823 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75c1ac275fe6e4eccb1b4b70ad087c1f.pdf 122bfec583fec1e67ed661b45363013a PDF Text Text � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3e455db43f3a7bec3521f61079da1ea0.pdf e645ce89bcfc42650a0f05fb82d36e94 PDF Text Text Steubenville Ohio April 10, 1847 To the President, Sir; The Rev John Scott, Principal of the Grove Academy of this place, and a minister of high standing in the Presbyterian Church, desires to be appointed Chaplain in the Navy. Mr. Scott has been a resident of this place for many years and has acquired a high character for piety, learning and professional attainments. He was recommended during the late [?] by the democratic members and Senator from Ohio, and also by the Rev Dr Edgar of Nashville to whom he is personally known. His appointment would secure faithful & efficient services to the government, and gratify the people of this state, to whom his merits as a minister and instructor are very generally known. With great respect Your Obt Sert Edwin M Stanton � 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 Civil War and Slavery Collection Subject The topic of the resource United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Slavery--United States African Americans United States--Politics and government--19th century Description An account of the resource A selection of correspondence, diaries, official documents, photographs related to the American Civil War and to the institution of slavery, collected by Harvey E. Lemmen. The collection includes a selection of documents from ten states related to the ownership of slaves and abolition, correspondence and documents of soldiers who fought in the war and from family members and officials, diaries and letters of individuals, and a collection of mailing envelopes decorated with patriotic imagery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lemmen, Harvey E. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/472">Civil War and Slavery Collection (RHC-45)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/470">John Bennitt Diaries and Correspondence (RHC-43)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/471">Nathan Sargent Papers (RHC-44)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/478">Theodore Peticolas Diary (RHC-51)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/476">Civil War Patriotic Envelopes Collection (RHC-51)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/479">Whitely Read Diary (RHC-52)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1804-1897 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg; application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image; Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1804-1897 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-45_CW1-4381 Title A name given to the resource James K. Polk from Edwin M. Stanton Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1847 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stanton, Edwin McMasters, 1814-1869 Subject The topic of the resource Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869 United States. Navy Military chaplains Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849 United States--Politics and government--19th century Steubenville (Ohio) Ohio Description An account of the resource Letter to President James K. Polk from future Lincoln Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton recommending Rev. John Scott for Chaplain of the Navy. Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Civil War and slavery collection (RHC-45): http://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/472 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/740f72b2afd595f42fd1af5231e5dc2a.m4v a9e7a4fa83e49229d4b0acc3101b8630 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e8a1f1ac12b2aa8d47cd68365a043ad2.pdf 6fae09fa282a0f7195e56ac81fdded8b PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Flate Staples Length: 33:43 (00:15) Background Information      Flate was born on September 4, 1924 in Mississippi and moved to Michigan in 1931 His mother worked as a seamstress and had found a better job in Michigan Flate went to school through the 11th grade when he began receiving notices from the military He did not want to be drafted, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps in May of 1943 Before enlisting Flate had been working at an automobile manufacturing plant (3:00) Boot Camp  The military was segregated and Flate first noticed when he was sent to Detroit  All the Caucasian men stayed in a hotel and the black men stayed in a boarding house  Flate had gone to an integrated school in Muskegon and was not used to the discrimination  They took a train to North Carolina where they began training  They spent time doing physical work, hand-to-hand combat, weapons training, bayonet training, and going on 30 mile hikes  Flate really did not like boot camp and really hated all of his drill sergeants (6:50) Overseas  Flate left North Carolina and went to New Orleans on a Pullman train  He had only been in North Carolina for 6 weeks and in New Orleans shortly before receiving word that they would be going to the South Pacific  They left for New York and boarded and LST for a 39 day trip through the Panama Canal and to the South Pacific  They stopped in Panama for 6 days and were traveling in a convoy with Navy destroyer ships  For the trip they had nice weather through the Pacific and peaceful sailing  They also stopped in Cuba for some unknown reason, but the men were not allowed to get off of the ship (11:40) New Caledonia  Flate spent about 1 year in New Caledonia; the French had previously sent all their criminals to the island  They did not have much contact with the civilian population �  Flate got up every day at about 4 in the morning, had breakfast, and then worked on supplying the front lines He worked with the 9th Marines Platoon and got along well with most of the men there (14:10) Guadalcanal  After about a year working in New Caledonia Flate was sent to Guadalcanal  Many men were getting sick with malaria, different diseases, and having psychological problems  They had to take a lot of preventative medicine before going near the line to prevent diseases  Flate had never seen anything like the Kamikaze attacks before in his life  They were coming in from all over the place and it was hard for the Americans to even get ashore when they first arrived [more likely at Okinawa than Guadalcanal]  Flate continued working on the supplies for the front line  They never heard much news about the actual happenings on the battlefield (18:25) Okinawa  Flate was transferred to Okinawa after the bombs were dropped and the Japanese had surrendered  He worked with the Army of Occupation for 3 months and then received notice that he would be going home  It was a very beautiful island and they had some time off for swimming, recreation, baseball, and USO shows  Flate was sent back to the US on an aircraft carrier and the trip was much quicker than the original (21:30) End of Service  Overall Flate had a good experience in the Marines, but was very glad to be back in the US  He continued to face discrimination when he returned, but it was not so bad as in the deep south  Flate believes that every young man should join the service to learn respect and discipline  He had made it up to Corporal and had 20 men working under him; he reported to a sergeant  Flate got along well with the majority of the men in the service (25:50) Pacific Islands  Flate did not really face any discrimination while over in the Pacific  The Americans were not allowed to talk to or get close to the civilians �  There were not many instances of men sneaking off from camp at night because there was nothing to do and nowhere to go They were mostly remote islands without any towns to visit � 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 StaplesF Title A name given to the resource Staples, Flate (Interview outline and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Staples, Flate Description An account of the resource Flate Staples was born on September 4, 1924 in Mississippi and moved to Michigan in 1931 because his mother had found a better job there. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in May of 1943 when he was 18 years old and went through boot camp in North Carolina. Flate trained for only 6 weeks before he was shipped to New Caledonia on an LST. He worked on supplying the front lines in New Caledonia for about a year and was then sent to Guadalcanal to do the same. At the end of the war he was sent to Okinawa and worked with the Army of Occupation for about 3 months before he was sent back to the Unites States. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-11-18 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5e993c43c71c52c1f3f7dc06846d5aac.mp4 9359e18425cdd64ec46492111f8787df https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8573335095b62a35865987b46551b0a8.pdf 091927f32eb1317b0abde17d28d2a8ac PDF Text Text 1 Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Oral History Interview Veteran: Chuck Stark Interviewed by James Smither Transcribed by Grace Balog Interviewer: We are talking today with Chuck Stark of North Muskegon, Michigan, and the interviewer is James Smither of the Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project. Alright, start us off with the easy stuff. Where and when were you born? Veteran: I was born in 1948 in Muskegon, Michigan. Interviewer: Okay. And did you grow up there? Veteran: I did. Interviewer: Okay. And what was your family doing for a living then? Veteran: My father was a machinist at Continental Motors and mom was the housewife. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: As happened during that time period. Interviewer: Alright. Now, as you—you were born in ’48 and so you are still in high school when Vietnam starts to ramp up— Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: --in ’65. Did you pay much attention to that before you went in the service? �2 Veteran: I did. I did. I have always been very active in governmental affairs and just very interested in that whole field. Interviewer: Alright. Now, did you graduate from high school? Veteran: I did. 1966 from Muskegon High School—Muskegon Senior High. Interviewer: Okay. And what did you do after you got out of school? Veteran: I did a number of things. I had—I have always enjoyed learning things, so I was a Brunswick pin setter mechanic, I did bartending, I did—worked at Continental Motors, the same place that made military equipment. So, a number of things. Interviewer: Alright. Did you consider going to college at that point? Veteran: I had. It was going to be expensive, and it would have taken me a couple years to get some cash together, but yes, I had planned on—I had no idea what I was going to do. But yes. Interviewer: Okay. Now, in the meantime, did you figure that sooner or later you were going to get drafted? (00:02:23) Veteran: There was that possibility. I knew that I had some choices. I decided to stay and if it happened, it happened. Interviewer: Alright. So, when did you wind up entering the service? Veteran: I went in…I believe it was in April of ’68. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Now, once you go in—now, where do they send you for basic training? �3 Veteran: I was in basic training at Fort Knox. And then AIT, which is Advanced Individual Training. Interviewer: Alright. Okay. Well, I want to talk a little bit about some of that. I guess, before you go to basic training, one of the things you get is a draft physical. Do you remember taking a physical when you went in, or ahead of time? Veteran: I do, somewhat. Interviewer: Okay. And do you remember, did it seem to be something that was very serious or pretty cursory or…? Veteran: I thought it was pretty cursory. And they didn’t even discover some of the things that I have. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: Pretty obvious things. Interviewer: Alright. So, if you had a, you know, a more alert doctor at home, you might have gotten deferred for some reason or other? Veteran: There would have been a possibility of that. Interviewer: Okay. Now, when you were doing the physical, did you notice anybody trying to game the system or find ways to…? Veteran: There was all kinds of talk when I went down and for that physical. And people were, even on the bus ride, were talking about gaming the system. Interviewer: Do you remember any ideas they had about how they could do that? �4 Veteran: Not right off hand. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. So, you do that but then you go down to Fort Knox, Kentucky for your basic training. Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: What kind of reception do you get when you arrive there? Veteran: I was not used to the…that type of screaming and yelling and hollering and basically bullying. I understand why they maybe thought they had to do it, but… Interviewer: So, it was a shock when you got there? Veteran: Very much so. It was definitely a cultural shock. (00:04:29) Interviewer: Okay. Were you in good physical shape when you went down there? Veteran: I was probably in fairly decent shape. I used to hike and canoe and that type of thing so… Interviewer: Okay. And then, how easy or hard was it for you to kind of adjust to life in bootcamp? Or did you not really? Veteran: I just—I…Yeah, I don’t know that I ever really adjusted to it because…Yeah, I don’t know that I ever adjusted to it. Interviewer: But you did get through it. Veteran: I never treated people that way when I was in the service. So…You know, I always tried to do it with respect. Obviously, there has to be some authority. And I guess I did that quite well, but I never treated people with disrespect. �5 Interviewer: Right. Okay. But did you kind of just go with the flow and do what they told you? Veteran: Yes, I did. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. And how long was the basic training? Veteran: I believe it was 8 weeks. Interviewer: Okay. And then, was that—do you remember anything about the people who were your instructors? Had some of them been to Vietnam by then? Or do you not know? Veteran: I guess I didn’t know at the time. Interviewer: Okay. Now, your—did you notice any of them being not much older than you were? Like some of the junior instructors? Veteran: No, they were pretty much…I mean, I am a teenager still at the time and so none of them were at that point in time. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. So, you go on now. Where do you go for advanced training then? Veteran: I stayed at Fort Knox. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And advanced training was for recon. And for anybody that doesn’t know what recon is, it’s look without being seen, hear without being heard, and run without being caught. So, it’s out there scouting. (00:06:27) Interviewer: Okay. �6 Veteran: So… Interviewer Because Fort Knox is primarily an armor school. Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: Okay. And so…but you weren’t using—you weren’t riding around in tanks or things like that at that point? Veteran: At that point, no. Interviewer: Alright. And the people who were training you to do the recon, were these people who had field experience? Or did you—they not tell you? Veteran: There was no discussion about that. Interviewer: Does any of it seem to have been geared toward Vietnam? Veteran: I am sure it all was. I am sure it all was. I can’t see—in going back, I don’t know about World War 2, but I know about the stuff in recon, and it is applicable in all wars. Interviewer: Okay. Alright, so it’s kind of a core skillset or whatever that you learn that’s helpful. Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: Okay. Now, is that another 8 weeks? Veteran: I believe it was. Interviewer: Okay. And then where do you go next? �7 Veteran: Well, I went from there. I was selected to go to the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Academy. And— Interviewer: And where do they do that? Veteran: That was at Fort Knox also. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And at this point in time, there was more—it was geared more to armored and did a lot with armored vehicles and stuff at that point in time. And I…seems to me—I don’t know for sure—it could have been 12 weeks. There’s some spots in there that are a little blank. Interviewer: Yeah. But that is about right for an NCO academy so that would be consistent with what the infantry people did— Veteran: I think so. Interviewer: --at Fort Benning. Okay. So, what—were you basically—were you working with tanks or armored personnel carriers or both? (00:08:23) Veteran: Both of them. We were working with the Sheridan Tank, also. And they did that also in the AIT, worked with the Sheridan Tank. That was a particular one that had both conventional rounds, and the case actually was burnt up during the firing, so they didn’t have to worry about the case—the metallic cases and how to get rid of them. And it also fired Shillelagh Missiles. So, we—right out of the same tube. Interviewer: Now, did it have an anti-personnel round? I mean, like a beehive round or something like that? Veteran: Yes, they had all types of rounds. �8 Interviewer: Okay. Alright. And the Sheridan was—it had like an aluminum hull or something? It’s a lightweight tank? Or that—you didn’t really use that. Did you not use those yourself in Vietnam? Veteran: No, did not use those ourselves. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Veteran: But they were a composite material, so…In fact, those vehicles, if there was any damage to the vehicle, it had to be re-painted immediately with some special paints so they would know if anybody was playing with the—scraping some scrapings and…So…. They had to be taken care of immediately, any damage. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: Within hours. Interviewer: Doesn’t sound like a great thing to have in a war in the tropics but okay. Alright. But then you also worked with armored personnel carriers… Veteran: Right. [M]113 primarily. And then I did training, instructing for the 114 and the 113. Interviewer: Okay. The 114s are the command version or…? (00:10:17) Veteran: It’s the lower version, the super low profile one. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: Both vehicles were supposed to be amphibious. Didn’t work real well so it was a court martial offense to try that stuff. They had a board that came out in the front and that was �9 supposed to be the splashboard to keep the water from coming up and over the top and inside. But didn’t work real well. Interviewer: Alright. Now, you are doing that. Now, you’re getting kind of down toward the end of 1968 at this point. Veteran: Right. Interviewer: By the time that you finish all of that, do you get a leave to go home for the holidays and then off to Vietnam? Or what do they do with you? Veteran: Yeah. There was a leave to go home. And then sent over. Interviewer: Okay. Now, what was it like to go home at that point? You have been training, you are gearing up for Vietnam. And you’ve been paying some attention—I mean, the war has been going on, it’s been pretty ugly and so forth. So, what was that like for you to be back home and knowing you were heading to Vietnam next? Veteran: I can actually remember knowing that I had to project confidence for the family members back home. Interviewer: Now, had your father been in World War 2 or are you the wrong generation for that? Veteran: No. No, he was not. He was actually at this factory that was doing the tank engines. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: And he was a key person there. So, he was not drafted. �10 Interviewer: Okay. So, how did your parents feel about your being in the service and going to Vietnam? (00:12:11) Veteran: Completely freaked. You know, both parents very, very gentle; very, verv loving souls. But just would be designed, you know…Anybody would have to describe them, it would be very gentle and a really beautiful human being. Humanity. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. So now, what’s the process to get you to Vietnam? Your leave is up, now what do you do? Veteran: Went to California. Was there for a short period of time and then hopped on a big plane and flew to Alaska. We overnighted in Alaska and flew the next day. It is interesting because I just was looking for some things and I found a card that I wrote to my mom and dad during that flight. And there’s my appreciation for them, so incredibly deep, because they raised me right. And so, I found it yesterday. Interviewer: Wow. Alright. And now, did you go land some place else before you got to Vietnam? Did you go to Japan or…? Veteran: No, just straight—no, directly to Vietnam. Interviewer: Okay. Do you remember where you landed in Vietnam? Was it near Saigon? Veteran: Tan Son Nhut. Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Tan Son Nhut Airport, Saigon. Okay. And at this point, did you know what unit you were joining? Veteran: No idea. Interviewer: Okay. �11 Veteran: They put you in a group and they just start—it’s like indoctrination into the country to get you used to some, you know, temperatures and just a whole bunch of stuff. And then it was just a few days later, it was probably 5 or 6 days later, and then they said, “Poof! You are going to D Troop, 17th Cav. You are going to be assistant platoon sergeant. And oh, by the way, there is some—” Interviewer: Well, before we get there, I just wanted to fill in a couple other details. (00:14:46) Veteran: Oh, okay. Interviewer: Because this was a good piece of the story that we have coming. Veteran: Sure. Interviewer: Okay. What was your first impression of Vietnam when you landed? Veteran: Extremely hot. Extremely dusty. It was not the monsoon season yet. And it was extremely dusty. And a lot of activity. A lot of high fractured energy. It was just on the edge. Interviewer: Okay. Now, you land at Tan Son Nhut. Now, did they move you to one of the other bases in the area for your orientation? Veteran: No. Well— Interviewer: Or do you think you just stayed right— Veteran: Well, no, it was the…Yes, it had to have been. I don’t remember. Interviewer: Because there’s large bases at Long Binh and Bien Hoa. And— Veteran: I had been to both of them. �12 Interviewer: Okay. And then there are also some divisional bases that weren’t too far away. Veteran: I was at Long Binh... Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: …and Bien Hoa, both. Interviewer: Alright. Now, and then I guess as you are kind of—do you remember anything about kind of going back and forth between them? Or what the place looked like, generally? Veteran: No, it is just a lot of sandbags, a lot of bunkers. When you see those perimeters and you see the barbed wire, and you see nothing outside the barbed wire. There is not a blade of grass growing and it’s quite a large depth to the perimeters. You see a lot of people running around. You see a lot of activities in and out. (00:16:38) Interviewer: Okay, so it’s still kind of a blur in some ways. A lot of that going on. Veteran: Oh yes. Interviewer: Alright. So, you get—you’re assigned, okay, D Troop, 17th Cavalry. And what kind of unit was that? Veteran: That was an A cav vehicle—armored cav vehicle. So, unusual. There’s a lot of…lot of times, the recon is with a grunt outfit. This particular one was our vehicle of choice, was an armored cav vehicle, was a 113 vehicle. And crew of 5. And I was in the cupola. I was the commander of the vehicle. And crew of 5. �13 Interviewer: Okay. You said—now, they gave you an assignment and then they gave you some specific instructions. Veteran: Yeah. Specific instructions were there is some behavior that needs to be modified. These guys are outside the box, and they parade body parts around on the vehicles and parade body parts out the firebases that they go to. And if there is fire fights, they decorate the facilities or the vehicles with body parts. I found it horrifying. I still do. Interviewer: So, what did you do when you joined the unit? (00:18:15) Veteran: Well, I said—you know, I went there. I said, “Guys, I am it and I have been assigned to this particular unit with specific instructions. Don’t kill the messenger. This behavior is going to stop. And this is what I have been assigned to so don’t kill the messenger.” Interviewer: Okay. Now, when you joined the unit, do you report to a company area on a base first and then get assigned by somebody? Or how did that work? Veteran: It was for a short period of time. And I met the platoon leader. And like I said, it was a very small unit. And… Interviewer: About how many men in the platoon? Veteran: There was 39 guys in this unit. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And… Interviewer: And how many vehicles did they have normally? �14 Veteran: We had about 6. There were probably 8 vehicles there, but we had 6 that were probably running so that would be, you know, 30 guys. Interviewer: Yeah. So, 5 to a vehicle. Veteran: Yeah, 30 guys. You know, and there’s some other people, support and platoon leader, got the motor pool. Interviewer: Got mechanics or whatever. Veteran: Yeah, whatever. You know that type of thing. But we had generally about 6 vehicles. Interviewer: Alright. Now, what area were you operating in? Veteran: Well, we were assigned to—the D Troop, 17th Cav—was assigned to the 199th light separate brigade, which their mission was reactionary force. Where stuff was happening, got dumped in. Interviewer: Okay. (00:20:12) Veteran: And we were assigned to them. Interviewer: Alright. And what—were they operating in the III Corps area around Saigon or were they…? Veteran: Around Saigon, III, just wherever it happened. Wherever it happened. I did get to see, going through Saigon—so, traveling in and out back to the—back to our base back there. So, I got to go through Saigon on a number of occasions, which was really interesting. It’s like steroid or New York on—New York or Chicago—on steroids. And they would have all these little motorbikes running through. And they would have—the most we ever saw were 5 human beings clinging on a moped, going through traffic, in and out of traffic. It was just insane. And the �15 vendors, the food vendors, sometimes they had newspaper underneath their food. Other times it was just laid on the blacktop. And the stench of going through there with this food and…It was completely intense. The one thing I tried to do—I like to make light at times—there was a Shell gas station, and I had a Shell credit card. I tried to make a purchase so that I could have the receipt, but they declined it, for me to make the purchase. But that was one of the fun things in there. Interviewer: Because normally, the military personnel wouldn’t go into Saigon proper. But you would have orders at certain points to drive through it? Veteran: We had to go through, yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: So, we were just going through. Interviewer: Alright. Now, did your—did the 199th have a base camp in a particular place? I mean, were they at Long Binh or one of the bases? Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: Yes. Correct. (00:22:14) Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And it was there and then we would go out and we would go out to these firebases. The firebases loved to have us come in. They would have a horseshoe shaped impound for us to fit in and that was made out of multiple layers of sandbag. And we’d come right up to the top level of the deck so that the guns were just above it. The reason they loved to have us come out and they �16 would cater to us is the fire support. You know, the M-50 and the two M-60s and grenade launcher. And they loved that. Interviewer: Okay. And so, if they had that extra fire power, were they less likely to get hit if…at least not— Veteran: Yeah. I was, you know…But again, the reason that the sandbags were there is because we were bullet magnets, and RPGs. Interviewer: Yeah. Because an RPG could go right through an M-113. Veteran: Yeah. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: Had one one time at a firebase. And a small skirmish started and the—it was probably…I am in the queue below and ducked down but it was probably about 5 feet over the top of my head. The thing—and in situations like that, there is so much energy. There is—I mean, when that stuff starts happening, that sense of humor pops out of the dumbest things. And I just remember, you know, just screaming to the guys. I said, “You see that one? It said made in Japan stamped on it!” You know? And everybody completely cracks up, which you are still in a firefight. And it’s just…that kind of thing, I mean, that’s what that stress…that’s the only way it can come out, at just dumb things. (00:24:15) Interviewer: Now, when you went out to firebases, you’ve got armored personnel carriers. So, you are driving to these, right? Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: Yeah, you are not going around in helicopters. �17 Veteran: No. Interviewer: Or anything else like that. Okay. How common was it for the roads to have mines or IEDs or things like that in them? Veteran: We were on the main highways. Much of the time, except when we would get out to these outlying areas, and they were there. You know, we had the one vehicle that got hit, you know. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. And then typically, what—if you are given—would you have patrols or actions that would just last a day or so? Or would you be out in the field with a group for an extended period of time? Veteran: We could be out in the field an extended period of time. We would be a day activity. Sometimes it was night ambushes, sometimes it was day setups. And when we are out there then, we were doing recon out of those places, so we weren’t just parked. We weren’t just parked someplace. We are out, we are doing recon. Interviewer: Okay. Now when you are doing the recon, are you doing that on foot the way you were trained to do it or are you going recon with the vehicles? Veteran: You’d go out to someplace and maybe it gets parked and maybe there is 4 vehicles and maybe 1 vehicle dismounts. Maybe 2 vehicles dismount. The other is there, and they are close enough that they can get to you within a few minutes to give you support. So, it just…whatever was presented to us. Interviewer: Alright. So, if you are out there and you are actually sort of doing recon, then how does that work? Physically, what are you doing? (00:26:03) �18 Veteran: You are out there to see what type of activity. You are out there…you are out there, and the recon may be, again, maybe it’s an ambush. Maybe you have got ambush set up. Day or night. And activities on trails. We are going out to see what type of…We had—you know, we have been out trying to get through triple canopy. Triple canopy is just unbelievable. It’s impenetrable, basically. So, they would send us out to see if we can bust through in certain spots and... But you are looking for activities. You are looking for…and you are looking for fortifications, you are looking for tunnels, you are looking for any type of activity. Interviewer: Okay. Were you operating in areas that had a lot of tunnels under them? Or did certain sectors? Veteran: Yeah, you don’t know. Because until you found them. But yes, there was, and we found a number of them. And yeah. Interviewer: And when you find them, were they usually unoccupied? Or…? Veteran: Unknown. But you just start, and you stay there. You maybe mark it and maybe they bring out some troops and maybe they start bringing tunnel rats in. Maybe they just say, “Have fun.” You know? So, you are using C-4 and just devastating sections of them. Interviewer: Okay. So, your unit didn’t have tunnel rats with them. You didn’t have guys who went in? Veteran: The 199th did but ours didn’t. Interviewer: Right. Okay. So, your job was just to go out and find what was out there? Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: And then it becomes somebody else’s problem. �19 Veteran: And yeah, sometimes we dealt with it and sometimes we didn’t. Interviewer: Okay. And how common was it to actually get into a fire fight or run into the enemy when you are out on one of these patrols? (00:28:16) Veteran: It’s…It depends on the area, depends on what we were doing. If we’re running roads, there would be a little bit of skirmish periodically. You just never knew. It wasn’t 100% of the time, but you didn’t know. I mean… Interviewer: Okay. Now, were you operating in areas that had a civilian population in them? Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: Alright. And what kind of impression did you have of the Vietnamese civilians? Veteran: I always—you know, and I did not have any problems with them. But I knew that when you get into villages, that there is sometimes sleepers that are in these villages. I always tried to treat with respect. And it was very hard for me to watch when some of the infantry guys would go out and interrogate and how these people were treated. It was very difficult for me to watch. I kept quiet. We would discuss things afterwards. But it was heart wrenching for me. Interviewer: Now, would the infantry— Veteran: Inner pain. Interviewer: Yeah. And would these guys have Vietnamese interpreters with them or— Veteran: Yes. Absolutely. �20 Interviewer: Alright. Now, they were—when things were kind of quieter or calmer and so forth, would the civilians be trying to sell things to you or that kind…? Veteran: Yeah, a lot of times the places that we were at, we were parked right next to—some of these civilians would even be inside a firebase. So, I spoke very, very, very little Vietnamese. I still remember some of it. And but I spoke very little of it. It was difficult. I knew the ones that spoke English. And we would have communications, we would have discussions. (00:30:36) Interviewer: Okay. Because there were reports that certainly—particularly in the armored cavalry units like this and so forth, you are driving along, people would come up and they try to sell you things or you would encounter prostitutes or things like that. Veteran: One of the things that surprised me was a young man came up, probably 10 or 11, something like that. And just, you know, he had a pillowcase and he said, “GI want to buy? GI want to buy pot?” You know? And I was like, “No thank you.” But it was—I used this young man later because I really, really like coconut. And they eat their coconut completely different. It’s green and they cut it open and it’s still—it’s like liquified jello inside. It’s not coconut that I am used to. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: And I—that…My tastes, my textures? That just didn’t fit at all. I said, “Number 10. Number 10.” They rate everything; number 1 or number 10. He said, “Number 10, number 10.” So, I said, “Go get me some…” You know? And we tried this multiple, multiple times. One day when I was out, I actually found a piece of the brown coconut shell with the hair still attached to it. I stuck it in my pocket, and I get back. Next time he is there, I said, “Go buy me coconut. Number 1.” He goes, “Number 10. Number—” I said, “No, number 1. Number 1.” He said, �21 “Number 10.” I said, “Go get me some number 10 coconut.” And he came back with a pillowcase of coconut. So, at that point in time it was great. But they did sell things. They also enjoyed—we would toss them stuff. But the tropical bars? They hated them. And many times, they would throw them back at the vehicle when we were driving. Interviewer: Can you explain what a tropical bar was? (00:32:41) Veteran: A tropical bar was a treat, but it was just this horrid conglomeration that was just…And it was the tropical bar because you could have it in 120-degree temperature and it wouldn’t melt. Interviewer: Okay. Was it some kind of chocolate? Veteran: Yeah, there was—I think so. But it was just horrid. I mean, I don’t know anybody that ever enjoyed a tropical bar. Interviewer: Alright. Now, would you carry stuff along in your vehicle, sort of food of your own choice, or just a lot of C-rations? Or…? Veteran: C-rations. And my coconut. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: And one day we had one where we were out—actually, cutting trail—and there was a banana tree. And we were in a fairly secure situation, had other vehicles, and I just said, “You know, hold up. We are going to…” So, I went over. We pulled up underneath this thing and there was a large bunch of bananas that was probably I am guessing about four and a half to five feet tall. Just this huge, gorgeous bunch of bananas. Pulled up underneath and I grabbed the machete, and I am whacking away at this thing and it just fell. It dropped on the deck. I was still supporting it, trying not to smash anything. The whole thing was loaded with a fire ant nest. �22 Interviewer: Oh… Veteran: So, the guys weren’t real happy with me. Everybody is swatting and I was just completely stung up and it was like, “No. No more bananas.” Interviewer: Alright. Okay, so you mentioned being at the camp sometimes and they might get attacked. Would the attacks be mortar attacks or— (00:34:33) Veteran: Mortar attacks. Start with mortar attacks, yeah. Mostly mortar attacks. Just with that kind of firepower that we had sitting here, they were not about to start coming in through that empty… Interviewer: Yeah. Or they might take a few RPG shots and then go away? Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: You know, it was difficult because in the one situation, the fire—I think it was Firebase Sue that we were at—there was some hooches with families living in them right outside. And it was right in my fire lane, you know, so I had to be very, very, very careful. But you never knew. And everybody is just like just don’t worry about it, just mow it down, but you never knew if they were informants or part of it or anything like that. So, nobody was coming over the wire, so I didn’t have to worry about it. But you always felt like—and in one situation, I just remember hearing people crying. Just sobbing intensely. You know, across this little bit of open area. You know, just because they were so terrified because it was not in a fire lane so…You know, it wasn’t that anybody was hit but just the terrified people. So… Interviewer: Alright. �23 Veteran: That stuff was so hard to deal with. Just…You know… Interviewer: Now, did you have any kind of orders or instructions about how you were supposed to treat or deal with the civilians, or did you just make stuff up? (00:36:24) Veteran: There were…There were situations. There was one…we had been out, and we had been running some trails and stuff, some roads, and I spotted some area that had fortification in it. It was basically a small bunker, and it was right on the edge of a waterway. And we had sampans going up and down in that all the time. And when we were approaching it that one day, a sampan took off. And it just like started scooting. We couldn’t even begin to catch up to it because we were in some real thick stuff. So, I just made a report. And the next day, they said, “Okay, go out there and check it out. If it’s fortification, it’s yours. Go play.” And so, when out and going out there. But on the way back that day, we ended up with a blown head gasket on our vehicle. So, I just said, “Okay, we are deadlined.” Told the guys, I said, “Put in an extra couple 5 gallons of water in just in case we have to move it,” because it was leaking. And I said—and I selected another vehicle and another crew— “You guys go out there.” Gave them the locations. And they went out. They were out there probably about three and a half, four clicks out. Something like that. And all of a sudden, you just got his—you know? They got hit in an ambush and just as you are approaching that area, it was through a small village. There’s probably 5 or 6 huts just along the edge of the road. And they got hit. So, I just said, “Light it up. Head gasket or not.” We went out there and I got out there right away. (00:38:34) Veteran: And I called in, I secured the area. And then I called in medevac. We had a couple guys that were injured. None of our guys but they always would send out 8, 9, 10, whatever they could load on top of the 8 cav, infantry guys to go out. So, they are out there. We have got it secured. Medevac is coming in, and the platoon leader came out. And he just said, “We are going to teach �24 these pricks a lesson.” He said, “Shoot anything that moves. I don’t care what it is. Anything that moves, shoot it.” And I am like wow. I am not used to this. Never happened in my family back home. Never happened in my circle. So, lo and behold, probably 15 minutes later, Papasan, who I thought was really old, me being a teenager at the time. He was probably in his late 30s, maybe even 40s, but I am thinking he’s ancient. Came out and walked over to the well—just a few short feet over to the well—and grabbed the bucket sitting there and poured some into a pot that he had and went back in the hooch. I didn’t fire. At this point in time, I was up for court-martial. And I just remembered the thing that came out of me at the time was do whatever you need to do, because I can live with myself. And so, fortunately, this had happened just shortly before my exiting the country. Interviewer: Okay. (00:40:42) Veteran: So, things never progressed to that point. And said, “I don’t care.” Interviewer: Now in general, was this the same platoon leader that you had started with? Or had he— Veteran: Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: Same one. Interviewer: And did you—what kind of impression did you have of him, generally? Veteran: Lieutenant Kim…nobody ever gave him any grief because Lieutenant Kim was actually a sumo wrestler. Interviewer: Okay… �25 Veteran: Okay. I mean, his neck came right straight. He physically was a sumo wrestler and did that. And so, nobody ever gave him any grief. Nobody ever gave him any back talk. So, yeah, it was like oh, this ought to go over well. But the situation was is that it did resolve itself but—and it never really came back up again until on—just a few years ago. And I am talking time frame. I can’t tell you… Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran…Three years, maybe? I was at Battle Creek at the VA. And they were evaluating to see where I was at. And this was the psychiatrist, who was actually an officer. And asked me, he said “I know that you apparently didn’t have a lot of good things to say about your time in the Army.” And I said, “I did not.” He said, “Wasn’t there one single incident that maybe brought you a little bit of happiness?” And it didn’t take me more than a couple seconds to say, “You know, actually there was.” And I reiterated that story to him. (00:42:35) Veteran: And then he said, “Well, I understand that you think that you did something really good. In your heart, you believe that you did something that was great.” I said, “Actually, yes. I will agree with that 100%.” He said, “I have to tell you I disagree.” He said, “You taught your guys that they could disobey a direct order. You taught them that.” And I said, “I didn’t think it was illegal.” He said, “You taught them that.” And I had a large discussion with him. And I reiterated some of the things. And I said that “I even watched when Lieutenant Calley—the My Lai Incident—I actually stayed home and watched that when it was on CNN. We know what happened to him. I know I did something right.” And he said, “No.” He said, “I will give you this,” he said, “it was an unjust war but,” he said, “you know the reason it was an unjust war?” He said, “Because not enough people prayed about it. If more people in the United States had �26 prayed about it, then they would have gotten God’s attention and He would have heard them and then He would have made it a just war.” He said, “I will give you that.” Interviewer: The VA knows how to pick them. (00:44:10) Veteran: I am just like…my mind is completely destroyed. It just was…I…My thought process…He said a couple other things during that interview. He said one thing that—and he didn’t mean it the way it came out. I am not a violent person. I was on my feet. He was about twice the distance from me to you. He was around the other—a quarter of the way around the other side of the desk. And I was on my feet and it just like, at that point in time, my brain was gone. But—and I didn’t—I stopped because he just said, “What I meant was—” and I stopped, and I apologized. But it just—that was so much beyond my experience in this world. My experience that each and every breath is such a gift. I don’t get to—I don’t know if there is even one more. They may come in pairs, they may not. I don’t know, I have lost track. But that those breaths are so completely important and that I get to experience the Creator while those are happening, that was so completely above and beyond, I can’t even crack what his experience was. Interviewer: Yeah…And really doesn’t sound like he is following his own job description very well. I can’t think that he is. Veteran: I never knew, because I have asked a couple people, you know, are they supposed to tell me I am—did something wrong? I don’t know. Or are they just supposed to ask me questions? I don’t know. �27 Interviewer: They are just supposed to get information and evaluate you. Yeah. That’s pretty bizarre. But yeah, in the meantime, now you have refused to commit a war crime. And by and large, that’s really—soldiers do have that option. (00:46:18) Veteran: I thought so. And I still do. Interviewer: Okay. Now, before we get to sort of the big incident that sort of ends your stay in Vietnam, are there other memories or impressions that you’ve got from your time there that you haven’t brought into the story yet? Veteran: The country was very beautiful. I loved it. You know, I saw the people. I was very reluctant to engage with people, I think, until they engaged with me. I would throw a little dog bone out and if they came back with something, you know, and a couple times? Then I would engage with them. But I didn’t really know because somethings that had happened, somethings that maybe they had experienced with other soldiers, I didn’t want to try and force it. But so, I always wanted to talk to people but very reluctant to. And one thing that—when you say interest—the thing—the country was very beautiful. The scenery was very beautiful. I am an outdoor person. I am an avid outdoor person. And that was gorgeous. I would like to go back at some point in time. And the other thing that—the first thing that struck me when you said it was lightning. I mean, we get crack! Boom! The lightning in Vietnam is a ball of fire that goes across the sky, and it splits like an atom. It doesn’t come down and hit the ground. It splits like an atom, and you get these fire balls ricocheting across. So, that was absolutely phenomenal. I mean, that one, you know, I think of is—that was outrageous. But the country was gorgeous. Interviewer: Okay. Now, there are lots of stereotypes that people toss around about Vietnam and what went on there and so forth. One of them has to do with drug use. I �28 mean, did you observe any of that? I mean, you had said how the guy was trying to sell you pot at one point. Was there much of that going on? Did it create any actual problems for the unit or was it just— (00:48:33) Veteran: There was—I don’t know about the 199th. There was some in my unit. And I was just like, “Guys…” you know? “No. I mean, our life depends on this thing.” I am totally convinced that 3 o’clock in the morning—I didn’t smell it but totally convinced that they walked out to the perimeter someplace. They could have and I wouldn’t know about it if I didn’t see them for 5 hours or something like that. So, not—and I never saw it used in the field. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: But it was used back at the bases and stuff like that. Interviewer: Okay. And what was the ethnic mix of the troop you were in? Veteran: Golly, we had everything. We had all types. We had some Asian people and we had Hispanic people and we had some blacks and we had…Trying to remember…But just—it was a good mix. It was, it—my particular crew was Caucasian, with three hippies. But so, no. I just had a really—just a—my crew was very responsive, and I knew I could trust them. Interviewer: In general, the guys in the company got along with each other? (00:50:17) Veteran: Yes, they did. I don’t ever remember…There was one night, we went back for stand down. And I remember this was a—these guys were partying. And three of the guys in D troop jumped the company commander back in the barracks. And there was quite a ruckus and I remember one of the guys running for help. And he hit—the powerlines on these things were maybe 7 feet off the ground, maybe. It was just a forked pole like somebody would put under �29 their mother’s clothesline, holding these pine lights. And he hit one of those poles and the wire started going and knocked out the power in half of this whole complete base. And so, these guys jumped the commander. And the same—just before that, guys—our unit—had this reputation for being a really rogue unit. And they closed down the place for these guys to go and have entertainment and drink. When we were coming in, two of the A cavs went down, surrounded the place, not crossfire, but they surrounded it and said, “You have 15 minutes to get this open or we will open it.” And the general did not appreciate that when he heard about it. So, he decreed that we would never come in for stand down again. And we were actually sent out the next day to herd some rogue elephants. Interviewer: Okay… Veteran: We didn’t find them, but we were sent out there. And they actually do have elephants running around. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: But it was just like this was a rogue unit. Interviewer: Okay, jumping the captain—were they just drunk and silly or did they not like the captain? Or…? (00:52:27) Veteran: We never spent that much time around him, so I don’t know. I don’t know that situation. Interviewer: And it wasn’t your guys who were doing that part? Veteran: No. No, it was not. �30 Interviewer: Okay. Because there are—you have occasionally incidents where they do attack officers or frag them or that kind of thing. Veteran: Absolutely. It was a situation. I didn’t have really any problems with it. The first sergeant was an ornery, ornery, ornery guy. And at one point in time, he just said, “Stark!” So, I went over there, and he said, “I don’t like your mustache.” He said, “On some people it looks good.” And I actually had a trim mustache. I mean, before I went in the service, I had a handlebar mustache that I could put behind my ears. But so, I said, you know, I said, “You know Sarge, I keep it trimmed.” He goes, “I know.” He says, “That—there’s guys here that have mustaches. On you, it just—personally, I don’t think it looks very good, so I think you should shave it.” I said, “Sarge, I am not going to do it. I am just not going to do it.” He said, “Really?” I said, “Yeah.” He said, “You’re going to tell me you’re not?” I said, “Yeah.” So, then he just came out with a couple things and suggested that he could talk me into doing it, and I just said, “You know, Sarge,” I said, “Vietnam is a heck of a place to try and threaten a guy.” I just walked away. It wasn’t me…Apparently, well…I took offense at it, but it wasn’t me. Apparently that night, I understand, that somebody left the pin in a grenade and lobbed it into his bunker. And I am sure he thought it was me, but it wasn’t. Guarantee it. But he never talked to me that way again, but I just—it was like I am glad that it wasn’t something different. But… Interviewer: Right. Consider that a part of the climate. Veteran: Yeah. (00:54:37) Interviewer: Now, did—as you are—you did a stand down, which is just you go out of the field for a while, and you are—you can drink, and you don’t have to be on guard duty for a little while. �31 Veteran: Three or four days. Interviewer: Yeah. That kind of thing. Did you ever get an R and R, or did you leave the country too soon for that? Veteran: I left the country too soon. Interviewer: Alright. Alright, now…So, how does your tour come to an end? Veteran: Well, on the 23rd of June in ’69, which has always been a very infamous day. I will have to tell you about this. Grabbing a runway motorcycle that was going to run down my niece and nephew. My sister decided she wanted to try my motorcycle. And so, I grabbed that, got a broken arm. A car accident riding with a friend of mine. And he pulled out and a truck nit the front of his Mustang, tore the front of the Mustang off. Several different things that occurred, always on the 23rd. My family would always say—not my mom and dad but my sisters and brother-in-laws and the rest of—would say, “Well, we won’t see you tomorrow, but we will see you on your birthday.” My birthday is on the 24th. So, we won’t see you tomorrow, but we will see you on your birthday. They wouldn’t even come around. So, 23rd of June…But it was like, you know, on the 22nd that night and we get to this place. And we went up to—we were going up to support the Big Red One Division. (00:56:14) Veteran: And so, spent the night in the barracks at a base up there. And we were at Xuan Loc. And so, we are there. And I just got this feeling. And I wrote this letter to my mom and dad. You guys have been great, love you a whole bunches, thank you for what you have given me, what you have shown me. If nothing happens, it’s okay. Just keep it. The next day, 23rd, and it wasn’t something where I was aware of the 23rd and this always happens, so I am overly cautious, I caused something to happen. We are out there, and we had found a bunch of—I had spotted �32 some tunnels. I had this ability, and I would—and I spotted these air vents. So, I called it in, said, “What do you want to do?” And they said, “Have fun. We are not sending anybody out right now.” So, they said, “Have fun.” So, we played. And this happened and then probably we received a little bit of fire. Probably 20 minutes later. Just a few rounds. It did actually shoot the antenna off that was sitting next to—when we are riding in those things, the driver is inside. I have got a board. I am behind an armored guard, with a 50 there, but I am out of the vehicle. My feet—I have a board across the top of this thing. I am sitting on this thing. I put a tractor seat on it, so I had a spring and everything. Sitting on top of that. And the guys—my grenadier is riding on the hatch alongside of me and my two guys are up in the back. (00:58:24) Veteran: Everybody just slides in when this thing happens. And so, the antenna got shot off. So, we stopped for a few minutes, and I repaired the antenna. I am a ham radio right now, ham radio operator. I would have to actually look up the formula for remembering how to cut match a length of wire because it is busted. It is completely—so, I wired this thing together, I stripped the wire off a light inside the vehicle, cut and matched it, taped it on and put a splint on it just like you do for a broken hand or something like that. And it wasn’t until I saw the pictures of the devastation that I remembered that happening. I mean, Rick was right there, and the round was shot off. And it shot it off—he was within probably 12-13 inches of where that thing got shot off. So, now we are riding along, back on the road again. We got radio communications; we can talk with everybody. And we got hit and ambushed. The ambush was triggered. They went back afterwards and pieced it together. They needed to know what they were using to do this devastation. What they found out was frags from—it was one of our aerial 500 pounders that was obviously a dud. It didn’t land, it didn’t go off when it—or detonate—when it went off or landed. Interviewer: Yeah. �33 Veteran: It lifted that thirteen and a half ton vehicle up in the air eight and a half feet, according to the crews behind us, spun it around 180, blew it backwards and deposited it 40 feet away from where that thing went off. It ripped the bottom out of it. It stayed upright. It didn’t tumble because it hit right underneath. (01:00:32) Interviewer: Now, were the men inside the vehicle at that time or were they on top of it? Veteran: I don’t know for sure. I am guessing they were probably on top of it, except for the driver. That whole floor just came completely out of that thing. There is pictures of it that are just—it’s phenomenal. And one of the pictures was taken through the back hatch. You’ll see a long piece of metal that looks like a U channel. That’s actually the floor that was over the left tread. And the bogie wheel used to ride inside of it. So, I was in the queue below. I was the cork in the bottle. When that pressure blew up and the whole thing—I got launched 45 yards. I don’t remember it. I apparently stood up out there during the firefight. I don’t remember it. It wasn’t me because I don’t do things like that. And this really wasn’t me because I apparently stood up for the second time during the firefight. And don’t remember it. My driver crawled out there, because he yelled at the crew behind. He said, “Where’s Chuck? Where’s Chuck?” and he said, “They told me the general direction in which you exited the vicinity.” And when you see the pictures, the grass is probably 5 feet tall. And I am out there someplace. And when you look at it with looping, you can actually see the trail that they went out and brought me back. So, they brought me back. And another picture is when they are bringing me back and they are just carrying me back and setting me down. I am behind part of the vehicle so you can see my upper torso and head. And my wife, my lovely lady of all these years now—we were married in ’71. (01:02:33) �34 Veteran: She looked at that picture and she said, “Just like you: always have to be the center of attention.” So, thanks, love. But my left gunner was blown off: a 45-degree angle backwards. That vehicle went up, went over the top of him and came down and the back half of the vehicle hit his leg and broke his leg. It was soft and swampy and everything like that so it just pile drove it in. And then when the treads started hitting, the rest of it—or any of the bottom of it—just started hitting it. So, it didn’t cut his leg off or anything. He had a broken leg. But to have thirteen and a half tons of vehicle come over the top of you, literally over the top of you, and land and break your leg. Interviewer: Okay. Now, were the—any of the other guys hurt too? Veteran: My left gunner was. Had that busted leg. My right gunner had a little bit of a crease. And my driver was inside, Rick was on the hatch alongside of me. Rick flew forward. Driver— the whole floor came out and pushed him up in one piece. And so, it protected him. And they collided in mid-air about eight feet up and then kept each other together. And right gunner went off the right side so my left gunner got the broken leg and that was it. Interviewer: Okay. Now what kind of injuries did you have? (01:04:04) Veteran: Well…First of all, landing headfirst, my helmet was crushed. My—I had TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury. I do well. I do well. I had torn diaphragm so I couldn’t breathe real well. Busted left arm. And I had propelled shots, left arm and left side. That’s apparently from standing up. Scorched my left side. Actually, went in the flak jacket, came out the flak jacket and so it slowed it down enough that it went into my elbow. It hit the bone and tore up some bone and stuff like that. The lead was still inside. So, going through probably this much length of flak jacket instead of just through it, it saved it, my left arm. So… �35 Interviewer: So, you are in pretty bad shape at that point, once the initial shock wears off. Veteran: I don’t remember any of it. I don’t remember any of it. In fact, when I found my driver, we talked the very first time afterwards. And he said, “What do you remember?” And I said, “Nothing.” And he said, “You kept asking me what happened,” and he said, “I would tell you.” And he said that he actually thought that I was going to move my—lose my left eye. It was completely blood, and it was sort of moved in a real weird angle. But he said, “You kept asking and I kept telling you.” He said, “Couldn’t be more than 15-20 seconds later, you were asking what happened.” I didn’t remember it. I didn’t remember anything until the—being thrown into a chopper. And they had been at a previous firefight. And I was just loaded in on top. (01:06:24) Veteran: So, that was—that one I choose not to remember. And but I got to the hospital, and I remember getting there. And this was the time of Ben Casey, where you see—you are laying on a core—and the gurney hits the doors, the doors open up and all you see is the hospital from the ceiling view. I don’t remember anything until late that night. And it was hours, hours, hours later. And it was at nighttime, and I kept asking what happened there, what happened to Rose, because I knew he had that broken leg. They loaded him in at the same time. So, I kept asking and they couldn’t tell me. They couldn’t tell me. So, I went looking for him. I just got up and went looking for him. And it’s all the Quonsets like you see on MASH. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: All these adjoined. I am walking through all of these things and just looking for him. And I finally saw him in a bed, and I woke him up. And he was okay. He had a broken leg. And I was talking to him and all of a sudden, panic broke out in this hospital. They are hollering and screaming, they are yelling. And this is, you know, it’s just like I had no idea what was going on. �36 And this goes on, it goes on, it goes on. Finally, somebody realized I was the one they were looking for. I apparently pulled my IVs, my breathing, and was walking around. And they were screaming at me. They are just furious. And all of a sudden, it was just like they have sort of realized then that yeah, maybe it wasn’t all my fault. But I think it was funny at the time. And I still think it is funny. I didn’t mean to freak them out but just that that happened. So, yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Alright, so how long do you think— (01:08:24) Veteran: Knee; torn knee. Interviewer: Yep. Veteran: So… Interviewer: So, how long are you in the hospital in Vietnam? Veteran: That time frame I don’t know. I can’t— Interviewer: You’d guess days as opposed to weeks? Veteran: Oh no, it’s probably weeks. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And then I was medevaced out. The reason they couldn’t let me go before was I still had a torn diaphragm. They did nothing to—they never did anything to fix it. But they couldn’t—I couldn’t breathe real well so when you are in an aircraft at altitude…So, I stayed there enough that they could—they figured I could handle the short hop to Japan. So, they did a short hop to Japan. And then I was there for—in Japan—for a while. And I was there through a good part of July probably. �37 Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: I don’t know for sure. And then I could—at that point in time, I took the big hop back, which was horrendous. I was on a stretcher, and you are stacked up in these ships. Literally, you are this high. I couldn’t turn over because my shoulders were too broad. I couldn’t even get on my side. So, from Vietnam all the way back to Indiana, Illinois, maybe it was—I was probably in Illinois. Interviewer: Did you go to Great Lakes Hospital eventually? (01:10:11) Veteran: Yeah. Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: Then they took a short hop to Great Lakes. But they did this thing, and I am laying—it is probably 27 hours. Interviewer: Wow. Veteran: Laying, and you can’t do anything. You can’t turn, you can’t…That was—and then being just still in a lot of discomfort. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: That was horrendous. Interviewer: Did they have people tending you at all? Veteran: No. Interviewer: Or just—you are just stuck on there and— �38 Veteran: You are there. You are there. I don’t remember seeing a single person during that flight. Yeah, you are just strapped in. I couldn’t turn; I am strapped in. Interviewer: Wow. Veteran: So, that was not fun. Interviewer: After your original incident in the Vietnam hospital when you got up out of bed, did they strap you down there or did they just tell you don’t do that again? Or…? Veteran: Yeah, they were—they did not—they never tethered me down. And I think probably because at that point in time I was probably somewhat lucid. Probably mostly lucid. But yeah, they did not. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Now, when you get back then and you are at Great Lakes, now were you confined to a bed, or can you get up and move around or…? Veteran: No, I can get up and move around. I am still having difficulties. I have major back injuries from that. I have retrolisthesis where the—if you think about the spine lining up like this, but then if you go like this and it doesn’t line up, which is retrolisthesis, now that spot in between where the cord runs is starting to pinch. So, I have neuropathy of both feet, lower extremities, and hip and stuff like that. So, yeah, it…I am there. I am actually able to walk around. I asked, “How did I get to Great Lakes Naval Hospital?” When I was at Japan, they put me in a bed there and I looked down and looked at this guy and it looks like a chief warrant officer that I knew. And he’s got the blanket sort of pulled up and he, you know, at some point in time he rolls over. It is him! He wakes up. “Frank!” “Chuck! What are you…”? You know, it’s just like…So, we are talking. He says, “You know where you heading?” I said, “I don’t have a clue.” (01:12:34) �39 Veteran: He said, “Where do you want to go?” and I said, “I’d love to go to Great Lakes Naval Hospital because I have family, I have cousins, that live about 16 miles away.” I said, “That would be so cool.” I ended up with orders cut for Great Lakes Naval Hospital. So, I am the only Army guy in a Navy base. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: I had to be there at Monday morning at 7 o’clock. And if I needed to see the doctor, I had to be there at Wednesday at noon. The rest of the time I was signed out. And I spent the time with family. So… Interviewer: It does remind me…Before we came into the session, you mentioned that when you were in Vietnam, you actually ran into somebody you knew on the same firebase? Veteran: Oh yeah. I think it was Firebase Sue. And mortar attack, everybody cutting loose. And they are doing free fire in this. I am staying away from the village part of it. They are in my zone if I swing but I am staying away from it because there was nobody coming over the wires. And called cease fire, called cease fire the second time. It just comes down the chain. And called cease fire the second time and probably not more than 10 or 12 feet to my position where we are in the vehicle inside of that barricaded area, call cease fire the second time. And when I look over to the bunker there and a guy looks at me at the same time. Up on top of this bunker is Tom Deary from my graduating class in Muskegon High School. And we are just both like, “Chuck!” “Tom! What are you doing here?” So yeah, that was the only person I ever ran into there that was definitely from Muskegon. (01:14:30) �40 Interviewer: Alright. Go back now to the main story. So, basically you spend several months at Great Lakes, kind of recuperating. Veteran: Yes. Interviewer: Now when you got out, were you listed as disabled or partially or…? Veteran: Oh no. Interviewer: Did they—you’re just out? Veteran: I am out. And now I am at the hospital, and I am seen at the hospital for my torn knee. I am walking with a cane. And back treatments some of the time, most of the time not. And they are trying to figure out what to do with the neuropathy, this type of thing. But I was assigned to a training unit. So, now I am training new troops. Interviewer: Okay. Where were you doing that? Veteran: At Fort Knox. Interviewer: Okay. So, you go back to Fort Knox after— Veteran: Back to Fort Knox, yep. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: And that’s where—and I am being looked at at the hospital. They are not really doing anything, but I am being—I am in and out. And I am walking with a cane. And so—and I am training troops, with a cane. Interviewer: Okay, how did that go? �41 Veteran: Unusual, but I could impart a little bit of things. I tried—if I saw somebody that had a horrible attitude—I can’t envision why anybody being drafted would ever have a horrible attitude, but anyway. And I could maybe make a little bit of difference. But I could—and I would see people, you know, maybe handling a weapon differently or doing something differently. You know, hey, think about this. So, maybe I did some good. I don’t know. Interviewer: Okay. So, you weren’t really in charge of a group of people, you were just kind of helping out with various training sessions and that kind of thing. (01:16:19) Veteran: Yeah. And I was part of this group also. I was selected as an aggressor. Somebody has to be the aggressor for training. And the aggressor—I took it easy on the new guys, but we also did the aggressor for the NCO academy. Interviewer: Now, when you say aggressor, do you mean someone who is playing the enemy when you are doing training exercises? Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: Yeah. Okay. Veteran: And I did not take it easy on those guys at all. It became…There was a decree that I would never go out in the field as an aggressor again. Interviewer: Okay... Veteran: There was an exercise. And there was a full bird colonel on this exercise. And I just…I can hide really, really, well. I really can. And I hid well, and the pine tree was not any taller than you sitting in that chair. And I was hidden underneath this thing and curled up underneath and to the side. They were coming right at me. I knew they were going to have to turn. And they turned �42 and went right past me. They were probably 6 feet away. Everybody was inside the vehicle. I came up behind them, popped the smoke grenade and threw it inside the vehicle. Apparently, the full bird colonel did not appreciate this, and my people did not rat me out. But it was decreed that the person that did this will never ever go out as…I sort of got revenge on the full bird that time. Interviewer: So, how long do you think you spent at Fort Knox? (01:18:25) Veteran: Altogether? Interviewer: Mhmm. Well, no I mean that last stint. Veteran: Oh, in that last group? I think I probably left there maybe like in…September. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: Or maybe October. Interviewer: Alright. So, because I guess when we were doing the original laying out, I thought you had initially said that you got out in—I guess you finished in June in Vietnam. That was when that ended, but then you have…So… Veteran: January 20th I got out, in ’90. Interviewer: Okay. Or…’70. Veteran: Or not—yeah. Interviewer: Yeah. Okay. So, you basically did still have your two full years, or… Veteran: Real close. Interviewer: Or there abouts. Okay. Yeah, but the last months of that were spent at Fort Knox. �43 Veteran: Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Now, I am a little surprised that they kept a guy with a cane, but…Or did you eventually not need the cane by the time you were done? Veteran: I did not need the cane by the time I was done. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. And I assume they didn’t make much of an effort to get you to re-enlist? Veteran: They saw no need for me because not only did they not do anything, they did not repair the knee. They didn’t repair anything. They didn’t even repair the torn… Interviewer: Your diaphragm. Veteran: …diaphragm. I am still sucking air. I am still. You know? That was not fixed until much later. Interviewer: Okay. Veteran: That wasn’t fixed until—the first time that it was attempted was by a civilian doctor in 2010. So, I went all those years with a torn diaphragm. Eventually, in 2010 the stomach ended up above the diaphragm in the lung area. So, it was figured at that point in time somebody should try something. (01:20:24) Interviewer: Yeah. Veteran: So, that was the first of four operations to resolve this. Interviewer: Wow. Alright. So, what do you—now, once you get out then in 1970, now what do you do? �44 Veteran: I went to school. And I—the only way I got out early was I applied for an early out for education. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: They are still keeping me. They can’t do anything with me, but they are still keeping me. And so, at that point in time then, I applied for an early out. And went to school in Muskegon. And decided that, at that point in time, I started doing some computer stuff. And that’s back when the computers were humongous, and they were still doing cards. And I learned Fortran and COBOL, stuff like that. I did a couple sessions there and then I decided that I wanted to do something differently. And really, really good friend of mine—just a very, very beautiful soul—had mentioned something about well, maybe you could do something with…because you like the outdoors, how about doing something like conservation officer? Or something like that. There was nothing available at the time, but I did choose environmental. I have always been very active in environmental stuff. So, I went and I got two degrees in environmental. And when I left there, then I was hired as a health officer for Lapeer County in Michigan. And was there for a number of years. And I have been multitude of—multitude of jobs and vocations. Security, personal security, and just all kinds of stuff over the years. (01:22:34) Interviewer: Okay. Now, you have also done…You were telling me a little bit about a program you were involved—helping with prisons, or…? Veteran: Oh! Oh, that’s something that I have been asked to do recently. Interviewer: Okay. Explain that. Veteran: Yeah, that one there…It’s…We have a friend that just actually wrote and is directing this program. And it’s being accepted. It was done originally for prisons. We actually got to �45 interview a prisoner from Texas. And we had a videotape from the warden of this particular prison. And it’s the real hole in Texas. And he just—he’s putting this word out to other people and saying, “Hey, what you need to do is you need to look at this program.” And it’s a tensession class. And I have been asked to think about being a facilitator and take each person through the class. The second half of the class is reflection from what you just heard. And the thing that has really baffled everybody is the thing that people are talking about: what was your favorite part of this class? The reflection. Now, can you envision hard-core criminals—one included, which is—that I know of—is a murderer, saying, “I get to tell somebody about what I feel now. I get to tell, and I get to help other people understand what they are feeling.” So, there is a possibility of this happening. It just was sort of approached to me this last week. And I am going to go through the training and… (01:24:38) Interviewer: Well, what is the class itself? What does that consist of? Veteran: You and your feelings and you being a human. Teaching people humanity. And when they understand… Interviewer: Don’t play with your microphone. It makes noises. Veteran: Oh, sorry. Understanding, you know, what they are feeling. And these people are actually graduating from this class. And now, I have been told that the director has said, “Let’s look at going to vets’ groups because why not?” You know. I mean, and I have been very active with Purple Heart Groups and stuff like that. So, I am excited about it, and I will keep you updated, and I will let you know how it works. Interview: Okay. So, it is basically geared toward people who have gone through very traumatic or difficult things. Just sort— �46 Veteran: Absolutely. Interviewer: And then, just finding ways to sort it out or make sense of it. Veteran: And were they feeling comfortable with themselves? And I guess I don’t need to have these drugs right now. I mean, how often do you hear this kind of stuff? So, I will keep you posted on that one. Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Now, the psychiatrist there in Battle Creek had, I guess, asked you the question about did you find anything positive in your military time. I would, I guess, put it in a different way. I would ask well, overall, how do you think your time in the service affected you? I mean, you have talked about the physical side of things and stuff you have carried. But otherwise, how do you think it affected you? (01:26:15) Veteran: There’s really no way to get rid of it, the stuff that you are holding inside. So, even seeing how others were treated, I mean that stuff just stays with you. It was not a positive experience. Yeah, a lot of experience about doing the job. A lot of experience about understanding even more than what I had. I have always had an excellent way with nature. I can see something that doesn’t belong there. Maybe it’s a color and maybe it’s a pattern. Maybe it’s a straight line. Mother Nature doesn’t have straight lines...Something like that. So, sharpening that? And that even came in: understanding and visually—visual acuity. Some people call it hypersensitivity. In this case here, my hypersensitivity has really allowed me to pick up on visual cues or stuff like that. When I was doing personal security for individuals, hypersensitivity is a good thing. Interviewer: Okay. �47 Veteran: If it is used properly. So... There is that. But it wasn’t something that I relished at all. I will tell you how much I didn’t relish it: when I was not in training, even when I was in training, and when you are cooperating and doing well, they allow you to have the weekends off. I actually took off and would go from Fort Knox to Muskegon, Michigan. We are supposed to be within about 50-mile ranges. Interviewer: Right. Veteran: But I didn’t. I was gone every—I think I only—figured out one time—only spent 3 weekends on Fort Knox. I—it was nothing there for me. It just wasn’t anything I wanted to do. So, it was...I gained some positive things like the hypersensitivity and maybe understanding people a little bit more. When you see people that are going through—and I know when I am going through, maybe I have a little bit more patience. So… Interviewer: Yeah. (01:28:41) Veteran: Maybe? My wife might not think so, but I do. Interviewer: Well, you managed to stay married since 1971, so… Veteran: Absolutely. She’s been the…. she gets the—all of the kudos. Interviewer: Right. Yeah. All the credit for that. Alright. Veteran: Yeah. Interviewer: Okay. Well, it does make for a very good story, so... And you actually told it well. So, thank you very much for coming in today and sharing. Veteran: Well, thank you for the opportunity. (01:29:13) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context StarkC2183V Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stark, Chuck Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018-02 Title A name given to the resource Stark, Charles (Interview transcript and video), 2018 Description An account of the resource Chuck Stark was born in 1948 in Muskegon, Michigan. He graduated from Muskegon Senior High School in 1966. He joined the Army in April 1968 and completed his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Chuck remained at Fort Knox for his advanced individual training, which was focused on reconnaissance. He then attended the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Academy at Fort Knox as well. Chuck was sent to Vietnam in 1969 and was assigned to the D Troop, 17th Cavalry Regiment. While in Vietnam, he was involved in various skirmishes and reconnaissance missions. On June 23rd, 1969, Chuck sustained several injuries when the vehicle that he was riding in was ambushed and blown apart. Due to his injuries, he was sent from Vietnam to Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois to recuperate. Once he recovered sufficiently, he was assigned to a training unit at Fort Knox to finish out his time in the military. He left the Army in January 1970. Chuck is currently actively involved with a reformative program that is designed to help people in the prison system. 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 Korean War, 1950-1953—Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401. Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f3f430d446f986878512359c5c26a09e.mp4 e6acaa15918746f9486416e199544692 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/57621feb9a4d1627384b2063e45919e0.pdf d234124c19ac2ad4d80a0ae01429cf2f PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Raymond Start World War II 42 minutes 21 seconds (00:00:15) Early Life -Grew up in Galewood, Michigan -A suburb of Grand Rapids, Michigan -Had four brothers and one sister -He attended Grand Rapids Christian High School until he was sixteen -Born in 1927 -Parents were named Dick and Alice -Lived within five minutes of a good wooded area -There were a lot of other kids in the neighborhood that he grew up in -Didn’t enjoy school, so he decided to drop out -Drove truck for a local company until he entered the service (00:01:41) Enlisting Pt. 1 -He enlisted in the Navy when he turned seventeen -Felt a duty to go fight the Japanese -Enlisted in 1944 -The Allies were making gains in Europe -Had aspirations of being a gunner (00:02:07) Overview of Service -He was qualified to be a radioman -Sent to the University of Wisconsin Radio School -Five months of training -Boarded a troopship in San Francisco -Sailed across the Pacific and arrived at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines -In the Philippines he was assigned to an attack personnel destroyer -Working with “frogmen” teams (precursors to the Navy SEALS) -They had four Higgins boats (landing craft for personnel) -The job was to destroy reefs and other obstacles for larger ships -The underwater demolition teams were training to clear a beachhead -Preparing for the invasion of Japan -They were on their way to Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped and the war ended -Returned to the United States -Spent three months in a transfer station in San Diego -Got assigned to an aircraft carrier -Duty was to go around the Pacific collecting aircraft and officers -The aircraft carrier was largely empty when they went to sea -Had plenty of room to play basketball in a hangar and softball on the flight deck -Wound up at Harbor Island in Tacoma, Washington -Putting the ship into the “mothball fleet” -Worked on that process for six months �-Discharged in July 1946 -Got to go skiing on Mount Rainier twice -Spent a lot of time with one good friend and went to social gatherings with him to meet girls -Total time in the service was twenty two months (00:04:49) Enlisting Pt. 2 -He enlisted at the recruiting station at Reeds Lake -His oldest brother had been in the Navy since 1942 -His father had served in the Army in World War One -Sent to Detroit for a physical examination and an aptitude test (00:05:57) Basic Training Pt. 1 -From Detroit he was sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois -Taken to a large gymnasium the first night that he was there -Navy was the first time that he had ever been outside of Grand Rapids -Made good friends in basic training (00:06:16) Radio School -Life was good at the Radio School at the University of Wisconsin -Only had to share a room with one other sailor -Served three full square meals a day -Could go ice skating on campus in the winter -Allowed to mingle with the female students -Taught Morse code -Didn’t have to take a typing class because he had already learned to type in high school -Learned about what his duty as a radioman would entail -Sitting behind a typewriter, wearing headphones, listening to and transcribing code -Four hours of radio duty and eight hours off -Wouldn’t have to do manual labor aboard the ship -Radio School lasted five months (00:07:52) Deployment Pt. 1 -Sent to California by train -Went through the desert and had to open the windows because it was so hot -This led to being covered in soot from the train engine -Took a streamliner that was air conditioned from Los Angeles to San Francisco -Sent to Treasure Island and boarded the USS General CH Muir -Remembers sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge -Sailed with 3000 other men -When they reached the tropics they were allowed to sleep in hammocks on deck -The men got along well with each other -There was some minor tension with the Marines though (00:09:49) Adjustment and Rank -He had no problem with adjusting to the Navy -When he graduated from Radio School he was a Seaman 1st Class (RM) (radioman) -Meant that he would get to serve the watches that he trained for -Didn’t have to be part of the “deck force” for cleaning (00:11:24) Deployment Pt. 2 -Took thirty days to cross the Pacific Ocean -Only served two meals a day on the ship �-Became acquainted with a cook and got a job washing dishes -Meant that he could get extra food (00:12:15) Contact with Family Pt. 1 -He was allowed to visit his family before he was deployed -Only given a week -He also had a girlfriend at the time of his deployment (00:12:55) Stationed aboard the Attack Personnel Destroyer -They were bound for the Philippines -He was transferred from the USS General CH Muir to the attack personnel destroyer -Never set foot on the Philippines -They were anchored offshore -They would lower the Higgins boats to the water with the frogmen teams aboard -They would go in close to shore with dynamite and then dive down -Practicing blowing up natural and artificial obstacles -All communications were coded -Meant that he never really knew what was going on -Sometimes the duty got kind of boring -On the attack personnel destroyer for a few months sailing towards Japan -Changed course and sailed for home after the bombs were dropped (00:16:00) Transfer to the Aircraft Carrier Pt. 1 -Pulled into Oceanside, California -Some men were allowed to go ashore, but the rest had to stay aboard the ship -Some men got into the pyrotechnics locker and set off rockets in celebration -There was no alcohol allowed aboard the ship though -He was taken to a transfer center in San Diego to be reassigned -Got assigned to an aircraft carrier -He didn’t have any rank so he wound up being assigned to the “deck force” -He got along well with the recreation officer on the carrier -He was able to get him time off to go skiing on Mount Rainier -Sprained his right ankle on the second day of skiing -Got him light duty for three weeks so he could recover -Recreation officer also organized a target practice club -Also organized the softball games, but the balls were always lost overboard (00:20:24) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Went back to high school after the Navy and got his high school diploma -Graduated in 1947 -Used the GI Bill for flying lessons through Wolverine Air Service -It was fun learning how to fly small planes -Would take rides over Lake Michigan -He met a girl after he came home and got married to her -He became a delivery truck driver for Nabisco (00:23:40) Stationed in Washington -He had good liberty in Tacoma -Could go to local roller skating rinks to meet girls -Had to rely on buses and hitchhikers to get from the base to the city -One time got taken back to base by two friendly drunks �-He would also drive officers to Seattle -He had a chauffer’s license from before the war -Gave him a chance to buy some civilian clothes (00:26:02) Transfer to the Aircraft Carrier Pt. 2 -Morale was good, especially in the radio unit -He served aboard the USS Bougainville -Never had any major discipline issues -Only event he remembers was two sailors getting drunk and wrecking a phone booth -Life aboard the Bougainville was much better than aboard the attack personnel destroyer -On the APD their meals were terrible -Got served canned chicken that was two years past the expiration date -There were maggots in the mashed potatoes (00:28:14) Contact with Family Pt. 2 -Able to write home and receive letters from his family and his girlfriend -Used V-Mail (short for Victory Mail) -Mail system that used microfilm to allow for faster, simpler transport (00:29:15) Signs of War -Did not go ashore in the Philippines, but could still see the mainland -The entire area that he could see was bombed out and flattened -Saw Japanese prisoners of war that were being kept in a fenced in area -Knew that the Filipinos despised the Japanese -Saw children throwing stones at the Japanese soldiers -They were guarded by soldiers that were ready to shoot the prisoners -A lot of ships were still in the harbor and most were half sunk (00:30:24) Places of Interest -Anchored off Ulithi once and got to go scuba diving -Stopped at Guam -It was a B-29 base at the time and he got to see the bombers that were stationed there -Got treated to a USO Show at a USO Club on the island -Had free beer and girls to dance with -Got to see a lot of Tacoma -Got to explore San Diego -Went to the San Diego Zoo -Sent to Balboa Naval Hospital for a tonsillectomy -Almost bled to death because they did a rush job on his tonsils -Wound up in the hospital, again, for a week of recovery -Could only eat small amounts of ice cream and lost fifteen pounds -Got to see Bob Hope and his troupe perform (00:35:00) End of Service -Got discharged in July 1946 -Sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois to be discharged -Took a train from Washington to Illinois -Enjoyed being able to see the mountains and the countryside on the train ride -From Illinois he took a Greyhound bus back to Grand Rapids (00:36:18) Basic Training Pt. 2 -Basic training lasted eight weeks �-Enjoyed it because he was in good physical shape -Trained alongside young men and old men -Felt bad for the old men because they were taken from their wives and children -The young men enjoyed the training -Trained by a man that was good natured and easy going -Received some rifle training (00:37:44) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -Made him appreciate home more -Hasn’t left except for trips (00:38:01) Life after the War Pt. 2 -Has travelled around the United States and the Caribbean -Visiting children and grandchildren -Has four children: Doug, Jan, Rick, and Lisa -Has fifteen grandchildren -Has sixteen great grandchildren (00:39:12) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Made him more mature -Instilled in him confidence and people skills -Good experience for him at the time (00:39:57) Veterans’ Organizations -Not involved with any organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Legion -Did take part in the Spirit of Grand Rapids Honor Flight in May 2015 -Tour of the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C. for WWII veterans -Escorted by grandson, Michael � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StartR1770V Title A name given to the resource Start, Raymond (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-13 Description An account of the resource Raymond Start was born in 1927 and grew up in Galewood, Michigan. When he turned seventeen he enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and was sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois for basic training. From there he was sent to the University of Wisconsin for Radio School and after five months of that he was sent out to California to board a troopship. He was sent to the Philippines where he boarded an attack personnel destroyer in Leyte. They sailed toward Japan with underwater demolition teams, preparing for the invasion of Japan until the atomic bombs were dropped in August 1945. He was sent back to the United States where he was assigned to the aircraft carrier the USS Bougainville. He took a cruise around the Pacific collecting aircraft and officers, and then helped decommission the ship in Tacoma, Washington until July 1946 when he was discharged. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Start, Raymond Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Moore, Deb (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/933773a89034e79630413390137a1891.pdf 49244c253757f9e7d86d1ac1aeca8d1e PDF Text Text srATE OF MICHIGAN Michigan Legislature SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 108 Offered by Senators Henry, Corbin an::I McCollough (Representatives De Lange, Krause, Ehlers and Ouwinga named as co-sponsors) A CONCURRENI' RESOLUTION HONORING MR.PEI'ER TERMAAT -MRS.ADRIANA TERMMT Whereas , It iswith the greatest pride and admiration that the members of the Michif;an Legislature join with the Government of The Netherlands and the Nationaal Comite Verzetsherdenkingskruis of The Netherlarrls in honor ing Mr.Peter Termaat ·- Mrs.Adriana Termaat for their courageous and life saving ef forts with the Dutch Resistance movement during World War II. In acknowledgement of their valor, they are two of thirty-eif;ht former Dutch Resistance fighters now living i n the United States, seven fro m West Michigan, who received Resistance Remembrance Cross Medals from Prince Bernhard in Washington D.C . on October 8, 1982; and Whereas, On 10 May 19~0, the beautiful an::I tranquil Dutch lan::lscape was invaded by the military forces of Germany • In five days of the German Blitzkrieg, the center of Rotterdam was completely destroyed by aerial bombardment, the Dutch A'f"MY was forced to surrender, and a German administration was established. By June 19h0, the citizens of occupied Netherlan::ls, disheartened but not defeated, organized the beginnings of what would become an effective an::I heroic urrlergrourrl movement in res1stance to the German occupation. While life under the procrustean Nazi regime was a constant nightmare of physical, emotional, and intellectual terror, subjugation, and neglect, the spirit and determination of Dutch citizens like Peter and Adr i ana Termaat were never extinguished ; and Whereas, While the Nazi regime attempted to impose its will throughout the Dutch nation, its citizens fought back by distributing illegal newspapers, organizing strikes , disrupting German administration of the country, and rescuing and providing refuge for Jews, Allied pilots who had been shot down, and Dutchmen escaping the forced labor of the German war machine. Certainly, the gallant exploits of individuals like Peter and Adriana Termaat in the face of the gravest personal danger are indicat ive of the indomitability of the human spirit and should forever be remembered by those who cherish enjoy liberty an::I justice; now therefor be it RESOLVED BY THE SENATE ( the House of Repr esentatives concurring) , That the members of the Michigan Legislature are proud to accord our highest accolades of praise and recognition to Mr.Peter Termaat and Mrs.Adriana Tennaat f or their courageous activities with the Dutch Resistance Movement during World War II and for their award of the Resistance Remembrance Cross Medal ; and be it further RESOLVED , That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Mr, and Mrs Terma.at as a reflection of the great pride and esteem held fo~ them by the members of the Michigan Legislature . Adopted by the Senate, March 2b, 1983 . Adopted by the House of Representatives, March 2'-l, 1983. William C.Kandler Signed: Thomas S.Husband Secretary of the Senate Clerk of the House of Representatives � 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 Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_AWD_1983-03-24-Michigan-Senate-recognition-393 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource State of Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-03-24 Title A name given to the resource Senate Concurrent Resolution 108 (1983) Description An account of the resource Typescript text of the State of Michigan Senate Concurrent Resolution 108, to honor Mr. Peter Termaat and Mrs. Adriana Termaat. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan. Legislature. Senate -- Resolutions Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng 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/6bde2ea7ea54dd7064e5fc8d0c65e8a4.pdf 3e338bd4dc081d0189c23ef04a162c30 PDF Text Text -- ... s·rATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY stt> 3 196& CORPORATION DIVISION P. 0. DRAWER C LANSING, MICHIGAN ..t890..t GEORGE ROMNEY, Governor ( Telephone: 373-0..(93) ALLISON GREEN, Stole Treosurer August 29, 1968 Mr. JAo de s. Rosen, President American Grease stock Company Muskegon, Michigan 494h3 Re: Muskegon House or Jewish Worship Gentlemen: The document checked below was filed in this office on August 28, 1968. Articles of Incorporation - Certificate of Authority enclosed Certificate Extending Corporate Term _ _ Appointment of Resident Agent Certificate of Change of Resident Agent Certificate of Change of Registered Office and Agent ___ Certificate of Change of Registered Office ___ Amended Articles of Incorporation (Sec. 42) Certificate of Amendment Certificate of Increase Certificate of Decrease Merger or Consolidation Agreement Certificate of Dissolution Certificate of Termination Certificate of Acquired Shares Certificate of Partial Liquidation Restated Articles of Incorporation -Y- == In accordance with the provisions of Act 327, P.A. of 1931, as amended, we are filing a true copy of each document with the county clerk, and enclose a true copy for your records. Very truly yours, /J~#.whA~ (Mrs.) Paulin-: 6e~~er Director, Corporation Division rf M1c¥-Zh1. Enc. Form Letter #24 THE GREAT LAKE STATE �..,- r;. .. STATE OF MICHIGAN ~l CORPORATION AND SECURITIES' COMMISSION P'ORM 4 Ru:!.t ,~-a LANSING, MICHIGAN DO NOT WRITE IN SPACE BELOW - FOR COMMISSION USE FILED Date Received: AUG 9 1968 - - - -·- - · - . - (Compared by) ---. . ., 1 ·-- ·-· This is to cert,ty this certificate to be a true copy of t~ 9J:igl!W on file in this office,. · AUG 2 3 1968 -'--+--· ___, :i: ·• r"~.:=::rg~ ~ / MlCHIGAN DEPARTMENT OE IREASURY I .1 :-_ CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION OF CORPORATE TERM _ _ _ _ _MUSKE.GON_.HO_US.E_Oi'__J.EW..ISl:LiJ_QEfill_IP.._,,,___ _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _,, I (Corporate Nome) e/o Leo S • Rosen a Michigan corporation, whose registered office is located aL__ -265.l_Jioy_t_str_e.e_.~---- - -----+(No.) (Street) _::____Muskegan__.Htlght~s______________..M-~i~rn~k~e9:,g,-c~n.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ , Michigan, certifie,, s I (Zone) (City) (County) I pursuant to the provisions of Section * _________ g_?~--- of Act 327, Public Acts of 1931, as amended, that (60, 61, or 62) at a meeting of the -~m=e=m=b=e=r=s~ - - - - - - - of the said corporation called for the purpose of ertend(1:1Uu.r~uo1u.t!1'1:1 or roi:1.ube1•&} ing its corporate term and held on the_~6~t~b~----day of_____.Augus_.~-- - - -, 196-~-, it wa.s -4 · ,,/ r:. reso1ved , by th e vo te of a t 1east * *- - - - - -< 2t.i'::r 416 > istence to be extended for a further term of one of the { ·xxptitxkxtociDc th a_t th e corpora te ex01' members year" from ____ ~'.1_n_e_2_4~, _1_9_6_8________ (date term expires) (Corporate Seal if any) Signed on ______ Au1' us t .·, • 7 , _____________ 196 ___§_, CO-s tock cr.:·r, orn lions whose term ls about to explrc. en-stock ccrp orn tl on s whose term has expired. G2-n vn-1:1tock corporations. 2/ 3 vOlc required prior to expiration. 4/G vote required . o.itcr term has expired. •('' V •;,. ~ I B E SIG~ED COPJI',.~ 10 . Mleblg1n:r-€orporrrtton-&-Seeurities-€ommi,,,,ion FOR~! 4 �l August 22, 1968 State of Michi gan Department of Treasury Corporation Division P. 0. Drawer C Lansing, Michigan 48904 Attention : Mrs. Pauline Detzler Director, Corporation Division Gentlemen: This will acknovledge your form letter dated August 21 r egarding the Certificate of Extension of Corporate Term for t he Muskegon House of Jewish Worship. The form has 'been corrected as per your instructions, and one copy is enclosed herewith. Perpetual extention is not necessary because the corporation is going to be dissolved . Thanks, however, for advising us in this matter. Sincerely yours, For Leo S. Rosen, President MUSKEGON HOUSE OF JEWISH WORSHIP JA EHc. �., ,,e.,1 STATE OF MICHIGAN FORM 4 REV, 62 CORPORATION AND SECURITIES COMMISSION LANSING, MICHIGAN DO NOT WRITE IN SPACE BELOW - FOR COMMISSION USE Dote Received: AUG9 1968 ( Compared ~- by I --- (-Date ) CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION OF CORPORATE TERM -------MUSKEGON---HOWE--OF--..Jli!WI.SH--WORSli.I.1.I ' t : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , (Corporate Name) c/o Leo S. Rosen a Michigan corporation, whose registered office is located at______265.1._Jioy:t.._S.tree:.1,...._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ (Street) (No.) -----------Mus¼..ceg-en--H . Michigan, certifies 1c 11ecY>i-gh-t-s--------- - - --_..,=k.e~g..,ou1J.1.---------~, (Zone) (County) pursuant to the provisions of Section *- - - - - ' - = - - - of Act 327, Public Acts of 1931, as amended, that (60, 61, or 62) at a meeting of the _______..memb_er~-------fsliuri:hott1ns oi:--men1b·e:ts) ~ the said~ orporatio~ called f~r_the !>1l:I'ose of extend- · ing its corporate term and held on the ______.6.th'-----•day oL_______lillgus..___ _ _ __ , 196___8_, it was 7.i~r resolved, by the vote of at least * * - - - - -- 1-2 istence to be extended for a further term of one 4151 of the { ~ = : kxthat the corporate exyears from ______~un_e_2_4_,,'---l-'-9_6_8_ _ _ _ _ __ (date term expires) (Corporate Seal if any) Signed on__________Augus_t __.'[.._____________~ 196..-~. • 60-stock corporations whose term is about to expire. 61-stock corporations whose term has expired. 62---non-stock corporations. 2/3 vote r equired prior to expiration. 4/5 vote required after term has expired. •MAlL T:Emlillil SIGNED COPIEJS TO : Michigan Oorporatlon & Securities Commission P. 0. Box 898 FORM 4 Lansing 4, Michigan I �.....,1 STATE OF MICHIGAN FORM 4 REV. 62 CORPORATION AND SECURITIES COMMISSION LANSING, MICHIGAN DO NOT WRITE IN SPACE BELOW - FOR COMMISSION USE Date Received: AUG9 1968 ( Compared by) _ - (Dote CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION OF CORPORATE TERM ----~M=USKEGO.N HOUSE OF__J EWISH~W~OR=S='H=I=P_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ ___, (Corporate Name) c/ o Leo S. Rosen a Michigan corporation, whose registered office is located at____?.Q5_Llj.QY!. St,._r,,,c~e__,,t___________ (No.) (Street) ____ Musr.egon Heights"------ - - - - -- - ---'-'M=u~/'ie,.e.,o<:n,,__________,, Michigan, certifies (City) (Zone) (County) pursuant to the provisions of Section *____6=2____ of Act 327, Public Acts of 1931, as amended, that (60, 61, or 62) at a meeting of the _ _m_em_b_c_r_s______________ of the said corporation called for the purpose of extend(1::1hureh-olde-rs or members) ing its corporate term and held on th"e-~u~t~h~----day o~f_ _ _ Pu~gu_s_t_ _ _ _ _----,, 196__§__ , it was resolved, by the vote of at least **- - - - - -< -~~~J-~~r-41-5->____ of the { ~~ that the corporate ex- one June 24, 1968 istence to be extended for a further term o~f_ _ _ _ _ years fro-_______________ _ (date term expires) - • (Corporate Seal if any) 60--etock corporations whose term is about to expire. 61-stock corporations whose term bas expired. 62-non-stock corporations. •• 2/3 vote required prior to expiration. 4/5 vote required after term bas expired, ~ l ' I E S - T : 0_;___ Michigan Corporation & Securities Commission P. 0. Box 898 FORM 4 Lansing 4, Michigan �STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY CORPORATION DIVISION LANSING, P. 0 . DRAWER C MICHIGAN 48904 GEORGE ROMNEY, Governor ( Telephone: 373-0493) ALLISON GREEN, Stele Treasurer August 21, 1968 KM/lp American Grease Stick Company Muskegon, Michigan 49443 RE: Muskegon House of Jewish Worship Gentlemen: We wish to acknowledge receipt of Certificate of Extension of Corporate Term and $5.00 fees. submitted for the above named corporation a nd regret t hat it is necessary to return the papers for the following corrections: The vote to extend the extension of term should be taken by four-fifths of the members rather than two-thirds, inasmuch as your term expired June 24 , 1968. We' also note that you have extended the term for only one year. You would , therefore, be required to file another extension one year from this date. We wish to advise that you may have perpetual extension if you wish. l We. wish to advise that nnly one copy of the enclosed corporate form is required to be returned to this office for filing. Act 327, P.A. of 1931 was amended by Act 194, P.A. of 1967 and provides that only one originally executed copy of corporate documents, excluding annual reports, is required to be submitted for filing. Two true copies are to be prepared by this Department, pursuant to the provisions of Act 194, one of which will be forwarded to the county clerk and one will be returned for the corporation's files at the time the filing is completed in this office. Please return the original copy of the corporate document to this offi ce for filing. Fees which were remitted, if any, will be held in this office pending return of the corrected papers. We shall appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. · Very truly yours, ~~Tier Director, Corporation Division Enc: Form Letter #10 •.. ~ THI GREAT IAKI STATE �., ----· STATIE OF MICHIGAN CORPORATION AND SECURITIES COMMISSION L,ANSING. MICHIGAN .DO NOT WRITE IN SPACE BELOW - FOR COMMISSION USE Dahl Received: (Compared byl (Date) CERTIFICATE OF EXTENSION OF CORPORATE TERM - - - - --"MU..,.,SKEGOJLllQJJSE._Ol~JEW.. . _,. .I. ,S. ,H.__,W,., O<&R,. . ,. . . .__ _ __ __ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ __ (Corporate Name) c/ o Leo S. Rosen ~ a Michigan corporation, whose registered office is located aL_.265J._Ho~-e-e~t~ - - - - - - - - - (No. ) (Street) - - ~M~1-i-s-k~eeg,..a~n~li~e~i-<1g.,.b~t•~- - - - - - - - - - - - -~M~u..s...k~e-@g!>'...a n..___ _ _ _ __ __,, Michigan, certifies (Zone) (City) (County) pursuant to the provisions of Section • ____6.2~ - -- of Act 327, Public Acts of 1931, as amended, that (80, 61, or 62) at a meeting of the me111b~r "-= s __________ of the said corporation called for the purpose of extendC... r.lMl1ter1 or IWwMl,ua) ing its corporate term and held on the~- ~6~t-b~- - -day of ___....A;_ugu_s.._t..___ _ _ ___,, 196.l L, it was resolved, by the vote of at least **- - - - - =2~/ .3_______ of the S iipW *11 be K that the corporate ex(2/a or 4/~ l l or mem ■ hd rs ____years fro-~ro~ _J_un _ e_ 2_4~,_ 1_9_6_8_ _ _ _ _ __ istence to be extended for a further term of one (date term expires) ( Corporate Seal if any) Signed OD • August_l..__ _ _ _ _ _ __, 196.JL 60--atock corporations whose term ta about to expire. 61-stock corporat1ons whose ter m ha s expired. 62-non•stock corp orat1on ■• • • 2/3 Tote required prior to explra tton. 4/5 Tote required after term baa expired. MA.IL THREE SIGNED COPIES TO : Michigan Oorpora tion & Secnrl ties Commiasio P. 0. Box 898 FORM 4 Lansing 4, Michigan �~ I .. , I ((} "' V May 23~ 1967 State of Michigan Department of Treasury Corporation Division 300 E. Michigan Avenue 0 P.O. Drawer C Lansing, f..'dchigan 48904 Attention: Mrs. Pauline Detzler Director, Corporation Division Gentlemen: Answering your letter of March 1, copy attached, this is to advise that we desire the Muskegon House of Jewish Worship to remain in existance. Therefore, will you please send me, by return mail in the enclosed envelope, certificate of extension of corporate term? Thanks much for your prompt cooperation in this matter. Sincerely yours, For Leo S. Rosen, President MUSKEGON HOUSE OF JEWISH WORSHIP JA Enc. !.., 't �STATE Of MICHIGAN .•$IE . DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 111 CORPORATION DIVISION t.!..:i:!i• •·- ... , u ' 300 E. MICHIGAN AVENUE, LANSING, MICHIGAN 48904 P. 0. DRAWER C GEORGE ROMNEY, Governor ( Telephone: 373-0493 ) ALLISON GREEN, Stole Treasurer March 1, 1967 Corporations PD ea. / Muske~ House of Jewish Worship 'f, Leo S. Rosen 1146 Hoyt Street Muskegon Heights, Michigan Gentlemen: The records in this office show that the term of corporate existence of your corporation will expire on June 24, 1968 . The term of existence may be extended prior to the expiration thereof by either of the following methods: 1. An amendment to the articles of incorporation may be filed pursuant to Section 43, Act 327, P.A. of 1931, as amended. Section 43 requires the vote of the holders of a majority of the shares (or members, if a nonstock corporation) entitled to vote. 2. A certificate of extension of corporate term may be filed pursuant to Section 60, Act 327, P.A. of 1931, as amended, (or Section 62, if a nonstock corporation) upon consent of the holders of at least 2/3 of the capital stock (or members) at any annual meeting or at any special meeting held within two years next preceding the date of expiration of the corporate term. In either of the foregoing instances, the term of existence may be extended to perpetual or may be extended for a limited period of time. -:, In case the shareholder s (or members) do not wish to continue the corporate existence, action should be taken to dissolve the corporation and a certifi9te of terminatioo should be filed in this office within sixty days after tM term expires, as required by Section 74, Act 327,P.A. of 1931,•as amended. Neglect or ' refusal to file such certificate places a penalty on each director of $5.00 a day for each day of neglect or refusal. Forms for completing and filing the certificate of amendment, certificate of extension of corporate term or certificate of termination will be forwarded upon request. The filing fee, in each instance, is $5.00. Very truly yours, cfJ~,IW;/_w (Mrs.) Pauline ~;zler Director, Corporation Division Form Letter #19 �sd.TE . Of MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY CORPORATION DIVISION P. 0. DRAWER C 300 E. MICHIGAN AVENUE, LANSING, MICHIGAN -'890-' GEORGE ROMNEY, Governor ( Telephorye: 373-0-'93) ALLISON GREEN, State Treo,urer March 1, 1967 Corpora.ti one PD ea ./ Muske~ House of Jewish Worship ~ Leo S. Rosen nh6 Hoyt Street Muskegon Heights, Michigan Gentlemen: The records in this office show that the term of corporate existence of your corporation will expire on June ,4, 1968 The term of existence may be extended prior to the expiration thereof by either of the following methods: 1. An amendment to the articles of incorporation may be filed pursuant to Section 43, Act 327, P.A. of 1931, as amended. Sect i on 43 requires the vote of the holders of a majority of the share_s ( or _m embers, if a nonstock corporation) entitled to vote. 2. A certificate of extension of corporate term may be filed pursuant to Section 60-, Act 327, P.A. of 1931, as amended, (or Section 62, if a nonstock corporation) upon consent of the holders of at least 2/3 of the capital stock (or members) at any annual meeting or at any special meeting held within two years next preceding the date of expiration of the corporate term. In either of the foregoing instances, the te~m of existence may be extended to perpetual or may be extended for a limited period of time. In case the shareholders (or members) do not wish to continue the corporate existence, act i on should be taken to dissolve the corporation and a certificate of term i nat ion should be filed in this office within sixty days after the term expires, as required by Sect i on 74, Act 327,P.A. of -1931,•as amended. Neglect or refusal to file such certificate places a penalty on each director of $5.00 a day for each day of neglect or refusal. Forms for . completing and . filing the certificate of amendment, certificate of extension of corporate term qr certificate of termination will be forwarded upon request. The filing fee, in each instance, is $5.00. Very truly yours, ~~~..l·-u ,IY~ t;zler (Mrs.) Pauline Director, Corporation Division Form Letter #19 � 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 Temple B'nai Israel Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Temple B'nai Israel (Muskegon, Mich.) Description An account of the resource Collection of photographs, scrapbooks, programs, minutes, and other records of the Temple B'nai Israel in Muskegon, Michigan. The collection was created as part of the L'dor V'dor project directed by Dr. Marilyn Preston, and was supported by grants from the Kutsche Office of Local History and Michigan Humanities Council. Original materials were digitized by the University Libraries and returned to the synagogue. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Digital objects were contributed by Temple B'nai Israel as part of the L'dor V'dor project. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Jews--United States Muskegon (Mich.) Scrapbooks Synagogues Women--Societies and clubs Minutes (Records) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Preston, Marilyn Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Relation A related resource L'dor V'dor (project) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-08 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Image Text Type The nature or genre of the resource image/jpeg application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 1920s-2018 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-08_BI_1968-08-29_Corporation_Certificate Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource State of Michigan. Department of Treasury Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-08-28 Title A name given to the resource Certificate Extendig Corporate Term Description An account of the resource Certificates and documentation of extension of corporate term for the Muskegon House of Jewish Worship. Subject The topic of the resource Jews--United States Muskegon (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Digital file contributed by the B'nai Israel Temple as part of the L'dor V'dor project. Relation A related resource L'dor V'dor (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng 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/8994293287960e47b5c2e86b7a0376fc.m4v fbad168f3e67aecd593026d828183400 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bb641fe57a7140fbbcc3cd318621cdfa.m4v 96dad111ddb59164bbd8fb3bcb231360 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75062da6e3d141d66ecad1ffc39dd408.pdf 8b59810517657d395dc50f70184b207c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Kurt Stauff Cold War; Peacetime; War on Terror Part 1 – 1 hour 6 minutes 49 seconds (00:00:27) Early Life & Family History -Born in November 1954 in Jackson, Michigan -Maternal grandfather served in the Navy during World War II -Witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor -Served in the South Pacific aboard a destroyer -A lot of men on his father's side served as officers in the Army -His uncle on his father's side served in the infantry during the Vietnam War -Killed in action in 1970 -Has seen his uncle's name on the Vietnam War Memorial -Went to school in Grass Lake, Michigan, for kindergarten and first grade -Spent the rest of his education in the Ionia school system -Graduated from Ionia High School -Accepted into Michigan State University -After one year at MSU he decided to leave college -Graduated high school in January 1972 -Worked for the Michigan Bell Telephone Company in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan -Worked for his father and took classes at Grand Valley State College (now University) -Worked in carpet sales and in the warehouse (00:07:18) Enlisting in the Navy -Worked in carpet sales in Grand Rapids, Michigan when his father and younger brother died -His employers served in the Army and the Navy -Encouraged Kurt to explore the idea of enlisting -Went to recruiting centers in Grand Rapids -Life in the Army didn't appeal to him -Took the Navy's aptitude test -Could do anything in the Navy except nuclear technology because he was too old -Qualified to be a Sonar Technician on submarines -Appealed to him because he could operate, maintain, and repair hardware -Enlisted in the Navy in December 1982 (00:09:36) Training -Began Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, on June 20, 1983 -Did his Basic Enlisted Submarine Training in Groton, Connecticut -Most likely at the Naval Submarine Base New London -Given a psychological examination to insure he could spend extended time on a submarine -Learned about submarine systems, protocol, and trained on a simulator -Graduated second in his class -Given an idea of what to expect -Went to Submarine Sonar Technician Apprenticeship School in San Diego, California -Learning how work as a Sonar Technician aboard a submarine -Sent to “C School” to learn about individual equipment systems (basically, specialized training) -Completed two years of training before he boarded a submarine �(00:13:02) Service aboard the USS Pargo (SSN-650) -Came back to Michigan on leave for 30 days before reporting for duty -In December 1984 he reported to the USS Pargo (SSN-650) -A Sturgeon Class submarine that was 492 feet long -Didn't have enough bunks for the crew, so they had to “hot rack” (rotated sleeping schedule) -Three crewmen had to share two bunks -As one crewman got off watch, another crewman could get into the bunk -Hygiene was important to avoid health problems -Crew functioned like a large family -Learned about Damage Control on a submarine -Depended on each other for survival -Had to know how to save the ship, because there is no abandoning ship -Learned how to control fires, floods, and radiation leaks -Assigned to secure a compartment during an emergency -Finds submarines to be more efficient than surface ships (00:17:39) Submarine Service in the Pacific Ocean -USS Pargo was placed in dry dock at Bremerton, Washington for two years of repair -Served aboard fast-attack submarines and a ballistic submarine out of Pearl Harbor (00:18:17) Cold War & the Arctic Sea -Did three months in the Arctic Sea chasing Soviet submarines -Got within 20 nautical miles of the North Pole -Surfaced and saw the Polar Ice Caps -When they were in the Arctic Sea the submarine got colder -Heard the ice moving via sonar -Rough water -Rolled 50o and pitched forward and back -Got his “Blue Nose Certificate” for crossing the Arctic Circle -The “Blue Nose Certificate” is a hazing ceremony for sailors -Sat on an ice block, drank hot sauce and fish oil, and answer embarrassing questions -The United States had better technology than the Soviet Union -Spied on each other and gathered intelligence -Remembers when John Walker was arrested for treason -Had gathered intelligence about American submarines and sold it to the Soviet Union -He felt that Walker should have been executed for treason -Could have put numerous American lives at risk (00:24:24) Submarine Exercises off Pacific Coast -Passed through Panama Canal to get to the Pacific Ocean -Went on a torpedo exercise off the coast of San Diego -Stopped at an island near Canada -Operated around the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Vancouver, Canada (00:26:22) Instructing & Further Training -Spent the majority of the 1980s on submarines, instructing, or training -Taught sailors how to use Auxiliary Sonar Gear -He spent his time instructing during the Gulf War (00:27:33) Transfer to Mine Warfare -Served on submarines in the early 1990s -Trained on a new sonar system for Los Angeles Class submarines -Developed a chronic medical issue which disqualified him for submarine service, but not the Navy -Disappointed because he was up for promotion to Chief Petty Officer (E7) �-In 1994 he received mine warfare training at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut -From 1995 to 1997 he trained to be a mine man in Charleston, South Carolina -Learned about storage, maintenance, and repair of undersea mines -Had to know the skills of five other positions -In 2000 he made the rank of Mine Man Chief Petty Officer (00:33:32) Married in the Navy -Difficult being married in the Navy -Had to move around a lot -Deployed for nine months at a time -Went on one Mediterranean Sea tour for six months straight -Navy has a family support system for spouses and children -Wife had been exposed to Navy life, but didn't know what the reality would be -Got divorced after three years -Amicable separation (00:37:09) Mine Warfare Service Pt. 1 -From 1997 to 2000 he served aboard the USS Patriot (MCM-7) in Sasebo, Japan -Traveled to Singapore, Borneo, South Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong -Worked with South Koreans and they had good mine warfare -Conducted exercises with South Koreans -Friendly, but they had a problem with not living up to their promises -For example, they offered material, but couldn't procure it -In 2000 he went to the Mine Warfare Training Center at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas -Had minesweepers and mine hunters (00:41:13) September 11th Attacks -He was serving as an instructor on September 11, 2001 -Going down to the smoking area and he passed through a lounge -Saw the news that the jet hit the World Trade Center's North Tower -Locked down the base for a week -Everybody was scared and angry especially after the jet hit the Pentagon -Felt they needed to retaliate (00:45:00) War on Terror & Iraq War -Continued instruction during the War on Terror -Had mine ships reinforced in Bahrain -Had to get a hospital ship to Umm Qasr during the Iraq War -Sent a minesweeper to insure it was safe for a hospital ship to enter the port -He was stationed in Bahrain to help oversee the mine countermeasure warfare -At that time he was a Senior Chief Petty Officer (E8) -Sent Navy personnel to Afghanistan to assist the Army with explosive disposal and other duties -In charge of 350 enlisted personnel in Bahrain -Two ships with 60 crewmen each -Explosive ordnance disposal personnel, air squadron personnel, and shore personnel -Stationed in Bahrain for one year (00:51:13) Mine Warfare Service Pt. 2 -Returned to Japan and became the Command Senior Chief Petty Officer on the USS Patriot -Conducted more exercises -Went to Brunei and to Vladivostok, Russia -Strange to be in a Russian port after years of Russia being the enemy of the United States -Had been in Vladivostok before during the Cold War, gathering intelligence -Surprised by the shabby and filthy condition of the port �-Garbage clogged the harbor -Russians were friendly -Arrived at Vladivostok around July 4th -Remembers that it was rainy and muddy (00:56:37) Traveling the Pacific Ocean & Visiting Japan -Visited Hiroshima, Japan; Pearl Harbor; Okinawa' and other parts of Japan -Japanese welcomed Americans -Did exercises with the Japanese -Spent a week on a Japanese ship -Different kind of culture -Visited the memorials at Pearl Harbor -Surprised by the number of Japanese coming to show their respect -Made more sense after he went to the memorial at Hiroshima -Moving to see the memorial at Hiroshima -Made him understand how much the Japanese suffered during World War II -Allowed to go anywhere in Japan he wanted to go -Navy advised against going to certain areas of Japanese ports (01:02:20) USS Indianapolis & Navy Protocol -The USS Indianapolis tragedy changed navigation protocols for the Navy -Note: USS Indianapolis torpedoed on July 30, 1945, resulting in deaths of 879 sailors -Navy made a new navigation protocol -Ships have prescribed navigation points on planned routes -Once