THAT I WANTED TO FIGHT MY WAR IN THE AIR.
THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME SORT OF AN APPEAL ABOUT IT
OR A SENSE OF EXCITEMENT,
SO THAT WAS MY OBJECTIVE.
SO WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF PEARL HARBOR,
I WENT OUT TO FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON,
TO APPLY TO THE ARMY AIR CORPS.
I WANTED TO BECOME A FIGHTER PILOT.
AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE,
I FAILED THE COLOR VISION TEST.
AND I CONTINUED TO TAKE THE TEST AT OTHER LOCATIONS
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME
UNTIL, GRADUALLY, I MEMORIZED WHAT I SHOULD SEE --
WHAT NUMBERS AND SYMBOLS I SHOULD SEE ON THE TEST.
AND THEN I PASSED IT,
BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL I GOT TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA,
AND I WAS WORKING FOR THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS
WHILE I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET IN THE SERVICE.
AND I PASSED IT UP THERE IN EARLY AUGUST OF 1942.
THE DAY THEY WERE KILLED,
WE TALKED ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WE PACKED UP THEIR THINGS.
AND MAYBE AT THE OFFICERS CLUB THAT NIGHT,
ABOUT WHAT THE ANGLE OF THE FLAK HAD BEEN
SO WE COULD TRY TO AVOID CERTAIN APPROACHES ON TARGETS.
BUT THEN WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT THEM AGAIN.
WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT THEM AGAIN.
IT'S JUST AS IF THEY DID NOT EXIST.
YHAUNTED US ALL THE TIME..
WE THOUGHT ABOUT -- OR I DID.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHERS.
BUT IT WAS THE KILLING, THE NUMBERS OF...
TO SEND ME ORTO A FIGHTER SQUADRON,ED
FIGHTER GROUP,
FIGHTING OFF OKINAWA
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INVASION OF JAPAN.
AND WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA
ON AUGUST 6, 1945,
AND WE STARTED TO COMPREHEND WHAT THIS MEANT,
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS DROPPED ON NAGASAKI
FOUR DAYS LATER,
WE REALIZED THAT OUR WAR WAS OVER
AND THAT WE WERE GONNA LIVE THROUGH THIS THING.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT ENDED LIKE THAT, SO FAST.
AND THOSE OF US THAT WERE PRIMED AGAIN --
FORTIFIED PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY
TO GO BACK TO WAR --
WERE NOW REPRIEVED,
AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GO ON WITH OUR LIFE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTION
TO THE FACT THAT THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED.
WE JUST BURNED ALL THE ADRENALINE
THAT OUR BODY COULD PRODUCE.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN WE WOULD COME HOME
AND LAND OUR AIRPLANE
AND TAXI UP TO OUR HARDSTAND
AND TURN OFF THE ENGINES,
WE WOULD JUST COLLAPSE,
JUST SITTING THERE IN THE COCKPIT.
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE LEFT.
WE HAD BURNED ALL THE ADRENALINE.
WE HAD USED ALL THE ENERGY THAT WE HAD.
SOMETIMES I HAD TO BE HELPED OUT OF THE COCKPIT.
THE FELLOW WHO OWNED THE BUILDING
SAID THAT WE HAD TO LEAVE
BECAUSE HIS SON WAS COMING HOME FROM THE PACIFIC.
HIS SON HAD BEEN INJURED,
AND HE "DIDN'T WANT ANY JAPS IN HIS APARTMENT BUILDING."
AND I SAID, "BUT MY SISTER-IN-LAW IS PREGNANT.
SHE'S EXPECTING IN AUGUST -- END OF AUGUST."
THE BABY WAS BORN ABOUT THE 21st.
BUT HE WAS ADAMANT,
AND ST. PAUL WAS JUST -- THERE WAS NO PLACE TO BE RENTED.
WE WENT AD AFTER AD, LOOKING AT PLACES.
THEY WERE JUST LITTLE, YOU KNOW,
PLACES NOT REALLY LIVABLE, TO ME.
MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND I BOTH WENT TO CHECK THEM OUT.
SHE WAS PREGNANT, AND IT WAS SUCH A CHORE.
FINALLY, I SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M GONNA GO OVER AND TALK TO THIS FELLOW."
FIRST OF ALL, I WENT IN THE FRONT.
AND IT WAS A SUNDAY.
AND HIS WIFE AND HER FRIENDS WERE SITTING IN THE FRONT.
I SAID, "I'D LIKE TO TALK TO MR. LAUER."
"MR. LAUER IS IN THE BACK. HE'S WATERING."
SO I WALKED TO THE BACK OF THE GARDEN.
HE WOULDN'T TURN OFF THE HOSE AT FIRST.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, HE WAS VERY HARD OF HEARING.
SO I SAID, "MR. LAUER, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!"
AND I TOLD HIM, "MY HUSBAND IS IN THE PACIFIC.
"HE IS WITH MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.
"HE'S FIGHTING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH YOUR SON
AND I SAID, "I'M SORRY THAT HE WAS INJURED,
BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME SIDE."
I MADE THIS PLEA AND, "EH?"
AND A COUPLE OF TIMES, HE COULDN'T HEAR.
AND THEN FINALLY TURNED OFF HIS HOSE,
AND DIDN'T SAY "YES," "NO," OR ANYTHING.
AND SO I WENT AWAY THINKING, "WELL, TRIED MY BEST."
AND I LEFT AND DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING AFTER.
WE WERE ABLE TO STAY.
SO I THOUGHT, "WELL, IT MUST HAVE WORKED."
AND I TOLD HIM, S"BE SURE TO ASK YOUR SON.
"BECAUSE HE'LL TELL YOU THAT THESE NISEI BOYS
ARE FIGHTING WITH THEM RIGHT THERE."
BUT IT SEEMED LIKE HE NEEDED MY HELP
MORE THAN I NEEDED HIS.
HE WAS A SWEET KID, SO AGREEABLE,
A LITTLE BIT GULLIBLE, AND VERY GOOD-LOOKING.
AND I JUST FELT THAT HE NEEDED ME.
AND HIM LEAVING LIKE THAT REALLY BROKE MY HEART,
I TELL YOU.
AND, OF COURSE, MY MOTHER --
THAT MEANT TWO BOYS NOW WERE IN THE SERVICE.
AND, UM...
IT WAS REALLY HARD TO GIVE THEM UP.
FROM HIS LETTERS, YOU COULDN'T TELL.
HE WAS A RESERVED PERSON.
AND I DON'T THINK HE WANTED US TO KNOW
BECAUSE HE WAS PROBABLY PROTECTIVE OF MOTHER AND I
AND MY OTHER BROTHER.
HE'S A WONDERFUL GUY, ANYWAY.
NO, HE NEVER COMPLAINED.
WE LIVED WITH THAT.
THAT WAS PART OF OUR PART WE HAD TO PLAY.
HE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO GO TO A CAMP TO REGROUP
OR REST AND RELAXATION OR BE ANALYZED.
A FRESNO BOY THAT WAS A FRIEND OF BOTH OF US,
AND HE HAD SEEN HIM IN GERMANY.
AND HE SAID, "HE LOOKED TERRIBLE.
AND I THINK THEY SHOULD SEND HIM HOME."
WELL, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND WHEN HE DID GET DISCHARGED AND CAME HOME,
HE CAME TO SACRAMENTO
AND STAYED WITH US
FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS OR THREE DAYS.
HE SEEMED FINE.
HE WAS KIND OF A QUIET KID ANYWAY,
SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO KNOW.
I DIDN'T DETECT ANYTHING.
BUT HE WAS REALLY SUFFERING FROM TRAUMA.
SO, HE WENT HOME TO MY MOTHER IN FRESNO.
AND INSIDE OF A WEEK,
SHE WAS CALLING ME AND TELLING ME
THAT SHE THOUGHT MY BROTHER
WAS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS EMOTIONALLY.
I GUESS HIS --
IT WAS OVERPOWERING --
I GUESS THE DEPRESSION AND THE TRAUMA
UNTIL HE JUST HUNG HIMSELF FROM THE KITCHEN LIGHT.
AND MY MOTHER CAME IN AND FOUND HIM.
MM-HMM.
YEAH, SO...
HE WAS 22.
WAR CAN BE ROUGH.
MY POOR MOTHER --
SHE WAS NEVER QUITE THE SAME.
MY GRANDFATHER...
TRAINED ME TO BE A WARRIOR.
THE ANCIENT TRIBAL-WAR DAYS WERE OVER.
BUT BEING...
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
A WARRIOR...
IN HIS TIME --
BEFORE THE RESERVATION WAS SETTLED --
HE KEPT TRAINING ME TO BECOME A WARRIOR.
THEN, OF COURSE, I WOULD RIDE HORSES ALL MY LIFE,
EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY.
BUT IN THE WINTERTIME,
HE WOULD WAKE ME UP EARLY IN THE MORNING.
HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, DON'T PUT YOUR SHOES ON.
"DON'T PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON.
RUN AROUND THE HOUSE BAREFOOTED."
IT'S MAYBE 15, 20 BELOW ZERO.
EVERY MORNING,
IT WAS TRADITION WITH THOSE OLD INDIAN MEN
TO TAKE A DIP IN THE RIVER.
SO IN WINTERTIME, WE'D GO TO THE RIVER THERE,
MAYBE 15, 20 BELOW ZERO.
WE'D GO TO THE RIVER,
AND HE'D CUT A HOLE IN THE ICE.
IT WAS ALREADY CUT,
BUT HE HAD TO CUT IT AGAIN FOR HIS HORSES.
SO HE'D REMOVE THE THIN LAYER OF ICE.
THEN WE'D GO IN THERE.
I'LL TELL YOU, THAT'S PRETTY COLD.
HE TRAINED ME TO BE PHYSICALLY STRONG.
BY HIS TRAINING
AND MY OBSERVING THE ACTIVITIES AROUND ME --
MY ENVIRONMENT...
THE MOVEMENT OF THE ANIMALS,
THE BLOWING OF THE WIND DIRECTION, AND SO FORTH,
SO I WAS GENERALLY WELL AWARE
OF WHAT I'M DOING
OR WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
SO DURING WORLD WAR II, I WAS NOT AFRAID,
I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING,
AND I KNEW I WAS GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
SO, HE TRAINED ME THAT WAY, MENTALLY.
I WAS READY TO GO OVERSEAS.
AND A COUSIN OF MINE HAD JUST COME BACK FROM EUROPE.
HE WAS A TAIL GUNNER.
AND BEFORE HE LEFT,
A MEDICINE MAN, A SUN DANCE MEDICINE MAN --
POWERFUL, SACRED POWERS.
SO HE GAVE MY COUSIN...
AN EAGLE FEATHER,
A FLUFFY FEATHER PAINTED YELLOW.
"ALL RIGHT," HE SAID,
"PUT THAT INSIDE OF YOUR HELMET.
THAT'S YOUR PROTECTION."
THAT HELPED A LOT, TOO, YOU KNOW?
SO AS LONG AS THAT SACRED PROTECTIVE FEATHER
WAS IN MY HELMET,
WHY, I WAS NEVER AFRAID OF ANYTHING.
I NEVER PANICKED.
AND I THINK I SURVIVED...
QUITE ADEQUATELY.
SOME SOLDIERS GET EXCITED AND GET SCARED,
PANIC AND RUN, AND THEY GET SHOT DOWN.
BUT I'M ALWAYS IN CHARGE OF MYSELF.
I KNEW WHAT THE ENEMY WAS GONNA DO.
SO I WAS ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT LITTLE MEDICINE IN THERE,
I THINK THAT KIND OF GAVE ME
THAT...FEELING
OF HAVING POWER OVER MYSELF
AND THE ENEMY.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF SAD SITUATIONS --
PEOPLE GETTING KILLED, LYING THERE,
CIVILIANS, SOLDIERS,
BOTH SOLDIERS --
AMERICAN SOLDIER, GERMAN SOLDIERS.
AND ONE OF THE WORST I'VE WITNESSED
WAS WE WERE...
ADVANCING INTO THIS LITTLE TOWN.
AND OUR COMPANY COMMANDER STEPPED ON A MINE.
BOY, BOTH LEGS WERE GONE --
JUST THESE STUBS.
AND HE WAS SITTING THERE.
AND I WAS STANDING THERE AND COULDN'T HELP HIM.
I WAS SCARED, YOU KNOW, SHOOK UP.
AND HE LOOKED AT HIS LEGS, THEN HE FELL OVER DEAD.
HE DIED.
THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
YEAH, THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
I SANG A SONG THAT BELONGED TO A CHIEF WHO USED TO LIVE HERE,
A CHIEF BY THE NAME OF GREYBULL.
AND HE WOULD SING THAT
WHENEVER THEY MEET THE CHEYENNE, YOU KNOW?
AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, READY TO CLASH,
WHY, A CHEYENNE MEDICINE MAN
WOULD SING A SONG --
I MEAN, A CROW MEDICINE MAN BY THE NAME OF GREYBULL
WOULD SING THIS SONG.
AND THE WORDS WOULD SAY,
"THE CHEYENNE ARE COMING NOW TO DO BATTLE.
"TODAY I SHALL RUN OVER ONE OF THEM.
"YES, IALL OF THEM." THEM.
SO I SANG THAT SONG.
FIRST IT WAS THE DEAD GERMAN BOYS
LYING ALL OVER THE FIELD OF BATTLE
AND BEGINNING TO TURN YELLOW AND SO FORTH,
THEIR EYES OPEN.
I'D NEVER SEEN A CADAVER WITH EYES OPEN BEFORE.
I'D SEEN DEAD PEOPLE, LIKE MY RELATIVES,
IN COFFINS AND SO ON.
THEIR EYES WERE ALWAYS DECENTLY CLOSED.
AND WHEN YOU SEE VIOLENTLY KILLED PEOPLE
WITH HOLES IN THEM AND MISSING LIMBS AND SO ON
STARING AT YOU WITH OPEN EYES
AS IF THEY WERE ALIVE,
YOU FEEL TERRIBLY DISCONNECTED FROM THINGS.
ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SAY SOMETHING TO THEM?
ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SAY, "I'M SORRY.
DID IT HURT MUCH?" AND SO FORTH?
AND I WAS STILL IN COMMAND OF MY PLATOON.
AND WE ATTACKED A GERMAN POSITION THROUGH A SMOKE SCREEN,
WHICH WAS SO THICK THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE YOU WERE.
IT WAS A BIZARRE THING.
IT WAS A TECHNIQUE FOR GROUND WARFARE
FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
AND THERE WERE DEAD GERMANS ALL THE WAY ALONG.
AND PEOPLE WERE STEPPING ON MINES
AND BLOWING THEIR FEET OFF AND THINGS.
AND MY PEOPLE WERE RELATIVELY UNTOUCHED.
AND WE HAD TO CLEAR A SMALL WOODS
THAT WAS SEPARATED FROM EVERYTHING ELSE,
MAYBE A HALF-MILE WIDE AND A MILE LONG.
AND THE GERMANS HAD BEEN PREPARING THAT DEFENSIVELY,
THAT POSITION, FOR MONTHS, PROBABLY SINCE NORMANDY.
AND WE ATTACKED IT AS CHEERFULLY AS WE COULD,
RUNNING IN WITH OUR RIFLES AT PORT ARMS AND SO ON
THROUGH MACHINE-GUN FIRE.
AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE HIT AND KILLED BY THAT.
AND ON MY LEFT, I REMEMBER, I WAS LYING ON MY STOMACH,
TRYING TO KEEP AS LOW AS POSSIBLE
TO AVOID THIS MACHINE-GUN STUFF
THAT WAS GOING ON ABOUT AN INCH ABOVE MY HEAD --
SO CLOSE I COULD FEEL THE HEAT OF BULLETS AS THEY PASSED BY.
WHO'D NEVER IMPRESSED ME ONE OF THVERY MUCHCEMENTS,
BECAUSE HE WAS RATHER FAT AND CLUMSY --
AND HE WAS AIMING AT A MACHINE GUN SOME DISTANCE FROM US.
AND BEFORE HE COULD GET A SHOT OFF,
THEY HIT HIM WITH, I THINK, ABOUT THREE BULLETS.
AND I SAW ONLY HIS BACK.
I DIDN'T SEE HIS FACE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
THERE FLEW LITTLE CLOUDS OF WHAT LOOKED LIKE DUST,
BUT THEY WERE POWDERED BLOOD,
THEY WERE BITS OF FLESH TISSUE,
AND THERE WERE PIECES OF CLOTH UNIFORM.
AND ABOUT THREE OF THESE CAME AT ME,
AND THEN HE COLLAPSED, AND THAT WAS THE END OF HIM.
WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE WAR, I COULD NOT BE RECOGNIZED.
AND I HAD A TERRIBLE TIME WITH MY FAMILY
BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN READING THE SATURDAY EVENING POST
AND LIFE MAGAZINE ALL DURING THE WAR.
AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A SORT OF CHEERFUL GAME WE WON.
THEY KNEW I WAS IN THE INFANTRY,
BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS A BRANCH OF THE SERVICE
WHERE YOU DID A LOT OF RUNNING --
ATHLETIC STUFF AND SO FORTH.
AND THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS ABOUT CLOSE-UP KILLING.
THE MISSION OF THE INFANTRY,
AS I LEARNED IN TRAINING MANY TIMES --
WAS THAT THE INFANTRY
IS CHARGED WITH THE MISSION
OF GETTING AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE ENEMY
AND DESTROYING HIM.
AND THAT MEANS TEAR HIM TO BITS IF POSSIBLE.
SO THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY PARENTS EVEN TO UNDERSTAND.
AND HAD SOME NOTES, FAIRLY BLOODTHIRSTY,
THAT I'D WRITTEN ABOUT THE WAR.
AND I GAVE THEM TO MY DAD AFTERWARDS.
AND HE COULDN'T FINISH THEM.
ABOUT ALL THE GOOD WAR STUFF,
TO SAY THAT I'M OFFENDED WOULD BE A GRAVE UNDERSTATEMENT.
I'M APPALLED BY IT --
BY THE LACK OF IMAGINATION OF AMERICANS,
BY THE OBLIGATORY OPTIMISM OF AMERICANS,
BY THEIR DIFFICULTY
IN UNDERSTANDING THE TROUBLES OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE LESS WELL-PLACED THAN THEY ARE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE POOR.
AND THE INFANTRY ARE THE POOR IN TIME OF WAR.
I'VE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME SOMETIMES
TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
PEOPLE WILL SAY, "WHY ARE YOU SO IRRITABLE?"
"I'M IRRITABLE BECAUSE I THOUGHT OF A COLLEGE FRIEND OF MINE
"WHO SPENT THE WAR AS AN ADMIRAL'S AIDE IN THE PACIFIC
"AND NEVER FIRED A GUN OR WAS FIRED AT.
"AND THE CONTRAST BETWEEN WHAT HE WAS DOING AND I WAS DOING
"IS JUST TOO APPALLING TO BEAR
WITHOUT SOME KIND OF EMOTION OF RESISTANCE AND ANGER."
I WAS ANGERED THAT EVERYBODY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THE -- THE, UH...
SITUATION OF SOLDIERS
WHO FOUGHT THE WAR ON THE GROUND.
WELL, BASICALLY, WHEN YOU'RE AN O.C.S.,
AND YOU LIVED, ATE, SLEPT, AND EVERYTHING ELSE TOGETHER.
YOU STUDIED TOGETHER.
AND I STILL REMEMBER IT.
IT WAS GALLAGHER, GALLOWAY, GAMBLE,
GARDENER, GALT, AND GINSBURG.
FORWARD OBSERVER IS UP FORWARD
TO FIND TARGETS FOR THE ARTILLERY.
AND YOU WORKED WITH THE INFANTRY.
IN OUR UNIT, THE FORWARD OBSERVER,
IF THE INFANTRY WAS MOVING,
YOU HAD TO STAY WITH THE LEAD PLATOON
OF THE ATTACKING COMPANY.
CHANCES ARE YOU WOULDN'T BRING ARTILLERY DOWN ON YOURSELF,
YOU'D KEEP IT OUT IN FRONT.
AND THAT WAS THERE.
BUT WE ALSO WENT FOR TARGETS,
IF WE COULD GO OUT AND FIND SOME TARGETS.
TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, IT WAS BORING.
WE DIDN'T HAVE BUT FOUR OFFICERS.
AND MOST OF THE TIME, THERE WASN'T BUT ONE AVAILABLE.
IF I WAS NOT FORWARD, THEN I HAD TO READ THE MAIL.
AND IT WAS JUST ABOUT AS BORING AS YOU COULD GET.
I DO RECALL ONE FELLOW
THAT I JUST DIDN'T READ HIS LETTER TO HIS GIRLFRIEND.
AND THERE JUST WASN'T IT WAANY SENSE TO IT. DAY.
HE WAS ONLY WRITING HIS WIFE ABOUT A PAGE.
[ LAUGHS ]
BUT THE GIRLFRIEND WAS IN ENGLAND.
WHICH BASICALLY HAD 50 PEOPLE,
JUMPED OFF ONE MORNING,
AND I HAPPENED TO HEAR THEM ON THE RADIO THAT AFTERNOON.
THE BATTALION COMMANDER WAS ASKING HOW MANY MEN HE HAD.
HE WANTED TO WAIT FOR DARK,
AND HE WAS SENDING UP CHOCOLATE BARS.
HE SAID, "WE GOT ONE FOR EACH MAN.
HOW MANY DO YOU WANT?" AND HE SAID, "SEND ME FIVE."
HE ONLY HAD FIVE MEN LEFT OUT OF HIS PLATOON --
HIMSELF AND FOUR, APPARENTLY.
BUT YOU JUST LOST FOLKS LIKE MAD IN THERE.
I'M SITTING, AFTER I WAS CAPTURED,
SEVERAL DAYS LATER --
MAYBE A WEEK, I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS IN THIS LITTLE VILLAGE WHERE I HAD FIRED.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE ROUND GOT AWAY FROM ME,
I HAD KNOCKED THE STEEPLE OFF THE CHURCH.
BUT I'M SITTING ON THE CHURCH STEPS,
AND THIS GERMAN OFFICER GAME UP, AND HE WAS ARTILLERY.
AND HE COULD TELL I WAS ARTILLERY.
YOU HAD YOUR BRASS ON YOUR COLLAR.
"WERE YOU THE FORWARD OBSERVER OVER THERE?"
I SAID, "YEAH. AND YOU UP THERE?" "YES, SIR."
AND HE SPOKE BETTER ENGLISH THAN I DID.
HE'D BEEN TO SCHOOL IN ENGLAND.
AND HE CAME OVER THERE
AND GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE WAR --
CAME HOME, GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE WAR.
AND HE WAS JUST LIKE I WAS -- HE WAS JUST IN THE WAR.
SO HE AND I HAD OLD-HOME WEEK
SITTING THERE ON THE CHURCH STEPS.
BUT THAT WAS AN UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE.
BUT I WAS GLAD TO SEE HIM.
WELL, ON ONE, WE WERE ON A RAILROAD CAR,
AND THE AMERICANS CAME IN STRAFING IT.
YOU JUST TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM THE TRAIN.
AND I WENT OUT A WINDOW AND DOWN THE INCLINE
AND ACROSS TO WHERE THERE WAS A BRIDGE --
A LITTLE BRIDGE OVER A ROAD, NOT A BIG ONE.
AND THERE WERE TWO OR THREE GERMAN SOLDIERS UNDER THERE
THEY THOUGHT THE AMERICANS HAD LANDED OR SOMETHING.
THEY WANTED TO SURRENDER TO ME.
AND I DIDN'T WANT THEM.
THAT I WASN'T IN ANY POSITION TO TAKE THEM CAPTIVE.
BUT, YEAH, THEY TRIED TO GIVE UP TO ME.
WHEN I WENT INTO THE MARINES, THE FIRST THING WAS --
WE HAD A LITTLE SCRIP TO EAT WITH.
AND WHEN YOU WOULD STOP IN A TOWN LIKE MACON, GEORGIA,
THE REGULAR MARINES,
THERE HAD BEEN NO BLACK MARINES.
SO THE REGULAR MARINES WOULD EAT IN THE DINING ROOM,
IN THE REGULAR AREA.
BUT IN ORDER TO HONOR MY SCRIP,
THEY TOOK ME UPSTAIRS IN THE PRIVATE DINING ROOM,
AND THEY BROUGHT ME ANYTHING I WANTED TO EAT
AS LONG AS I DIDN'T EAT DOWNSTAIRS.
AND I IMMEDIATELY ORDERED
THE FILET MIGNON WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS.
IT WOULD REMIND YOU OF HOME.
AND IT BROKE YOUR HEART.
FOR INSTANCE, THEY HAD BANDS WHO WOULD COME OUT
AND ENTERTAIN THE TROOPS.
AND ONE BAND BROUGHT OUT LENA HORNE.
AND WE HAD THE WHITE TROOPS AROUND US,
AND THEY WOULD MAKE SEATS
OUT OF MAKING TREES EVEN AND PUTTING AIRSTRIPS.
WHEN SHE CAME OUT AND SAID, "SHOO, SHOO, SHOO, BABY,"
A WHOLE STRIP FULL OF WHITE BOYS FELL OFF THEIR SEATS.
WE WERE PROUD AS PUNCH TO SEE LENA HORNE
AND OTHER PEOPLE -- COUNT BASIE, DUKE ELLINGTON.
"THIS IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR," IS WHAT WE THOUGHT,
"IF WE CAN JUST GET BACK HOME
AND GET A CHANCE TO ENJOY SOME OF THIS."
OUR ATTITUDE WAS,
IF THE GERMANS OR THE JAPANESE
WON THE WAR,
THE WHITE FOLK WOULD GET ON THEIR SIDE,
BOTH THE GERMAN OR JAPANESE AND THE WHITE FOLK.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS GO OVER THERE AND WIN THE WAR
AND THEN COME BACK UP AND PICK UP THE GAUNTLET
WHERE WE TRIED TO GET OUR CIVIL RIGHTS.
THAT WAS THE FEELING.
I WAS ON A LIST SOMEWHERE IN THE NAVY
TO BE CALLED UP AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
AND I WAS IN COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
AND I'D SPENT MY MONEY.
ONE OF THEM WAS ALREADY ANA MARINE FIGHTER PILOT..
THAT WAS UNENDURABLE FOR ME TO BE A COLLEGE BOY
AND HIM TO BE A MARINE FIGHTER PILOT.
SO I FELT THAT I HAD TO ACCELERATE THIS SOMEHOW.
I WENT INTO THE RECRUITING OFFICE.
AND THERE WAS, TO MY ASTONISHMENT,
AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE AT THE DESK.
AND I SAID, "I'VE GOT TO GO."
AND AS I TALKED TO HIM, IT GOT MORE AND MORE INTENSE.
"I'VE GOT TO GO! I'M OUT OF MONEY!
EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING."
AND HE WENT TO THE CORNER OF THE ROOM
WHERE THERE'S A GREAT PILE OF FILES
AND FINGERED DOWN TO THE BOTTOM,
PULLED ONE OUT, PUT IT ON TOP,
AND SAID, "YOU'LL GET YOUR ORDERS NEXT WEEK.
DON'T TELL ANYBODY."
AND I WENT OUT,
AND IT WAS LIKE THAT MOMENT AT THE BEACH
WHEN YOU CLIMB THE LADDER OF THE DIVING BOARD
UP TO WHERE YOU USUALLY DIVE OFF
AND THEN KEEP GOING TO THE ONE WHERE YOU MIGHT JUMP OFF...
AND KEEP GOING STILL UNTIL YOU GET THE VERY TOP,
WHERE YOU'VE NEVER JUMPED OFF BEFORE.
AND THEN YOU STEP UP TO THE EDGE AND JUMP.
I FELT THAT I WAS IN EMPTY SPACE.
SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO ME THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE,
AND THAT I HAD DONE IT.
YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE YOUR LIFE VERY OFTEN.
YOUR PARENTS DO THAT FOR YOU.
YOUR TEACHERS DO THAT FOR YOU.
THAT WAS GONNA CHANGE MY LIFE BUT I JUSFOREVER. DECISION
AND IT DID.
EVERYBODY JOINED.
I WANTED TO BE A PILOT.
AND EVERYBODY WAS IN THE AIR FORCE.
AND THEY WORE PINK PANTS
AND HATS WITH THE GROMMET TAKEN OUT.
THERE WAS SOMETHING SPURIOUS TO ME ABOUT THOSE GUYS.
THEY FLEW TOO HIGH.
I WANTED TO BE IN --
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, I WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
THESE WERE IMPRESSIONS
THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY BASIS IN REALITY.
I ALSO THOUGHT THAT THE MARINE CORPS,
WHICH WAS AN ELITE OF THE NAVY, AS I SAW IT,
AND THEREFORE WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST,
WOULD BE THE ORGANIZATION TO FLY WITH, IF I COULD.
I BEGAN FLYING IN --
FROM A LITTLE GRASS FIELD NORTH OF DALLAS.
AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.
THE FIRST EXPERIENCE OF BEING UP IN THE AIR
AND SEEING THE WORLD DOWN BELOW YOU --
IT'S INDESCRIBABLE.
BUT IT ADDS A DIMENSION TO THE WORLD YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN.
GROWING UP IS A SERIES OF TESTS, INEVITABLY,
MOTIVATED PARTLY BY CURIOSITY,
ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DO THINGS THAT GROWN-UPS DO
THAT YOU'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE,
AND PARTLY A SERIES OF TESTS
OF YOUR READINESS TO BE AN ADULT, I THINK.
BY PASSING THE TESTS,
YOU EARN ADMISSION TO THIS CLASS OF PEOPLE
THAT YOU THINK ALL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AVIATION IS CERTAINLY LEARNING TO FLY AS A SERIES OF TESTS.
BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
THAT AS AN 18- OR 19- OR 20-YEAR-OLD KID,
YOU'RE, AT THE SAME TIME,
STILL GOING THROUGH THE OTHER SET OF TESTS.
YOU'RE FINDING OUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE DRUNK.
YOU'RE TRYING TO PASS THE TEST WITH GIRLS...
WHEN YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE.
YOU'RE, UH...
YOU'RE TRYING TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY.
YOU'D BE DOING THOSE, YOU SEE,
WHETHER YOU'D WERE IN MILITARY TRAINING OR NOT.
ON TOP OF THOSE, THEN,
ARE THE TESTS ABOUT SOLOING AN AIRPLANE
AND DOING YOUR FIRST LOOP AND DROPPING YOUR FIRST BOMB.
THERE WAS A SONG,
WHICH WAS SOMETIMES --
THE REFRAIN OF WHICH SOMETIMES WAS "BLESS THEM ALL"
AND SOMETIMES "FUCK 'EM ALL,"
DEPENDING ON THE AUDIENCE AND WHO WAS SINGING.
AND THE VERSES WENT...
THEY S-- THEY SENT FOR THE --
¶ THEY SENT FOR THE ARMY TO COME TO TULAGI ¶
¶ BUT GENERAL MacARTHUR SAID NO ¶
¶ HE GAVE AS HIS REASON ¶
¶ THIS ISN'T THE SEASON ¶
¶ BESIDES, THERE IS NO USO ¶
¶ FUCK 'EM ALL ¶
¶ THE LONG AND THE SHORT AND THE TALL ¶
¶ FUCK ALL THE ADMIRALS IN ComAirSoPac ¶
¶ THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF WE NEVER GET BACK ¶
¶ SO WE'RE SAYING GOODBYE TO THEM ALL ¶
¶ AS BACK IN OUR FOXHOLES WE CRAWL ¶
¶ THERE'LL BE NO PROMOTION THIS SIDE OF THE OCEAN ¶
¶ BUT CHEER UP, MY LADS ¶
¶ BLESS 'EM ALL ¶
THAT'S THE LEAST OBSCENE OF MY REPERTOIRE.
IF YOU WANT THE REST OF THEM, I COULD OBLIGE.
THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS, OF COURSE,
AN ENORMOUS -- MORE THAN A BIG HELP.
IT WAAND WE FELT THAT,WAR.
AND WITH RELIEF, BUT ALSO WITH A KIND OF SADNESS.
WE HAD BEEN TURNED INTO ARTIFICIAL ADULTS
FOR A FEW YEARS.
AND WE'D LIVED LIVES THAT WERE FULL OF EXCITEMENT,
LIVES THAT WE COULD NEVER HAVE KIND OF ANTICIPATED LIVES,
BACK IN MINNEAPOLIS AND BONESTEEL.
NOW IT WAS ALL OVER.
AND I'M SURE I WASN'T THE ONLY PERSON WHO FELT,
"NOW I WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO BEING WHO I REALLY AM,
"WHO IS A COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE
"AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
"HOW BORING THAT WILL BE.
"HOW NARROW AND LIMITED THAT WILL BE.
"WHAT KIND OF FUTURE WILL I HAVE
"THAT WILL BE AS MUCH FUN
AS BEING A PILOT IN THE MARINE CORPS?"
WHEN THE JAPANESE SURRENDER WAS ANNOUNCED TO US...
WE...FELT --
THE SQUADRON DECIDED
THAT IT OUGHT TO...
MAKE SOME GESTURE OF CELEBRATION.
AND WE... TOOK OFF AS A SQUADRON,
IN FORMATION,
AND FLEW OUT OVER THE FLEET IN BUCKNER BAY.
AND I EXPECTED THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS GONNA BE --
WE'D FLY OVER THE FLEET, AND THEN WE'D GO HOME AND LAND.
THE MAN LEADING THE FLIGHT SIGNALED TO GO INTO A COLUMN.
SO WE ALL PULLED BACK, ONE BEHIND THE OTHER,
AND DOVE ON THE FLEET.
HE PULLED UP ANAND DID A BARREL ROLL.T,
NOW, A BARREL ROLL IN A TBM
IS LIKE A FAT LADY DANCING.
SHE SHOULDN'T DO IT.
AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN SURE SHE CAN DO IT.
AND THEN THE NEXT PLANE DID IT.
AND THEN IT WAS MY TURN.
AND I PULLED UP AND PULLED IT OVER,
AND ALL THE RUBBISH AND DEBRIS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE
CAME FLOATING UP INTO MY EYES,
AND THE CREWMAN IN THE BACK RATTLED AROUND A BIT, I GUESS.
AND THEN WE CAME OUT AND IT WAS STILL FLYING
AND THE WINGS HADN'T FALLEN OFF.
AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND LANDED.
AND I RECKONED WHAT WE WERE DOING
WAS GIVING DEATH ONE MORE CHANCE.
IT WAS LIKE THE STORM.
OF COURSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME.
BUT IT WASN'T.
I GRIEVE FOR THEM EVERY DAY,
THE TWO OR THREE WITH WHOM I WAS MOST --
WHO I WAS CLOSEST TO.
BUT, THEN, PEOPLE DIE IN LIFE.
NOT THAT YOUNG,
BUT EVERY LIFE HAS SOME GRIEF IN IT.
AND YOU GO ON LIVING.
I TALKED RECENTLY WITH A FRIEND OF MINE.
HER NAME IS GEORGINE DuVIVIER-HALL.
SHE'S ABOUT MY AGE, A LITTLE YOUNGER,
WAS IN COLLEGE IN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE WAR --
A LITTLE WOMEN'S COLLEGE CALLED WILSON COLLEGE
WHERE SHE SAID THEY WORE WHITE GLOVES TO DINNER,
OR AT LEAST WHITE GLOVES WERE PART OF IT.
SHE SAID SHE REALLY WASN'T AWARE OF THE WAR.
THERE WAS KIND OF INNOCENCE IN THIS PLACE,
AS THOUGH THE WAR DIDN'T EXIST.
BUT WHEN SHE WENT HOME AFTER THE TERM ENDED,
SHE HAD TO SIT IN A BOXCAR SITTING ON A COFFIN
WHICH WAS THE COFFIN OF AN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN.
IT SEEMED AN ODD JUXTAPOSITION.
THEY WERE CASUALTIES FROM SOMEWHERE BEING BROUGHT HOME.
GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY --
I WAS NOW IN CHARGE OF THREE SQUADS,
A TOTAL OF 41 MEN.
AND THEN I BEGAN TO REALIZE WHY THIS WAS DONE.
IN YOU'RE AN ENGINEER,
YOU'RE SELECTED TO BE AN OFFICER
BECAUSE YOU KNOW MATHEMATICS AND LOGARITHMS AND ALL OF THAT.
IF YOU'RE AN ARTILLERY OFFICER,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT TRAJECTORY AND PHYSICS.
WHY WOULD THEY SELECT SOMEONE FOR AN INFANTRY OFFICER?
WELL, HE HAS TO KNOW HOW TO READ THE MAPS AND THE COMPASS,
BUT HE HAS TO KNOW HOW TO KILL.
I WON'T TELL YOU THHOW MANY MEN I KILLED.T.
THERE ARE SOME WHO COUNT SHEEP, SO THEY TELL ME,
BUT THERE ARE TIMES IN MY LIFE WHEN I COUNT MEN.
AND THAT'S A TERRIBLE THOUGHT
BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN THE AVERAGE PERSON,
IF HE OR SHE RAN OVER A CAT,
YOU'D NEVER FORGET THAT.
SO HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU FORGET KILLING A MAN, YOU KNOW?
WELL, I WAS IN OAKLAND
GETTING READY TO GET ON A SHIP
FOR A BOAT RIDE BACK TO HAWAII.
I WAS IN MY UNIFORM WITH THREE ROWS OF RIBBONS
AND THE CAPTAIN'S BARS ON MY SHOULDER.
I MUST HAVE LOOKED PRETTY GOOD,
WITH A HOOK ON MY RIGHT HAND, WHERE IT USED TO BE.
AND SO I THOUGHT I'D JUST GET A NICE HAIRCUT
SO I'D LOOK NEAT.
I LOOKED AROUND OAKLAND.
HERE WAS A BARBERSHOP.
THREE CHAIRS, I REMEMBER THAT -- ALL THREE EMPTY.
THE BARBERS ARE JUST STANDING AROUND, SO I WALKED IN.
THIS ONE BARBER APPROACHED ME.
AND HE LOOKED AT ME, AND HE SAID, "ARE YOU A JAP?"
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A STRANGE WELCOME.
AND I SAID, "I'M AN AMERICAN."
"WELL, I'M ASKING YOU, ARE YOU A JAP?"
I SAID, "MY FATHER WAS BORN IN JAPAN.
"MY MOTHER IS JAPANESE.
I SUPPOSE THAT MAKES ME ONE."
"WE DON'T CUT JAP HAIR."
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "HERE I AM IN UNIFORM.
IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS TO HIM THAT I'M AN AMERICAN SOLIDER,
AND THAT FELLOW, VERY LIKELY, HAD NEVER WENT TO WAR."
AND HE'S TELLING ME, "WE DON'T CUT JAP HAIR."
I WAS SO TEMPTED TO STRIKE HIM,
BUT THEN, I THOUGHT, IF I'D DONE THAT,
ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAD DONE
WOULD BE FOR NIL.
SO I JUST LOOKED AT HIM, AND I SAID,
"WELL, I'M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY."
AND I WALKED OUT.
BUT IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME
THAT WHAT CAPTAIN ESPINGER SAID WAS VERY CORRECT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG STRUGGLE,
A TOUGH ONE.
THAT IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT CHILDHOOD THAT WE HAD,
STRESSED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE IN MATTERS
THAT WERE SO OUT OF PROPORTION FROM REGULAR CHILDHOOD,
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THE PEOPLE WE WERE TODAY.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE ME LIVING IN THE WINE COUNTRY HERE
WHERE I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE MORE STRESSED THE VINE,
THE BETTER THE WINE AND THE GRAPE IS.
SO DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
I THINK LUVERNE PROBABLY WAS CLEANER DURING THE WAR
THAN AT ANY TIME IN ITS HISTORY,
PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE KIDS WOULD GO OUT
AND WE'D GO TO THE ALLEYS, BACK ROADS, DITCHES --
ANYTHING TO FIND SOMETHING OUT OF METAL
BECAUSE YOU COULD GET, LIKE, A PENNY A POUND
FOR SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE.
AND THEN IF YOU TOOK THEM DOWN TO THE THEATER,
IF YOU HAD TWO, THREE, FOUR POUNDS OF SCRAP METAL,
YOU WOULD GET A FREE TICKET.
MY TWO BROTHERS AND I WENT OUT ONE TIME
AND MADE A HORRENDOUS HAUL.
WE JUST -- I DON'T KNOW.
THE ONE MAJOR THING THAT I REMEMBER IN THERE,
WE HAD A BRASS BEDSTEAD,
AND WE HAD OLD WHEELS WE FOUND.
WE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GET INTO THE THEATER.
SO THE KIDS WHO DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH --
WE WERE DOWN ON MAIN STREET RIGHT BY THE THEATER,
AND WE'RE HANDING OUT -- "WHAT DO YOU NEED?
"YOU NEED A TIRE? HERE'S AN OLD RIM.
HERE'S AN OLD PIECE OF METAL," OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
THEN DOC BOMENE, WHO WAS THE MANAGER OF THE THEATER,
CAME DOWN AND TOLD US, "I DON'T WANT YOU DOING THIS ANYMORE.
THESE KIDS HAVE TO GET THEIR OWN STUFF."
TWO POUNDS OF MILKWEED WOULD MAKE ONE LIFE VEST.
SO THEY GAVE EVERYBODY THESE SACKS, OR BAGS,
AND THEN WE WOULD GO OUT LOOKING FOR MILKWEED.
AND WE GOT TWO CENTS A POUND FOR THESE.
OKAY, NOW, NTHAT'S A LOT OF MILKWEED.
STUCK IN ONE OF THESE BAGS.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE OUR PATCHES.
WAS FROM OLSEN'S DAIRY OUT TOWARD THE BLUE MOUNTAINS,
ALONG THE OLD ROCK ISLAND RAILROAD.
AND WE'D GO OUT THERE AT NIGHT OR AFTER DINNER,
AND WE WOULD CRAWL DOWN IN THESE --
IT'S NOTHING BUT WEEDS AND BRAMBLES
AND WE'RE COLLECTING THESE GOD-AWFUL MILKWEED PODS.
BUT WE WOULDN'T TELL ANYBODY WHERE WE WERE GOING
BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY
"FINDING THE MILKWEED IN OUR PATCH" KIND OF THING.
IN ONE YEAR, I THINK THERE WERE LIKE 1,300 BAGS
THAT WERE TURNED IN OF THIS MILKWEED.
I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND
HOW THEY WERE GONNA TAKE THIS LITTLE BIT OF STUFF
AND SAVE SOME NAVY PILOT
WHO ENDED UP IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
BUT THAT WAS THE STORY WE GOT.
AND THERE WERE WARDENS ALL AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE GUYS WOULD GO OUT THERE.
AND WE'D HAVE THESE BLACKOUTS.
THE SIREN WOULD RING DOWNTOWN.
THEN YOU HAD TO TURN OFF ALL YOUR LIGHTS
UNLESS YOU HAD A BLACKOUT CURTAIN
THAT YOU COULD PUT OVER YOUR WINDOW SO THAT NO LIGHT GOT OUT.
THE DADS -- MY DAD, THESE OTHER GUYS --
WOULD GO OUT, AND THEY WOULD WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THE GERMANS WERE GONNA FLY
ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
AND THE JAPANESE WERE GONNA FLY ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN
I MEAN, I HAD NO CONCEPT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THEY WANTED THESE GUYS TO HAVE GUNS,
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY GUNS FOR THEM.
SO MY DAD, THE FIRST COUPLE TIMES HE WENT OUT,
I GUESS YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS NOTION
THAT YOU'RE CARRYING A WEAPON.
HE THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF DUMB,
SO HE'D GO OUT WITH HIS 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN.
HE HAD NO SHELLS OR ANYTHING.
AND THEN IT GOT TO BE
WHERE THESE GUYS WOULD STAY OUT FOR A WHILE.
AND MY MOTHER FINALLY FIGURED OUT
THAT THEY MAY DOWN AT DOC BLAKE'S
OR ED COLLINS' OR SOMEPLACE HAVING A HIGHBALL.
SO IT WAS MORE OF A SOCIAL THING, I THINK,
FOR THESE MEN TO PROTECT US FROM I DON'T KNOW WHAT.
THEY HAD TO GO OUT ON THESE NIGHTLY PATROLS.
COLLECTING ANYTHING AT THAT TIME
WAS OUR BASIC SOURCE OF INCOME FOR KIDS.
AND WE COULD GO --
NOW THIS SEEMS KIND OF RIDICULOUS.
BUT WE COULD GO TO ROVER'S POOL HALL, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND HAVE A HOT DOG AND A MILKSHAKE AND A CANDY BAR
THE HOT DOG WAS A DIME, AND THE MILKSHAKE WAS A DIME,
AND THE CANDY BAR WAS A NICKLE.
AND IF YOU HAD 11 CENTS,
YOU COULD GO TO THE MOVIE BESIDES.
SO WE DIDN'T REALLY NEED A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT WHAT MONEY WE GOT,
WE GOT FROM A LOT OF THE SCRAP THINGS.
WE HAD AN ARMY AIR BASE THAT WAS 30 MILES AWAY.
AND A LOT OF THOSE SOLDIERS
CAME OVER TO LUVERNE ON THEIR R&R,
SO WE HAD SOLDIERS AROUND US.
THEY WERE FLYING LIBERATORS AND P-47s OUT OF SIOUX FALLS,
SO WE HAD A LOT OF AIRPLANES OVER US.
IF SOME GUY WAS DATING
ONE OF THE LUVERNE GIRLS, LET'S SAY,
AND THEY WENT UP ON AN EXERCISE
AND HE WAS FLYING ONE OF THESE P-47 THUNDERBOLTS,
HE WOULD COME ZOOMING DOWN MAIN STREET
LIKE 200, 300 FEET OVER THE CITY.
AND THE WINGS ARE GOING LIKE THIS TO LET --
IF SHE'S WORKING WITH THE PHONE COMPANY,
SHE'D KNOW WHO IT WAS.
I MEAN, THIS IS KIND OF A WAY THEY WERE SIGNALING.
AND WINDOWS WOULD RATTLE, AND PEOPLE WOULD GET ALL UPSET.
"YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS."
BUT I DON'T THINK IT EVER STOPPED THEM.
I REMEMBER ANOTHER FUNNY THING.
AND WE WERE ALL EXCITED THE BOMTO SEE THEM, A LOT.
THESE BIG LIBERATORS AND B-29s,
SOME OF THESE THAT THEY WERE FLYING OUT OF SIOUX FALLS.
AND SO IF WE COULD HEAR THEM COMING,
WE'D SAY, "BOMBER! BOMBER!"
AND EVERYBODY WOULD RUN OUT THE BACK DOOR,
AND WE'D LOOK UP AND WATCH THESE.
WELL, WE HAD A COCKER SPANIEL, RINKY.
RINKY WOULD HEAD FOR THE BACK DOOR JUST AS FAST AS HE COULD.
ALL YOU HAD TO SAY IS, "BOMBER! BOMBER!" AND RINKY IS GONE.
AND ONE TIME MY MOTHER HAD JUST WAXED THE KITCHEN FLOOR.
AND WE SAID, "BOMBER! BOMBER!"
AND RINKY GOES TEARING OUT TO THE BACK DOOR.
HIS FEET ARE JUST CHURNING AWAY LIKE CRAZY,
FALLING DOWN, TRYING TO GET OUT THE BACK DOOR TO SEE THAT.
BUT WE ALL RAN OUT TO WATCH THESE PLANES GO OVER.
AND THEY WENT OVER A LOT.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS TERRIBLE CONFUSION DURING COMBAT,
JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
I MEAN, NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND I DON'T THINK THE GERMANS DID, EITHER.
BUT ONE OF THE MOST CONFUSING THINGS WAS THE RADIO.
WE ALWAYS HAD A RADIO IN SOMEPLACE AROUND US
SO THAT WE COULD CONTACT HEADQUARTERS,
AND THEY WERE ASKING WHERE WE WERE.
CALL FOR ARTILLERY FIRE,
YOU COULD TALK TO THE ARTILLERY OBSERVER.
BUT THE RADIO WAS JUST MADNESS
BECAUSE THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME GUY
PINNED DOWN IN A TERRIBLE SITUATION, SCREAMING FOR HELP,
AND THEN A VERY COOL, CALM GUY IN THE BACKGROUND
SAYING, "THIS IS RABBIT 3. WHAT DO YOU NEED?"
AND THIS GUY WOULD SAY, "CUT THAT CRAP OUT!
WE'RE GETTING FIRED ON!"
BUT THIS COMING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.
WELL, WHEN THE WAR ENDED,
I BELIEVE I WAS IN PARIS
AND LIVING A VERY, VERY SPLENDID LIFE.
IT WAS VERY, VERY GOOD.
I WAS WORKING FOR A BRANCH OF STARS AND STRIPES
CALLED ARMY TALKS,
WHICH WAS A MAGAZINE THAT WAS PUT OUT,
AND TRAVELING RATHER FREELY
AND HAD SOME NICE GIRLFRIENDS
AND A VERY, VERY INTERESTING, MATURE GROUP OF GUYS
WHO EDUCATED ME MORE THAN THE COLLEGE HAD EDUCATED ME.
THEY WERE --
AND WHEN THE WAR ENDED IN JAPAN,
IT WASN'T THE GREAT CELEBRATION TO PARISIANERS.
BUT TO WE IN THE ARMY
WHO THOUGHT MAYBE WE'D GET SENT TO JAPAN OR SOMETHING,
IT WAS A GREAT CELEBRATION.
AND PARIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO CELEBRATE.
SO WE DID LOTS OF CELEBRATING THERE,
QUITE UNLIKE V-E DAY.
YOU KNOW, I DID SHOOT AT A FELLOW ONE TIME.
AND IT WAS IN BAYREUTH...
THE HOME OF WAGNER.
AND THERE WAS A RIVER THAT SPLIT THE TOWN IN HALF.
AND WE'D MOVED DOWN TO THE RIVER.
AND WE WERE IN A LITTLE BAR.
AND IN OUR RADIO,
IT CAME THROUGH FROM WAY UP IN BACK OF US
THAT THERE WAS A SQUAD OF GERMANS
COMING DOWN THE ROAD THAT WE WERE AT.
AND WE WATCHED THEM, AND THEY CAME DOWN.
AND THEY WENT IN A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET.
AND WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT UP A BIG FIGHT.
BUT PRETTY SOON ONE CAME OUT AND CAME DOWN
AND LOOKED AT THE BRIDGE THAT HAD BEEN BLOWN THAT WE WERE IN,
THEN TROTTED UP THE ROAD A COUPLE BLOCKS.
AND WE THOUGHT, "WELL, THE SQUAD UP THERE WILL PICK HIM UP."
PRETTY SOON, HE CAME TROTTING BACK.
SO WE REALIZED THERE'S NO SQUAD THERE.
SO EVERYBODY SAID, "WHY DON'T YOU SHOOT HIM?"
"NO, YOU SHOOT HIM."
I ENDED UP HAVING TO SHOOT HIM.
AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW, I WAS OUT THERE.
HE FLEW UP IN THE AIR,
AND TWO OF US, THE NEXT THING WE KNEW,
WE WERE OUT THERE NURSING HIM.
