The world we live in is often forgotten because we are so busy looking at our computer screens, cell phone screens, or television screens. Conversations get lost and we disconnect from one another. Last week you had the opportunity to listen to the stories of others. These stories were not prepared or preplanned. They happened as a result of being engaged with others.
For this week's blog, I want you to recall one aspect of the interview you participated in and tell us about it. Once you have described this story, tell us what the story has taught you. What do you take away from these stories. How did the experience affect you? I know we talked about these briefly last week. Now that you have had time to digest it all, it is time to write about it.
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One aspect from the interview is when Mr. Merrill was telling us the story about how him and his best friend wrote letters to their families and then gave it to each other just in case something happened to one another. This taught me to appreciate the life that I have. I couldn't even imagine having to deal with my dad or any of my brothers being away for so long and only getting a letter from him as a way for us to communicate. I like hearing these stories. They are a way for us to learn about what soldiers really go through, instead of reading it in a book and not knowing what is real and what's not real. I think this experience affected me a lot. I found myself thinking about it often last week and during the weekend because one, it was my principals story and it was interesting to hear a different side of him and two, the stories were incredible and they made me connect a lot back to the book. I appreciate having the opportunity to hear from Veterans and have them share their stories, not everyone was blessed with that opportunity.
One thing that I took away from the interview with Donald Burkle was the fact that not only are people who see action affected from war but the people in the forces in general are affected by greatly by war. Before this interviewed I was mainly focused on the action side of things and I never really thought about the people who never seen action. But as he said these people are also affected greatly, they are far away from their families and they are on the brink of being sent over to be on the front line. That is something that is not easy on anyone in the military, there is a constant nerving feel about being in the military that I didn’t really think about before this interview.
One thing I took from the interview was when Mr. Ralph Murphy described what he saw when he went down to the island that the japanese had attacked. He said he had seen guts and just overall horrible loss of life over a tiny little island. He said that the memories still are very present today and that 70 years later he remembers it like it was yesterday. But even after he described the horrible sights he saw, He said he would do it all again to protect america. That is what I remembered most from the interview. The fact that the man knows the suffering and pain that would come from fighting and still do it all over again shows that Ralph Murphy is a true patriot and he loves America and the american way of life. This taught me to have pride in our great nation and to appreciate anyone who has served in the military. It taught me that while life is not perfect, America has the greatest way of life that there is and I should not take that for granted.
One aspect from the interview that I remember from Jack Freehling talking is his buddy that was in combat. He said his biggest regret was not being able to bring the same people he went there with back. This affected me because I really got to see the impact of what was going on in those time periods and I saw how unfortunate it was that men were drafted and killed in combat. I took from the interview that men would sign up for the military at 17 so they could pick where they were going, and that is really sad because they knew if they were drafted the chances of them surviving were not very high. His friend went through a lot because he was an officer and had different views and perspectives because he was in combat. Not being able to bring the people you went with back is terrible. Because they spend so much time building these relationships to have to be forced into combat and strangers kill their friends right in front of them. And the survivors have to live with remembering how it happened. Some of them also have to see their friends family, either voluntarily to say how amazing they were or by accident. A military base is large, but running into people you know is common. The survivors have to live with knowing how it happened and seeing the effects it has on their family and friends.
I was not there to take part in the interview, but from what I heard from others, it was a great experience to listen to those who served in the military and the veterans' stories were incredible. One aspect I would have taken from the interview if I were there, would be the emotions the veterans had towards each other on the battlefield and how they looked out for one another. I personally knew two people who served but both have passed and from previous discussions with them, they would not take back the time they served. They were glad to fight for this country and show their patriotism. One was enlisted right out of his high school career and the other was drafted for World War 2. I am sure these veterans are more than glad to have/had serve(d) this country and would do it again. I would have loved to be there to here their personal stories out in combat or behind the scenes.
I was not able to be there for the veteran interviews, but from what i heard in class it sounded like an amazing experience. Other classmates would tell me about how cool it was, and how much they appreciated it. When we talked about it the next day in class I heard bits of the stories I missed and it sounded so cool. It takes a lot for those people to come out and share those stories because some of the stories could be really hard for them to share. On aspect i would have really taken away from was how they acted when they talked. How there emotions changed and how comfortable or uncomfortable they would get. It would have really affected me if they started crying or tried to hold back tears, that would have made me really appreciate them more. I have no idea what they went through, but they are some of the strongest people for being able to over come everything that they had to go through.
I was part of an interview with Mr. Jim Boylan. He served in the Air Force from 1961 to 1965, and he told many stories of what is what like to be in he military during this time. Some of these stories really surprised me as I found them interesting. Mr. Boylan talked about how he was on his way to another base with some other soldiers, and the bus stopped at a gas station for a break. He went inside with some friends to buy a sandwich. However, the lady could not serve them because they were not black. Boylan thought the lady was joking at first, but it was serious. This was the first time Boylan ever experienced segregation. Being in the military, Boylan could not see why it mattered if people were different colors. Boylan said, “The last thing you’re going to care about is what color they are” (Boylan). When a soldier was injured or needed help, it did not matter if it was a white man or black man. As long as everyone helped each other, it just did not matter (Boylan). Another point Mr. Boylan made was how the Air Force changed him. Boylan said, “If there was one thing the Air Force taught me, it was to be self efficient” (Boylan). Boylan said when he was younger, he was really lazy and never really did anything for himself. /He relied on other people to do work for him. After joining the Air Force, Boylan’s life turned around for him. He was lucky to meet the men he did, and he worked hard for everything he did. He also learned how to respect authority and respect himself. If he never joined the Air Force, Boylan joked, “I think I would have a meth lab or go to prison” (Boylan). The Air Force made Boylan a better person, and he was very fortunate to join the military because it changed his life around for the better (Boylan).
With my interview, my veteran was still actively serving so we could not know every detail. However, I asked a question about the civilian support of soldiers. My question was: "Do you feel that civilian Americans support their servicemen well?" My veteran said that he feels that there are some people who support soldiers, but that there are other people that bring religion, politics and money. However, I noticed that he said that those people's opinions do not matter because those reasons are not soldiers serve. They serve and fight for the country and for each other. I noted his words about the brother/sisterhood of the Army, especially in my question. I noticed that he kept going back to that idea, that bond. I realized that the idea of a brother/sisterhood was a central part to the Army and Military as a whole, and I like it very much. It is something I am glad that our servicemen and women have and what our veterans will always have.
One of the key points that stuck with me the most about Mr. Jim Boylan was when he was talking about segregation. He had mentioned how he went to get a sandwich at a gas station and the lady behind the counter said that she could not serve him. He thought the lady was joking but it was all to real. Even though Mr. Boylan was not in any physical combat he said that once you get into the military, the color of someones skin is the last thing you are going to think of. Another good point that stuck with me about the interview was when he mentioned how the Air force taught him to be more responsible. He said that he would do a lot of volunteer work, and in the end it all paid off for him. The Air Force really shaped him into the person that he is today. Mr. Boylan said that if it was not for joining the Air Force, he does not know how his life would have turned out. It was a great experience being able to listen to these stories come from someone who actually lived in the moment.
My interview was with Mr. Dave Hayes, a big story that he talked about was when he was sent to England. He said that is was a bit odd having to be across the seas from his family but not actually be in combat. It showed that his family was okay with this as he would most likely be safe there and not have to be placed in Vietnam as he was enlisted during this time. It meant to me that you do not always have to go into combat if you go into the military. You also may be put far away from home though which could strike a lot of people as scary. Hayes told us that when he was stationed in England that he had a lot of fun but he was always happy when he got to go back to the states and see his family. This meant to me that family should not be taken for granted as they are a huge part of your life. Mr. Hayes gave us a very good insight on how the military can affect your life and family for the better or worse.
One of the many points that stuck with me with Richard Dlugoz was about how people back at home felt about the soldiers in Vietnam.