a ship reaches a point it must radio in it that it reached the point -If a ship doesn't reach its point, it must notify command that it hasn't sunk -Improvement for tracking ships -In the event of a sinking the Navy can locate the ship faster (01:04:22) Promotion to Master Chief Petty Officer -Promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) in 2007 -Worked at the Mine Shop in Charleston, South Carolina as the Logistics Department Head -In May 2007 he was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer -Only one of five active Master Chiefs in the Navy at one time -Pinnacle of his career Part 2 – 29 minutes 41 seconds (00:00:01) Duty as Master Chief Petty Officer -There is a Squadron Chief, Sea Chief, a Shore Chief, Mining Chief -As his rank went up, his billet (station) choices decrease -There were three Mine Shops he could serve at -Okinawa, Charleston, and San Diego -San Diego: Naval Mine Anti-Submarine Warfare or Mobile Mine Assembly Group -At San Diego he would be in charge of the other Mine Shops -Coordinated his billet choice with the other master chiefs (00:01:40) Stationed at San Diego -He returned to San Diego -Served as the senior mine warfare adviser to an admiral -There were two master chiefs stationed at San Diego -Mine warfare master chief (him) and a sonar master chief -He helped train and assess at the squadron level for three major fleets �-Pacific Fleet at Sasebo, Japan -3rd Fleet at San Diego -5th Fleet in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf -Taught techniques and tactics or assessed the fleets' mine warfare -Had to tell the skippers of mine ships if performed well, or poorly -Gave them pointers -Only stepped in if a skipper did something stupid or dangerous -Most of them performed well (00:04:40) Mine Warfare Fleet in the 21st Century -Mine countermeasure fleet is outdated and has no spare parts -Nobody thinks about the mine fleet until mines become a problem -Short on ships, money, and training -Believes that training has improved since the fleet got a new admiral -Potential enemies have an abundance of undersea mines -Even one mine can stop commercial shipping in an area -Mine hunting takes forever as it is, and with a weak fleet it becomes even more tedious (00:07:40) Reflecting on Career -Spent 29 ½ years in the Navy (1983-2012) -His responsibilities immensely increased at the end -When he was busiest he had the most fun -Learned people skills and how to handle situations -Got to watch sailors under his command grow up and advance through the ranks -It was like watching children grow -Majority of career spent preparing younger sailors to take his place in the future -Great sense of satisfaction knowing his replacements were ready -Felt the Navy and the country was in good hands -Knew it was time for him to step aside -Doesn't regret his career in the Navy, but would've done certain things differently (00:�10:34) Commanders in Chief -President Reagan built up the military after the Vietnam War -Wanted a 600-ship Navy and outpace the Soviets -Increased the hardware, training, and personnel -Returned a sense of pride to the military -Inspiring and supportive -President Clinton wasn't too bad, but felt he had a disdain for his Naval attaches -Felt “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy was unnecessary -Knew gay sailors and it never caused any problems because they just did their jobs -Caused unnecessary witch hunts -President George H.W. Bush operated the same as President Reagan -President George W. Bush was a good commander in chief -Supportive of the military -Ex-military -Not the best at policy, but Kurt felt confident with him as his leader -President Obama reduced the military's size and funding to pre World War II levels -Feels less prepared if the country had to fight a major war (00:17:21) Accomplishments & Commendations -Major accomplishments happened after he made Chief Petty Officer -Meant he was usually the ranking enlisted man at sea -2000 – 2012 was the peak of his career �-Received letters of commendation from the governors of states he served in -Received letters of commendation from the presidents he served under -All except for President Reagan who had died before Kurt's retirement -His most cherished award was the Meritorious Service Medal -Received the Chief's Cutlass -A ceremonial award presented to him when he left Charleston -Symbolic of the enlisted man in the Navy -Used to be given to enlisted men in the 1800s to repel boarders (00:21:17) Faith in the Navy -He turned to God when he felt that he needed guidance, inspiration, or just to vent -Prayed more when he became a petty officer and had to make decisions -Chaplains were available if men wanted, or needed religious services -There was a Protestant chaplain or a Catholic chaplain -Protestant chaplain did not ascribe to any specific Protestant denomination -Made services generic -It was difficult for him to establish himself at a civilian church of his own denomination -Moved too often to make lasting connections (00:24:39) Changes in the Navy -Positive changes in the Navy were advances in technology and faster aircraft and ships -Safety also improved as technology advanced -Robots were being introduced as a way to search and destroy mines -Put fewer sailors at risk -Major negative change in the Navy was a drop in morale -Started off high in the 1980s, but continued to trend downward -Felt the government was trying to treat the military too much like a civilian industry -Applauded equality, but felt the government tried too hard to appease people � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StauffK1936V Title A name given to the resource Stauff, Kurt M (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-05-11 Description An account of the resource Kurt Stauff was born in November 1954 in Jackson, Michigan. In December 1982 he enlisted in the Navy. He started basic training on June 20, 1983 at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, and received Basic Enlisted Submarine Training at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut. He attended the Submarine Sonar Technician Apprenticeship School in San Diego, California and received further training at "C School." After two years of training he boarded the submarine, USS Pargo (SSN-650) in December 1984. He went on intelligence gathering missions, torpedo exercises, and got to sail north of the Arctic Circle. For a short time he served aboard fast-attack submarines and ballistic submarines out of Pearl Harbor. In 1994 he transferred to mine warfare and from 1995 to 1997 he trained in Charleston, South Carolina. From 1997 to 2000 he served aboard the USS Patriot (MCM-7) at Sasebo, Japan, then returned to the United States to serve as an instructor. During the War in Iraq he spent a year in Bahrain overseeing mine sweeping missions in the area. In 2007 he reached his highest rank, Master Chief Petty Officer (E9), and spent the next five years as the mine warfare master chief to an admiral. He retired from the Navy in 2012. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stauff, Kurt M. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hammond, Steve (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iraq War, 2003-2011--Personal narratives, American Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3bfae76fccfb895828ed60a42186a0d8.m4v 62904d6dea8a566fbd878a4d4922f2ff https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2545f4466aa4494effa13c82876cf654.pdf 6c34eb22e1b9b675b4505a87918ae140 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Gulf War Robert Stauffer Length of interview: (43:19) (00:00) Early Life    Robert was born on May 4, 1971 in Lansing, Michigan He spend the entirety of his childhood in Caledonia, Michigan o His mother was a part-time secretary at a local church and his father sold insurance o He worked at a hardware store and then at McDonalds After he graduated from Caledonia High School, he joined the navy o He chose the navy over other branches of the military because he didn’t want to get shot at and he felt that the navy offered better educational opportunities (2:40) Navy Life         Robert had a friend in the navy, who inspired him to enlist He scored high on his placement test and got into the “Nuke Program” which required two years of schooling followed by four years of active duty. o When he was completing his basic training, he decided not to continue with the Nuke Program. o Since he was good at math, he became a payroll clerk As a free-spirited 19 year old, Robert found military life difficult to adjust to (4:30) Robert was assigned to a ship (USS Underwood) whose captain kept them out at sea for 24 out of Robert’s first 27 months in the military (Adriatic Sea and Indian Ocean) The ship’s main purpose was submarine warfare as well as security for larger ships o Destroyers and aircraft carriers composed battle groups with smaller FFGs (ships similar to the Underwood) protecting them o The FFGs were essentially “dummy targets”, they would take missile fire instead of the larger ships o Additionally, they were searching for enemy submarines There were 200 enlisted men and 12 officers on the USS Underwood. Since Robert was in charge of payroll, he knew everyone by name (10:30) There was a 5 inch cannon on the ship as well as a large Gatling Gun o The Gatling gun was computerized and had a sensor on it that picked up movement. When they tested it, no one was allowed on deck. On one occasion, they received a distress signal from a ship that had sunk in the Indian Ocean �             o All hands were called to the decks because the sunken ship went down in mine infested waters o Fortunately, the Underwood was able to rescue all 14 of the survivors. Robert was proud that he was part of something that allowed him to perform deeds such as this rescue mission Robert’s primary communication with his family was through letters Another hostile force that they worried about (especially when rescuing people) were sea snakes o What made them so intimidating was the fact that they were extremely deadly. If you were bitten, you had about an hour to live; there was no available anti-venom (16:30) The Gulf War ended shortly after he finished basic training and disembarked on the USS Underwood for the first time. o They returned to the U.S. and docked in Jacksonville, Florida o His parents came down and visited him. It was tough because he didn’t have a girlfriend or wife like many of the men that he served with During his time in the service, Robert only shot at one enemy boat o His job wasn’t much different from a civilian banker. In, general, military life wasn’t much different from civilian life His time in the military gave him a strong sense of honor, discipline, and respect The politics of the military was unattractive to Robert, promotions were very difficult to achieve o Robert also wanted to see the Pacific (areas such as Guam and Japan). He says that he might have stayed in the navy longer if he had been transferred (22:00) The Most disappointing thing that happened during Robert’s time in the navy was in regards to the rescue mission they went on. o When the Underwood got word that there were people stranded at sea, they contacted Washington D.C. for permission to perform the rescue; however, they received no response so the captain decided to perform the rescue without orders. o The crew of the Underwood put their captain in for a humanitarian award but since they did not receive approval to carry out the mission, they were denied In regards to the Nuke Program, Robert felt that it would be best to get a different assignment because the program had a drop-out rate of 80 percent o In total, Robert did four years of active and four years of inactive duty When he was in the Adriatic Sea when a sailboat got too close to his ship o He was on a 50-caliber machine gun and was ordered to shoot near the boat to dissuade those aboard from getting any closer (30:10) During the last six months of his time in the service, Robert was stationed on the USS Saratoga (aircraft carrier with a crew of 7,000) The men slept in bunks stacked in groups of three, everyone wanted to sleep in the middle bunk Every man was paid at least $750 per month. Since none of them had to for food or rent, most of this money was pocketed. On one occasion, Robert was out to sea in the Caribbean for 90 days on a drug operation. �     o They spent the entire time looking for one boat. When they finally found it, the crew were trying to sink the drugs to the bottom of the ocean; however, they were caught on camera. No one on Robert’s ship jumped off into the ocean to swim due to the sharks and snakes (36:25) When they crossed the equator, they took part in the King Neptune ceremony o It began at 4am, the Pollywogs (those who hadn’t been across before) were on their hands and knees all day. Those who had already been across (Shellbacks) walked around with pieces of hose to hit them and eggs to throw at them. o Large fans that were used to get rid of smoke on the flight deck were filled with Tabasco Sauce and the Pollywogs went through When they went golfing near a base in Panama, Robert and his comrades left their clubs and their cart in a nearby lake o Their Captain thought it was funny and only gave them 30 days of hard duty; since they were out at sea anyway, it wasn’t that bad His favorite port was at Palma, Spain. It was nice because it wasn’t very militarized and he was able to experience Spanish culture o The worst place he visited was Norfolk, Virginia. Even though the city had a lot of military personnel, Robert found that the civilians were not very kind to them (41:30) Robert was able to see the aftermath of the Gulf War o He remembers the smell and smoke from the bombs would overcome the crew when they got close to land � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StaufferR1828V Title A name given to the resource Stauffer, Robert J (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-18 Description An account of the resource Robert Stauffer was born on May 4, 1971 in Lansing, Michigan. After graduating high school in Caledonia, Michigan, he joined the United States Navy. Throughout the majority of his time in the service, he was a payroll clerk on the USS Underwood. He took part in drug operations as well as rescue missions. Robert also discusses the aftermath of the Gulf War, and the various duties he had while at sea. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stauffer, Robert J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hamp, Travis (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9caa667a2ad1b8ab9ff8005969635a2b.mp4 51154a9aa9fbff634a53fb7fab8d1b53 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/716493846c5566e4f8c0ed8d69cf41d2.pdf 3ded9dbb827eb0d00962ebc1acf33e9d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Phillip Stebbins Jr. Peacetime Duty & Evacuation of Diplomats from Albania 44 minutes NOTE: The interview was not Time coded in a chronological order (13:10)Inspiration for Enlistment -Had worked for a pizzeria throughout high school -Decided to join the Marines after high school -Military background in the family -Father served in the military -Grandfather (who raised him) was a Marine in WWII and fought at Palau -Cousins and uncles were also in the Marines, or the Navy, or the Army (14:30)Young Marines -Was in the Young Marines (a part of the Marine Corps League organization for retired Marines) -Young Marine from the age of 8 to 18 -Won Young Marine of the Year award -Attained the rank of Sergeant Major in the Young Marines -Highest rank possible for a Young Marine -National Commander discharged him -From there went to recruiter to join the Marine Corps -Prepared by studying -History, traditions and customs, physical and mental standards (16:45)More on Pre Enlistment -Joined the Marines out of a family tradition -Dad died when he was young -Grandpa raised him -Grandpa was a Marine -Would meet with recruiter regularly -Go on runs -Go over classes -Discuss what the guidebook had in it -Learned that not everyone enters boot camp at the same level -Preparedness was based on emotional investment (19:05)Specialization -First joined as Infantry 0351 MOS -Carried 83mm rocket launcher for clearing bunkers and destroying tanks -Sub category of that is demolitions (tank busting, clearing areas) (20:05)Reenlistment -Wanted to be involved with helicopters -Applied for repair job with helicopters -Also applied for MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation) -Coordinates with civilian positions on base -Assigned to MWR �-Got to go to Greece as part of job -Helped to establish a Marine base store from scratch -Returned from Greece -Told to choose between recruiter, security, or drill instructor -Chose recruiter -Sent to San Diego for recruiter school -Deployed to New York -Witnessed the September 11th attack -Stayed on until 2002 when he was discharged (24:10)Recruit Training -Just doing what you’re told for thirteen weeks -Fleet Marines are seen as elite -Attached to 2nd Battalion 4th Marines who had just gotten back from Panama -Initially struggled to be integrated with unit -Eventually formed a lasting bond (26:30)Base Duty -Served at Camp Pendleton as a guard with 2nd Battalion 4th Marines -6 months of downtime -6 months of getting ready for deployment -6 months overseas -Cycle has been extended for Iraq and Afghanistan -Was going to go to the Naval Academy but was turned down because of tattoos -Got married and started a family -Attached to 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina on the East Coast (28:50)Serving in Albania -Boarded U.S.S. Austin in mid-1998 -Deployed to the Mediterranean Sea -Saw Spain, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, and Russia -August of 1998 al Qaeda bombs the U.S. embassy in Kenya -Battle group splits in half -Half sent to Africa -His half is sent to Macedonia -Job was to build airstrip and secure route to U.S. embassy in Albania -Secured American diplomats’ housing -Extract Americans safely as well as defend American diplomatic territory -Albanian coup d’état was happening at this time -Condition 1: Weapons loaded and ready -Told not to retaliate or engage in combat so as to prevent escalation -American ambassador wanted to stay behind to insure diplomatic ties were maintained -Had to dig in and hope for the best (35:00)Marine Bonding -Bonds remain even in civilian life -Chose not to remain in contact with unit and regrets that -Still has bond with other marines in the civilian world -Massive social network exists composed of marines (37:05)Personal Communication While Abroad �-Stayed in touch with family and friends -Letters written -Some video tapes were sent back and forth -AT&T and the USO set up telephone network at certain areas -Internet was only rarely allowed for educational purposes -Remembers one soldier tried to pass an email through and got in trouble over it -Sundays were the days for letter writing (41:10)Recreation -Basically do the same things you would do at home (in his case skateboard) -In high risk areas you wanted to have at least a few other marines around just in case -Mostly tried food in the new countries he visited -Ice cream in Italy -Baklava in Greece -Mostly wanted to be exposed to the food and the culture (00:28)Coming Home -Family emergency as soon as they reached the theatre of operations -Flown to Heathrow airport then New York -Driven to Michigan -Afterwards went to North Carolina -Left when son was three months old, son was nine months old when he returned (03:40) Post Service-Emotionally Coping and Readjusting -Suffered anxiety upon returning home -Questioned whether relationships would be the same after being gone for so long -Hyper vigilant and over analytical -Excited to be home -Received well by the community -Lived on a Marine Corps base -Readjustment to civilian life -Sold cars for 7 years -It was easy to be a civilian because of being used to “overclocking” yourself -Day to day life changes, but mentality remains the same -Look for entrances and exits -Scope out crowds to look for suspicious activity -Knowing your terrain -There is a recurrence of vigilance and nightmares (08:25)Post Service-Working with other Veterans -Good experience meeting with other veterans -Best friend died at thirty years old -Served in several combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan as a combat medic -Participates in peer to peer support group -Benefits being brought to veterans -Support across all branches (10:20)Post Service Involvement -Wants to have a positive impact on other veterans -Part of the Marine Corps League �-Involvement in community for personal strength (11:10)More on Coping -Wartime experiences have drastically affected life -For the better and for the worse -Some things take time to get through -Learned that coping is about relearning and reframing your life -Learned important life lessons from military -Self-confidence, courage, and commitment � 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 StebbinsP1522V Title A name given to the resource Stebbins Jr, Phillip (Interview outline and video), 2013 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stebbins Jr, Phillip Description An account of the resource Phillip Stebbins Jr. is a United States Marine Corps veteran living in Michigan who served during peacetime as a demolitions expert and recruiter as well as during an evacuation of American diplomats from Albania in 1998 after a terror threat, and during unrest in Albania. He was involved with the Marines at a young age through the Young Marines and is still heavily involved with the Marines community today through involvement in the Marine Corps League. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Bouwens, Katelyn Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Marine Corps Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-05-23 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf 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/b20e1f68e056a86f509481a1d5432528.mp4 29b634fe393834c51866420abc717433 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/eb7aaf08fad28cbbddd1f3a1e31a0004.pdf 719920e1f69a592953b19969326c9dd7 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Walter Stecker (52:43) (00:20) Background Information • • • • • • • • Walter was born in Southfield township in Michigan, on a farm in 1920 His father died in 1925 when he was only five years old His family then moved to their summer home near Lake Michigan They also lived in Detroit for a while Walter spent most of the time growing up in Birmingham, Michigan He went to Cranbrook School there for four years and graduated in 1939; he then went to the Cranbrook Art Academy This school dealt mostly with post-graduate students Walter worked with Marshall Fredericks, who has work in Fredrick Meijer Gardens in Michigan (3:10) Post Graduate Work in Las Angeles • • • • • • The school he went to today produces a lot of automotive designers Walter studied Industrial Design In December of 1941 the Aircraft Industry needed help assembling aircraft Walter was asked to help instruct classes He got a job at Douglas doing aircraft work in 1942 He was deferred from the draft because of his education, but he had been expecting to be drafted and after a while they could no longer defer him (6:35) Drafted into the Navy • Walter went to boot camp in Idaho • He got sick for a while and had to switch to a different company because he was behind in training • He was quickly sent to Washington DC to the Naval Barracks • Walter went to the main Navy building with six other men, all of whom were illustrators • He got chosen to illustrate, but had to have a background check for six whole months before he could start working on the secret project (12:30) Publication • His job was to predict how many plains will be near certain islands at certain times • Only the Secretary of the State, a top admiral, and a few captains were able to see the publication • Walter was the last one to get discharged of all those who he had worked with �• He even provided presentations regarding plane locations to US Senators (15:00) Walter was Discharged on June 17th, 1946 (15:25) Work in Douglas • Here he worked with about twenty other men • They worked on technical production illustrations regarding the sub-assembly of airplanes • Walter also worked on illustrating front-landing gear • He also illustrated for Navy Fighter Dive-Bombs, or B51s • He learned a lot from architectural blue-prints (19:55) Los Angeles During the War • Walter had an apartment with two other men from school • There was not much money for food because they only made 75 cents/hour • The men worked lots of over-time; sometimes from 7:30am to 8:00pm (22:10) Military Draft Deferments • Those with more education were able to get deferred longer • Walter was finally drafted on September 24th and stated that “I was lucky to get into the Navy.” (24:05) Army Camp in Idaho • “That was a horrible place,” because it was so damp and cold • Yet while Walter was in Idaho he did meet some good friends • They had to go through a fire simulation on a ship and wear gas masks • There was also a lake with lots of row boats • Some guys were pathetic and not coordinated enough to even row boats (27:40) The Train Ride to Washington • The train made many stops along the way, probably picking up other Navy personnel • The floors got flooded somehow with some black, oily substance • Walter volunteered to serve food in the dining room, but it was a hard job with oily mess all over the floors • He was pretty sure that they never changed the dish water and refused to eat any of the food himself (31:12) Working in Naval Headquarters in Washington • Here there were many officers all over the place • There were many different departments working together • Walter ran into friends from Detroit that he had went to school with (33:25) After Being Discharged • The Navy wanted him to stay and continue to work with service men, but he went back to Michigan �• • • • He got a job in a new industrial design department at Dow Chemical Before he started working there, he met his wife in California to get married They had known each other from previously living in Birmingham They had many friends in California so they got married there instead of Michigan (43:05) A Recession in 1947 • Walter then went back to California to look for a new job • There he did free-lance work for Max Factor • He also worked for Sears • He then worked for a newspaper over-seeing art and adds; he stayed in California for 9 years (48:00) Boot camp • People came from all over and some had never even been swimming • There were many different endurance tests that involved swimming   � 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 SteckerW Title A name given to the resource Stecker, Walter (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stecker, Walter Description An account of the resource Walter Stecker was able to avoid being drafted into the services during the beginning of World War II because of his work for the aircraft industry in industrial design. He was eventually drafted into the Navy and worked on illustrations for the assembly of aircraft, blue-prints, and maps. He worked on top-secret projects and even presented some of his findings to the US Senate. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-07-02 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ea168bea5340ef4e8892b50b129d86e7.jpg 3f1537f4f2089aed8f894265305dfe15 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/39d6e08f7188b218c533ac20faf9124d.jpg 9d322d4a98ff0613e2e589d41a0e3a31 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 Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_PHOT_1949-ABT-and-sons-Alkmaar-recto-img608 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steegman, W. J. (photographer) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1949 Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. Termaat and sons, 1949 Description An account of the resource Photograph of Adriana B. Termaat and her sons. Adriana is standing with a stroller in front of a carousel, wearing a dark overcoat and hat. The two older boys, Nicolaas P. J. and Cornelis B. (Keith), stand on either side wearing light shirts and dark short pants. The baby, Michiel P., is wearing a dark suit and sitting in the stroller. Subject The topic of the resource Dutch Alkmaar (Netherlands) Netherlands Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/46dcbe73717c57129920606e05707633.mp4 d07a129ab88e4b16f4a0ea7a6e2b617e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c3cd881b62004c636c291be1eb1ec81e.pdf 04e34621603673eed0533520f7cc9bdd PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project George “Cal” Steele (01:00:08) (00:10) Background Information • • • • • • Born on the East side of Detroit, MI in 1925 George went to Cass technical high school He was drafted into the Navy and that somewhat upset his family George served in the Navy from 1943-1946 George was sent to Great Lakes training school in Chicago He was sent off to training so quickly that his mom had to walk down the aisle during graduation to pick up his diploma (1:50) Current News Before the Draft • • George had been in the theater when he heard the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor; but he was not worried about it at the time George had not ever expected to be drafted when he was younger (3:15) His Father • • • • • • His father worked for Nash Kelvinator in Finkle He was in charge of manufacturing a part that they used to cool refrigerators His father was able to keep his job through the Depression Transportation was much more cheap in East Detroit His father made him work and would never just give him anything George raked yards all summer long to save enough money to buy a radio (5:10) Technical School • George received aviation mechanical training and auto mechanical training • He was taught drafting, calculus, and math • George never went to college (7:30) Family Members in the Navy • He did not want to join the Marine Corps and he had family already in the Navy • His uncle was a cook in the Navy and his grandfather had been in the Navy near Australia (8:40) The News of Pearl Harbor �• George remembered hearing that lots of ships had been sunk and thousands of men were dead or missing • After that he began to pay more attention to news regarding the war and started his own scrapbook (9:15) Drafted in 1943 • George later expected that he would be drafted, and all his friends had been drafted as well • He lost two good friends in Okinawa • His parents were proud when he was drafted, but they were also worried • None of the men thought that they would be killed, they always thought that the other guy would get hurt • George felt that the draft was a necessary action (12:30) Societal Changes Due to the War • Prices were rising and many products were completely sold out once the government began rationing (13:15) Great Lakes training camp, Chicago • George had to sleep in a room with hundreds of others and they all snored so it was difficult to sleep • He went to church when possible, though they usually had to still work on Sundays • He learned to tie sailor knots, recognize aircraft in black rooms, certain diving techniques, anti-drowning activities • Training helped when they were debarking in Guam and had to carry one hundred pound packs on their backs • He went to school in Oklahoma and learned some math and technical training • They learned about ship engines and how they operate • He learned to help keep pilots in the air at B-school • Once he almost got court-martialed because he accidently left the oil cap off of plane ready for takeoff; the pilot could have died • Before going overseas, he traveled to Florida, California, and Oklahoma • He spent about 3-4 months training and in school (23:00) Guam 1944 • His title in the Navy was aviation Machinist, 3rd class • He spent a lot of time in the machine shop making parts for Navy ships and aircraft • He would have to inspect an entire plain to determine its flight capability and whether or not it was safe for takeoff • He worked with the F-3, F-4, F-6, F-4U; which were all fighter plains �• George spent most of his time in Guam (24:15) The People of Guam • Guam was a war-torn society • There were pieces of plains and bodies everywhere • The Japanese had camped out in the caves • There were still 10,000 Japanese hiding in the hills when they arrived • Lots eventually surrendered, but some hid for 10-12 years after the war had ended • The Japanese came over at night and stole supplies • The Guam natives were nice and happy to see the Americans (27:05) The Voyage to Guam • It was the first long sea voyage he had ever been on • They went from San Francisco to Hawaii with 6,000 troops on a converted luxury liner • Everyone got sick except the girls because they were able to eat more food • George slept on the floor in sick bay for three days (31:20) Communications with the States • George wrote letters, but they probably took a long time to reach anyone • He received letters and boxes with presents in them • On the military radio station they heard news of the progress in Europe • Many of the men he was with wanted to attack the Russians when they were done in the Pacific • The Marines were in Guam to support the Navy. They were non-combatants; their job was more mechanical • The USO came over to play music, but they did not like it, so they never came again (34:25) The First Night in Guam • They immediately started digging trenches for air raids and got their sleeping quarters ready • They slept in nets so they would not get malaria • George woke up twice in the middle of the night to the sound of air sirens • They were scary at first, but he learned to ignore them and hope that the plains were striking somewhere else • There were some restricted areas in Guam where he was not allowed • He was assigned to shore patrol at the end of his service (37:10) The Water Tower • This was the first time George was ever really frightened �• • • • He climbed a fifty foot high tower on an eight-inch wide ladder because some other men had asked to help them and bring up a fire hose It was very easy to climb up the ladder and there was a beautiful view It was very hard to maneuver from the top of the tower back to the ladder George collapsed when he got back to the ground (40:00) The Bombing of Japan • At the time no one realized how bad or strong the bombs were • He just remembered that it brought the war to an end • Everyone knew that they would be going home soon (40:45) Life After the Service • His father had always told him to persevere and would never help him with anything • The Navy was the same; it taught him to take care of himself and to be responsible • George left Guam in 1946 • It was hard to get used to civilian life back in America because it all seemed so boring • Society seemed the same after the war had ended (45:00) His Career • George opened up his own garage for repairing cars; he worked twelve hours a day for a long time and finally got mono • He also sold storm windows • He then became a draftsman at an architect firm • He helped design the GM technical center • He continued to work in drafting and engineering and with an Army multi-fuel engine • George retired in 1984 and then was an engineering consultant for two more years (50:30) Volunteer Work • He has volunteered for Hospice, International Aid, the MSU Extension • In 2004 he was named the volunteer of the year and awarded for achievement and chosen to welcome in President Bush for a visit to Grand Rapids • George believes that the secret to life is to smile when times are bad and to give to others in need • There will be a George Steele award coming out in January and awarded every year for outstanding volunteers in mentoring (54:10) Looking Back at the War • The war was very sad • Presently people avoid thinking about Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan �• • Much of the nation does not care at all, they do not support their troops, they have poor attitudes and there are no more role models George feels sorry for the men in service right now (56:40) World War Two Movies • It should be mandatory in high school for everyone to watch Saving Private Ryan • Band of Brothers is also good (57:45) Reinstatement of the Draft • They should reinstate the draft; it would help kids mature and take the pressure off of 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 SteeleG Title A name given to the resource Steele, George (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steele, George Description An account of the resource George Steele was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He had previously gone to a technical high school and was able to continue such aviation and mechanical training while in the Navy. George spent most of his service in Guam after the Japanese invasion. He was there for about two years while the Navy was giving technical support to the Marines. After his time in the service George became a draftsman at an architecture firm. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-10-30 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/64a5808328cd5a28602645c889f6e5cf.mp4 7f1419497c1475f010f3b51b1c1d2ee7 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f939aff2c98bb15563702240d198f624.pdf a9d59e860fc6ab09600da2caf2d9029e PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Willard Steffens (00:59:14) (00:15) Background Information • Willard was born on June 21, 1935 • He worked for a while after graduating high school, but he did not like it and they did not pay enough money • He enlisted in the Air Force the August after graduation because he did not want to be drafted (2:00) Training • Boot camp was scary and adventurous • He traveled from Traverse City to Detroit and then to Niagara Falls • They were busy all day long with physical activities (4:00) The Korean War • Willard traveled to French Morocco • He arrived in Casablanca on a ship and flew to an air base • It took them 9 days to arrive in Morocco from the US • On many of the walls in Morocco it read “Yankee go home,” which scared him • He was a switch board operator • They left Morocco in 1956 and the French left shortly after that (14:50) Entertainment • They were able to go to church at least two times a month • He wrote many letters to his family • The men went to bars, played poker, worked with photography, listened to music, and took language classes • Willard attempted to learn French, but he did not have enough time • There was an USO show about every other month (21:20) Showing of Photographs • Willard traveled to Michigan, New York, Washington DC, French Morocco, New Jersey, and Nebraska • Some of the Northerners he worked with were racist • Pictures of the chapel, drill halls, swimming pools, uniforms, etc… � 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 SteffensW Title A name given to the resource Steffens, Willard T. (Interview outline and video), 2006 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steffens, Willard Description An account of the resource Willard Steffens was born in Leland, Michigan in 1935 and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1954. Willard worked as a switch board operator in French Morocco after the Korean War and stayed there until 1956. He comments on living and working conditions there and on tensions with the local population. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Steffens, Tiffany (Interviewer) Timmerman, Austin (Interviewer) Michigan Military Preservation Society (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Air Force Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006-04-14 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4584a08af3877edd2c552c594af6a135.mp4 502a957b3518dee8a5ec857cb1eb750b https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ef91903aafff181b946c400aef5d06f5.pdf f3c941f94a96ee70e899b460c8a5fb33 PDF Text Text Living with PFAS Interviewee: Brian Steglitz Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: October 8, 2021 Dani DeVasto: I’m Dani DeVasto and today, October 8, 2021, I have the pleasure of chatting with Brian Steglitz. Hi Brian! Brian Steglitz: How are you? DD I’m fine, how are you? BS: Good! DD: Brian, can you tell me about where you’re from and where you currently live? BS: So, I originally grew up in New Jersey, and have lived in several different locations. I was working in Washington D.C. for a consulting firm before I moved to Michigan 25 years ago to take a job with the city of Ann Arbor, as their weather treatment services engineer, so I’ve been here since 1997, currently live in Ann Arbor, I am president of our water system, too, and currently serving as the manager of the water treatment services unit for the city. DD: Alright. Brian, can you tell me a story about your experience with PFAS, or with PFAS in your community? BS: Uhh sure, so for us it really started back in 2014 when we had to sample this drinking water as part of a safe drinking water act requirement, part of the monitoring rule, which is part of what EPA looks at for evaluating emerging contaminants. So we had data from our water system dating back to 2014 but we didn’t hear anything about it for several years. You know, EPA comes up with lists of these things, utilities typically don’t know what the health issues are, or really much about these, we just know that these are what they want data on so we continue to investigate and explore. So, it wasn’t until probably 2016, 2017 it sort of started to become more, the media picked up on some of these contaminants, the environmental working group did a piece on utilities across the country that had PFAS in them, the water in Ann Arbor was featured there, there was a news article that, “There are poisons in the city of Ann Arbor’s water,” and the next thing I knew is Channel 7 news was showing up at our doorstep, wanting to interview me about what we’re doing about these poisons in our waters. So, it was sort of a trial by fire, we had no, we really didn’t have any information about what these things are, what they did. No real indication that the levels we had were or were not problematic, so I mean, once again the media sort of dictated the conversation so at that point we were really scrambling. So we began to do our homework and understand what the science was around these chemicals and where is this coming from, you know you, and back at that time, a lot of the contamination associated PFAS was groundwater related in airport bases, it’s used as part of firefighting foam, so A-FFF is a common thing sprayed on fires in our airports, it can get into groundwater, we actually have 2 sources of water for our water supply, the first one being huron river, and the second one being wells, and the wells are on our Ann Arbor airport property, so we were like, “Let’s go, let’s sample the groundwater and then we can figure out what we can do about it, we can replace the FFF that’s at the airport with a safer firefighting foam, maybe that will take care of the issue. So this is what was going through our minds, originally the samples that we were �doing were regulatory sampling, it was just in our finished water, so we didn’t know what the source was, so we were just checking what the finished water contains. So it turns out it wasn’t our well water, our wellwater had non-detectable levels of PFAS, so we were like, “Wow, that’s really weird,” and we were at that point, no one had heard of any contamination levels associated with PFAS, so we started to explore and we measured it, and it was in the heron river. We started doing some analytical testing and we went upstream and we were trying to see where, was there a certain distance upstream, does it just disappear, like can we find out where maybe it’s getting into the watershed? And we might’ve gone up maybe ten miles north of Ann Arbor in our watershed, and we just continued to see it at similar concentrations, so there’s this background, on the river? We really didn’t know where it was going, we started engaging conversations with the state of Michigan, they ended up putting together a really robust sampling unit, and they went way upstream, like they went over 50 miles upstream, and they quickly found that there is a creek entering the huron river that is 50 miles upstream that had extremely high levels of PFAS. I think at the time it was tens of thousands of parts per trillion, and just to give you a magnitude, we were seeing like somewhere between 50 to 100 parts per trillion of total PFAS at our intake down in Ann Arbor, so it it was getting into the river at tens of thousands, then being diluted as it mixed in with the main stretch of the river, so then they started exploring this creek, so what’s coming in from this creek? The wixam waters treat plant empties their discharge into this creek, so their affluent was sampled, extremely high levels of PFAS. So anyway, to make a longer story shorter, it ended up that there is a manufacturing company that called Tribar, who manufactures parts for the auto industry and they use PFAS containing chemicals as part of their suppressant to protect their workers, and it’s in their wastewater, and it’s all over their property, so it’s getting into their storm drains, and so they were, they’re probably the source of at least 50% of the PFAS that we see in Ann Arbor. So this took a while, this wasn’t something we discovered right away, this was maybe years in as we went through this investigation. So the state began to intervene, they’re out of our jurisdiction so we had little control, and there’s also limited to no regulation, so there were some health advisory levels at this time, but no regulation, so a lot of this was just collaborative work, like, “are there things you can do?” so the polluter was not very responsive to taking any voluntary action, so it took some litigation involving attorney, and consent degrees to eventually implement some changes, and in subsequently they put in some treatment on their discharges that go to the wixam plant and now there are guidelines for the wastewater, that comes out or wixam that gets to the river, unfortunately they’re still out of line with what the drinking water standards are, so we are still responsible for taking out PFAS from our source water, which I think is very unfortunate, because customers in Ann Arbor are paying for PFAS remediation which should be handled, but that’s the philosophical discussion, but it is part of our story, and it’s something that I’m still fighting for, and I think we should be looking at this more holistically at a water shed level and make sure that there is alignment, they’re putting it in, I think they should be responsible for taking it out, so my customers don’t have to deal with it. So that’s the story of how it got into the system. Through this time a lot of other things have happened, also. So, there was Sconan Michigan where they had some surface water bodies that had this very bright white foam accumulating, and there were some stories about PFAS accumulating in the foam, and it’s a health issue and people should stay away from it, well, we operate and maintain four dams on the river, and as the water cascades over these dams, foam is generated, and in some cases �there’s standing foam on the river, and one of my bright ideas is, “Let’s sample this, just to make sure that there’s not high concentrations of PFAS, and of course where you look you will find, and we found PFAS in the high tens of thousands of parts per trillion, and in foam sitting in the heron river where we have people recreate. So we share this information with the state and people were just freaking out, because no one had had done this type of sampling in this type of environment, so very quickly, all the health departments in the state were together in a meeting explaining our situation to them and we’re deciding, “What do we do about this,” and in parallel with this, the state was taking samples from fish that were living in the heron, and analyzing them for PFAS, and very quickly we finding that there were hundreds of thousands of parts per trillion in certain species of fish, so they’re just trying to deal with all these different issues, we have the drinking water issues, we have the environmental exposure issues, so very soon there was a “do not eat fish” advisory and it still exists, due to PFAS along the huron river and we have a lot of anglers who fish. Ann Arbor also has the largest livery in the state of Michigan, in terms of people, and we have people who canoe and kayak and paddleboard across all these areas where we have accumulated foam. So subsequently to this there was a “do not eat foam” advisory, and we never thought that people were coming to Ann arbor just to eat foam, but we had to post signage to reflect that risk and people had dogs swimming in there keep them away, so it became a big thing where we were dealing with this from a lot of different places. We eventually tested things like our compost and we found PFAS in our compost and there’s still really not a clear direction that has been given to customers that are using this. If you’re putting your compost into your vegetable garden, there’s a chance of getting some uptake in your food, so should we post the PFAS levels, and what does that mean? Are there hazards? We’re still dealing with this evolving issue, and it’s not just a drinking water issue, it’s a community issue. I think we’re been very transparent about how we handle this and sharing data with our community and we’ve been very upfront about talking about it even when we didn’t have the answers and I think that this has built up a lot of trust in our communities. We completely revamped our public strategies once this hit because if you look at our media coverage of Ann Arbor in 2016-17, it was all about poisons. This is not the type of coverage you want as a drinking water utility. You want people to be drinking your water, and if they’re not, you can’t serve them. So we hired somebody to help with this conversation, so we rebranded the utility because of PFAS, and we developed a new logo. We have this URL that’s called qualitywatermatters.org and we use that to talk about this issue. Quality associated with us was really important to us. If you look at how the community has responded after several years, we’ve completely changed the perspective on Ann Arbor water, and we’re seen as a leader, we’ve participated with the state, I’ve testified on PFAS in congress. We are seen as (Audio cuts out) Ann Arbor Handle it. We have a newsletter called quality water matters and we have as close to real time information as we can, that we send out monthly. Normally we’d submit our report yearly, six months into the next one, so the data is old, but now it’s every month, with these emerging contaminants. It’s been a big part of what I’ve been dealing with these past several years, but I think we’ve learned a lot and we’ve done a really good job of dealing with a problem that was fatal to the water. We’re on the cusp of a $100M water improvement plan and we need to get community support for this. This is the largest water system project in history of Ann Arbor, and right now what we’re finding is that one of the alternatives is connecting to Grand Rapids water authority. Should we maintain water autonomy or should we join with the �water system and make the investments in Ann Arbor? Our township customers in Ann arbor township are all saying we’re able to deal with these water threats. We want to keep control of the water system, and 5 years ago they wouldn’t have said that, so being transparent tells them we’re able to handle this, which helps. We’ve been part of research. We’ll do whatever we do to make our water drinkable, and I want people to know we’re looking for solutions for everyone in the water community. We have pilot systems we’ve set up to study how to better remove these, with types of filtering media, exchange resins, things that we don’t have at our plant, we’re building and looking at capabilities to remove these, and we’ll be publishing this, so we’re part of the solution, developing answers. DD: That’s awesome, that’s inspiring, so it really sounds like you’ve been busy! BS: We’ve been busy, yeah! DD: So you mentioned before, you kind of told the story of how the PFAS got into the water, can you say anything about how it’s now getting out? BS: So we quickly started to look at the tools in our toolbox, and we already had an inland water river. In Michigan, that’s unusual, we’re surrounded by the great lakes, there’s a lot of groundwater, but an inland river has very significant water quality variability because it rains and the water river could change rapidly, so our plant is probably the most complex in Michigan, so we already had a lot of technology to deal with stuff like this, so we have filters that contain grano activated carbon, that’s probably the best available thing that can remove PFAS, but we weren’t using the right medium, a different type of carbon. There’s lots of variables, and we settled with one, and we used it for all of it, and it took a couple of years. Our filters are mixed media, they have sand and carbon. Sand is a marble, but carbon has a bigger surface area, and PFAS will stick to it, and the carbon will absorb the PFAS and other things, so you have to replace it, which we already did. Once we started doing that, we looked at how long it would take, so we started sampling filters to predict the life expectancy, which while costly, helps. So we settled on a 2 year life, increasing costs by 3K a year. It used to be landfilled, but we’ve been working to regenerate it, cooking the carbon to get rid of the PFAS, one of the best ways to destroy it. They bring it back to us so we can reuse it. We’ve made some graphs for the community about PFAS and how we want to keep from landfilling because that doesn’t help the environment. PFAS strains are different, some we’re able to remove, but not the smaller ones, because the bigger ones will kick them off to stick instead through competitive absorption. We’ll get pretty good removal of all the big ones, the ones we know the most about, but the shorter ones will be coming to. Looking into the future, we’re keeping an eye on what we can do about these little ones, and the public health impacts. This is not going away, we’re still learning, and we’re just trying to stay one step ahead of science so we can be prepared. DD: Well, it sounds like you guys are doing a lot of really good work, and being really proactive which is really nice to hear! So, you did hint at my other question about moving forward, are those the two that you would say, or did you want to add anything else? �BS: I’m concerned about our ability to deal with this that our current tools don’t have and the challenge of making affordable safe water depending upon what the rules are. There is a cost element. We could regulate something at a low level, but nothing exists to do that, so seeing how technology develops for this, and there’s a lot of research and money, and the university of Michigan is looking at using plasmas, I don’t quite understand it, but there’s a lot going on trying to figure out the best solution is. To me, it’s very clear what the best solution is, which is keeping it out of the environment. We’re lobbying the EPA about the toxic substances control act as they look at new poisons, we need to be looking at this ahead of time as opposed to afterwords, which has been the biggest flaw. We need to prevent them from getting in the environment before we do anything, so we’re pusing EPA to use existing tools to protect all of us. DD: For sure. So before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on or anything you’d like to say more about? BS: I don’t think so, unless there’s anything I missed. DD: I very much enjoyed listening to your story and all the work that you’re doing, so thank you so much, Brian, for taking the time to share your story today. BS: You’re welcome. � 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 Living with PFAS Interviews Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Devasto, Danielle Description An account of the resource Beginning in 2021, the Living with PFAS interviews were recorded to gather the personal stories of individuals impacted by PFAS contamination. PFAS, or per- and polyflourinated substances, are a large group of human-made chemicals used widely since the 1940s to make coatings and products resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. They can be found in countless household items, including food packaging, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant furniture, and water-resistant clothing. These chemicals are often called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily, can move through soils and contaminate drinking water sources, and build up in animals, plants, and people. PFAS have been linked to increased incidences of various cancers, increased cholesterol, decreased fertility, birth defects, kidney and liver disease, and immune system suppression, and thyroid dysfunction. It is estimated that PFAS are in the drinking water of more than 200 million Americans (Andrews & Naidenko, 2020). In Michigan alone, over 280 sites have PFAS contamination exceeding maximum contamination levels for groundwater (MPART, 2024). Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Living with PFAS (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In copyright Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Personal narrative PFAs (Perfluorinated chemicals) Groundwater--Pollution Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-11 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf audio/mp3 Type The nature or genre of the resource Motion Picture Text Sound Language A language of the resource eng 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 PFAS0032 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steglitz, Brian Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021-10-08 Title A name given to the resource Brian Steglitz, 2021 (Interview video and transcript) Description An account of the resource Brian Steglitz moved to Michigan in the late 1990s and currently lives in Ann Arbor. Brian is the manager of the city's water treatment services. In the interview, Steglitz discusses work and response to the presence of PFAS contaminants in the water. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource DeVasto, Danielle (interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Personal narrative PFAs (Perfluorinated chemicals) Groundwater--Pollution Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Living with PFAS (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng 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/2e5101e86365d5933f60085593535348.pdf 1d23f6f8560e61c6c2c53f7e766e371b PDF Text Text 86 SATURDAY MAY 19 1990 0 THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS There are thousands of 'righteous Gentiles' By Peter Steinfels The New York Times PRINCETON, N.Y. - Do people like Marion Pritchard hold a vital clue to the moral education of future generations? In 1942, Marion Pritchard was a Dutch student of social work who was horrified to see Nazis loading the residents of a Jewish children's home into a truck for deportation. She was soon finding hiding places for Jews, obtaining false identity papers, food, clothing, ration cards and medical care. One day a Dutch Nazi policeman surprised her as she was releasing several children from a hiding place beneath the floorboards of a country house 20 miles east of Amsterdam. "I had a small revolver that a friend had given me, but I had never planned to use it," she said. "I felt I had no choice. "I would do it again, under the same circumstances, but it still bothers me." She killed the Nazi. A cooperative undertaker disposed of the body. It is not easy to imagine a lethal weapon in Pritchard's hands. Last week Pritchard, a slender, whitehaired Vermonter, read aloud a paper at a conference on "Moral Courage During the Holocaust and in a Post-Holocaust World." Only once did she falter, overcome by recollections. "You never know when these things will get to you," she said. About 8,000 people like Marion Pritchard, a psychoanalyst, have been recognized and honored by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. The Enclyclopedia of the Holocaust says there may have been 20,000 such "Righteous Gentiles." Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, who has tirelessly campaigned since 1962 for identifying and honoring rescuers of the Holocaust era, says that there may be 50,000 - or even 500,000. Many rescuers' names were unknown to the Jews they aided. Many names were lost to memory because, ultimately, neither rescuers nor beneficiaries survived - or if they did survive, they wanted only to put the horror of those years behind them. But by even the most generous estimate, only one out of 400 Europeans at that time was a rescuer; by more sober estimates, they were fewer than one out of 4,000. Sadly, rescuers are honored because they were so few, not so many. But honors are not enough. Some rescuers are elderly and in need. Four years ago the Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers was established, and it is riow a project of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. The foundation gives monthly grants to hundreds of people in 13 countries around the world and recruits volunteers to provide non-financial assistance. The foundation is also dedicated to learning from the rescuers and trying to incorporate those people's val,ues into the moral education of the next generation. That was why the foundation sponsored last week's conference at Princeton University. Learning from the rescuers' example can be difficult. For two decades, social scientists have interviewed rescuers in a search for patterns of personality, motivation or belief that might explain why they people acted as so many others did not. Scholars have highlighted the role of strong parental models and close family attachments, firm religious and ideological convictions, personal traits like adventurousness, the experience of being socially marginal, and friendships with Jews. Goodness, like evil, is a mystery that escapes ready explanation. Rescuers display an extraordinary range of personalities and motivations. There were those without strong parental identification, those who drifted passively and gradually into aiding Jews - there were even those who shared the prejudices of anti-Semitic backgrounds. . Some acted out of empathy with the victims, some out of enmity for the Nazis. Some acted to emulate their parents, or to serve God, or to sav~ their self-respect, or simply because they were asked to act: In the most unpromising soil, human decency took root. Scholars of the subject say that the variety of human motivations is not a reason to abandon the effort to understand the rescuers or to hand their values down to the young. But after learning of the contrasting currents directing the rescuers, the seekers have turned back to what the psychologist Perry London, a pioneering researcher in the area, called "some simple lessons and imperatives for moral education that are all the more important for their lack of novelty." ' The goal is to make compassion and courage habitual, the methods ancient: example, inspiration, instruction. The researchers and educators stressed the importance of instilling what Pearl and Samuel Oliner, who wrote "The Altruistic Personality" have termed "the habits of care." For the rescuers, decency was ordinary. For them, said Philip P. I Hallie, whose book, "Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed," told how a French Protestant village saved thousands of Jews, decency was "like breathing in and breathing out." London admitted that these simple lessons are also exceedingly complex. "Everyone in principle is for compassion and for courage," he said. But encouraging compassion and courage may not always be comfortable; he said it may require "education in participation and responsibility, but it may also require education in deviance and defiance of power and authority." Young people get a moral education in families and churches, on playgrounds and in front of television sets. But moral education in public schools was particularly on the mind of the conference's organizers. The conference ,at Princeton offered at least a partial suggestionthat the stories of the rescuers be told in classrooms. "Goodness is as teachable as is evil," Rabbi Schulweis said. ~----~-~~-~----------L_. ~--~ � 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 Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_1990-05-19-righteous-Gentiles Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steinfels, Peter Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-05-19 Title A name given to the resource There are thousands of 'righteous Gentiles' Description An account of the resource Grand Rapids Press newspaper clipping, article about the Yad Vashem honoring of "righteous Gentiles." Subject The topic of the resource Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust World War, 1939-1945 -- Jews -- Rescue Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng 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/3cebada9049ed0b1cbcf50af3158f256.mp4 2cdf3e7a994d05ee081265ffb4fb640e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ff415ce19c7b91f96a75fde73b02402d.pdf 1b50a7e5e47d02ce760ac207f873a156 PDF Text Text Stelter, LeeRoy Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of War: Interviewee’s Name: LeeRoy Stelter Length of Interview: 1:23:49 Interviewed by: James Smither Transcribed by: Hokulani Buhlman Interviewer: We’re talking today with LeeRoy Stelter of St. Joseph, Michigan and the interviewer is James Smither of the Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project. Okay, start us off with some background on yourself and to begin with where and when were you born? I was born in April 7th, 1948 in Coloma, Michigan. Interviewer: Alright and did you grow up there? (00:21) Pretty much, graduated– Actually transferred my senior year from Coloma to St. Joe and graduated high school in St. Joe, Michigan. Interviewer: Okay, and what was your family doing for a living when you were a kid? Basically my father was pretty much a mechanic, a maintenance man, and he was steadily employed at a couple of different places so. Interviewer: Okay, alright and so then what year did you finish high school? 1966. Interviewer: Okay, and what did you do after you graduated? Went to work in a factory making– A factory that made record players. Interviewer: Okay back when we still did that, I guess they still make them. Alright and now at this time how aware were you of the Vietnam war? �Stelter, LeeRoy When I graduated from high school it was a topic we about amongst ourselves because of the draft. It started and everybody had to register and it was on the news at night, that was pretty much the extent of the awareness. Interviewer: Okay, and then how did you wind up in the military? I had a cousin ask me what I was gonna do for a career, at that point in time I had no idea, I felt that I would continue to work in a factory and he suggested that I might consider joining the Army as an opportunity to help my career enlist– Get into a program that might be beneficial to me after I left. So I went down and talked to the recruiter and he showed me this opportunity to become a microwave radio repairman. Which is basically AT&T military version, we would send basically battalion level communications back and forth between battalions just as their means of communicating with one another. So I figured that would give me a background in electronics, that’s late 60s electronics were coming of age and I thought that would be an excellent opportunity for me, besides it took seven months of training to become a microwave radio repairman and I had no idea, you know what the likelihood was of me ending up in Vietnam until I completed my training. Interviewer: Yeah, so maybe if you trained long enough the war will be done and I’ll go home. That was a thought. Interviewer: Oh well, okay so when did you start basic training? (3:00) In August of 1967. Interviewer: Okay, alright and where did you go for basic training? Fort Knox, Kentucky. Interviewer: Okay, I guess back up a little before that, you had a physical, a draft physical or did you get it initially? When I– Because I had enlisted there was a delay because I actually had to synchronize my time in basic training with when the microwave radio school started. So they started me out a little bit after I was initially enlisted so I had already accumulated some reserve time, then I went in, like I say, at the end of August and that timed by basic training so that when I got out I was in sync with the microwave radio school. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Okay, I was asking in part about did you have initially a draft– A physical when you first signed up for the draft or was your first physical after you enlisted? My first physical was after I enlisted. Interviewer: Okay, alright and then where do you go for basic training? Basic training again was Fort Knox, Kentucky. Interviewer: Fort Knox, right. So we’re at Fort Knox and then what did they do when you get there? Basically issued us our attire, gave us haircuts, assigned us to a company area, and we kind of got introduced to basic military practices. Interviewer: Okay, and you know often showing up for basic training it gets depicted as a bunch of guys with smokey bear hats yelling at you and things, some of that’s from the Marine Corps but did you get that kind of treatment when you showed up? (4:57) Absolutely, my drill sergeant looked like Smokey the bear, he happened to be a black gentleman, very highly decorated staff sergeant– Or actually sergeant 1st class, I’m sorry. He was a member of the Green Berets, supposedly had a field commission as a major when he was in the field, had been– And he stated this to us, when he put his dress uniform on he had been awarded every medal or citation he could have gotten at the time, he was an extremely well qualified individual. Interviewer: Alright, and how easy or hard was it for you to adjust to life in the Army? Fairly simple, my parents raised me to follow, you know do what you’re told and keep your mouth shut and I really didn’t find it with much difficulty at all. Although there was an issue and I don’t completely understand exactly what happened but my training company ended up being very special. There were a lot of different exercises that other people went through that we did not go through and I didn’t completely understand that until we got towards the end of the cycle, but at the time that I went in in ‘67 they were pretty much trained to, if you will, clean out the inner cities. So there were a lot of very rough individuals, if you will, in my company, there were a couple that went AWOL they served on a detail out picking up trash, a couple of them made a run for it. The guard of course yelled “Halt!” They didn’t halt, he fired a warning shot, they continued, he leveled on them and I don’t remember whether one or two was killed. So that brought our training company under scrutiny by the Army so we didn’t– Most other training companies marched or ran to their– From training activity to training activity, we took buses. There was very few times we wrote, bivouac, some people spent two or three nights out in the �Stelter, LeeRoy bushes, we were out for one night and then I guess we were under tight surveillance. I didn’t realize it, they were very concerned there might be some, I guess some further AWOLs or what but so it was a different experience. Interviewer: Okay, now were there tensions or conflicts among the recruits themselves? Not really, you know there were just normal things we had in my platoon. For instance there was a couple guys that started mouthing off to each other and they ended up settling it by– Like a dance off, “I can dance better than you can.” You know we do it better in Philly than you do in New Jersey. It was interesting but even though it was quite a diverse group from a large part of the country they got along pretty well. Interviewer: Alright, and then I guess the other thing would be the physical training side of things, I mean was that easy enough for you or did you have to get in better shape? Well like I said we were not required to run and march as much as the other groups so we may have been a little deficient as far as physical training went but I think we participated in most normal physical training activities. Interviewer: Okay, and then how long did basic last? How long– (9:00) Two months. Interviewer: Okay and then what did you do next? I was– When I left Fort Knox I was put on a, and I remember this very well, it was a constellation the plane with three tail fins up and we flew that from St.-- Louisville, Kentucky to Newark Airport and I distinctly remember the plane circling over the New York metropolitan area. I saw the Empire State Building for the first time in my life, it was an experience. I had flown before so it wasn’t my first flight but it was memorable because we flew over the New York skyline and landed in Newark. Interviewer: And where were they taking you? To Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Interviewer: Alright, and then what did you do there? There I received my training as a microwave radio repairman, basically they start you out teaching you basic electronics and that goes on for several weeks, once you get the basic �Stelter, LeeRoy electronics then they teach you how to operate the microwave radio gear. It was interesting at that time the equipment that we trained on was left over from the Korean War so it was tube type equipment, although the military did have solid state equipment. At the last week or two of training they introduced us to solid state electronics so in case we might serve somewhere where that was the equipment that they were using but in it’s– That’s interesting as well because the solid state stuff was in other parts of the country, it was also microwave radio was also used as missile guidance radio equipment. So some of the guys left Monmouth and went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to join up with the, I guess they call them artillery but they were– Artillery was missiles. So they received the same training that we did for that but the tube type equipment that we worked on in school was primarily used in Vietnam. So if you were being trained on the Amtrak 29 you were going to Vietnam. Interviewer: Okay, so they were at least teaching you on the equipment you were going to use as opposed to switching you at the last minute. Correct. Interviewer: Okay, so it sort of makes sense and for the Army I guess that’s good. Yeah. Interviewer: Yeah, alright now what was daily life like there? (11:45) At Fort Monmouth it was pretty plain and simple, very much a lot closer to civilian life, very laid back, it wasn’t as military as you might expect although there was a period of time where the individuals that were training to learn about the microwave equipment came from other areas of the military where career soldiers were changing their MOS, their– Interviewer: “Specialty.” Specialty to another field and so there were some career soldiers that were blended in with us. At a point in time there were a couple of gentlemen from Airborne, they had a whole different idea about how we should do things and we actually had a little difference of opinion at a point in time. I was one of the three guys that dissented, we went through the military chain of command, went and saw the 1st sergeant, the XO, finally ended up in front of the old man, the Airborne fellas felt that our barracks wasn’t strack enough so they wanted a little more spit and polish. We obliged them, they came back they didn’t find our barracks spit and polished enough they found a few grains of dust here and there and they pulled our passes for the weekend and at that point we dissented and when we got to the old man, the captain that was over our company, he kind of like “What the heck are these guys doing? This is a microwave school, this isn’t Airborne.” So �Stelter, LeeRoy he reinstated our passes and we didn’t see those guys for a couple of weeks and that was towards the end of our training so we left. Interviewer: So the Airborne guys, they were just other people who were going through the school right? Correct. Interviewer: They were not there as instructors, they didn’t have authority over you. That’s correct, they were basically peers even though they were higher rank, they were buck sergeant and I think an E6 hard stripe sergeant that were basically put in charge of our platoon and then you know as platoon leaders they wanted to set the standard and didn’t fit. Interviewer: Lovely, okay now did you get to go off base much? Yeah every weekend and evenings, we were quite free. We could wander about I went– I was there at a bad time of year through the winter, New Jersey is relatively mild winter climate, so we could get out and about pretty easily. There was times when that winter of ‘67, ‘68 it was kind of snowy so it was interesting because the military issues everyone a snow shovel and you went out and cleared the walks and driveways, just manpower but it worked rather well, had a nice clean area when it did snow but– (15:05) Interviewer: And would you go to New York or Philadelphia? I was in an odd situation, I had broken my car that I had before I went in the military and that car had to be paid for, I was making payments on it, besides the fact that I broke it which cost a whole lot more to restore it and then they ended up selling it and it didn’t quite cover what I owed on it. So I spent probably two thirds of my military career sending most of the money that I made home so I couldn’t venture out too far but I did go to New York City once and that was an experience in itself. Interviewer: Okay, now you’re also there, you’re getting into 1968 a lot of kind of interesting things are happening politically at that point. You’ve had the Tet Offensive had happened, Johnson decides not to run, King gets assassinated, now were you at Fort Monmouth when those things happened? Yes, and to that point the activity that I saw on base there was a group, because we were there for training it didn’t involve us but it involved the people that were permanently assigned to Fort Monmouth, they had a drill one weekend and loaded the troops onto the helicopter and evacuated �Stelter, LeeRoy them or relocated them. So they were basically drilling and preparing for riots, so we had the experience. Interviewer: Alright, but on the base itself there wasn’t a whole lot of trouble or regulation. No trouble, no demonstrations, I think at one point in time there might have been like five or six people outside the base with signs and you know people just said “There’s demonstrators out there.” And it’s like, really, so but nothing notable. Interviewer: Alright, so when do you finish up at Fort Monmouth? In May of ‘68. Interviewer: Okay, and what happens to you next? I went home for a 30 day leave and then made my trip over across the pond. At one point at the end of training we sat down with an individual that talked to us about where we were going to be assigned. I was asked at the time if there was anybody else in my family that was in the military and at the time my brother was and indeed he was serving off the coast of Vietnam on a destroyer with the– He was naval reserve, spending his time in active duty with the Navy off the coast of Vietnam. (18:05) So at that point I really didn’t have to go to Vietnam, I was told that but then I asked when my brother left the coast of Vietnam how long would it take for me to be assigned to Vietnam, they said “For your MOS which is very critical in Vietnam, you would go immediately.” So I said “Well let’s just go and get it over with.” So that’s what got me to Vietnam. Interviewer: Alright now what’s the process of shipping somebody to Vietnam? Basically they make sure you have all the necessary immunizations and shots that you need, there was a very brief period of training like a day. That was done at Fort Dix just prior to me shipping out, I think– I don’t really remember exactly how that happened but basically they took you into a room, sat you down, explained a few things like there were some things in basic training that were pointed towards the Vietnam war, the night fighting and different things but we really didn’t do any specific training in basic, that was all to come in your AIT but like I say for us being radio men they put us on the back of a deuce and half, we drove down a road on Fort Dix Army Base there, they simulated an assault, an ambush if you will. We were told at the beginning that should you run into an ambush you jump off the other side of the truck and hide in the bushes, you know. So we’re to work our way back to a certain point and we just walked through the woods and got back to where we were supposed to be and that was our training. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Okay, alright and then do they fly you out of Fort Dix or do you fly civilian aircraft? When I went over for the first tour I flew out on civilian aircraft, stopped over in– I believe the first time I went stopped over in Hawaii and then I think it was either Wake Island or Guam to refuel and then we landed directly into Bien Hoa Air Base. Interviewer: Okay, alright and what’s your first impression of Vietnam when you get there? When– On the plane, you know we’re talking to each other and we’re wondering you know are we gonna jump off the plane and run to a fox hole or what’s gonna happen and it was very uneventful. The plane landed, we got out, the Vietnamese civilians were all over outside the airport, once we landed at the airport we were transported by bus to the 90th replacement. The bus had wire screening on the windows so it’s like “Okay what’s this all about?” Well it’s to keep them from throwing hand grenades in the bus, you know it’s like “Oh, okay.” But we just, you know drove down the road and Vietnamese civilians were all over the place so it was a little strange, I mean we always– Growing up you always heard the World War II stories, the front and stuff and that didn’t exist in Vietnam, that was a different kind of thing but we went to 90th replacement, it’s funny in a way that I was there for a couple of days they knew where I was gonna be assigned to 327th Signal Company was at Long Binh and Long Binh’s only like five miles away from Bien Hoa Air Base which is where the 98th replacement was. (22:05) Took them a couple days to come over there and pick us up and take us to the 327th Signal Company and get us acclimated so. Interviewer: Alright so you start out then based in Long Binh? Right. Interviewer: Okay, and what were you doing there? Basically most of the people that I went over there with, the microwave technicians, were brought to the headquarters company there in Long Binh and then immediately shipped out to a detachment. Personally I was left there for like three months and basically we pulled– I pulled details, we went out and got a truckload of dirt to fill sandbags with, there was some sandbag filling, there was some painting, sprucing thing up around the company area. I spent one day in a commo bunker, basically every hour on the hour you’d make communication contact, somebody would call you, you would respond, they would affirm that you were where you were supposed to be and nothing was happening on the base. The idea being if something did happen people would come to the bunker, it was like a command bunker, and at that point in time they would’ve �Stelter, LeeRoy set up a command center and stuff but basically all we were doing was keeping a communications web functional. Interviewer: Okay so you’re really not doing very much of what you were trained for at that point. Not at all, not at all. So that was another thing I thought “Gee, what am I doing here?” So it took like I say about three months and then every morning you’d fall out into formation, you’d be assigned to do something and then you might go out with a couple other guys or a dozen guys depending on what the detail was going to do and it was kind of odd in a way, I never served KP, you know I could’ve just as well as anybody else but the things that they had me do were pretty common simple stuff. So and then one day I fell out in formation, 1st sergeant said “Stelter I wanna see you in the headquarters office after the formation and need to talk to you a little bit.” So when the formation was dismissed I went to the 1st sergeant’s office and he told me that I had been reassigned and I would be transported down to a base called Vinh Long to replace a soldier that we had lost during a mortar attack. Interviewer: Okay, now during those three months when you’re at Long Binh did you spend that whole time on the base or did you ever go off it? Always on the base. Interviewer: Alright, okay so where is Vinh Long? (25:10) Vinh Long was— It’s the Mekong River came into Vietnam, it split into three prongs, basically Vinh Long was on the middle prong and it was on the south bank of the river and it was part of a radio relay set up for my signal company between Dong Tam, Vinh Long was the relay and the eventual site that the signal went to was Can Tho. In Can Tho they did have solid state equipment, they had a piece of equipment they called track 90 which was tropospheric scatter, it had a huge dish and they bounced the radio signal off the troposphere and then down to Saigon. So that was the delta’s communication link to Saigon, the Dong Tam, My Tho was the closest Vietnamese village, was the base for the 25th Infantry Division. That base was the fellows from our outfit that were stationed there were pretty much under very regular mortar attacks, the Vietnamese really didn’t like the 25th Infantry Division and as a result that base was attacked regularly. Interviewer: Okay, now what was– Okay how did they get you down to Vinh Long? That was another experience, the first day I grabbed my duffle bag and jumped in a jeep and was taken to a heliport, I went to get on the helicopter and as we were arriving the helicopter took off, �Stelter, LeeRoy I got left behind. Went back to the 1st sergeant said “Hey you know you told me I was supposed to catch this helicopter and it left.” And he said “Yeah I know, I got a phone call the helicopter was full and we’ll get you down there.” And I thought “Okay, fine.” So the next day they took me to a nearby base, I left Long Binh and went to place called Bearcat and there I got on what they called an otter which is a fixed wing aircraft, extremely slow flying, it was an interesting experience just taking off in it because it just didn’t seem like it got up enough speed and it took forever, must of ran the full length of the runway before it got off the ground and another thing because it flew so slowly it didn’t have a lot of power, they circled Bearcat a couple times to gain altitude before they flew out over the jungle where they may have been shot at and rode that down to Vinh Long and found myself reunited with a buddy from radio school and then also met a gentleman from up north here in Michigan, Grand Haven. He was very excited to see me so I thought that was pretty good but the change from Long Binh to Vinh Long it was like I was kind of in a somewhat more civilized, clean, organized area. There were actually like three bedroom ranch homes that were built in a little development in an area, I’m sure they were occupied by field officers or whatever but then Vinh Long was kind of a ratty little nasty base and at that point in time– And I never really had it explained to me or what but Vinh Long was under attack every night. The first night that I got there, it was like the 4th of July, the whole place was incoming rounds, outgoing mortar fire, we didn’t– There weren’t any rockets it was mainly mortars, Huey, Cobra gunships were flying around the perimeter spraying minigun fire into the perimeter. (29:23) We sat and listened to the radio, there were people crawling into the wires and stuff around the place, it was like they were, you know trying to over run the base and that went on probably for the first couple of weeks and I tell people I just really don’t have a good recollection, I don’t recall what went on during that period of time because just all hell broke loose every night. Interviewer: So what’s the basic time frame for that, when do you get out to Vinh Long? I’m guessing, and I don’t really have a record of it, but I– Like I say I think I spent three months in Long Binh so that would’ve been, got out of school in May, June I was home for a 30 day leave prior to going so it must’ve been July, August, September. So late September, early October I was first arrived there. Interviewer: Alright, now so how long did it stay that intense? Probably for at least three or four months but it was gradually deescalating, like I say the first two weeks it was all hell broke loose every night, then it got to be where it was like every other night, then it got to a couple times a week, then it got to a couple times a month, and by the time I left, which was another decision point in my career with the military, I thought “You know it’s getting pretty quiet around here, why don’t I just go home and come back? I’ll spend eight months and I’ll get my five month early out and I’ll be out of the military and you know this isn’t �Stelter, LeeRoy so bad it’s getting quiet here.” So that was the thing, during Tet I guess the fighting around Vinh Long was quite intense, as a matter of fact the fellows that were there with the 327 Signal Company carried their weapons, served on the guard post, they were an active part of the fight. By the time I got there it had settled “Oh this is quiet.” It had settled down we were no longer, you know, pulling those kinds of details. So got away from the but the fighting was still, to me, fairly intense. Interviewer: Sure, and you were replacing somebody who had gotten killed so–” Yes. Interviewer: Okay, now what else was on the base, you had the signal detachment and then what else? Well we were there as a relay site okay but we were also supporting a– I’m thinking a battalion, maybe infantrymen, there was an airstrip there, that was of interest to the enemy because that was their primary target when they hit us with mortars was to tear up the airstrip but that was about it, you know a small group of military folks. Interviewer: And then do you have a sense of what size unit you had for perimeter guard, did you have a rifle company or a platoon? (32:35) Probably something like a company, the area was expanded by the airstrip we did protect the airstrip, at some bases they just protected the living quarters and mess hall and stuff like that, at our base we were protecting the airstrip as well so it was a little bigger. Interviewer: Alright, now what kind of physical quarters did you have there? Actually what we called the Hooch was a wood frame building with a corrugated metal roof and we were told that that roof was stout enough to protect us from a direct hit by a mortar. The idea was the mortar would hit the metal roof and it was stiff enough where it would set the mortar off and the shrapnel would go up and out as mortars were designed to do. So after the fella that I replaced that had been killed left we– Actually he was killed leaving the Hooch to go to a bunker, had he stayed in the Hooch he would’ve been fine. So they told us you stay in the Hooch and crawl under your bunker and cover yourself with your flak jacket. So we always had our flak jackets hanging on our bunks and we just the top guy would roll out first, get under the bunk, the bottom bunk would roll in and pull the flak jackets in. The perimeter of the Hooch was filled with 55 gallon drums filled with sand so that and they were stacked one on top of the other so we really didn’t have visible– You know you couldn’t look out a window, you saw a steel drum so we were kind of living in a bunker, if you will. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Okay, now were they right about the roofs being mortar proof? We didn’t– We never had the opportunity to find out for sure. Interviewer: Well good, okay so now were you still taking casualties? You know in those first weeks when you were there were people still getting hit? Yes, and I can’t– I don’t know how many were killed or injured or what but there were people that were being medevaced. Interviewer: Now do you know if any of the enemy actually managed to get into the perimeter? One evening I recall listening to a PRC-25 basically a field radio, we got one from somewhere and so we were on the same frequency as the perimeter security group was and they were communicating back and forth with the command bunker and they talked about sappers in the wire and he’s in the first wire, he’s in the second wire, whatever. So they kept calling back and forth asking to shoot the guy and they kept saying “No, observe, observe.” Like they wanted to see how far this guy was going to penetrate the compound before they did anything about it and I don’t remember the outcome but he didn’t penetrate the perimeter so at that point in time we were okay. (36:10) Although south of us the Vietnamese– The southern end of the relay was Can Tho which was a larger base, better protected, the Vietnamese pulled a shenanigan down there where they somehow got a hold of one of our ambulances, loaded it with guerilla fighters, fired up the sirens, came to the base after an attack had started like “We’re here to pick up wounded.” Or whatever, they threw open the gates, these guys drove into the flight line, they got out of the ambulance, they ran down the flight line, they were throwing satchel charges into the revetments where the helicopters and aircraft were parked blowing up aircraft and stuff, jumped back in the ambulance, turned around, fired up the sirens, and drove out the main gate. So it was a suicide mission, they didn’t expect to get away but you know under normal circumstances I mean here comes and ambulance what do you do? Wow, open the gate, let them out, take the guys who are wounded to the hospital, they didn’t realize it was the same ambulance that brought the bad guys in. So there were those types of attacks that took place but thankfully not at the base I was at at the time. Interviewer: Right, now the enemy that was around you, do you know if they were Viet Cong or North Vietnamese? From what we were told basically it was Viet Cong, they were local people, at that point in time– Now this is after Tet of ‘68, Tet kind of extended itself at Vinh Long. The other compounds like �Stelter, LeeRoy I say, Dong Tam they were under constant attack all the time, whatever the Viet Cong or N.V.A had they were throwing it at the 25th Infantry Division. We weren’t quite that much of a target although it took them quite a while to wipe out or cut back the troops that were coming to try and overthrow us but we didn’t have that sophisticated of a group and they really didn’t have the fire power either because our normal attacks were like 60 and 80 millimeter mortars. There was one event, one time where they got a hold of some 120 millimeter mortars, they dropped three of them and they fell within, I would say, 100 meters of our Hooch. It was very loud and shrapnel– With the other attacks we never had shrapnel land on the roof or anything, it came down like shovelfuls and so we knew it was very close and it was a scary situation. Interviewer: Does that just happen once? Does that just happen once? That happened once, yeah. Interviewer: Okay, alright so does as time sort of goes on do things kind of settle into a routine for you there? Pretty much, yeah you know we’d do our social things, we’d get together, sit around, play cards, drink beer. It kind of varied whether– Because we’re a detachment we’re so small we were under an NCO, the officer that was in charge, the next person up in our chain of command was actually stationed in Dong Tam, which is another story. (40:00) So we had an NCO in charge of us so we were laid back, one sergeant was a little more adept than another and he made a deal with the mess hall people and got us some steaks and we made some potato salad and drank some beer and, you know we’d have a little party maybe once a month or something but that gentleman was only with us for a short period of time. So he made us work hard, we resandbagged bunkers and refortified our facility and stuff, it was a lot of work to do that but it kept us busy and gave us something to do and then we were rewarded with a party. The following sergeant that we had wasn’t quite as resourceful and matter of fact he was pretty reluctant to even fulfill his military obligation, he was incapacitated a good part of the time, so another experience. Interviewer: But you guys basically knew what you were doing and just went about and did your jobs anyway– Absolutely. Interviewer: Regardless of that, okay now did you have any Vietnamese who would come into the compound? Absolutely, every day. There was a civilian group that came in every morning, most of the other– Your Hooch would have basically a person I guess assigned to it, we paid them out of our �Stelter, LeeRoy pockets to do our military things, shine our boots, clean our clothes, press them, so that stuff, clean the Hooch out, sweep it out, make our beds, you know just a housekeeper basically. We were a little exceptional, all the other ones had mamasans, we had a papasan, so we had a guy that took care of us and he was– He was able to help us out pretty well, he had some good contacts, he was an older fella so he knew where to go to get things and get things done and stuff, so it was kind of interesting. Interviewer: So by getting things, getting things that are on the base or from off the base? On or off, he knew where to get certain supplies and stuff so that our uniforms were maybe better cared for than others and just he made– You know you forgot to throw something in to be washed and he could get it taken care of in a matter of a couple hours, little amenities. Interviewer: Did you have concerns that any of these people were Viet Cong? We did not at the time but over time we began to learn that, you know– And we weren’t the ones to watch, I mean that wasn’t part of our deal, we just heard things after the fact but there were a couple of things that were significant. One our radio site had a tower, like a scaffold 147 feet in the air, and that’s where our radio dishes were mounted, that tower was the aiming point for the mortar attacks, so there was no way they were going to destroy our radio site, we had no idea. (43:35) The other thing was that from time to time you might see somebody, and they were very discreet about it but they walked by the radio site, well while they were walking by it they were counting their steps to measure the distance from the radio tower to targets around the base and we were oblivious to that I mean, but you know that’s something we learned after the fact so. Interviewer: Okay, now was there any kind of village nearby or was it just– We were on the, basically on the south edge of town and the town was right against the shore of the middle branch of the Mekong River, as I stated earlier, and then we were just south of that with our airbase or air strip. So you could basically walk out the gate, although we didn’t walk we’d hitch a ride and go into the village and I did that on several occasions it wasn’t something that we did on a daily routine but from time to time and that was and oddity, I mean here we are in a war zone, you walk off the base, you go into the village and mingle with the natives and then there was a curfew. You had to be gone and back, I can remember on one occasion that I did get into a little trouble for it, for some reason there was a MACV, the command group in Vietnam, had a little compound between the base and the village proper. It was a– I don’t know, a villa if you will, on the river so it was kind of a nice setting and they had a bar there so we went down to the bar to have a few drinks and spend the evening. Well in the course of the evening I had wandered away from the bar and I mean it wasn’t– There were no fences, there were no restrictions, just walked out of the bar and walked down the street into the village and not– You �Stelter, LeeRoy know I was oblivious, I didn’t realize that there was a problem or anything and ran into some of the villagers and they confronted me and you know “What you do?” “I’m out for a walk.” “Oh okay.” You know and a few people gathered around me, you know just asking you know “What’s going on?” And “I’m just out for a walk.” And stuff and then I thought “Well I’ve been here long enough I guess I better go back to the guys.” Well by the time I turned around and went back the guys had already left and they didn’t know where the heck I was. So I stayed there for a little bit and pretty quick here the guys came back and “Where the heck were you?” I said “I just went into the village for a little bit.” “Oh you’re not supposed to do that.” So I got in the jeep, we went back the base, we were confronted by the military police at that point in time because the– My sergeant and another fellow were confronted and they said well we had a troop and you know they’re past curfew and I didn’t even think about a curfew. It’s just the way it was there and it ended up they wanted to arrest me and everything and the sergeant was able to talk them out ofit and they took me back to the compound and you know “Don’t do that again.” Interviewer: Alright, now in some cases villages near bases provided a variety of resources for soldiers, including potentially women, or bars, or other things. Was that the case there? That was in town, you’d leave the base, go into town, and there was a little bar district. Interviewer: Was that considered to be dangerous or you had to be careful what you were doing there? (47:31) Never any concern. There was one occasion a guy from the 1st Signal Brigade, a photographer, came down to photograph Signal Corps personnel and what they encountered during the monsoons. So he was taking pictures of us while it was raining and it stopped raining and he stopped taking pictures, I said “Well let’s go to town and get a beer.” You know, so okay so we hitched a ride, got into town, we were sitting in a bar having a beer and commotion erupted outside and the people that owned the bar went over and closed the doors and stuff and we’re sitting there drinking beer and we didn’t think anything of it. Some guy banged on the door, the guy opened the door, and he’s yelling “VC in the village!” And it’s “Yeah right.” You know and he had somebody hit him in the head, he had blood on his face and stuff and I thought “I’m not getting into that.” The guy, the owner, pushed him out, rebarred the door and I thought “I’m safe in here, I’m just gonna stay. If there’s some fighting that breaks out I’m gonna be in here not out in the middle of the street.” The commotion escalated, it got noisier and stuff and the owner of the bar came to us and said “You go now.” You know it’s time for you to get out of here. So alright fine so me and the guy got up and went out in the street and hitched a ride on a truck and instead of going to the base we went further into town and we found another bar and sat down and had another beer and we kind of left the street stuff and went to the other bar and then it’s like the commotion followed us. So we thought “Well we better get out of here.” So we came out of the bar and saw an MP in the streets, so we went over to the MP said “Hey look we gotta get �Stelter, LeeRoy out here.” And he said “We’ll get you a ride.” You know cause there were military vehicles passing once, you know every so often. So we stood by him, well while we were standing beside him Vietnamese, what they call, QC came up beside him and he’s yelling and pointing at us and speaking in, you know Vietnamese we had no idea what he was doing but in the meantime he’s trying to get ahold of the MP’s sidearm. And he’s (Stetler makes a gesture like someone pushing a hand away) gotta be a little more than that, he’s like “get out of here!”. Interviewer: QC is a Vietnamese policeman basically. Yes, yes. And they’re pointing at us and saying things, and we never really did find out what happened, you know? They did, I think, you know some GI offended some barkeeper or something and then some ruckus broke out or whatever but we got out a deuce and a half and went back to the base and that was the end of that. So there were—there were incidents. (50:40) Interviewer: Alright. But uh a lot your exposure really to the war parts was simply the bombardments of the base, especially early on. Yup. Interviewer: Okay, so now how long did you stay then at Vinh Long until you went out? I was at Vinh Long until June of ‘68 Interviewer: Or ‘69? Or I’m sorry ‘69 it would be, yeah. Interviewer: Alright now then you basically extended— I had extended because it was quiet and I felt that I could come back, so I went home for a 30 day leave in July of ‘69 and in August returned and served out. Interviewer: Okay. So what was it like to leave Vietnam for a month? Actually that 30 days you know, as I think back, is just pretty much a blur. I came back home, met with some of my buddies and friends but a lot of them you know they had gone off to start careers and jobs and certain things, and here I am home when they’re working, so we didn’t have that much time to get together. Of course I’d meet some friends at bars and party and carry on a little bit, and I did the 4th of July, I went up to Saugatuck at that point in time Saugatuck was like a big party on the 4th of July and there were a lot of… hippie types, if you will, and there was �Stelter, LeeRoy some kind of a festival up there then. I went up there just to see what was goin’ on and just— bikers and different group of people, it was kinda different. (52:31) Interviewer: Okay. Now the people, people could look at you and know you were in the military or? Nope. My hair was shorter than most people but I just put on a tshirt and some levis and went on. You know, nobody really singled me out or anything. Interviewer: And when you were going, like flying in the US, were you going in uniform? Civilian attire. Interviewer: Okay. And was that recommended to you when you were coming over? No. It’s a personal choice from based on things that I was hearing and seeing at the time, I guess there were—there was a little—some comments made, you know, when I left that hey some things aren’t completely normal over there and of course the only information we got was the one television we had presented by the military and the stars and stripes newspaper that we got. I think it was a weekly publication and, you know, they didn’t put all the pictures of the demonstrations and stuff that were going on. A little bit but they didn’t play it up so I never really thought too much about it and actually coming home, going through the major airports and stuff, ya saw some people. Hippie types if you will. Running around and it’s like, eh, I just didn’t think too much of it at that point and time. Interviewer: Yeah, they weren’t bothering you any. No. Interviewer: Alright, so now you go back again, back to Vietnam, now where do you get assigned? Okay. When I went back to Vietnam I had some problems at Vinh Long with the Sergeant, as I was saying he wasn’t doing his job and that kind of upset me and him both so we were both reassigned. When I got back at that point because I was returning the First Sergeant said “Where do you wanna go?” you know, I could go to any one of the bases that we were at and I found out a friend was at Can Tho, I was familiar with their set up because it was in our relay, so I thought “Well, I’ll just go down there.” It was a bigger base it was nicer, although I found out that it wasn’t—I guess that was something that I didn’t really understand but in Vinh Long, as primitive as it was, we had running water, we could take hot showers daily, you know the mess hall the �Stelter, LeeRoy food was halfway decent we only got food poisoned a couple times there. When I went to Can Tho it was a bigger facility, a better laid out buildings were in better shape and stuff, it did not have hot and cold running water. There was a water heater there but nobody knew how to operate it so we just took cold water and dumped it on ourselves out of a slop-sink, so it was kinda primitive. The mess halls, the food was honestly so bad that you couldn’t eat it a lot of the time. It was poorly prepared, the utensils and stuff, the Vietnamese ran our kitchens and stuff so they didn’t wash well or whatever so you, I was in dysentery most of the 8 months I was there. We tried to find, there were nearby bases where we were allowed to go to eat. One base we could go to it’d cost us a dime to have a meal but there you could get something good that would stay in ya, so we kind of did that. Plus on base their was a Vietnamese concession that made their egg Mcmuffin, bacon egg and cheese ya know? Little sandwiches they’d make for breakfast or you know, they’d make you a hamburger kind of thing, you know. But again I was short on funds while I was there so I didn’t have the money to buy meals, so I just kinda supplemented my eating with that. It’s another thing too that’s kinda odd if you didn’t think about it, but I told you in Vinh Long we had parties and we had steak. We didn’t have steak at the mess hall, we had steak if the Sergeant went and negotiated with the cook, then we could have steak. I didn’t understand, the army didn’t run that right. On my second tour I had to take some radio parts down to a radio site on Phu Quoc island which was 80 miles off the coast of Vietnam. We had a radio site there supporting a CB detachment, they were building an airstrip and securing it. There was also a very large NVA prison camp on that island so they would, there was always concern somebody would break loose there so the CBs were, as well as construction providing security, we provided the communications for them. I went down there and spent a couple of days and it would just shock me, I went into the mess hall and they were having steak. So I did have steak in one mess hall, but like I said I probably weighed 150-160 lbs most of my time over there on my second tour. By the time I rotated out I weighed 125 lbs, I was skin and bones I just—because of the food and stuff. Interviewer: Did they treat you medically for the dysentery or give you anything? Didn’t bother to ask. You know as a 20 year old kid, a 21 year old kid, you know you just don’t think about it. And everybody was doing the same thing you know, and it’s like “This is life, this is the way it is.” ya know. Interviewer: So it didn’t get to the point it was debilitating. No, no. But it, you know, I just like to say if I was hungry and felt, you know, they would go off base and find a meal someplace else so. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Alright. Now did you have—I mean before you left in the first part of Vietnam where you had kind of observed and things seemed to be getting quieter over time, did that continue where you were at Can Tho? Yes. Interviewer: Was it relatively quiet? It was all, in my whole 8 months, never a mortar attack, never any incoming rounds in Can Tho it was—it could’ve been state-side and you know and 2, we were free to come and go to the village. There we had more vehicles that we had access to, we had a Jeep, a Deuce and a Half, and a ¾ ton truck. You could jump on any one of them, run into the village, get something to eat. drink, carry on with the natives, come back. It was pretty open, pretty simple. Interviewer: Okay. Now were you aware at this point of Nixon’s plans of Vietnamization and all that sort of thing? Good point. Yes, very much so and actually the war in the Delta region had started to escalate because we were starting to hear of different outposts where our radio sites were that were starting come under attack again because the whole Delta region had well kind of calmed down there toward the end of my first tour, right? And it was pretty quiet when I returned, and only— I’m gonna say maybe the last couple months there was talk. Now my base didn’t get hit but some of the other bases were starting to get hit as the Vietnamization was taking place. So it was noticeable. (1:00:38) Interviewer: So essentially as the Americans were turning things over to the Vietnamese the Vietcong come back? Was that the impression or assumption, or is that something you don’t really know? Well they—my understanding of this is that apparently there was more of an effort to bring things down the old Ho Chi Minh Trail and resupply the Vietcong and kind of get ‘em going again from the North Vietnamese. There was one incident that I heard of and we were never really sure, we had a civilian contractor from Collins Radio that oversaw our radio equipment and any major maintenance he was there to perform, we weren’t able to do it. Interviewer: Okay, I’m gonna pause you right here because this tape is about up. (The screen fades to black as the tape is replaced.) Alright you were talking about a fellow from Collins Electric? Collins Radio. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Radio, yeah. Basically there was an incident: he was at one of our radio sites servicing the radio gear, so he spent a couple days there. It was what place we called Rock Jaw which was down in the southern end of Vietnam. He was socializing with other civilians one evening so curfews and things didn’t really pertain to him. He carried a sidearm for his personal protection, he was out like I said socializing, on his way back he wandered the streets of Rock Jaw and for some reason—maybe he had a little too much to drink or what—he decided to take a break and he took a seat in front of a building and rested for a moment and a gentleman came by in black pajamas with a straw hat carrying an AK-47. And the gentleman confronted him and pointed to his sidearm which was like a, I think it was a Browning 9mm that he’d had in a shoulder holster, and he threw sign language basically telling this gentleman he wanted to make a trade: his AK-47 for his sidearm. And he wasn’t quite sure, I mean the Vietcong didn’t really have uniforms, of course we always talk about black pajamas and stuff but that was clothing that the people wore, were black pajamas. So he denied the guy the swap and the guy just turned around and walked away. Well after he left the civilian gentleman from Collins Radio sat there and just all of a sudden you could feel the blood draining from his body like he was ready to pass out, he thought “Oh my god that guy could have been a Vietcong or what and shot me and taken my sidearm!” But of course he probably didn’t want to start a fracas in the area and draw attention to the fact that he was there so he just left him be, but he may have dodged a bullet, if you will. So. (1:04:10) Interviewer: In the time that you were there, were there any problems with drug use on the bases? I don’t know that you’d call it a problem. It was prevalent, the plate—the hooch if you will—that I was billeted in Can Tho there was a bunker right outside the room that I slept in and that seemed to be a favorite spot for the people that smoked marijuana every evening. And there were, it’s not like there were one or two, there must have been fifteen, twenty guys up there smoking dope and you know the cloud just rolled right through the hooch. There were—-a couple doors down there a couple guys with my outfit had a room, and our officers in charge of our detachment there every night went there and sat and played pinochle and drank scotch while the guys sat out the bunker and smoked, so. You know, if it was a problem nobody knew about it I mean. Interviewer: So you had what could get labeled as recreational use of things. Basically, yes. �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: But not things that really interfered with people doing their jobs as far as you could tell. That, you know, not noticeable. There were rumors and stories that different things said; there were, in that group of people, of course a couple of guys from our outfit were involved with that and they had told about one individual and 15-20 guys did get into harder drugs. And when it came time for him to rotate out he didn’t go straight home. I was told they sidetracked him and kind of detoxed him before he went back to civilian life, so. But yeah just, you know, some guys drank, some guys smoked. Interviewer: Right. Okay. Now did you notice any kind of racial tensions in that time out there? The black guys in the bases that I was stationed at—there weren’t that many—there were… in one group of guys that I was friendly with and we hung out, there was a black guy that was part of our group. And I can remember in one instance where, you know, we’re sitting outside on the sandbags talking, listening to music or something, and a couple other black guys walked by and they said something to him. And it was their slang or what. And you know “What’s the matter?” “Basically they’re calling me Uncle Tom.” but so there was racial tension but where I was at, what I was involved with, we really didn’t see that much of it. (1:07:07) Interviewer: Okay. Alright now I think you had mentioned you wanted to tell a story of somebody you knew out there? Well, yeah there was an incident when I was in Vinh Long towards the end of my first tour. I was the maintenance man at the radio site, I had kind of taken things over, if anything went wrong go get Stelter, he’ll fix it. And so I basically kept the gear operating. I had trouble with a piece of equipment—there was a guy in our Northern site Dong Tam that I knew was very well qualified, he was educated at a higher level, he was a microwave radio repairman technician or something. There was an additional description at the end of his title because he actually did detailed maintenance work on equipment. I knew he was there, I knew he had the knowledge. I asked him to come to our site because I was having trouble with this piece of equipment. He agreed to do that, he was supposed to be there the morning of the next day and he didn’t come, didn’t show up and eventually we got a call from the site that they didn’t make it, there had been an incident on the road between sites. There were the maintenance man, a driver, and then our officer in charge—like I said he was stationed at Dong Tam. He decided to accompany them to come down to visit us, I mean it was nothing going on but he thought he ought to see the base he’s in charge of so he joined the group, they left the base, they were headed down the road if you will to Vinh Long. They were detained by the MPs, they were told that the road ahead hadn’t been cleared, he would not advice going; there was some discussion, the officer basically told the �Stelter, LeeRoy MP “Look, we’re not a target we’re just a Jeep, so we’ll just go on our way” and it’s like (Stelter shrugs.) your call. So they took off. Well, on the way they, as I understand the story there was a 2 ½ ton truck. They came and were overtaking the 2 ½ ton truck, they were beside it, and apparently a command-detonated mine was set off. It blew up the deuce and a half and took the back corner out of the Jeep, it wounded the driver’s right arm, there was the maintenance guy sitting in the back seat he was basically blown in two, and the officer was sitting in the passenger's seat of the Jeep he was decapitated. So the next day, or later that day, the engineers brought the Jeep and the remains: rifles, helmets, flak jackets, personal possessions of the people involved in the incident back to our base and left that there. And I guess that’s the one thing that, if you will, still bugs me about the war: that I had asked them to come, they wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t asked, of course they put themselves in the situation by going down the road that wasn’t cleared and they knew it. Lost their lives, so. That was a little tough. Interviewer: Alright. And now, are there other incidents or particular memories or impressions you have from your time in Vietnam before we bring you back home? There was another incident: fella was about to leave country because there had been incidents with other people in the signal corps. We were told that 10 days before you rotate out of country you will be at headquarters in Long Binh, cause that was considered a pretty safe place to be. This guy that was from the (sounds like “Rock Jaw”) site decided that, you know, he knew what the routine was so he purposefully left his rifle in Rock Jaw. Left Rock Jaw to be in Long Binh 10 days before he was to leave, started the clearing process to clear post as they put it, when he got to supply he didn’t have his rifle and he was “Gee, I forgot my rifle.” They said “Well, that’s not something we can just have somebody hand to somebody, that’s a very personal possession. You need to get it.” so he agreed to go back to Rock Jaw. Well what we did then is you could get a helicopter ride, a fixed-wing aircraft, something and just fly from base to base and hop around. Well he decided he was—he had this in mind that he would drop off at the various 327 Signal Company detachments and visit. He stopped by our detachment in Can Tho, which we were like the last leg of his trip on let’s say for instance on Wednesday. Spent the night with us, Thursday he left for Rock Jaw, Friday I left for Rock Jaw to take some supplies down there it was, I don’t know 40 or 50 mile ride, so on the way down we pass by the air field and lookin’ out in the field and there’s people standing the rice paddies out there, and the tail of a C1-23 cargo plane sticking up out of the rice paddy. I’ve got a picture of it. And I went on to the base and I said “Well, where’s this gentleman?” and they said “You see the plane?” and I said “Yeah I did.” They said, “Well he was on that plane.” So he was like, you know, 2-3 days from leaving country and the plane just crashed. I mean it wasn’t like it was shot out of the air there was something mechanical that went wrong. It went into a steep climb, one of the engines crapped out, it rotated nose down into the ground, accordioned into the rice patty and he lost his life just days before he was supposed to go home, so that was kind of a tough incident, but. (1:14:10) �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Alright. Now, so did you go to the base then with ten days then you go back to Long Bonh? Yes I did. Interviewer: Okay. And so how did you spend those last 10 days? Sittin’ around twiddling your thumbs. They really don’t—there’s no need to pull any details or anything, the other guys are pulling the details and stuff. You have to go to finance and go to supply and various other places and clear your records, make sure you’ve turned in everything you’re supposed to turn in. Weapons, what have you, your great and make sure you don’t owe anybody anything. Clear personnel and that your records are straight, so I find out what medals you’re due and stuff, campaign ribbons or whatever til all that gets worked out and you just basically sit around. Visit with