What war and branch of service were you in? I was in the Vietnam War in the army.
What was your rank? E5, that means sergeant
Where did you serve? In Vietnam
Were you drafted or did you enlist? I enlisted after I got a draft notice.
Where were you born and raised? Well, I was born in Winston Salem NC. We moved every 1 or 2 years because my father would change jobs or be in school, or be in the army. My father was in the reserves but he was never called up. The reserves are extra soldiers who aren’t on duty. I had 1 big sister and a little brother and a little sister.
What is your current occupation? I’m retired now but I was a systems analyst for the telephone company for 25 years.
Where did you live or work during the war? I was in Vietnam for 1.5 years. I was in Quang Tri for the first year at the demilitarized zone. I worked in an office but every 3rd night I had to guard the base. Then I lived in an army base in Danang and worked in an office there.
What was your main wartime activity? I could type better than anyone else. I did two jobs. I found a person for all of the different jobs. My other job was to count people. Every day we counted people who came in and the people who were killed, got sick, or went home.
Why did you choose that activity? You don’t choose an activity, they tell you what to do. I got my job because I learned how to type very well in high school.
What kind of training were you given? Mainly we learned weapon skills like how to shoot a gun and load a gun, bridge building, and explosives. I am trained to use explosives.
What did you like and dislike about your job? I liked that I didn’t need to worry about anything because I was a young man. I didn’t need to worry about paying bills and my social life and getting ahead. We would just party and have a good time. I didn’t like the long work hours. We worked six 12 hour days plus 8 hours on Sunday AND every third night I had to spend the night guarding the perimeter of the base.
Did you make any friends when you were serving in the military? Yes, I made some very good friends and we kept in touch for years after. We reconnect now at our reunions.
How did you feel about the war? I was really against it but I had a lot of fun. I knew enough about history that I felt it was unlikely I would be killed. I didn’t think it was good politics but 5 decades later I feel it was the right thing to do.
How did your friends and family feel about the war? I don’t think any of them had strong opinions one way or another.
When did you come home from the war? A year before it ended. In Vietnam the soldiers only spent one year in Vietnam. I volunteered to spend an extra 6 months in Vietnam so I could get out of the army early.
How did the war change your life? The war just made me want to settle down and have a family. Before the war I wanted to go to grad school for history, but after the war I decided to go back for a master’s in computer science so I could get a high paying job. I was glad that I went to Vietnam.
Is there anything else you would like to add? I saw some beautiful and memorable sights. I went back to Vietnam in 2009. It is a beautiful country and the people are very nice.
 | Athens Macaroni Kid Junior Reporter Ruby (age 7) interviewed her Grandpa Art (age 74) |