He explained that when he got back home, being a soldiers was something that he had to hide. They couldn't wear their uniforms and he made a comment that if they did wear their uniforms they had to travel in couples. Dlugoz also said that people didn't want to talk about the war and it got so bad that he had to lie. Someone would ask him where was he all that time, he just said he went to college and it didn't work out. He served, risked his life fighting for something bigger than him, yet he had to hide it. Now we appreciate our Vietnam veterans, but in those days people didn't. I asked a question regarding if he found it difficult to talk about the war after he got back, he said that people just didn't talk about the war. It took him 5 years to overcome the psychological affects of that war, he said mainly because he didn't go and seek help. Back then then people didn't go get help, they were supposed to just deal with it like a 'man'. This really stuck with me because how the country reacted to the soldiers that risked their lives. I found it very intriguing to listen to someone who was actually in the war, rather than read about from a history book.
Mr. Faust seemed to look at his time in service in a good light throughout his stories. He served in Vietnam for the Navy and almost enjoyed his time over seas during the 60's and 70's. During his interview he often laughed through his stories and one that stuck with me was one where when they were eating lunch on the aircraft carrier, when they were walking nuclear bombs across the ship they were all instructed by the marines moving the bombs to close their eyes so that they didn't see. Mr. Faust made it seem like they laughed about it a lot at the time and thought it was funny, because everyone knew what it was they were not supposed to see. The lightheartedness of some of his stories made me realize that war is not all suffering, and that there is still some happy times during time periods of war. Even during the time of being drafted and sent off to Vietnam, Mr. Faust still made light of some of the situations he was in.
The interview that I had was with Jack Freehling. A story that stuck to me was when he began to talk about how he went to a elementary school recently and participated in a flag service for that school. He said a little boy came up to him and asked him if he had ever killed anyone and Jack told that little boy that he never wanted him to think about that because war isn't fun and war isn't nice. This affected me because when he said this you could hear the sadness and seriousness in his voice. Hearing a statement like this from someone who experienced war really shows you how much it can affect someone and how war is more than what you think.
My interview was with Dave Hayes, an air force mechanic who served from 1959 to 1964. He told us about how through his time in the air force he learned that it was important to be independent, but still be able to work and get along with your soldiers and trust one another. His job was to take care of a single plane. He had a couple of mechanics under him who would work on specific sections while he oversaw them to make sure everything was running smoothly. An example of how the soldiers had to trust one another was that when the actual pilots would come to fly the plane, they would not even check around the plane to see if it all looked right, they would just hop right in and get ready to take off. This shows that the pilot trusted his crew to do their job and prepare his fighter for flight. Mr. Hayes seemed to enjoy his time in the military as he told us about how he had the chance to visit many places where he otherwise never would have gone in his life. Mr. Hayes was stationed in England but also would go to Tripoli in northern Africa and Denmark occasionally. The time he spent in service showed him how to work together and trust men in his unit and also allowed him to travel the world and discover some great things.
My interview was with William Bland Sr., an Marine Corp veteran who served in Vietnam from 1969-75. He was drafted but was happy he was because he was able to serve his country. The story that he told that stuck with me the most was how when he was discharged and the reactions he received from civilians. He said as he walked through the airport in his uniform he was expecting everyone to cheer for him and be happy that he made it home and the war was over. That was not the case here because instead he said he received the "cold shoulder" and no one even recognized him (Bland). Bland and all the soldiers knew Vietnam was not a liked by many people but he still thought he would be welcomed home. He said everyone blamed the soldiers for war and it was their fault. This has taught me even when people do not like things they stick to it under not circumstances. This just showed me how the soldiers were treated when they came back home. I was shocked by this because even though people did not agree with the war I thought they would still thank the soldiers and welcome them home. Soldiers are brave men all fighting for one thing which is their country.
My interview was with Keith Merrill. An area of the interview that stood out to me was when he said how he didn't tell his parents, friends, or any other family about going into the Army. He just joined, and after he swore into the Army, that is when he told his parents. The reason for him hiding that from his parents and everyone else was because he knew that was what he wanted to do, and he didn't want anyone to try to change his choice. He didn't want to hear anyone else's opinion about his choice, because his mind was made up. That story has taught me that in order to follow your dreams and receive what you want from the world and your life, you cant let anyone or anything stand in the way of your goal.
One of the parts that i participated in in the interview was when i was interested to see what he thought about the war in vietnam. Tom Chester said that he went to the navy because they told him that he could see the world. This got him interested in the Navy enough to join. After that he was sent to boot camp where he quickly learned to do something when he is told at that very moment. He said that this thought him to be more responsible. Two weeks later he had gotten a draft notice in the mail. And said that another reason he joined was so that he would not join the army. He said he might not be here today if it was not for the navy. This affected me because gave me a high respect for anyone who is in the armed forces and got me thinking if i can to.
One aspect I had taken from the interview with Jim Boylin is he made a comment about how he had to spend Christmas alone in the barracks during basic training, it strongly impacted my view of the war differently. I love the holiday season and I could not imagine not spending it with my loved ones. This taught me that society today takes the little things for granted, like spending time with your family on the holidays. Some of us today dread going over another family members house for a holiday, but so many would pray for that exact thing. I took from this that the little things are the big things and we should cherish the memories we do have and never take anything for granted.
The one thing that I took from the interview with Ralph Murphy is when he talked about the day he was selected to be in the air force he says I have never thought that I would have been in the air force. He was glad he was in the air force and not on the ground. He was glad to be in the air force. From the interview you can tell that Murphy loves America. This is one thing I remember from the interview When Murphy could never see himself in the air force, then it turned out that he was glad that he was. Expect the unexpected. This shows me that in the future my life could be completely different from how I see it, but I may be glad that it is the way it is.
A major aspect i took from the interview was how the wonderful and extravagant Mr. Curtis was terrified for his life for awhile he was away. He said that a base near his was attacked by a truck that rammed into the front gate and shot rockets at them from the back. That fear for life made his life exciting and he felt like he was doing the right thing. The main thing i took away from that story is that life is precious and can end in the blink of an eye, and later that day i ate a donut just for him. Oh and that cake was really good, like wow. anyways it was a pretty eye opening experience etc. and i hope to do it again in the future
One thing that I took from my interview with Richard Dlugoz was that he said during his time in the war, people commonly frowned upon him and other soldiers because they didn’t agree with the war. The soldiers always had to watch where they wore their uniforms such as in airports and restaurants. He never personally received any discouragement, but he knew of people that have. Civilians took out their anger on the soldiers, even though they didn’t control it. This was during the time of the Vietnam war. I learned that now it is very important to respect these soldiers because they know what they are doing and what they are fighting for. They are risking their lives for the sake of America which is very important.
If there is one thing that the interview made me ponder about when I was done Interviewing Richard Dlugoz was that during his time during the war he disagreed with the war and what it was about and people had an issue and viewed him different because of it. Just because he does not have the same opinion does not mean he is not the same person or soldier as you are. he served during the Vietnam war. I personally think nothing means more than him an other sacrificing his and their lives for the sake of America and its future.
I think one part of the interview that I attended with Bob Prevost was that he was just walking by the army recruitment station and saw his friends signing up, and decided to as well. He was told it was a lengthy process and basically said, “let’s get started, then!” He was so eager to get signed up and begin serving with his buddies. I learned through this that life can take sudden turns, and it may all turn out okay. He didn’t know what was going to happen, but that’s life sometimes. He felt ready to just get up and go serve his country. I admire that kind of dedication and willingness. His story taught me that you have to be willing to roll with the punches and go with the flow, even when it seems difficult or hard to do. He took it with stride, actually, and worked hard to make sure everything would be in place when he left for service.
One part of the interview I had to privilege of attending to that stuck with me was when our group veteran was discussing the way other people lived in other countries and how these children would beg for the troops to throw money into the water for them which would allow the children to help obtain the little money they had to get what they needed, this really shows how much people take things for granted and how some people can just throw money or anything really away when to other people things like this have a much greater meaning to them and how much differently life is in all aspects of viewing. Another part of the interview that really struck me was when he was explaining how it was christmas day and he was away from his family and it was just him sitting by himself in a diner with the song "I'll be home for christmas" playing the background. This tells me that we should cherish people we care about and the time we spend with them, you never know how easily that could change and we take granted with our family, friends, and significant others. All in all we should all cherish what and who we have in our lives and just take the time to realize that we have these things around us that we may be taking for granted from time to time and we just sometimes need to sit back to enjoy and appreciate life.
The interview that I took part in was the one with Veteran Richard Dlugoz. I learned that life is about doing work by choice instead of being told to do it. I was taught this when Mr. Dlugoz stated that he probably would have been drafted either way if he didn't volunteer. By volunteering, he actually got out 6 months earlier then he would have if he was drafted. This shows that if you are going to have to do something anyway, getting it done willingly and quickly just gets it out of the way so you do not have to worry about it later. Sometimes there are even added benefits. From this, i took away that you cant avoid life and if something is meant to happen it will regardless.
Something that I took from my interview with Jim Boylan is how the values that the Air Force taught him affected his life. Mr.Boylan described how he really had no place to go after high school and how he was kind of a troublemaker, so he turned to the military. He said the Air Force taught him to be self-sufficient and disciplined. He learned to appreciate how others valued him and that motivated him to be a better person in general. He used these values and skills he learned after he was discharged as well when looking for a job after the Air Force.
The part of the interview with Mr. Ralph Murphy that really stuck with me was when he talked about what some of his missions were like. He said he and other soldiers would get up at 3 am, lay down and just wait. There was no time that was off the clocks for these soldiers. Any time, day or night, they could be called up to do a mission or go on patrol. This put my life into perspective. When I complain about staying up until 2 am doing homework, or waking up at 6 am for school that is nothing compared to the things these soldiers had to and the times they had to do them. The story also made me realize how awful some of the tasks were. I could not imagine having to lay down and watch an area for hours knowing that there could be an enemy doing the same thing, trying to kill you.
i interviewed my father and it was kinda boring since i heard it so many times. He joined the Navy and scored high on the placement tests. After the government lied about what jobs he can do he ended up being a clerk in charge of ordering supplies. I guess since he did not do any fighting the story never interested me as a kid but as i grow older i appreciate the stories of his friends. What type of people did my father befriend tells a lot about him as a young man. Reserved is the word that describes him now but to hear about his experiences in his prime are entertaining. Bar fights, chicks, and drunken adventures are what fuel a good testosterone filled story; so many people ask my father what is was like serving in the military and how did he responded under pressure but to see a man truly for his worth and character put him in a bar fight i say. Sure anyone can take orders from an authority figure, wether boss or officer even a teacher but that doesnt make a man. What makes a man is his courage and willpower under duress. Hearing my father fight men bigger than him or taken care of drunk friends is something that gives me pride, my fathers character is good. Dont get me wrong i respect veterans because chaos reveals true colors but since my father didnt do any fighting with the charlies i had to look for his qualities in other places. So this interview really inspired me to be a better human being, better friend, help a hungover homie out or help a friend in a fight thats what i do bleed for my friends. its quaint what i learned from this interview but dependability in friends is something money can not buy in friends and that is what i have for my family and Sean Kilbane.
I interviewed Mr. Miles. During this interview, he talked about how different life was coming home from service and how lazy the human race actually is. He went back to work and noticed a lack of purpose in daily lives whereas in the military he had everyone looking out for him and everyone doing with with intent and precision. Everyone was there for each other while on base because there was trust needed to be built up since they were fighting with each other. This story has taught me that regular citizens, including myself, really lack the trust and respect that comes from the people around me whereas military soldiers and officials would die for each other. I wouldn't trust the person next to me in any aspect but people in the military would take bullets for one another and I think humans should be able to trust each other. However, this is impossible because people are very selfish individuals.
I took away from this story the difference between military life and civilian life. Civilian life consists of us all going our separate ways and doing our tasks individually. In military life, mostly everything is done together with team effort involved. This experience made me realize the differences between the two life styles and how different they actually are.
Dave Hayes talked to us about his time in England working on fighter jet planes that flew in the Vietnam war. One thing he talked to us about that stuck with me was his wife because even though he came to talk to us about war and the military, he was more passionate when he talked about his wife and it means a lot that he kept his family and friends in mind the whole time. It really made me realize that soldiers who are stationed far away and ones who are literally fighting are doing it for everyone they love back home. They fight for freedom and freedom helps them fight. The interview really put things in perspective for me and it healed some of the negative opinions I had on war and the military. In the end we're all human and no one likes fighting but there are reasons for it when there really has to be.
One story that my veteran (Dennis Williams) told us was when he was in a particular battle. When his squad was getting on the helicopters to go, the helicopter he was supposed to be on was full so he was separated from his squad and had to get into the next helicopter. When his helicopter landed he was with his friend named Whitie, and he said as the helicopter started to land there were bullets flying through the chopper. He told us that a bullet hit Whitie right in the head and he went down right in front of him. He tried to shake Whitie up but he wasn't moving because he was dead. If Whitie wasn't there he would have died. So Mr. Williams grabbed Whitie's m16 and carried it with him for the remainder of his tour. A battle pursued for the next night in which almost everyone involved died. Mr. Williams described it as a very difficult battle that tested not only his physical but mental strength. Mr. Williams' story seemed almost surreal like from a movie or a book, but it taught me the dangers of war and how real they are. It was sort of weird just trying to put myself into his place with his friend just dying right in front of him. It is crazy to think that that sort of stuff happened daily and even crazier to think that Mr. Williams survived the experience. Overall it really gave me a new respect with what our veterans went through and a respect for just how accurate war literature and cinema can be.
One story my veteran (Dave Hayes) told me was about what he learned from his service. His response was that he learned how to be a more trusting person. He explained that he entered the service with one of his best friends. Once him and his friend went their separate ways, he had to learn to be more trusting and open. He made "brothers" as he called them. Another story he often told, included alcohol. He explained that there was a bar that him and his friends always went to that was close to base. One day, Dave got very drunk, and climbed to the top of a tree, and asked a guy to fight him. They fist fought, and would pick each other up when the other was getting hurt. To me, this was very strange. But to him, it was their entertainment. Until, their head officers came to break it up. The story that really affected me was the stories Dave would tell about his wife and their relationship. He told us that his wife went to where he was stationed at the time, and forced him to marry her. He was looking for every way out, which I thought was comical. But he did end up marrying her, and he explains that she is his biggest support system. He said that she would follow him anywhere he had to go, and that touched me and made me think about how important loyalty is to friendships and relationships. It makes them so strong, that nothing can break that bond. I learned that being trusting is not as bad as I thought. I also learned that loyalty is the base of every relationship and only can make a relationship stronger. I admire Dave for his loyalty to his wife when he had every chance to be unfaithful.
The person I got to interview was Mr.Bouman. Mr. Bouman explained many stories to us during his time as a medic in the Navy. The story that stuck out to me the most was a time that he spent on an island. On the island he was a medic. One morning he had a young man about 18 or 19 years old that was trying to get drunk. As he was trying to get drunk, since there was no alcohol, he ingested a type of chemical that contained alcohol. Instead of getting drunk the chemicals actually killed the young man. This story stuck out to me the most because when people think of war, they think of the times in the battle. People forget about the thoughts that consume them while they are at base or on an island. Mr. Bouman explained he was not trying to get drunk to have a good time, he was doing it because he was not able to handle everything around him. I was taught that not everything is the way it seems. There will always be more than one perspective in life. In war there are hardships men and woman have to face. They have to withstand things I could never imagine trying to do. But the hardships are not only while at war, but its when they return home and have to comprehend everything they went through.
The person I interviewed was Ryan Cary. The story he told us that stuck with me the most was the time he had to shoot a 7-year old boy. He said the boy had a grenade in his hand and was running at him and his squad, so he decided it was either him and his squad or that boy so he decided to kill the kid. What this really taught me was that there are some really bad people out there that only truly care about themselves. This is a very important life lesson for people that they need to realize to not live their lives not only for themselves but for others as well.
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