the other troops that are there and make plans for home. (1:15:11) Interviewer: Okay. And then where did you fly out of? Flew out of Benwire base as I came in. That was the thing, I flew in a commercial air flight back to the world if you will. That’s interesting too—we didn’t mention this but when I returned to Vietnam for my second tour I left initially from Oakland the first time, and then the second time because I was East of the Mississippi I left out of Fort Dix. When I went to Fort Dix they didn’t have a commercial flight available, I ended up on a air force super-strato C1-41 I think it was. Cargo plane with jump seats and here I am going on my return trip to Vietnam in a cargo plane. It was an adventurous trip: you sat with your knees interlocked, you had to crawl over each other, they put a big container on the plane one side of the container was the restroom the other side was your meals. So it was an adventure. Interviewer: Alright. And then once you take off on the way home is there any kind of celebration as you get out of Vietnamese airspace? Oh, everybody on the plane yells hooray and stuff, there’s a lot of excitement and feel-good kind of atmosphere and too at the same time most of the people on the flight are also gonna be discharged from the service when they arrive in Oakland, so there was some excitement about that. Happened to be April 1st and then part of the discharge process we were in a large room, a person came to the podium explaining the procedures that we were gonna follow and said “Oh by the way, we’re not gonna discharge anymore people today this is it, we’re done.” and he starts to turn and walks away from the podium. And then he does an about-face and come back “All right, April Fools.” It’s like yeah, that’s not a good joke, you know? (Stelter laughs.) �Stelter, LeeRoy Interviewer: Yeah. But then we continued with the discharge process and got out of there. Interviewer: Okay. So you’re out of the army now at this point? Did they discharge you? Right. You’re in dress when we left, I was in jungle fatigues, and then when you arrive Oakland then they issue you a Class A uniform so you’re discharged in a dress uniform. Got that uniform when I left the base, got a cab, went to a hotel and the first thing I did was put civilian attire on. There were plenty of stories floating around about the possibility of being confronted by protestors, what have you, people being spit upon, stuff like that. I didn’t wanna have anything to do with any of that, I just get the military stuff hopefully. It's kinda let my hair grow out a little bit and… something like that and just put civilian attire on and went to the airport Oakland. Actually I was flew home with a friend to his home in Washington and then made it back to Michigan from there. Interviewer: Alright. But that was the idea, get rid of the military stuff immediately. I don’t have anything to do with this. Interviewer: Okay. Now, you get back home in April, 1970. Now what do you do? Basically went back to work. Went back to the same company I worked at, I mean I had been short on money all this time. You know, wanted to get a car, or course lived at home initially. It was just to try and work my way back into the civilian life. I ended up going to college which was kind of an extension of my being a microwave radio repairmen. The people that were involved in that training—a lot of those guys were drafted initially and then decided to enlist because they could go to radio school. Lotta ‘em had some college level education so that was the talk of the day, you know. “What are you gonna do when you get back?” “Well, go to college.” There was a delay, I got a job in a factory making record players again and went to school and basically that was another thing that kind of helped me get back into things. There were a lot of other Vietnam vets that were going to Lake Michigan Community College here. We formed a little social group and we kinda had each other to lean on if you will, and we better understood each other than some little high school kid. There was a difference—just a total different experience. (1:20:35) Interviewer: Yeah. And did you have any kinda trouble transitioning back into being a civilian? �Stelter, LeeRoy I didn’t think so. But talk to my wife, there was problems. Interviewer: Now were you married when you were in Vietnam? Or did you get married afterward? I married when I got home. I got home in ‘70 and married in ‘72. I met my wife in ‘70 so her and I were dating within I’m gonna say a few months of my arrival back here so… she kinda helped me get back to some degree of normalcy, so. Interviewer: And then what kind of career did you go into? Actually went to LMC and transferred to Western Michigan University and ended up with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Worked in manufacturing for probably 30-35 years, so. Interviewer: Alright. Now if you look back on the time that you spent in the service, how do you think that affected you or what did you take out of it? I… you know it’s interesting I’m finding out now, 50 years later, that it affected me more than I thought. But it was kind of a struggle, the whole thing. Getting back and in how I lived my life and how I behaved was kind of set up by some of my—pretty much my military experiences. It kinda turned me into a certain type of person or what and I kinda worked through it. I thought I did a pretty good job. Interviewer: Okay. Were there positives that you took out of it? Well… The reason I went in was to get the training to get into electronics, my initial attempt in college my thought was that I was gonna be an electrical engineer, I ran into an electrical engineer at LMC and after discussing with him what an electrical engineer’s career was like I decided to become an industrial engineer. It probably—like I said the people that were in microwave radio training there were high level people than the other folks in the army. We had some folks that tried to become microwave radio repairmen but they just didn’t have the necessary skills and abilities to carry through the training. And so they kinda washed out. So it was a different group of people who were microwave radio repairmen, I’ll say that. Interviewer: Alright well the whole thing makes for pretty good story, so thank you for taking the time to share it today. Certainly. (1:23:45) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context StelterL2166V Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stelter, LeeRoy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-10 Title A name given to the resource Stelter, LeeRoy (Interview transcript and video), 2017 Description An account of the resource LeeRoy Stelter was born April 7th, 1948 in Coloma, Michigan where he grew up and stayed until transferring his senior year from Coloma High School to St. Joseph High School. He graduated in 1966 and immediately went to work in a factory making record players. Stelter enlisted in the military after his cousin suggested it might help his career, taking an interest in the potential for a background in electronics as a microwave radio repairman. He started basic training in 1967 in Fort Knox, Kentucky and says he had no trouble adjusting to the army because his parents raised him to do as he was told. Two months later Stelter was flown to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey to begin his training as a microwave radio repairman learning basic electronics, how to operate gear, and solid state equipment. In 1968, Stelter recalled watching other groups perform drills preparing them for evacuations and riots in the wake of several political events. Stelter finished training at Fort Monmouth in May. He was deployed to Vietnam after a 30 day leave, assigned to the 327th Signal Company in Long Binh. After several months he was then reassigned to Vinh Long to replace a soldier who was lost in a mortar attack. Vinh Long was part of a radio relay set up by the signal company between Dong Tam and Can Tho, and Stelter recalled that it “was under attack every night…it was like the 4th of July, the whole place was incoming rounds, outgoing mortar fire” for three or four months, gradually deescalating. Stelter stayed at Vinh Long until June 1969 after which he took a 30 day leave before returning to Vietnam for a second time and being assigned to Can Tho. In all 8 months of his second term, he never heard any mortars or incoming rounds and was free to come and go from the village. In April 1970, Stelter returned home from Vietnam on a commercial flight and went back to work at the same factory he had as a teenager, making record players. In 1972, he married his wife who he said helped him return to some degree of normalcy. He attended Lake Michigan College before transferring to Western Michigan University and obtaining a degree in Industrial Engineering, after which he worked in manufacturing for the next 35 years. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Lest We Forget 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 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401. Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a00a1fd56ba6e6c8e23f8b6e1c6cf42e.jpg 45f8e876c80bd3f147e564e9f25466fc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decorated Publishers' Bindings Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Description An account of the resource From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seidman Rare Books Collection Michigan Novels Collection Regional Historical Collection Lincoln and the Civil War Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source Seidman Rare Books. PS3539.I56 M57 1902 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01_Bindings0247 Title A name given to the resource Miss Petticoats Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stephens, Charles H. (Designer) Description An account of the resource Binding of Miss Petticoats, by Dwight Tiltion, published by C. M. Clark Publishing Company, 1902. Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 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/7afe184df0e3d37a6b297a1b69b38f62.mp4 47c11ee3403f0af36721c012ed8dcc76 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/73542f4dd410760466f6d3a067d496ec.pdf b61177a40fc1d641009825cb41c82c0c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of War: Korean War Name of Interviewee: Amos Sterzick Jr. Length of interview (0:46:24) (00:06) Background Born in [Delton, MI (00:32) Had two brothers and one sister. One brother was drafted into the army. (00:46) Father owned a trucking business that hauled oats, grain, and corn to farmers, which required manual labor, not machinery. Worked for his father as soon as he was able. (01:06) Lived without electricity or running water, but had a radio. (02:14) Enjoyed ice skating, hockey, hide and seek, and eating grapes at the neighbor’s vineyard with friends. (03:13) Family was one of the first to enjoy electricity and a telephone. (03:54) Lived on 40 acres and had a muck field for growing onions. (04:45) Attended a country school called the Merriman School. Sometimes took a cart and horse to school, otherwise walked. Describes his experience in school. (05:21) Learned about the United States’ declaration of war on Japan on the radio on a Sunday at 8:00 am. He was only 10 years old at the time. (39:53) Describes his understanding of World War II. (40:50) Decided to go to Grand Rapids, MI with his friend to enlist in the Air Force to avoid being drafted into the army. (07:03) (07:35) Basic Training Left for Grand Rapids, MI on a Saturday in January, was sent to Detroit, MI on Sunday, and then to San Antonio, TX for basic training. (07:46) Decided to join the Air Force because he had always loved airplanes as a kid. (08:10) Because the Korean War was still in full swing, basic training was very condensed. Describes what it was like. (08:58) Enjoyed watching the women in the service doing calisthenics. (09:40) Pulled a [KP] one day and was assigned to guard duty once. Explains why he didn’t enjoy it. (09:56) Spent about six weeks in basic training. (10:38) Was then sent to Wichita Falls, TX for Aircraft and Engine Mechanics School. (10:50) Went to Akoya, MI to a F-86 fighter base. Only stayed there for about 30 days before being sent overseas. (10:57) Spent some time in San Francisco before leaving overseas. Describes his experience there. (11:35) (12:37) Service Overseas While boarding the ship, one of his friends got red-lined and didn’t end up going with him. (12:37) �Arrived in Yokohama, Japan. (13:05) Traveled by train through southern Japan to [Shiya], where he spent two and a half years. (13:35) Describes his experience with the Japanese lifestyle. Got along very well with the Japanese citizens. (13:54) Met a Japanese mechanic named Nakahati who was a World War II fighter pilot who shot down five Flying Tigers, but was shot down over Tokyo by a P-51 towards the end of the war. (15:08) Took a few leaves while he was there in order to travel across Japan. Describes some of his experiences in Nagasaki and other places throughout Japan. (16:04) Duties included aircraft and engine repairs and replacement. Also flew flying boxcars to drop paratroopers and deliver trucks and cannons by parachute. (22:01) Saw a lot of things and enjoyed the people. Didn’t get to know many Korean or Vietnamese people; mostly Japanese. Recalls that some of their customs were very different, but the people were very easy to get along with. (24:35) Describes some of the different customs that he encountered in Japan, the Philippines, and Guam. (26:18) (23:40) Returning Home Traveled to San Francisco by boat, which took eleven days. Enjoyed the boat ride and didn’t get seasick. (23:40) Returned home before leaving to Lake Charles, LA to be discharged. (27:37) Describes dealing with the weather in the barracks. (27:54) Everyone was offered to leave a week early if they bought a plane ticket. Bought the plane ticket with six other men from Grand Rapids, MI, cashed it in, and took a train home instead. (28:36) Would’ve stayed in the service, but no one was making any money at the time. (29:14) Had intended to go into the make farm business. Didn’t work there long because there wasn’t any money in it. (29:27) Worked in the selling business, instead. Recruited college students in Hancock, MI for eight years. Later recruited college students for a medical school from Minneapolis, MN and later recruited for a data processing school in Grand Rapids, MI. (30:12) Got married in Michigan to a girl he met in Okura. They had one son together. (32:29) Loved his time in the Air Force. If he had been able to make more money, he would’ve stayed and made a career out of it. (35:26) Expresses his love for the United States. (39:09) Today, he enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, and landscaping. (39:21) Describes how warfare has changed since World War II. (44:14) � 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 SterzickA Title A name given to the resource Sterzick, Amos E. (Interview outline and video), 2009 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sterzick, Amos E. Description An account of the resource Amos Sterzick Jr. grew up in western Michigan with his sister and two brothers. On a whim, he decided to leave for Grand Rapids, MI with his friend to enlist in the Air Force in order to avoid being drafted into the army. Most of his service was spent in Japan, but he also went to Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, and Guam. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gunneson-Poling, Ruth (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009-05-20 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cd25ed3ad566d090db5eb3a5cf9da6b5.mp4 0eb27956609d14eb55bbfbff5798a0c9 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/95ed0d4ddcd53add43a04cab87976a36.pdf 62f81202fa0065c9cedb2b8c67d67b55 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project William Sterzick (00:24:11:26) Early Life, Neighbors • (00:39:14)he grew up in Ellicott, MI • (00:46:06)he went to Merriman Elementary School: "a marvelous place to go," it had one room, everyone was from the neighborhood, there were no strangers, the school was built well and comfortable, with a “nice playground” • (01:31:00)the Sterzicks had a neighbor family, the Blockers, who had several boys and a girl; his cousin Adrian lived across the road • (02:02:18)he attended Merriman through the eighth grade • (02:11:27)as an adolescent, the Blocker boys were his friends • (02:29:14)what they did “for fun” in middle and high school: "mostly softball" and some “neighborhood activities maybe once in a while” • (02:56:01)he thinks of Leroy Blocker as a mentor regarding art: “he was a master" with printing and drawing • (03:54:22)favorite memories from high school: baseball and dances War Starts, Sterzick Is Drafted, Training • 04:50:02when the Korean War broke out: "nothing unusual" [was going on or happened] in his town • (05:00:04)he was drafted into the army • (05:08:27)training at Camp Chaffee, near Fort Smith in Arkansas o they lived in wooden barracks o the training area would be "out in wild country," "several miles" from the barracks • (06:24:29)on the first day of training they went out to shoot thirty-caliber machine guns, which were mounted about thirty inches off the ground; they had to crawl about a hundred yards, from one end of the field to the other, beneath the fire: "you were all right as long as you kept your head down" • (08:01:24)he trained for two months, and then went home for a week or two • (08:19:17)he then spent a few days at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey; from there, he was able to experience New York City for the first time, seeing "all the sights" On To Germany • (19:36:44)at this point he was sent to Germany; they landed first at Bremerhaven in the north, then went by train to a town in the south, the name of which he could not remember, then back northward to Nuremburg • (09:18:19)he never saw combat, even though his training at Camp Chaffee was in artillery • (09:55:01)“of all things” in Nuremberg, he was put to work into a big, modern, comfortable hospital that had been built by Adolf Hitler; Sterzick was basically an �orderly, he worked with patients, and sometimes did house cleaning • (11:02:08)he lived at the hospital, in a big room shared with four other men; "we all had a window" • (11:31:03)Nuremberg: one of his favorite places, a thousand years old • bombed heavily during WWII, the “biggest bombing” happened on the second of February in 1944 or 45: “you could hear the bombs sixty miles away” ***Sterzick must have heard about this from someone else, since he himself was not in Nuremburg during WWII.*** � the city was "colorful," with a castle on the "highest part of the city, and it “originally had a moat” • (13:03:27)halfway up the hill toward the castle was the home of the artist Albrecht Durer, best known for “The "Praying Hands" • (13:37:04)he had "a lot of weekend passes": he went to Paris, Brussels, Waterloo, "places like that" • (14:07:00)there were always things to do in Nuremberg, like going to carnivals— he thinks it was "easier to win over there" than at carnivals in the United States • (15:18:02)he saw Eddie Fisher in concert: Sterzick met a friend, Tom Hudson, from Cedar Springs [MI] and they went to Heidelburg to see a show by Eddie Fisher • (15:52:24)their chaplain and the chapel services were "the center of their lives"; the chaplain, Captain Quick, was "special" • (16:23:23)the nurses he worked with had interesting personalities o two of the nurses visited Israel one time and brought back a King James Bible with an olivewood cover which they gave to Sterzick, who forgot to bring it to the interview o he visited Fort Riley in Kansas, in October of 1954, where some of the nurses he had worked with in Germany had been transferred to Sterzick Meets His Lifelong Partner • (18:27:10)how he met his wife: they worked together at the same hospital I Nuremberg, she is German and was a nurse • she had been living "just inside" of Czechoslovakia, in the Germanic Sudetenland; in 1944, she moved to Nuremberg, where she became a nurse, finally winding up in the American hospital • (20:24:02)Sterzick worked in different areas of the hospital, and his “final position” was on the fourth floor, where they had the wives and children of the soldiers; he worked with his future wife on the fourth floor • (21:30:08)he served in Germany for seventeen months Back To The US • (21:42:06)he was "delighted" to come home; he returned to the US in March of 1953; he went back to Germany in December to get married • (22:31:21)he "got a truck driving job" because that was what he did before he went into the army; he "drove truck" for a year • (23:10:24)then he got a job at an oil company in Alto that handled underground �• • propane storage, and he worked there for eight and a half years; he then went back to driving trucks (23:35:13)the military has not influenced Sterzick in any particular way that he knows of, but it left him with lots of memories: of basic training, the places and people he met (24:11:26)he has not been back to Germany since his marriage ***At this point in the interview, Sterzick displayed a number of pictures and souvenirs, which were filmed and appear on the DVD, and that concluded the interview.*** � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SterzickW Title A name given to the resource Sterzick, William J. (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sterzick, William J. Description An account of the resource William Sterzick served in the US Army during the Korean War, but never saw combat. Stationed in Nuremberg, Germany, he met his future wife while working as an orderly in a hospital. He discusses life in Germany at the time and the condition of the city after World War II. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ritenburgh, Jamie (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Army Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-06-05 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fdffb20f51759fe0ab221f422f06aa9d.mp4 2e6a25c7042b51ef31476f89aeeaec30 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/abd5da143b558e012af39ce3f4879e17.pdf a251d94d2ee4182445119741b970d56e PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Dwight William Stevens (1:11:34) (1:08) Before the service • Farm boy • Could milk 8 cows an hour • Worked with brother who was 17 years older • Dad left the family • Went to rural Star City school through 8th grade • Went to Lake City High School • Graduated high school 1929 (4:20) Memories of WWI • Around 7 years old • Rationing of sugar, butter, etc. • Sugar rationing started at 2 pounds per week, then went to 1 pound per month • His older brother was prepared to go to war but it ended before he was sent over (5:54) Impact WWI on the community members • Many people from the community went off to war • Daniel Spice, Leonard and Richard James – wounded • Someone said to Stevens: “You’ll have a chance to serve in a war, everybody does.” • Stevens was 6 or 7 years old (6:58) Grade school • 1 room school house • 1 teacher for 40 kids • When WWI ended, the saw mill in Jennings whistled continually through the morning (10:02) Grocery store • Star City about 1.5-2 miles away • It was a meeting place for the community • Mom took horse and buggy to the store • If went to the store in Lake City, it was 12 miles away. o Would put horse in livery barn and pay for oats/food/water o Stevens would stay at the livery barn and talk to people while mom went shopping (12:06) First car • When car on highway, horses would rear up; horses got scarred • Only rich people had cars; the Stevens family had a horse and buggy • (13:03) One-room school house • Neat because could learn from the older kids since it was a 1st – 8th grade school • Star City was a pretty good school • Some teachers were good, some were bad �o As a second grader, witness a 7th grader get whipped by the teacher with a big stick o Next morning the 7th grader’s mom came and talked to the teacher (15:07) High school • Nearest high school was Lake City, 12 miles away • Got job for room and board in Lake City • Played football, baseball, and basketball • Graduated 1929 (16:58) College and the stock market crash • Fall 1929 Stevens was starting at Michigan State o Cost $600; good agriculture school • Remembers learning about the crash from the newspapers • Got a job selling magazines to earn tuition • Moved to Central Michigan University because was cheaper; only $300 • Took 2 years off and taught school for $55 a month; then went back to school • Sold magazines door to door in Detroit during summer o “True Romance” and “Pictorial Review” o Sold about 10 copies per day • Superintendent of White Cloud wanted Stevens as a teacher • One day the principal got fired and Stevens became principal of White Cloud (for 6 years) (26:51) Pearl Harbor • Had a job in Saginaw o Became principal at Webber school K-8 (held that position for 20 years) (28:00) Why he joined the Navy • Because teacher, deferred from draft • But, friend had a party and Stevens was invited • Went to the party and saw his friend wearing his Navy uniform • Stevens thought the uniform looked pretty good! o Asked: “Where’d you get it?” • So went to Detroit and volunteered for the service o Fort Schuyler, NY for a couple of weeks o Harvard for 3-4 months o Sent to Pacific as a Lieutenant Junior Commander [junior grade?] ƒ Ended up as a Lieutenant Commander (30:07) New Guinea and Australia • Land based there [New Guinea] for a few weeks • Hell hole • Always wet with either rain or sweat • Then went to Brisbane, Australia • Bumped into General MacArthur (32:08) Commander Aircraft 7th Fleet • Spent a year with Fleet o At Harvard, Stevens took communications • Did work with messages – encoding and decoding �• • • • • Get reports about the whereabouts of Japanese supply ships Would encode messages to bomb ships, etc. Stopped at various points in New Guinea Ladies of New Guinea would come and trade souvenirs for sweatshirts or t-shirts Cigarettes were a popular trade but Stevens didn’t trade them because he liked to smoke them • Did not run across members of the Red Arrow Division (36:16) Philippines • Tacloban o Nice town • Manila o Talked to natives o Got an apartment ƒ 2 bedrooms, 1 bath for $50 per month o Lived there about a year (40:18) Suicide bombers • Japanese suicide bombers would come in as a flock and crash into ships • 1 time, Stevens ship was hit o Shook the ship o A little bit of damage o Ship shot anti-aircraft guns (42:07) Japanese Prisoner • A prisoner was brought to the ship • Guard had a carbine rife and said, “Don’t move or I will kill you.” • Someone shouted, “Just shoot him already.” • Some people felt that all Japanese people should be killed • Stevens believed that “everybody is human, this prisoner is just like me” (42:58) Dive bombers • Stevens was in 4 invasions • Never got hit badly but saw other ships get hit; terrible • During the first bombing, captain announced that they were being bombed by the Japanese • Stevens and 11 other guys were assigned to the first aid room on the ship o Stevens had a cigarette in hand but couldn’t hold it because scared His Jewish friend was saying over and over, “We’ve got to have faith” while his Catholic friend was doing the rosary. • Didn’t get hit • Suicide bomber missed ship (45:50) Filipino people • Lovely people • Many men would get married; Stevens was already married (46:50) VJ- Day • In the Philippines • Lots of celebrations! • The question on everybody’s mind was: “When are we going home?” �o Sent home 3-4 months afterward (48:31) Panama Canal • After got home, went back to Saginaw but didn’t have his position opened • Went back to Great Lakes o Signed up for Separation Control ƒ 8 hours/day, good wages ƒ Signed up for 2 years o Assigned to Panama Canal; wife came o Nice place o Ships would come into the canal zone ƒ The ship’s officer would trade in secret Pacific publications for the secret Atlantic publication or vice versa o Stevens was an issuing officer o Big vault where would keep the publications • Went back to Saginaw, was principal at Webber school for another 20 years • Retired from Webber, worked at private Northwood University for 5 years (53:18) Masons • Joined the Masons in 1937 • Lots of Masons in the Navy o AMING (American Masons in New Guinea) Square Club o People of the Army, Navy, etc. would go to these meetings o Usually about 50 people in attendance • Went to lodges in Manila, Panama, Costa Rica (57:42) Overall experience in the Navy • The war itself was horrible but a lot of good from serving • Didn’t resent being in the service; got to see the country and meet a lot of nice people • Used to get together in Chicago with the gang from the Pacific o Used to be about 50 guys, then went down to 6 guys, and now there are only 2 left…Stevens and one other man (59:25) Masonry • Proud • Never went “through the chairs” and regrets that • But saw a lot of different lodges • His father and 2 brothers were all a part of the Masons (1:03:25) More about magazine sales • 1936 in White Cloud; as a teacher, no pay during the summer • Sold magazines for 7 summers o Went to Portland, Kansas City, Cleveland, Wyoming • Afterward, became an inspector at a factory in Saginaw � 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 StevensD Title A name given to the resource Stevens, Dwight (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stevens, Dwight W. Description An account of the resource Dwight Stevens spent time in the Navy in the Pacific during WW II working on decoding Japanese messages. He served in the Philippines and witnessed Kamikaze attacks on Allied ships. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Collins Sr., Charles E. (Interviewer) Collins, Carol (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-07-24 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0ced328f5b7a03516b57e6cb2a5e2a22.m4v 9c8ee447de87e7bc8cf3a8e6a9e6f11a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/954d1a973ea1dd0d1f845fd7d28f717d.pdf d624c6685a9fa9595f15c7086788c85d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Lee Stevens World War II (Civilian); Cold War 1 hour 2 minutes 21 seconds (00:00:16) Early Life -Born in Manila, Philippines, on August 21, 1930 -Father was in the Army and stationed in the Philippines -Grandfather owned a business in the Philippines -His grandfather was a close friend to General Douglas MacArthur -Lee’s father wasn’t under MacArthur’s command -General MacArthur was Lee’s godfather -Grew up in the Philippines -Mother died when he was born -Father remarried to a Spanish woman -Attended Catholic schools -After the 2nd grade, boys and girls were segregated -Learned to speak Spanish and Tagalog -English and Tagalog were more prevalent in schools, though (00:04:20) Start of the War -Had no idea there would be a war with Japan -Didn’t pay attention to Japan’s aggression in Asia -He was 11 years old when the Japanese attacked the Philippines on December 8, 1941 -Father got a call early in the morning and told the family America was at war -Still didn’t register to Lee what that meant (00:05:27) The Fall of the Philippines -Near the end of December, American forces retreated to the Bataan Peninsula -General MacArthur declared Manila an “open city” -This meant all military personnel had left the city and closed the bases -Intention was to spare the city from Japanese bombing, but they bombed anyway -When the Japanese took over Manila, they didn’t initially target Americans -Started with rounding up American adult men, then the women -His grandfather was detained -Given two hours to pack any belongings he wanted to bring in suitcases -His maternal grandparents and maternal aunt were detained -All adults were being sent to the concentration camp at the University of Santo Tomas -Eventually, children as young as 11 and 12 years old were being detained too -His mother and half-brother were unaffected by the initial detainment order -They were allowed to visit Lee in the camp -American and Filipino forces surrendered in early May 1942 �-American prisoners-of-war were paraded through Manila in front of civilians -Forced to watch the prisoners marched through the city -Someone whistled, and it sounded like the way his father whistled -His uncle told him not to indicate that he knew his father if he saw him -When his father passed, he dropped his captain insignia on the road -Waited for the parade to end and he picked up the insignia (00:10:28) Interned at University of Santo Tomas -Quartered with his grandfather at the University of Santo Tomas -Women and younger children were placed in administrative buildings -Men and pre-teen boys were placed in the gymnasium -Given chances to see his mother and half-brother -Japanese got arrogant about winning the war and allowed detainees a little freedom -Cracked down when they started losing territory in the Pacific -Death rate was high in the camp -Didn’t pay attention to the deaths when they happened -Deaths were caused by disease and abuse at the hands of the Japanese -Forced to bow to Japanese guards -Didn’t want to bow and planned on resisting -Adults convinced him to obey, because the Japanese would’ve killed him -Told him the Japanese could control his body, but not his mind -Most of the guards followed Japanese custom and returned the bow -Treated better because they were civilians -Later heard stories about the extreme torture and deprivation of prisoners-of-war -Civilians prisoners were subjected to a “milder” form of abuse and deprivation -Three men tried to escape and they were caught -Japanese held a mock trial, forced them to dig their own graves, and shot them (00:17:46) Contact with Filipinos -Filipinos were allowed to visit the camp, along with his mother and half-brother -Allowed to build shacks near the gym -Filipinos helped Lee and his grandfather build a shack -Not a good place to be in a typhoon (00:18:55) Food & Living Conditions at Santo Tomas -They were served pre-prepared food from the Japanese by other prisoners -Prisoners were allowed to share food with each other -Subject to inspection by Japanese guards -Looking for anti-Japanese notes, or any food they wanted to take -Allowed a sum of money to give to Filipinos to buy groceries as per international law -The guards then took the good food and left the scraps to the prisoners -Rice ration dwindled as the Japanese continued to lose the war -Canned food ran out after a while -Rationed four sheets of toilet paper per day, per prisoner -The men gave their toilet paper to the women and used newspaper -Received Red Cross packages containing food, and luxury items like cigarettes �-The packs of Old Gold cigarettes had a poem about freedom on the packages -The Japanese discovered this and forbade the distribution of Red Cross packages (00:22:38) Disease at Santo Tomas -He contracted a form of dysentery during his time at Santo Tomas -Received treatment for it on the return voyage to the United States -Gained a lot of weight -Doctors in the camp had very little to work with to treat diseases -Had medications from the Red Cross, but the guards took it if they needed it -Managed to avoid contracting malaria, but it was rampant in the camp (00:24:15) Guards at Santo Tomas -The original guards were sent to the frontline as the war deteriorated for the Japanese -Treatment varied with each commandant -Guards were allowed to slap prisoners if they felt they deserved it -Prisoners played baseball against the Japanese soldiers -Never won a game against them to avoid antagonizing them -Never confronted the guards about anything (00:26:15) Abuse of Prisoners -His grandfather was taken to a police station and tortured because they thought he was a spy -Ripped out his toenails and beat him -Discharged him and told him he had to walk the three miles back to camp -A Filipino with a horse-drawn taxi brought him back to Santo Tomas (00:27:47) The Fate of His Father -On January 31, 1945, U.S. Rangers and Filipino resistance liberated POW camp Cabanatuan -On January 27, Lee’s father had been taken from Cabanatuan to go to Japan as slave labor -He was placed in New Bilibid Prison in Manila -Lee was allowed to go see his father through a prison window -From New Bilibid he was placed on a ship bound for Japan -Because the ship was unmarked, it was accidentally sunk by the Americans -His father survived the sinking and was placed back in captivity -He was placed on a “Hell ship” which was accidentally sunk by the Americans -He didn’t survive the sinking -Lee didn’t learn about his father’s death until after the war -His grandfather brought him to the United States to attend military school -His mother stayed behind in the Philippines -Lee received a letter from her saying that she had remarried -He knew then that his father had not survived the war (00:31:00) Liberation -On October 20, 1944, U.S. forces landed on Leyte beginning the liberation of the Philippines -American forces moved on to Luzon in January 1945 -On February 3, 1945, Lee heard shooting at the front gates of Santo Tomas -He feared they were all going to be executed by the retreating Japanese -U.S. tanks and troops flooded into the camp -People jumped and screamed for joy knowing their liberation had come �-Some of the guards took women and children hostage in one of the education buildings -Threatened to kill them if they weren’t allowed to walk free -A deal was negotiated and the hostages were released -On that day, fried Spam, dehydrated potatoes, and canned peas became his favorite meal -Served to him by soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division -Allowed to join his mother as the Japanese were pushed from Manila -There were still Japanese soldiers in the city and his mother got shot in the shoulder -She was standing in front of him, and he would’ve died without her (00:36:36) Coming to America Pt. 1 -He left the Philippines on August 27, 1945, shortly after turning 15 -Came to the United States aboard a troop transport -Escorted by a convoy until they reached Hawaii -Fears that rogue Japanese submarines would still attack American ships -Spoiled by the soldiers coming home on the ship -Gave him and the other children candy -There was a former teacher that gave him and the other children lessons on the ship -He had had some education in the camp, but it was censored (00:38:49) Manila Post-Liberation -By the time Manila had been liberated, all five bridges in the city had been destroyed -The Army used pontoon bridges to replace the originals -Walked through the rubble of Manila and found a Japanese corpse -Kicked it out of frustration -Saw the old walled-city of Manila (original Spanish city) -Everything but the churches had been laid to waste by American bombers -Final Japanese stronghold of the Battle for Manila (00:40:49) Coming to America Pt. 2 -Landed at San Francisco -Grandfather arranged for him to attend a military school in San Rafael, California -Putting him on track to study at West Point Army Academy -Prioritized because his father had been an officer and recipient of the Silver Star -Sent to Pentwater, Michigan, to stay with a cousin -He completed his education in Pentwater and decided not to pursue West Point -Went to Western Michigan University in 1949 and studied education (00:43:27) Getting Drafted -He received a draft notice after graduating from college -Excused from service because he had been a prisoner during World War II -Returned to college to pursue a graduate degree -Received another draft notice at 23 years old (00:44:25) Basic Training -Sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, for basic training -Passed barracks inspection every time because he had grown up in a military household -Knew what to expect from basic training because of his father and the military school -He was the oldest recruit in his training unit �-Received extra responsibility because of his age and assisted the master sergeant -Did his basic training in 1954 -By then, the Korean War was over -Still expected to go to South Korea for occupation duty (00:48:20) Assignment to Third Army Headquarters -He was initially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division -Lee’s wife got pregnant, and his grandfather pulled some strings to get Lee reassigned -Transferred to Third Army Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia (00:49:05) Intelligence Training & Intelligence Duties Pt. 1 -Before his assignment to Fort McPherson, he received intelligence training -Sent to Fort Holabird, Maryland, for intelligence training -Learned how to keep classified information out of enemy hands -Learned how to gather information from enemy sources and report on it -Received training with a wide variety of handguns -Dealt with counterintelligence -Investigating possible spies and persons of questionable loyalty -He handled classified documents and needed special security clearance -At Fort Holabird, he was questioned about his cousin’s husband -He had been a postmaster and was caught for embezzling -Meant Lee’s intelligence duties were questioned (00:52:04) General MacArthur’s Removal -In April 1951, President Truman relieved General MacArthur of command -This was due to irreconcilable differences between the two men -Despite his removal from command, MacArthur still had power due to his reputation -Lee understood and agreed with Truman’s action, but found it a little drastic (00:53:29) Intelligence Duties Pt. 2 -Being in intelligence made the other enlisted men and officers nervous around him -Knew that if he was around, someone was getting investigated -Made every effort not to allow anyone to know about his powerful connections (00:56:04) Life after Service -Discharged in 1956 -Returned to college, completed his master’s degree, and pursued a doctorate -Go a job in a school system in northern Michigan near a ski resort -Daughters enjoyed going skiing -He started as a principal at the school -Worked in an administrative capacity for a while, then returned to principal work -Didn’t like being distant from the students in administration (00:57:50) Reflections -His experiences in Manila shaped his experience in the Army -Deeply thankful to the soldiers that liberated his camp -Never got the chance to thank his liberators from the 1st Cavalry Division -Has never met anyone that was present for the liberation for Santo Tomas -Feels that his time in the Army made him a better man �-Carried his Army experience with him as a principal -Insured that all young men could meet the physical demands of military service � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_StevensL2093V Title A name given to the resource Stevens, Lee (Interview outline and video), 2017 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-01-16 Description An account of the resource Lee Stevens was born in Manila, Philippines, on August 21, 1930. He was 11 years old when the Japanese attacked the Philippines on December 8, 1941, and witnessed the invasion and occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese. His father, a captain in the U.S. Army, was taken prisoner and interned at Cabanatuan prisoner-of-war camp until his death aboard a "hell ship" in late January (or early February) 1945. Lee was interned with his grandfather at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila for the duration of the occupation, but his Spanish stepmother and his half-brother were allowed to be free due to not being American. On February 3, 1945, troops from the 1st Cavalry Division liberated Santo Tomas and on August 27, 1945, he and his grandfather left the Philippines. After completing college, he was drafted into the Army in 1954 and received his basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. He received Intelligence Training at Fort Holabird, Maryland, and was initially assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Due to being the godson of General Douglas MacArthur and his grandfather maintaining contact with the general, Lee was reassigned to Third Army Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He was discharged in 1956. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stevens, Lee Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army. Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/746e90103525506d9addde930e24f34e.m4v a05b76cf1f886a9891f0fa73ad8b22ad https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1173e9a8169c4a0b0c562cd7db651a76.pdf dabe6d8795ce1346ac2e513491746740 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University All American Girls Professional Baseball League Veterans History Project Interviewee’s Name: Rosemary Stevenson Length of Interview (00:41:40) Interviewed by: Frank Boring Transcribed by: Joan Raymer, August 30, 2008 Interviewer: “Can we begin with your name and where and when were you born?” My name is Rosemary Stevenson; I was born on July 2, 1936 in a little town called Stalwart, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. Interviewer: “What was your early childhood like?” I grew up on a farm and was the oldest of seven. A life I wouldn’t change, growing up on a farm was neat because, I don’t know, you have your own built in playground with the animals and even the chores. You grow up with a good work ethic also. 1:21 Interviewer: “Were you athletically inclined at an early age?” Yes, the neighbor kids had twelve and we had seven so, almost every night after our chores, we had a ball game going on in the field. Interviewer: “So you were playing baseball very early on?” Right. Interviewer: “And what position did you favor when you were a young kid?” I don’t know, we just played wherever there was a spot. We chose up teams and the leader pointed you out and you played there, just played. Interviewer: “What kind of equipment did you have?” Probably a flat old glove back then and whatever bat was lying around. 2:03 Interviewer: “What was your schooling like?” I grew up going to a one-room schoolhouse and I started there in the kinder grade and I went through the seventh grade and I skipped the eighth grade and went into high school in the little town of Pickford, Michigan. I graduated from there in 1954 and when I graduated on a Thursday night, on Friday my coach brought me to Grand Rapids and on Saturday I was playing my first professional baseball game. 2:42 Interviewer: “Oh my goodness, you jumped into this.” I jumped in, oh yeah. 1 �Interviewer: “Let’s back up a bit then. By 1950—you said you joined in 1954? The league had almost ended, and since 1943 there was already a league going. Did you know anything about the women’s professional baseball league?” I did not know about it until the spring of 1954. Interviewer: “How come? It was a pretty big phenomenon, wasn’t it?” Well, think maybe because I was in the Upper Peninsula and no scouts ever came up there. I accidentally was reading a softball rulebook and in the back it said, “Women’s Professional Baseball” and it gave a name and an address in Fort Wayne, Indiana so, I wrote to them. 3:41 Interviewer: “Hold on a second. I know this is going to sound like a very stupid question, but why were you interested?” I was always interested in playing ball, but it just interested me all the more when I found out there was women’s baseball. At that point I had been playing organized softball since I was eleven. Interviewer: “By organized softball, it’s similar to what we have today, just neighborhood teams playing against other towns and things like that?” Yes. Interviewer: “But there was no real—the organized leagues, were they part of your school or just community type teams, the softball?” They were community, each little community had their own girl’s softball team and they traveled around, usually on a Sunday afternoon and played one another. 4:47 I played in a league that was the team that I played with was the Sault Lockettes out of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and we played in a league with the Canadian teams, which was a much faster fast pitch league and we call, “Across the river”. 5:07 Interviewer: “Did you have any—you knew that men had professional baseball? You also knew that women couldn’t play in men’s baseball? Was there any sense of, ”Gee, I wish that I could play professional baseball”?” There might have been, in my heart, but it wasn’t brought forward until I read about that there was a league. Interviewer: “I guess you wouldn’t think about it because there was no chance of it?” Right. 2 �Interviewer: “So, you found this book and you read in the back of this book that there actually was a professional league so, before you jump into it, what happened after you saw that?” Well, I wrote to the gentleman’s name and address, and I don’t remember his name now, in Fort Wayne, Indiana and they sent me a letter back and said, “We are having a try out camp in Battle Creek, Michigan”, and I believe it was the 13th, 14th and 15th of May of 1954 and, “If you are interested come on down, and if you make a team we will pay all of your expenses”. So, I went there. 6:23 Interviewer: “How did you get there?” By my coach, he took me down there—this gentleman was a real neat guy, he was a fullblooded Chippewa Indian and loved helping kids and fortunately he was my coach. He took me down there and there was a tryout from Friday, Saturday and Sunday and we did everything: run, throw, catch. Interviewer: “I want to back up before you get into that. He brings you by car?” Yes. Interviewer: “Give me a visual of—I remember from the movie, ‘A league of Their Own”, when Geena Davis and her sister walk on and she suddenly sees the big baseball league, what was your experience like when you arrive with your coach, try to give me an idea, the visual of what you saw?” What I saw was a lot of girls out there to try out for teams. There were a hundred and six of us from the Midwest that had come there to try out to see if we could make a team. Like I said, we went through all the routines, we ran, we batted, we slid, everything so they could see how we could perform and then on Sunday they said they would post our names. On Sunday, six of us made it. 8:00 Interviewer: “While you were there doing the tryouts, were you in any kind of a uniform or did you wear regular clothes or what were you wearing?” Blue Jeans and T-shirt. Interviewer: “Most of the women were just in clothes that they could slide into base or hit the ball or anything like that?” Right. Interviewer: “Did it seem to you that it was very well organized?” Yes, it was, very much so and there were a lot of coaches and managers around there watching all the time. They were just, I assume, like the big league was, watching for the best talent. 8:43 Interviewer: “What did you feel that you excelled at?” 3 �My coach said, the thing that I excelled there at, was my arm. He said that when I—there were two balls from the outfield that they hit out there and when I hit the perfect strike to home plate, that sealed it. Interviewer: “He drove you back?” Yes. Interviewer: “What was the conversation in the car like?” Well, he was excited. They had told me right there that I was accepted by the “Grand Rapids Chicks” and I would be getting a contract in the mail for my parents to sign. Interviewer: “Why for your parents to sign?” Because I was a minor. Interviewer: “Ah, how old were you?” Seventeen and so he was excited that I had gotten that far and was chosen to play professional baseball. 9:31 Interviewer: “Did he know very much about the league?” He didn’t know any more than I did. Interviewer: ‘Ok, how did your parents react to this?” Well, my dad was never one to really speak out about anything I did really so, he never really said too much. My mom had pride and she came back down when my coach brought me down to Grand Rapids, she came along, but my dad never saw me play professional baseball. 10:05 Interviewer: “He was a farmer?” Yea, a farmer and he worked off of the farm also. Interviewer “So, the contract came in the mail finally?” Yes. Interviewer: “And how much were you paid?” I was paid fifty dollars a week, plus expenses. Interviewer: “So, give me an idea of the process of getting into the “Grand Rapids, Chicks? You went to the tryouts, you made the cut of six out of 120—“ It was a hundred and six. Interviewer: “That’s pretty amazing, you’ve got the contract, you’ve signed it, alright, where did you go and what was the first stage of your becoming a professional baseball player?” 10:47 4 �OK, I got the contract, my folks signed it and we sent it back and we got a letter saying to report, it was like the Friday after I graduated, I graduated on a Thursday night in May of 1954, and I don’t remember the date, but it was like the latter part of May so, Friday we left the Upper Peninsula, my coach, my mom and I and they had a place already set up for us. We stayed with families that would rent us a room for five bucks, and so we went there and first we checked into the office, the business office, and they gave us some details etc. about what I was supposed to do, which was—I would get a uniform, come back and pick up the uniform and then check with this address because that’s where in on Prospect St. in Grand Rapids. Then when I had the uniform, I was to be in uniform on Saturday morning for warm-ups and the game would be Saturday night and it would be up to Woody English, the manager, to put me in the line-up. 12:09 Interviewer: “Now, some of these questions are going to sound stupid, but I’m trying to get to as much detail as possible. There is already an existing “Grand Rapids Chicks” team and they have a pitcher and a catcher and fielders and all that, How many women were actually on the team, I know how many actually play at a given game, but how many were actually on the team that you can recall?” I say there were maybe fifteen on the roster. 12:33 Interviewer: “So, not everybody could play in a given game?” Right. Interviewer: “You’re the new kid on the block. What was your first game like? Let me go through it, first you got the uniform? Where did you get that?” From the business office. Interviewer: “Ok, Did it fit?” Yup, they ask you the size. Interviewer: “Describe in detail the uniform. What did it look like?” It was the—home uniforms were white with blue trim, our away uniforms were gray with blue trim and they carried them with them, they took care of them and laundered them so I didn’t have to take care of them as far as laundry or anything like that, but we had two uniforms to wear. You had your cap and you had what they called your little blue bloomers that you wore underneath. No sliding pads. 13:41 Interviewer: “You were wearing skirts.” We were wearing skirts and they were—it was embarrassing to wear as I grew up as a farm girl and was used to wearing blue jeans. When you put a skirt on that’s probably knee length, you feel like you’re undressed. 5 �Interviewer: “Well, in those days—this is before the mini skirts, this is before women wore skirts that short and here you are parading out in front of thousands of people, I can imagine it must have been—what about the shoes, the socks, did they come up to the knee?” Right, they came up mid-calf and the shoes were our regular baseball spikes that we had. 14:20 Interviewer: “Were they cleats?” Yes. Interviewer: “Ok. So, you now have your uniform and how did you get to, because I assume your coach is now back home, how did you get to the baseball diamond?” I was close enough to walk. I would walk to the baseball diamond. Interviewer: “Had you met any of the other girls yet?” Not until the first day that I got in the ballpark. Interviewer: That’s what I want to get at now. You’re the new kid on the block, you’re from the Upper Peninsula, a farm girl, what was the reaction of these professional baseball players to you when you first got there?” When I first got there I was introduced by the chaperone to all the girls and vice versa, and you know, you seem to be accepted, again you’re the new kid on the block, but through the course of that summer you were not really accepted by the pros so to speak because the rookies always felt that they had the feeling that we were going to take their job away from them. If there was a party or a get together or something, you were never invited with them, so you were kind of a loner. 15:42 Interviewer: “Were you with other rookies?” There was one more rookie. Interviewer: “Did you start a relationship with that person?” Not really, not really, I started—I actually started a relationship with—there were five girls that had graduated that same year from local schools in Grand Rapids that came to the games and we started kind of started jelling together. They kind of took me around town, you know. 16:13 Interviewer: “You mentioned a chaperone, now I know what it is, but for the record, what was the chaperone?” 6 �Dolly Hunter was out chaperone, she was a real neat lady, I mean she was like a surrogate mother for one thing, and she also made sure that we represented the league well in our dress, our actions and our voice, how we talked. 16:41 Interviewer: “Did you have clothing requirements, because you made mention earlier that you felt comfortable in blue jeans and a t-shirt, were you allowed to go out in public that way?” No. If you were not around the ballpark, you could because nobody knew who you were, but if you were, say for instance, an example would be if we were traveling, we traveled by leased station wagons, Orson Coe leased them to us, if you had to stop to go to the restroom and you were wearing shorts, you had to have a wrap around skirt or something to put on to go out of the van or the station wagon to go to the bathroom. You couldn’t be seen smoking in public, but you had to be dressed like a lady. You know the same thing, if you came out of—after a game and you came out of the clubhouse, then you better have a skirt and blouse on. You didn’t come out of there in slacks or blue jeans. 17:47 Interviewer: “What happened if you did?” You probably would have been suspended from the games or something. Interviewer: “So, there were penalties, and that was made clear to you?” Yes, and how strict the penalty was—we can jump back to the—in the tryout camp we had, there was one young lady from Wisconsin was super good, she would have made a team anyplace, but she broke the rules, she went out on the fire escape and had a cigarette and the next day she was on the bus home. 18:18 The rules were very strict. Interviewer: “Did you have to go through—because I know that, in the research that I have done, that you had a kind of a charm school?” No, that was gone by the time I came. Interviewer: “But, they did instruct you in terms of your behavior and made it clear that you had to dress a certain way and you couldn’t smoke and all those sort of things?” Yes. Interviewer: “Let’s go right to your first day, your first actual game, do you remember whom it was against?” I think it was Kalamazoo. Interviewer: “What was that experience like? You got to the ballpark, you say you walked there, you got there—“ 7 �Well, the first game, my coach and mom were still here so, I got a ride with them and they got to see the first game I played in. We went to the park, which was South Field, and got dressed in the clubhouse and the manager said, “I’m going to put you in the lineup tonight, your mom and coach are here and I’m going to put you in the lineup”. I played right field so, I honestly don’t remember if I got a hit or not. 19:34 Interviewer: “But, you must have been excited, you coach was out there and your mom was out there and it was your first professional—you’re getting played to play baseball?” Yes, yes, it was exciting. A dream like you never thought was going to happen. Interviewer: “What was the next game like? It doesn’t have to be the very next one, but early on as you’re starting to play the first few times. You played in seasons right?” Yes, we played every night of the week and double headers on Sunday and at that time there were only five teams and you would have an open day once in a while. As I got more comfortable with the league and with the team, I dealt and I did pretty well. I don’t know if I’m jumping ahead of your story, but I batted 223, I had three home runs for a rookie, I don’t remember how many runs batted in or anything like that, but it seems like it was seven I’m not exactly sure, but I felt a little more comfortable of getting to the plate, of playing positions, mainly I was a utility outfielder and I usually played either right or left. 20:54 Interviewer: “How good were the other teams?” Very good, it always seemed like when we went against Fort Wayne it was a chore because they had good players and Rockford was the same thing. Interviewer: “That’s the “Rockford Peaches”?” Right. Interviewer: “They were probably the most famous.” Right, but Fort Wayne had some real good hitters and they had some good pitchers too. So, it was—they were all, I think, evenly balanced, so the games were good. Interviewer: “What kind of crowds were you drawing?” When I first got there, in the first part of the season, the crowds were really not good. I mean—I’m guessing maybe a thousand people some times—it depends who you were playing, but I do remember towards the end of the season, standing in the outfield in Rockford and counting a hundred and twenty five in the stands. So, you knew something was going on, but you didn’t know what. 21:54 8 �Interviewer: “What was the reaction of the crowds, from your own personal perspective, not what you have read about, but from your personal perspective, what was the reaction of the crowds to your team and the teams that you were playing? They came there to see women’s baseball, were there hecklers? Were people laughing?” No, by the time that I got there, they were behind the teams, I mean they were shouting for them, there were certain players that they were really shouting for and it was neat. There was no heckling, no carrying on or anything like that and the kids would come there and they would want you to sign their arm or a baseball or something so, it was neat. 22:39 Interviewer: “Were there a lot of younger kids?” Yes there was and there were a lot of people who would follow, if we were playing say Kalamazoo, or maybe South Bend or any of those, they would follow the team and be right there when we played that night. Interviewer: “How far did you have to travel to play games? Were you basically within a certain tri-state area?” Midwest, just the Midwest area and I think the furthest one that I traveled to, when I was playing, was Rockford, Illinois. We had South Bend, Rockford, Illinois, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne, at that time, that were still in the leagues. 23:27 Interviewer: “Did you get a chance, when you traveled to other towns, did you get a chance so socialize with the other teams or go out and see what the town looked like, or were you pretty much driven there, play a game, go to your hotel and come back home?” It all depends if we got there late at night. You might be bushed, so you want to go to bed and didn’t feel like doing anything. I liked to get out and walk around the towns and back then you could walk around the towns. I did meet different people there and they weren’t the ball players, it was usually local people. 24:03 Interviewer: “Did you let them know you were a baseball player?” Yes. Interviewer: “And what was their reaction?” Kind of surprised and yet some were—“Oh yeah, we know about the ball team here in town.” It was just nice to meet and talk to the local folks. Interviewer: ‘Was there much media coverage, from your experience playing the games, did you see cameras, did you see people with movie cameras, Movietone news for example was the thing of the day, you would go to the movies and there 9 �would be Movietone News and I’ve seen of course, a lot of this film footage of yours, “There’s the diamond gals, can you hit the ball?” A kind of condescending kind of attitude, did you ever see any of the media there?” I never saw any. Interviewer: “Were you interviewed by the newspapers at that time?” Yes. Quite a few articles were written up in the newspapers and then radio—went on radio different times. Probably three times I was interviewed in the Upper Peninsula at the radio stations there and the local papers up there, plus the local papers here. 25:10 Interviewer: “What were some of your memorable games?” I guess the one that really sticks out in my mind is when we were playing Fort Wayne and I was playing center field at that time and one of the Foss girls, actually all of the Foss girls were really big farm girls and when they hit that ball you might as well stand next to the fence because it was going to go out. This one she hit one to the center field, actually the right center, and I remember going up the wall to get it and saved a home run. 25:42 That to me stood out in my career. Interviewer: “did you get a big reaction from the crowd?” Oh yes, It was oohs and ahs, and she didn’t get the home run. Interviewer: “Your time out in the outfield you spent of course, fly balls are coming out there, you’ve got balls that hit out into there. What were the most difficult ones to field? Pop ups are obviously easy to catch, what were some of the ones that you found—you were saying to yourself—oh, oh, there’s one of those coming at me?” Well, sometimes it would be if it was like a line drive that missed the infield, got by the infield, that was—it hits the ground and you don’t know where it’s going to go so, you’re trying to out judge the ball. That would be the ones or the ones that you would lose in the sun. 26:41 Interviewer: “Now you had a good arm so, from the outfield you could actually hit home plate?” I could hit home plate or I could hit it on a bounce, depending on the distance. Interviewer: “You had mentioned earlier, since you were the rookie, there was this sense the pros a little bit reluctant to be involved with you because you were there to take their job or they just weren’t friendly, did that change at all during the course of your time with the “Chicks”?” 10 �I think it changed after the league folded. I became good friends with some of the old timers, formers and I think it has you know, it has changed somewhat now that we come together as a group and the group is getting smaller, unfortunately and with our reunions that we have every year, you got to know the other players a little bit better, because you’re in the—for a week-end you’re in a hotel someplace, and you’re getting together at mealtime and just sitting around talking. You get to know them a little bit better and I think after the league folded, I think, at least myself, I got to know the players better. 28:04 Interviewer: “Did you actually get to talk to that Foss girl that hit that, what she was a home run, and you caught it?” Oh, I’m sure I did, but I don’t remember. Interviewer: “What was your coach like?” He was a good coach, yes. Being my first year I learned a lot from him. Interviewer: “You know the movie, the Tom Hanks movie, the Penny Marshall movie and I know it was an exaggeration, I know it was a movie, there was a sense of a male coach having to coach female baseball players. Did you feel anything like that with your coach? What was his background for example?” 28:43 He played for the Cubs, he was a shortstop for the Cubs and I didn’t feel anything like what they portrayed in the movie, like Tom Hanks. You know, he would scream at us once in a while, but he probably had a right to, but I never saw him go through the shenanigans like Tom Hanks did. 29:12 Interviewer: “At the conclusion of a baseball game, at least when I was playing baseball in little league, each of the teams would line up and you would shake their hand, did that same thing happen to you?” The same thing, yes. Interviewer: “So you got a chance to see eye to eye, some of the people you played and were up against? But again, there was no socializing afterwards though?” They didn’t encourage socializing and going out afterwards. That again, was against the rules. 29:48 Interviewer: “Did you ever break any of those rules?” No, I don’t recall ever doing that. Interviewer: “So you guys never went out for a beer party or anything like that?” No, I’m not a beer party person. Interviewer: “How many seasons did you play?” The last year. 11 �Interviewer: “And that was how many months?” It was May through September. Interviewer: “So, now you’re getting towards the end of September, what were you told in terms of, the season is over with and since 1943 there has been a new season and a new season, were you told that there was going to be a new season?” No, we had no idea that the league was going to fold other than what I said about Rockford, less fans in the stands, there were just different things that were kind of going on, but nobody told us anything. In December we got a letter stating that the league had folded and there would be no more baseball for women. 30:52 Interviewer: “What were—before we get to that letter, it’s September, the season is now over with, what were you planning to do? Go home?” Well, I had already gone home. We were playing in the tournaments at the end of the season and we were playing against Fort Wayne and Fort Wayne loaded their lineup. We played one game against them and we had to play another game and Woody didn’t like it when he found out they were stacking the line up and he pulled us out and he brought us home, so we walked out on the tournament, so I packed up and I went back home to the Upper Peninsula, got a job with the idea that I would be back playing ball for somebody until I got that letter in December. 31:51 Interviewer: “What was your reaction?” Broken hearted, I was thinking, “One year and the dream bubble’s broken so, where do you go from there”. Interviewer: “Were you, and I realize that you were very young, were you anticipating a career, a full blown career as a professional baseball player?” I guess I just thought I would play as long as—I hoped the league would be there a long time so I guess the idea was yes, I did have that dream. 32:33 Interviewer: “Did you have alternative plans?” No, no. Interviewer: “At seventeen you very rarely do. So, you’re thinking that you’re going to be playing professional baseball for the conceivable future, into you twenties or whatever you can, and then you get the letter telling you it is over completely. Did you ever try to find out why or what happened, or did you just accept that it was over with?” Well I did, this one young lady that I was good friends with in Grand Rapids, her father was on the board and so through her I did find out the league just didn’t have any financing. 33:10 They couldn’t afford to pay the salaries anymore so therefore, they 12 �disbanded, again the men came back from being in the war, television, people were buying television sets and watching that instead of coming out to the ball games, and the gas was not rationed anymore. That was another issue that we had, that it was rationed and you only got so many gallons and so, people were getting out and doing other things instead of going to the ball parks. And so, it just—the era had died, which is unfortunate it happened. 33:50 Interviewer: “What did you end up doing then as a job, you’re only eighteen years old or something, what did you decide to do for a living?” Well, when I went back to the Upper Peninsula, I got a job in a restaurant and I decided I wasn’t going to do that the rest of my life. So, I came back to Grand Rapids and again through this friend and her family, I got a job at Keeler Brass and I worked there for probably three or four months and I was allergic to the oil on the drill presses, and one of the girls that I was playing softball with, here in Grand Rapids, said, “We got some openings at the telephone company”, and I said, “Well, I don’t want to be a telephone operator”, and she said, “No, you don’t have to be—I work in the office and connect the wires in there that supply dial tone and that’s the kind of work I do”, and she said I should go and apply so, I went down and applied and the next day I’m working at the telephone company. 34:49 I worked there for thirty four and a half years and I retired from there. Interviewer: “You mentioned softball so, you went right back into playing again?” Yes. Interviewer: “This time for a Grand Rapids area team?” I played for Grand Rapids Bissell and I played for Michigan Bell. I coached both teams, I coached and played softball for fifty-two years and I played a lot of my softball in Zeeland, Michigan, the Zeeland league out there. 35:25 Interviewer: “So, baseball still, even though you couldn’t play professional baseball, it’s still a major part of your life.” It is, yes. Interviewer: “What was the appeal?” I don’t know. Interviewer: “I know this is a funny question, but to devote your life to a particular sport—I understand that you’re athletic and you enjoy athletics and all, but what is it about baseball?” 35:49 I don’t know, just the sport. You know it’s funny because the class prophesy, you know they write it up in the year book, I was supposed to be playing basketball for the “Redheads” out west and I never played basketball in my life, but my dad was an umpire for baseball and we went around every Saturday afternoon where he was umpiring and he 13 �actually coached baseball teams, the men’s baseball teams. I had two uncles that were pitchers so, it’s in the family you know, and my siblings are the same way, they have all played in the sport. I love working with young kids when it comes to softball and I was varsity softball coach for Muskegon Catholic Central for two years and I don’t know, it’s just there. 36:40 Interviewer: “I think you answered it. How do you think your experience, even though it was very short, how did that experience change your life, or did it change your life or have some kind of an effect on your life? You obviously went back into baseball again and you‘ve tried to instill in young people your love for the game, but that one season, did it have any effect on you in terms of your life?” Well, probably coming from a small community, it probably allowed me to reach out and broaden my circle of friends. 37:24 Interviewer: “So, being from a smaller community, you went out into the world so to speak. Were you very shy as a child?” No. Interviewer: “So, you didn’t have any problem getting into that?” No. Interviewer: “What do you say to young girls today about your experience? I imagine a lot of these girls playing ball may not even know—I’m amazed at the number of college students that I talk to that had no idea there was women’s professional baseball. Do you find that there’s—the younger people you talk to, are they aware of what you did and the fact that there was a professional league?” A lot of them are not. I go around with a friend of mine who played pro ball with Kalamazoo, we go around and talk to schools and quite often the teacher will have them watch the movie, “A League of Their Own”, so they can ask us questions and they’re in awe as much as their parent because their parents haven’t seen it and they didn’t know there was women’s baseball. So, there are still people out there who are not aware that we’re even around. People say, “Why didn’t you ever talk about it before?” But, nobody listened because they thought we were playing softball. 38:53 Interviewer: “Well, The Library of Congress is interested so, as of this particular interview and the ones we’re going to do with your fellow ball players, I think it’s an important part of American history and I am very, very pleased that we got a chance to sit down and talk. 39:10 I have a couple more questions for you though, This is kind of a difficult one to answer because it’s going to require you to really give some thought to—do you think the experience of women’s professional baseball had an effect on the way that women today, and even right after you, the opportunities that were opened up as people saw a woman get up and hit a home run or to slide into a base and have a crowd go nuts, just like a men’s team. Do you 14 �think that the women’s professional baseball league had any affect on the progression, if you will, of the opportunity for women?” 40:02 I think we did. I do believe that we opened the door for women in sports. We didn’t know it at the time, but I honestly think that was the beginning. Interviewer: ‘What about things like women having more opportunity to go beyond being a nurse, being a teacher, being a homemaker, do you think the fact that they saw baseball, and you maybe didn’t even think about it at the time, I’m asking you to think about it now, the fact that people saw women doing something that a man could do might of opened up some opportunities for—somebody might say the don’t want to be a baseball player, maybe I’ll be a basketball player, or maybe I’ll be this or I’ll be that?” 40:47 I believe it also opened the door for them, it allowed the young ladies follow their dreams, whatever their dream was. Interviewer: “I couldn’t have asked for a better ending right there. That’s just wonderful, just wonderful. Are there any other things that you can think of that you would like to say—something that happened in a game or just a commentary that you have before we close?” I just thank god that I had the ability and the opportunity to play professional baseball. Interviewer: “Rosemary, it’s been a real delight, thank you so much.” 41:26 Thank you. 15 �16 � 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 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Interviews Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was started by Philip Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, during World War II to fill the void left by the departure of most of the best male baseball players for military service. Players were recruited from across the country, and the league was successful enough to be able to continue on after the war. The league had teams based in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and operated between 1943 and 1954. The 1954 season ended with only the Fort Wayne, South Bend, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Rockford teams remaining. The League gave over 600 women athletes the opportunity to play professional baseball. Many of the players went on to successful careers, and the league itself provided an important precedent for later efforts to promote women's sports. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/484">All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Collection, (RHC-58)</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> Subject The topic of the resource Sports for women World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American All-American Girls Professional Baseball League--Personal narratives Oral history Baseball players--Minnesota Baseball players--Indiana Baseball players--Wisconsin Baseball players--Michigan Baseball players--Illinois Baseball for women--United States Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-58 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-10-02 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-58_RStevenson Title A name given to the resource Stevenson, Rosemary (Interview transcript and video), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stevenson, Rosemary Description An account of the resource Rosemary Stevenson was born on July 2, 1936 in Stalwart in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Growing up she loved to play baseball with the neighborhood kids. Before entering the All American Girls Professional Baseball League she played for the Sault Lockettes. She first heard about the All American Girls from a baseball scouting book and then tried out in Battle Creek in summer 1954. After tryouts she signed with the Grand Rapids Chicks and played both left and right field. One of her career highlights during the 1954 season was saving a home run against Fort Wayne Daisies. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) Video recordings All-American Girls Professional Baseball League--Personal narratives Baseball for women--United States Baseball Sports for women World War, 1939-1945 Baseball players--Michigan Women Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-06-10 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/484">All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Collection, (RHC-55)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f398785ab36f92a74e1bf47cb64cb4e7.jpg 42ea431b29e8cd255acdd97c94d2c923 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decorated Publishers' Bindings Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Description An account of the resource From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seidman Rare Books Collection Michigan Novels Collection Regional Historical Collection Lincoln and the Civil War Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source Seidman Rare Books. PN6071.B7 S4 1911 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01_Bindings0174 Title A name given to the resource The Friendship of Books Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stewart, Bertha (Designer) Description An account of the resource Binding of The Friendship of Books, edited with an introduction by Temple Scott, published by The Macmillan Co., 1911. Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9a16c5ce575f7b5e2f0ce9e3eef65740.jpg f014559f3a42d703abdd032278e546d6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decorated Publishers' Bindings Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Description An account of the resource From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seidman Rare Books Collection Michigan Novels Collection Regional Historical Collection Lincoln and the Civil War Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source Seidman Rare Books. S411 .R87 no.2 1911 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01_Bindings0190 Title A name given to the resource Manual of Farm Animals Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Stewart, Bertha (Designer) Description An account of the resource Binding of Manual of Farm Animals, by Merritt Wesley Harper, published by the Macmillan Company, 1911. Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1911 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives