo Jima where he encountered heavy fighting as his regiment took many casualties. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Karpowicz, William 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 Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. 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/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-09-19 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c4593e58b2f72bd1e3974cf4be2fa132.mp4 958fe6de8b461da94c015b40877941ec https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bb7956bc5e43cbd1837bad190fdabcee.pdf 8fd080dc3d2f0a20d30a6406a6b775fe PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Walter Kloc World War II Total Time: 1:02:15 Childhood and Early Enlistment (0:00:10)     Born in Cook County, Illinois but moved to Michigan when he was one. He attended High School and attended Central Michigan College in 1936. He did not graduate in 4 years as he was 2 credits short. He worked in the summer of 1940, and after the summer he decided to sign up for the Air Force {Army Air Corps], and he was called up in February 1941. He was then told he would be called up once the airfields were ready. (0:04:10) It was not until December 10, 1941, just after Pearl Harbor, that he was called up into active duty. Enlistment and Training (0:04:40)    He was sent to San Antonio, Texas where he attended basic training. This consisted of, for the most part, basic physical training and learning military life, as well as basic things about aircraft. (0:05:50) He was then sent to an airfield in the Panhandle of Texas where he took primary flight training. He was in a BT-19. During this training they were able to wash out about 80% of the class. He was washed out of the pilots training. He was given the choice of either bombardier or navigator, so he chose bombardier. (07:40) He was then sent to San Antonio and then to Midland, Texas for bombardier training. They used NT-11 planes and dropped practiced on the Norden Bombsight. They also had a mechanism on the ground that allowed them to practice on the sight. Active Duty (0:11:20)     He received a commission in July 1942 and was sent to Columbia, South Carolina where he was in charge of the training of a bombardier squadron. They completed the runway in September, and he trained the men to skip bomb and bomb at high altitudes. They were training the men in B-25s. (0:13:40) In November 1943, he was shipped overseas to The Pacific Theatre, where he flew a B-24. He shipped over in a plane to Guadalcanal where he joined a pre-existing squadron. He was squadron bombardier for this mission, and he trained the bombardiers on short bombing missions. (0:16:19) After training the squadron, he participated in bombing runs over various locations, including Bougainville. They then moved to Green Island and flew bombing missions from there. (0:17:20) They ran into anti-aircraft fire and some fighters, but they had their own fighter escorts to take care of this. �                (0:18:25) They targeted storage facilities and ships docked in harbors. They would also attack ships that were caught in the open. (0:19:50) They also worked bombing New Guinea. He was then sent to Hollandia, where he set up the base for a month. They flew bombing missions to Ceram and Western New Guinea. (0:22:10) His squadron was then transferred to Sanapur, Western New Guinea, where they made bombing runs to Borneo. (0:22:35) They were then transferred to another based, where they continued bombing. (0:23:00) After this, they moved along to Puerta Princesa in the Philippines, where they flew missions to Indochina. Here, he flew a total of 52 missions before he was sent back to the US in May 1945. (0:24:05) He got his separation papers in July 1945 and then joined the reserves. (0:24:34) His duties as lead bombardier (which were about half of his missions) included flying in the lead plane and directing bombing. During the missions where he was not the lead bombardier, he flew in the wing and let someone else do these duties. (0:25:02) They had 12 planes in their squadron, and would generally fly with other squadrons during bombing runs. The number of squadrons and where they went depended on the target. For instance, they would bomb runways with four squadrons. (0:27:40) They sometimes flew low altitude missions, where they would strafe and firebomb. These missions were the most dangerous, and they lost several aircraft on these missions. Their plane was hit on one of these missions, but the pilot was able to salvage the engine that got hit and they made it back to base. (0:31:45) Another time, his plane was hit while on a bombing mission by antiaircraft fire. They had many holes in the fuselage, one of the cables to the rudder was severed, and the tail gunner was hit in the hand. They found out that intelligence had missed some antiaircraft positions, leading to their being hit. (0:36:05) Their living conditions were usually ok. They lived in tents, and they used mosquito nets to attempt to ward of malaria. They usually ate normal K Rations, but when they got to Hollandia, they were allowed to fly to Australia to pick up fresh food to eat. For meat they were usually given mutton. (0:39:12) There were only a few issues with tropical disease in his unit. He got a fungal infection in his toes. (0:40:10) They got leave in Australia from time to time. He was able to go to Sydney. Normally GIs were forced to stay in Sydney, but he befriended a girl whose father was a government official, and this allowed him to leave Sydney. (0:43:45) They were warned not to go off of the base because there were Japanese in the area, and they were also warned that the local populations were at times hostile. (0:47:30) At one point, one of the men in the bunk next to his was killed in combat. (0:47:55) He stayed on longer than the normal allotted time. � (0:48:45) Their stay at Puerta Princesa was very nice, because they were in close proximity to some very nice beaches. Post-Service (0:49:45)   He worked as an engineer after the war in mechanical and electrical design. Also worked for General Motors � 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 KlocW Title A name given to the resource Kloc, Walter (Interview outline and video), 2009 Description An account of the resource Walter Kloc served in the Air Force during World War II. He joined the Air Force prior to the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and was called up for active duty on December 10, 1941. He worked as a bombardier on a B-24 aircraft in the Pacific Theatre. Some of the locations of his bombing runs included Borneo, New Guinea, and Indochina. He flew 45 missions before he was sent home, and he worked as an engineer after the War. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kloc, Walter 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 Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Air Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009-09-19 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/432ca2d75dbc736b6ff7e248f2d3de92.mp4 9286bc9d779ae92d53e749546bfba3ff https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8f0e5ff241d5b124cf1096081703e208.pdf 4217695816ea54bf891a2a72adba873d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Interviewee’s Name: Jerry McFarland Name of War: Vietnam War Length of Interview: (00:40:57) (00:30) Background Information      Jerry was born march 24, 1933 and enlisted in the Navy in 1950 He had envied his brothers who were in the service and had always wanted to join himself Many people were enlisting at the time and Jerry just felt that it was the right thing for him to do after high school He worked in an engineer outfit on transportation, building bridges, and repairing roads Jerry started as a private, then became private first-class, and corporal (5:35) Training  Jerry was sent to Great Lakes Naval Academy in Chicago, Illinois  He was very nervous when he first arrived and worried about making the drill sergeants angry  They were all very tired all the time and only got about 4 hours of sleep each night  They were not allowed to walk and had to run everywhere  The food was ok and they were well supplied (15:25) Discharged  Jerry had been stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and going back and forth to Puerto Rico, taking Marines to train down there on an LST for the Korean War  They also trained with the Marines but continued going back and forth, doing the same for about 4 years  Jerry was then discharged and moved back to Michigan, but got very bored with civilian life (16:45) Germany  Jerry enlisted in the Army and was training in Missouri in 1954  He was then transferred to San Antonio, Texas and got married  Two months after he was married Jerry was shipped to a staging area in New York  They then boarded a ship towards Germany and the trip lasted 7 days  Jerry began working in transportation at the 7th Army Headquarters  He drove staff cars for generals and the HQ area was very strict  Jerry was in Germany for 3 years and then transferred back to the US �(18:40) Traveling  Jerry worked in Colorado Springs for 2 years where he lived with his family off base  He was transferred to Korea where he worked for 13 months and transferred again to the US for another 2 years  Jerry worked in France for a short time and did not like the area or the people  He volunteered to go to Vietnam so that he could get out of France  Jerry spent 1 year in Vietnam and then worked in Fort Hood for 2 years  He was sent to Vietnam again for another year and then finally discharged after 20 years (24:10) Vietnam  Jerry was in an engineer outfit in Vietnam, camping on an old river plantation  He was a replacement with a unit that had already been working there for 3 months  Jerry was given a tent and in charge of supplies  They moved around a lot while in Vietnam and there were many abandoned rubber tree plantations that could no longer produce rubber  Jerry was always working from about 5 am to 8 pm because he always had to be ready if someone needed supplies (29:15) End of Service  Jerry could no longer sleep at night because he was so anxious about his retirement  He was retiring with 15 other men and it was all very exciting  Jerry moved back to Michigan and began working for a mill for about 10 years  He then began working for Dean Foods, which had bought out the old mill that he had been working at  Jerry kept in touch with many of his old friends for a while, but it was difficult because many of them had moved to Florida or California  Looking back now Jerry feels that the US is always at war and it’s never ending � 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 McFarlandJ Title A name given to the resource Mc Farland, Jerry (Interview outline and video), 2005 Description An account of the resource Jerry McFarland was born on March 24, 1933 and enlisted in the Navy in 1950 after graduating from high school. Jerry trained at Great Lakes Naval Academy in Chicago, Illinois and was then stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. He worked there for about 4 years transporting Marines to Puerto Rico to train for the Korean War. Jerry was discharged after 4 years, but found himself bored with civilian life and then enlisted in the Army. While in the Army Jerry worked in Texas, Germany, France, Colorado Springs, and Vietnam, where he served with an engineer unit. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mc Farland, Jerry Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ray, Emily (Interviewer) Gibbons, Brittany (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-05-23 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/230aebb322fc87e53b80753c1c6c14a8.mp4 bea9b5ca626da4849ed98ddc753198e4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3b9ae4dd7d0d7d57fc15819ecd4c2bfc.pdf 34c2fcc342e2dcd8293372269dffa91d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veteran’s History Project Vietnam War Henry Shuster Jr. Length of Interview (00:30:03) Background (00:00:00) Born in Yukon, Florida on the Jacksonville Naval Air Station Father was in the Navy then worked for the Chrysler Corp. Brother who worked for GM Sister is a school teacher Drafted out of college (00:01:15) • Thought that if he enlisted he could go into Officer Candidate School • Was married at the time with two children, needed the money Chose to enlist in the Army and went to Officer Candidate School Was 22 at the time Training (00:02:04) Went into basic training for eight weeks Then eight weeks of AIT (Advanced Individual Training) Went to Officer’s Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia (00:02:44) • Learned tactics, field situations, how to command soldiers • There for six months • Graduated as a 1st Lieutenant; given 30 days leave After graduating, went to complete Jungle Training in Panama (00:03:38) • Put near the Panama Canal in the middle of the jungle • Learned to survive in the jungle; how to live on your own �• Escape and Invasion Course: done in the middle of the night, dropped off at an unknown location from which you must find your way back to camp; had to avoid capture • Graduated from Jungle school Sent to a unit (00:04:54) It was a very large change between civilian life and the Army life (00:05:10) His family could go with him when he was assigned to a unit; lived on a base War Time (00:06:19) Sent to Vietnam, landed in Saigon Flew to Ten In in a fixed-wing airplane Put into a helicopter and flown to a fire base; became a part of the 1st Air Cavalry Division • Was a part of the infantry that gets around in helicopters Stationed outside of Ten In, between Saigon and Cambodian Border (00:07:28) • Job was to prevent enemy soldiers from entering Saigon Describes the geography of Vietnam and the tactics used during the war (00:07:54) • The North Vietnamese would use Cambodia as a way to enter Vietnam Wasn’t happy when going to Vietnam, had to leave his family; felt afraid, as well (00:09:25) In WWII, Shuster’s Cavalry, the 1st Cavalry, rode on horseback, but in Vietnam they used helicopters instead (00:10:06) The further you get into Vietnam, the more scared you get (00:10:41) Belonged to a battalion, which includes two or three companies, which then includes two or three platoons; 20 guys in a platoon (00:11:18) • About one hundred in the company and twenty men in his platoon under his charge Had to take care of each other, so you were friends with everyone in your platoon (00:12:00) • Used to get Jungle Rot or ringorm because of Vietnam’s climate; take care of each other medically • Have to back everybody up in firefights �• After the war, everyone went their own way; never saw them again The day Shuster left, people in his platoon were wounded; he was worried his Sergeant had died, but the man actually had been in the Army Hospital for three years (00:13:15) Kept in touch with his family through letters; his wife would write freedom in the corner as a stamp, also used tape recorders (00:14:00) Always on-duty in War: Search and Destroy missions (00:14:45) • Describes a Search and Destroy Mission • During the night, would stop the enemy from crossing through the Cambodian border into Vietnam • In the field for 40 days in the jungle; every five or six days, supplies dropped by helicopters (00:15:39) • Had very little free-time; going back to the fire base for three or four days could be considered free-time • At night, had to guard the base The worst thing that Shuster could imagine is dying in Vietnam after being there for a year (00:17:19) • “Short-timer’s Calendar”: only stay in Vietnam for 365 days in which soldiers would compare how many days they have left, knew the exact date you would leave Went into Vietnam August of ’69 and got out August ’70; wasn’t in Vietnam when the War ended (00:18:20) • In 1975 (when the War ended), was working for Chrysler Going Home (00:18:40) Went home by jet In the Vietnam War, they only stayed for one year, unlike Iraq where soldiers can be sent back (00:18:56) • Always working with different people Didn’t have a hard time re-adjusting back to civilian life, didn’t think of the War (00:20:15) Knows a few people who are Vietnam Vets �The War made him grow-up; has respect for his country and the way we live (00:21:45) • Feel that you are a part of your country, pride; respect for the life we live; Vietnam had terrible living conditions • They’d always been at war Most people in Vietnam lived in grass huts and mud; rains all the time, constantly wet (00:23:22) Didn’t speak with many civilians, was in a “free-fire zone” (00:24:15) • Only interaction was with “Coke” girls, sold real Coca-Cola Given MPC’s in order to pay for everything, military money (00:26:08) No positive times, weather was terrible; no housing, a lot of swamps Landed in San Francisco when arriving from Vietnam (00:27:40) • On the base for three or four days for examination; checked for disease • Shuster’s family was living in Detroit, Michigan, flew back • Was given two balloons for his kids; had a very happy reunion, it’s what he remembers most � 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 ShusterH Title A name given to the resource Shuster, Henry Jr. (Interview outline and video), 2009 Description An account of the resource Henry Shuster Jr. served in the Army during the Vietnam War. After attending Officer Candidate School and going through training, he was assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Division where he dealt with many search and destroy missions in Vietnam. His station was between the border of Cambodia and the city of Saigon, which was his company's top priority to protect. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Shuster, Henry Jr. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dettloff, Ashley (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 Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Army Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009-05-30 Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives