If you enjoyed this edition of Voices - please forward to others who may be interested.
An up close and personal interview with U.S. Army Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:

SGT Rick Dunn US Army (1968-1970)

WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MILITARY?

The influence that got me in the Army was a draft notice from my friends and neighbors. It politely suggested that I show up for a free all expense trip on a luxurious Greyhound Bus to the induction center in Butte, Montana. Once in the center I was probed, poked, questioned and relieved of several body fluids at which point they said put your feet on the yellow marks on the floor and repeat what the sergeant standing in front of us said. I raised my right hand, stepped forward off the yellow marks and said to the best of my memory something about defending our country and other stuff. At that point I was a piece of the bigger picture with the number of US56638904. This young kid of 21 was in the fog and was about to begin the adventure of his life. I didn't know where the adventure would take me but I am glad God watches out for those that aren't too bright. I would get smarter with "Army Smarts" in the weeks to follow.

I make light of it now, but being drafted was a shock to me. I had nobody in the family that had been in the military for several generations. I had a great uncle that served in the First World War but died from the flu a few weeks after hostilities ended. The only knowledge I had which kept me sane the first few weeks of basic was from a guy that I worked with. I would ask him question after question about what to expect and he was honest and explained in detail what was going to happen. He wasn't wrong and I later appreciated what he had told me to watch out for.


BRIEFLY, WHAT WAS YOUR SERVICE CAREER PATH?

I got my draft notice in late November 1967. I got married in December and and on a bus to the induction center the end of February 1968. Basic was at Fort Lewis, Washington. Following basic it was to Fort Gordon, Georgia for Signal School. Then back to Fort Lewis and the 232nd Signal Company. The Company got orders for Vietnam and at the last moment the Company was deactivated. I hung around Fort Lewis picking up butts and painting rocks until I received new orders in early summer of 1968 for Co B 304th Signal, Camp Coiner in beautiful downtown Seoul Korea. The following February of 1970 my freedom bird brought me home again to Fort Lewis where I got on another plane to Billings, Montana where I've lived ever since.


DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS? IF SO, COULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT TO YOU?

I guess you can call it a combat operation, but Korea at the time I was there, 1969-'70 was not all that quiet. People were getting killed all the time. The North Koreans were continually sending down suicide squads that loved to shoot the place up and kill people. We were on alert most of the time and ready to pack up and move in a moments notice. Our standing orders were to pack up our communications gear and head south as quickly as possible. Seoul is only 15 miles from the DMZ.


FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT?

One has to remember back in the Vietnam era guys like myself were drafted into service by the thousands. We went and we served. Then when our tour was about up there was nothing more exciting than becoming "short". Man, I was going home and I had the "short chain" to prove it. Short chains were made of old fashioned plumbers chain that attached a drain plug to the bath tub. Each round bead on that chain represented a day before it was time to go home. With each day there was a little ceremony of clipping off a single bead. One would come up to a buddy and ask, "How short are you?". Reaching in your pockets, out would come the short chains and the measuring began.

The memory that stands out the most that I revisit many times in my thoughts is the thrill of knowing that my freedom bird was on its way and I was going home. Nothing seems to top that feeling.


OF THE MEDALS, AWARDS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES OR DEVICES YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?

A few days before I was getting out of the army, in a company formation in Korea I was called out "front and center". There I was presented with a Good Conduct medal. I can't remember what the CO said, but it was a nice honor to receive. I don't know why I was singled out other than I didn't screw-up too bad and did what I was told.



WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR SERVICE STANDS OUT AS THE ONE WHO HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?

Drill Instructor Sgt. Glen Tominaga

One cool dude! Most basic training platoons had two DIs. We had one. The company was short a man so one of our DI's took his place leaving us with Sgt. Tominaga. He was a Japanese American with dual citizenship. He could have gone back to Japan after his college education but he stayed and served our country and did a tour in Vietnam.

Since he was in charge of the whole platoon by himself he had his hands full. The very first day of training he sat us down and told us EVERYTHING that was going to happen to us and WHY. It was a brilliant move on his behalf because before all hell broke loose, we already knew what was going to happen. We learned the most important lesson the very first day, do exactly what you are told. Doing what you are told shows respect for authority and when you show respect you receive respect. It's one of those life lessons you can live comfortably with the rest of your life.

Sgt. Glen Tominaga, you are a hero!


CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE THAT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?

I had just arrived in company as the newbie and didn't know what was going on. I quickly learned that the company had been out in the field playing war games for over a month and because the exercise went well, the CO was rewarding the company with free beer. He filled up a small trailer with ice and beer and let the party begin in the ball field. NOT a good idea.

The company was the keeper of two junk yard type dogs named Rudy and Chingu. Chingu liked beer. Chingu was an big time boozer. He went from soldier to soldier begging a little taste. Soon there was a company full of drunk soldiers and one really drunk dog named Chingu.

The Korean house boys were also invited to the free beer party. These house boys were squatted down Korean style in a group when Chingu swaggered by and asked in his dog way for a little taste of beer. The house boys tried to push the dog away. Chingu, who could barley walk on his own four legs came back and did what I had never seen before. He lifted a leg and peed on the back of one of the squatting house boys. Humorous? You bet it was but when you're in the Army and had too much free beer everything is funny!


WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER THE SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT JOB?

I was employed at the local television station when I received my draft notice. At that time 1968-70 if a person was drafted while being employed he was guaranteed his job back when he got out of the service. Two years later I came home and went right back to work in broadcasting. When I retired I had 45 years of television commercial work. Basically I made commercials.

Today I'm retired and use one of my professional learned talents of restoring old photographs. I donate my time restoring photos of our fallen Vietnam heroes for many of the Memorial sites on the internet.


HOW HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?

My military service impacted my life greatly. Being newly married and then drafted put a strain on my life. After basic my wife followed me around the country. It was tough going being in the Army and trying to set up temporary homes here and there outside military posts. One learns to toughen up and deal with it. Good lessons were learned.


WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL SERVING?

My advice to any service member is simple. If you are in charge respect the men and women you give orders to. If you are the one receiving the orders respect the one who is giving them. One other piece of advice that my father gave me that works well in the military, he would say, "Son, keep your nose clean (which means keep out of trouble) and do what you're told."


IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU MAINTAIN A BOND WITH YOUR SERVICE AND THOSE YOU SERVED WITH?

It's been 40 years since I last stood in a formation. Some of those memories of that time are fading but now TWS has given me a place to hang my hat and be comfortable with the though I'm surrounded by fellow service members that understand. They know because they've been there and done that too!


Share this Voices Edition on:
ico facebook ico twitter ico linkedin


Join

Login

TWS VOICES
TWS Voices are the personal stories of men and women who served in the US Military and convey how serving their Country has made a positive impact on their lives. If you would like to participate in a future edition of Voices, or know someone who might be interested, please contact TWS Voices HERE.


This edition of Army Voices was supported by:


 


Army.Togetherweserved.com
For current and former serving Members of the US Army, US Army Reserve and US Army National Guard, TogetherWeServed.com is a unique, feature rich resource helping Soldiers re-connect with lost Brothers, share memories and tell their Army story.

To join Army.Togetherweserved.com, please click HERE.



* Click HERE if you need a password reminder for http://Army.Togetherweserved.com.