AND THEN THE SQUAD CAME OUT FROM ACROSS THE STREET
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I'M EVER SURE I SHOT.
I SHOT AT LOTS AND LOTS OF THINGS.
BUT YOU'RE SHOOTING AT SMOKE.
AT WHERE YOU COULD SEE MACHINE-GUN FIRE COMING FROM.
YOU WERE SHOOTING AT TANKS, WHICH WAS USELESS.
YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING.
THIS WAS THE ONLY CASE WHERE YOU COULD REALLY SEE SOMEBODY.
AND NOBODY REALLY WANTED TO DO IT.
HERE HE WAS, AND HE WAS DOING NO HARM.
AND HE WAS REALLY JUST TRYING TO RETREAT.
BUT WE COULDN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER WAY TO DO IT.
OUR MOVIE STARS IN THOSE DAYS
WERE GUYS LIKE JAMES CAGNEY AND HUMPHREY BOGART
AND EDWARD G. ROBINSON AND THOSE GUYS.
AND WE GREW UP ON ADVENTURE STORIES.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR A STORY TO EXIST?
IT'S TO TAKE YOU OUT OF A DRAB EXISTENCE, ISN'T IT,
INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD?
THAT WAS HOW WE GREW UP.
AND THOSE WERE OUR AIMS.
AND WHEN THE REAL WAR BROKE OUT, IT DID GIVE MANY OF US --
MANY LATINOS ENLISTED, THOUSANDS.
AND I SUSPECT THAT IN THE BACK OF THEIR MINDS,
THERE WAS JAMES CAGNEY DOING HIS THING IN A WAR MOVIE
OR SOMETHING.
BUT THEY DID OKAY IN REALITY.
ESPECIALLY IN IWO JIMA,
WE DID FIND MANY, MANY JAPANESE WHO HAD KILLED THEMSELVES.
THEY BLEW THEMSELVES UP WITH HAND GRENADES.
THEY DISEMBOWELED THEMSELVES WITH THEIR KNIVES.
AND SOMETIMES,
WHEN WE THREATEN TO BLOW THEIR CAVES UP AND BURY THEM ALIVE,
THEY, IN AFFECT, SAID, "SCREW YOU. GO AHEAD AND DO IT."
AND WE DID.
WE BURIED A LOT OF THEM ALIVE.
OUR ATTITUDE WAS "BETTER THEM THAN US."
AND WE HAD A SAYING IN THE MARINE CORPS --
THE JAPANESE WANT TO DIE FOR THE EMPEROR,
AND WE WANT TO HELP THEM.
AND TIT'S THAT SIMPLE. IT.
YOU'RE IN A WAR.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE FEELING --
YOU FEEL SORRY FOR A GUY WHEN YOU SEE
THAT HE HELD A HAND GRENADE TO HIS BELLY AND BLEW HIMSELF UP,
BUT VERY BRIEFLY.
WHO, POTENTIALLY, MIGHT HAVE KILLED OR ONE OF YOUR BUDDIES.
THEY WERE TOUGH PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANTED TO BLOW THEMSELVES UP,
THAT WAS ONE LESS GUY TO NAIL YOU.
AND THE SHELLING WAS SO INTENSE
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA LOSE MY MIND.
AND I THOUGHT, "GEE, I'VE BEEN IN THIS TOO DAMN LONG ALREADY.
I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE."
BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL LATER,
WHEN WE WERE TOLD ABOUT THAT DEFENSE,
HOW EFFECTIVE THAT DEFENSE WAS
AND HOW MUCH ARTILLERY WE WERE TAKING.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ME.
THAT WAS MY WORST MOMENT.
THAT NIGHT, WE WERE GATHERED.
AND THE LIEUTENANT CAME OVER, AND HE SAID,
"IF WE'RE DRIVEN OFF THE BEACH,
TRY TO SWIM TOWARDS THE TRANSPORTS."
AND WE THOUGHT, "JESUS, WHAT IS HE SAYING TO US?"
I KNOW THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT THEY ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT.
"IF WE'RE DRIVEN OFF THE BEACH,
START SWIMMING FOR THE TRANSPORTS."
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWIM RIGHT.
I SINK LIKE A ROCK.
FOR US, IT WAS LIKE THE JAPANESE --
IT WAS DO IT OR TOO BAD.
WE MET THE CADETS WHEN THEY WERE TRAINING OVER IN PENSACOLA.
AND I HAD ONE CUTE BOYFRIEND WHO WAS FROM THE MIDWEST.
AND WHEN HE KNEW HE WOULD HAVE SATURDAY NIGHT FREE,
HE WOULD FLY HIS TRAINING FLIGHT OVER MOBILE
AND DIVE DOWN AND BUZZ MY HOUSE TWICE.
AND THAT WAY, I KNEW HE'D BE OVER THAT SATURDAY NIGHT.
AND I WAS NOT TO DATE ANYONE ELSE.
I WAS TO SAVE THAT SATURDAY NIGHT FOR NORMAN.
SO I HAD AN OLD-MAID NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET.
SHE'D SIT ON HER FRONT PORCH AND WAIT TO SEE IF WE'D BE BUZZED.
SHE'D COMING RUNNING ACROSS THE PARKWAY OUT HERE,
YELLING, "KATHARINE, HE'S COMING!
"KATHERINE, HE'S COMING TONIGHT!
WAS ALERTED TO WHETHER SO,HE WOULD COME OR NOT.OD
WELL, THE LAST PERSON WE THOUGHT WOULD EVER BE KILLED
WAS MY UNCLE CHARLIE TUCKER.
HE WAS SUCH A MACHO PERSON.
HE JUST DID EVERYTHING WELL.
AND WE JUST NEVER THOUGHT
ANYTHING WOULD HAPPEN TO CHARLIE.
IF ANYONE WOULD COME THROUGH THE WAR,
IT WOULD BE CHARLIE.
SO, WHEN THE NEWS CAME
THAT CHARLIE WAS MISSING IN ACTION AT GUADALCANAL,
WE WERE DEVASTATED.
WE KEPT THINKING THEY WOULD FIND HIS --
FIND HIM ON AN ISLAND ALIVE.
WE KEPT THINKING THAT MAYBE HIS PLANE HAD GONE DOWN SOMEPLACE
WHERE HE COULD GET ASHORE AND BE SAVED.
IN FACT, BEFORE WE FINALLY GAVE UP
THAT THEY WOULD NEVER FIND CHARLIE
BECAUSE WE JUST DID NOT THINK THE LORD WOULD TAKE HIM.
BUT YOU KNOW THE WONDERFUL THING?
HE STAYS 22 YEARS OLD.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I MADE UP MY MIND THAT I WOULD NEVER MARRY A MAN IN UNIFORM
BECAUSE I LOVED THE UNIFORMS.
SO I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE I WOULD MARRY HIM
AND REALIZE I DIDN'T LIKE HIM AT ALL --
THAT IT WAS ALL THE UNIFORM.
SO I DID NOT MARRY TILL AFTER THE WAR
BECAUSE OF THAT AS MUCH AS ANYTHING.
AND THE MAN I DID MARRY HAD ON A UNIFORM,
BUT IT WAS A PILOT'S UNIFORM.
AND I NEVER SAW HIM IN HIS DRESS NAVY UNIFORM
TILL THE DAY I MARRIED HIM.
AND HE WORE IT IN OUR WEDDING.
SO -- OH, AND I DID LIKE HIM IN IT.
I REALLY DID.
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