Upon graduation from Fenger High School in 1966, Bill was obligated to start seeking employment, but employers were hesitant to hire young men of draft age since they could be drafted at any time following hiring.
Jerry Warren passed up an opportunity to return to the states in 1968 and stuck it out in the Central Highlands of Vietnam until his tour of duty was over.
When you meet John Walker, he is a very warm and welcoming person. When he begrudgingly tells you about his time in Vietnam, right away you know he is one of the most courageous people you will ever meet.
At the beginning of World War II, Anthony “Tony” Vinezeano was 13-years-old. By the time he was 17, he could wait no more to join the fight, changing his birth certificate to gain admittance.
John Piworski served just short of a year in Korea as part of “Charlie Company," living the tank life on the front lines.
A talented radioman, Daniel Moffett's abilities did not go unnoticed when, in March, 1965, Dan was assigned to the command ship for the Da Nang Mar Offensive.
Tad Dymanus' father was a Polish WWII soldier and German POW, and his mom survived Dachau. After the family emigrated to America, Tad felt he would do "any little thing" to help his new country. The thing is did was serve in two different wars.
One day in Vietnam, Dick Davis volunteered to lead a re-supply convoy out into the field. He ran into trouble from an unexpected source.
When Mel Copeland joined the Tuskegee Airmen, he wanted to be a pilot. At 6-foot-4, they couldn't close the plane's canopy over his tall frame, so he became ground support for the fabled unit.
After the bombs fell on Japan and ended World War II, William (Del) Cathey and the 24th Infantry Division got to work building the country back up.
Gene Bednarz enlisted after watching the film Guadalcanal Diary about the 1st Marine Division. Soon, he found himself attached to that exact Division in the South Pacific.
Joe Ayres was a student at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College when the United States formally entered World War II. Two years later, he enlisted in the Army and played a role in three critical battles that helped end the war in Europe.
During his service in Vietnam early on during the war, Thomas Zilla had occasion to put his Boy Scout first-aid training to use to help treat a fellow soldier following an attack.
Bill Ziegler remembers when he realized that Vietnam would be an “alternate reality.” In May of 1969, Bill arrived in country as an Artillery Section Chief, and he was being shot at before he could even get off the plane.
“I know what it’s like to be shot at and missed.” That’s how Bill Siska described part of his experience in the U.S. Navy stationed in Nha Be, Vietnam.
When his initial assignment in Vietnam proved to be too slow for his liking, Buzz Hunt volunteered for a company that conducted patrols to safeguard "Hotel 1," a job he did for 10 months.
Esther Gleaton convinced her parents to let her join the Army so she could see the world, ending up with an extended tour of Vietnam.
Early in life, Clelia Ginay experienced a great deal of misfortune, but she persevered. She said “My life started when I joined the Navy.”
John "Gene" Craig was a crypto officer aboard the USS Mississippi when it was decommissioned, making him responsible for destroying all classified material on the ship.
During Phillips Cirullo's time in the Navy, he served aboard three different vessels. The majority of his time came on the brand new USS Enterprise, the first-ever nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
