Veterans’ Reflections: History Preserved

By William R. Graser

Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit

Some of the best history is personal—that which is collected from participants in great events and movements. In William R. Graser’s book, Veterans’ Reflections: History Preserved, we are offered stories and vignettes from those who serve in the United States military, in their own words.

Sergeant First Class William R. Graser, USA (Ret) worked for the US Army Security Agency overseas and in America. In 2007, Graser conceived the simple but ingenious idea of letting soldiers tell their own stories and through this framework, offer a picture of sixty-three years of American military history. His sixty interviews comprise the experiences of military personnel from World War II beginning in 1941, through the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and what the author refers to as the Quiet War Korea (aka Korean DMZ Conflict). The last stories come from Global and Homeland Service, up to 2004.

Each segment starts with an explanation of the conflict, its background and causes, followed by interviewee accounts. The first such account comes from Clement Hutchins, age 93 in 2011, who served in World War II with the Merchant Marines. In the North Atlantic, prey to attacks from the German “Wolf Pack” submarines, Hutchins recalls “one evening in particular when nine merchant ships were sunk in less than fifteen minutes.” Samuel Masessa was an infantryman in Korea, where, he states, “the cold became the enemy.” He recounts a battle between American tanks and Chinese troops in a sudden attack that left many enemy soldiers dead; he and his comrades then used flamethrowers to destroy the bodies in a grim task “to prevent disease and eliminate the smell.”

Harry Dalton was a K9 dog handler in Vietnam who was awarded numerous medals but stated “I was proud to serve but prefer to keep most of my experiences to myself.” Another soldier, Richard Matthews who served in the US Air Force in the sky over Cambodia and Laos, expresses a similar sentiment: “I don’t make a lot of noise about my awards and decorations. In reality we were just soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors and guardians doing what we were trained to do and dedicated to doing.”

By allowing veterans to express their sentiments and describe their very real and harrowing experiences, Graser has done honor to these individuals who served us so bravely and unselfishly. He offers an intelligent analysis of the stages of war and conflict that the US was engaged in during the book’s time-frame. He includes useful appendices of military terms, acronyms, and pictures of military medals.

Graser wrote Veterans’ Reflections: History Preserved to increase our general understanding of American warfare through the eyes of those who were there. He concludes with a phrase that will be familiar to anyone who has a veteran in the family: “When you see a veteran, say thank you!” This book is a remarkable tribute to the sacrifice made by our veterans who fought for our country. Veterans’ Reflections is compelling and inspiring to say the least. Our heroes deserve to be heard.

Highly Recommended

The military service of millions of Americans is reflected in these stories. They will put you in the middle of the action of our nation’s wars.

Through firsthand accounts of veterans who served during World War II, the Cold War, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, Korean DMZ Conflict also known as the Quiet War, and Operations Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan); you’ll find yourself paying tribute to each and every veteran.

The stories of personal sacrifice, commitment, and valor demonstrate the values that have made the United States of America the envy of the world. Sixty veterans recall their time in uniform, sharing stories that are tragic, heart wrenching and sometimes funny. These stories provide an excellent opportunity to gain an understanding and appreciation of veterans.

Celebrate what is means to be an Amer

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491772867

William R. Graser

William R. Graser was a Sergeant First Class recruited by the US Army Security Agency in 1965. His assignments included Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, West Germany, occupied West Berlin—and the US Army Security Agency’s headquarters at Arlington Hall Station, Arlington, Virginia. He earned the Army of Occupation Medal and was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal for his exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements while serving with the US Army Field Station Berlin. Graser wrote Veterans’ Reflections: History Preserved to increase our general understanding of American warfare through the eyes of those who were there. He concludes with a phrase that will be familiar to anyone who has a veteran in the family: “When you see a veteran, say thank you!” This book is a remarkable tribute to the sacrifice made by our veterans who fought for our country. Veterans’ Reflections is compelling and inspiring to say the least. Our heroes deserve to be heard. Highly recommended! Order copy direct from the Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y5S83Y1

