TRANSCRIPTION
What are your earliest childhood memories?
learning out how to survive on my own. Not haveing anyone to look out for me or care for me.
You joined the Army when you were 17, how was that?
Yes, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned the life style of the war and how things were ran.
What year did you get shipped to Vietnam?
January 4, 1968, i remember as if it was yesterday. i thought i was a bad a$$ when I went in.
What was your experience like volunteering to go into the War?
the experience was ok, but the real reason I volunteered to go to Vietnam was because my son was born with a heart defect in 1965; it was so bad he had to stay in the hospital. They cancelled my orders to go to Alaska for 2 years prior to Vietnam and assigned me to the base since my son had to stay in a major hospital. So I volunteered to Vietnam because they said I would get orders to return back here to San Antonio to be with my son once the war was over.
Were you in Vietnam before it was considered a full-fledged war?
Yes I was there two weeks before it was considered an all out offensive. I was right in the middle of the War on January 27, 1968.
What was your job description in the war?
I was in charge of the Athletics Department to provide recreation for the military. When I was not there I was sent out in combat. I also got in the humvees to drive and collect food for the troops. I was so lucky I never got in the 1st or 2nd humvees. I was always in the last one.
What was your first thought when you set foot on Vietnam soil? What was going through your head?
It was a hot son of a bitch. It was 31degrees in Tokyo that morning and when we got to Vietnam that evening at 4:00pm it was 110 degrees. The bad part was the dam showers did not have cold water it was just as hot as the temperature outside.
Were you scared?
No, because I thought I could whip every ones a$$, once we started getting shot at by snipers and rocket launchers and started seeing people get blown up and guts flying everywhere. I started screaming what the hell did I get my dumb a$$ into.
What did you eat over there?
Vienna Sausages one can per day for 3-5 days and then we ran out of food. We would then run convoy to the long been to get food. Tried eating monkeys but did not like them. It got so bad that people were killing there enemy and cutting them open to eat there insides. I got so sick to my stomach I was sick for weeks.
What was your worst memory from the Vietnam War?
The Rockets (5 days of hard fighting) artillery would shoot out, lived by the flight light, got shot by a total of 189 rockets that blew my area up and got hit for 45 nights in a row with rockets. An explosion hit where I was and sent me flying into a wall and busted my ear drum. they were always aiming for the chow hall but never hit it.
How much were you paid in Vietnam?
$450 to $500 a month and $10.00 for overseas, $50.00 for combat pay. I gave myself $50.00 then sent the rest home.
Would you visit Vietnam today?
No, i would not go back because I don't like the smell and there's nothing there for me to want to go back and visit it was a living hell being there.
Did you have a friend closer to you over there? Someone you relied upon more than others?
Yes, Hoss, I called him crazy horse. He was my foreman translator for me. We grew to become very close friends. Hoss was sent to war 2 years on and 2 years off.
What was your rank when you retired?
I was a Tech Sgt E6. I loved helping my brothers out every chance I could.
How was your life after coming back from Vietnam?
Good the 1st year I always worried what would be the safest place to go if under attacked. I had dreams a lot. Then I moved to the country and bought a ranch and opened a Rodeo Arena called Kickers Korner. was open for 33 years. Opening the ranch was the best thing I could have done. It took my mind off of all the things that went on during the war. I started to get back into savilion mode.
If you had not volunteered to go into the war, do you think you're life would have been different?
well no not really, I mean i would only have fore choices that would have happened to me. Id either be in jail, dead, poor or become a millionaire.
Did Agent Orange affect your life?
Yes, that's how I gets 100% disability. I got skin cancer, chronic heart failure and diabetes which was proven the cause from agent orange.
Where you ever injured in war and how?
Yes I was blown through a wall and busted my ear drum, broke 3 ribs and a couple other thins, still have a piece of metal in my leg today from the explosion.
Did you receive any medals?
Bronze Star, Good Conduct and don't remember all the others
What is one memory you will always remember form the Vietnam War?
The day I was able to fly home to the states knowing I was still alive
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
Don't take life for granted as you will never know the last breath you will take. Always thank everyone around you, not because they talk to you or help you out, but simply because you never know what they will look like the next time you see them. Whether it's in a store, at the hospital or in a casket. Be thankful for everything life troughs at you. Tomorrow is not always guaranteed; in fact you don't know whether you will be alive in the next 30 seconds, 30 min or even the next few hours. My son was here and in the snap of your fingers he was gone.