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Copyright © 2015 William R. Graser.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4917-7285-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-7286-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015911915

iUniverse rev. date: 04/21/2016

CONTENTS

Illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PART ONE

CHAPTER 1

Background to War: World War II

World War II 1941--1945

CHAPTER 2

What Caused World War II

US Merchant Marine

Firsthand Account: Battle of the Atlantic Ocean by Lieutenant Junior Grade Clement Hutchins

A Changed World

The United States Strikes Back: The Doolittle Raid

Firsthand Account: The Doolittle Raid Experience of First Lieutenant Richard O. Joyce by Todd Joyce

Battle of Okinawa: The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War

Firsthand Account by Storekeeper Petty Officer Third Class Clifford J. Hughes

Corporal Edward V. Surprenant, Thirteenth Combat Engineer Battalion, Seventh Infantry Division

Office of Strategic Services

Firsthand Account: OSS European Theater by Captain Martin Gelb

PART TWO

CHAPTER 3

The Cold War: Historical Background

Korean War 1950--1953

CHAPTER 4

The Cold War: The First Hot War

US Air Force Manpower Shortage and Unlimited Recruitment

Firsthand Account by Staff Sergeant Alexander E. Quandt

Korean War at Sea

Firsthand Account by Boiler Technician Petty Officer Second Class Robert P. Selfridge

Korean War Ground Combat: Fortieth and Twenty-Fifth Infantry Divisions

Firsthand Account by Private First Class Samuel F. Masessa

Private First Class Gerald P. Page

Cold War 1954--1961

CHAPTER 5

The Cold War: Post Korean War

Firsthand Account by First Lieutenant Everest Smith

Airman First Class Dana Williams

Airman First Class Richard E. Hufnagel

Sergeant Julius J. Snyder

Sergeant Frank E. Fay

Cold War 1961--1962

CHAPTER 6

The Cold War: Bay of Pigs Invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis

Firsthand Account by Seaman Charles Chuck Hamblett

Vietnam War 1955--1975

CHAPTER 7

The Cold War: Second Hot War

Firsthand Account: Gulf of Tonkin, The Third Incident by Lieutenant Jeremiah Fraher

Statement of Main Battery Officer, USS Morton (DD-948): Surface Engagement

Gulf of Tonkin Mauraders

Firsthand Accounts: Ground, Air, and Naval Operations

Corporal John F. Ciarcia

Captain Gary L. Hicks

First Lieutenant Dennis G. Merrow

Engineman Petty Officer Second Class Leon R. Guay

Staff Sergeant William R. Graser

Specialist 4 Donald D. Nikola

Sergeant Harry F. Dalton

Sergeant Lawrence C. Goodrich II

Sergeant Wayne L. Parsons

First Lieutenant Richard L. Matthews

Quiet War Korea 1966--1969

CHAPTER 8

The Cold War: Third Hot War

Firsthand Account and Historical Perspective by the Author

Specialist 5 Geoffrey W. Harper

Specialist 4 John G. Twinem Sr.

Specialist 4 William R. Graser

Sergeant Michael Nolette

Global and Homeland Service 1945-1991

CHAPTER 9

The Cold War: West Germany, West Berlin, Asia Pacific Region, and United States Homeland

Firsthand Account by First Lieutenant Francis X. Turcotte

Private First Class Patrick J. Maguire

Specialist 2 (E-5) Richard J. Manning

Firsthand Account: By the Author, Sergeant First Class William R. Graser, US Army, (Ret)

Corporal Richard Whouley

Staff Sergeant Arthur E. Celata

Staff Sergeant Thomas B. McManus

Specialist 4 Dennis Landry

Specialist 5 Zelman Robert Patkin

Specialist 4 Harold Harnois

Engineman Petty First Class Frank Doherty

Lieutenant Junior Grade J. Robert Maxwell

Lieutenant Junior Grade Robert N. Gordon

Seaman Leslie William Irwin Jr.

Communications Technician Petty Officer First Class Ronald D. Gagnon

Anti-Submarine Warfare Technician Petty Officer Second Class William K. Brock

Sergeant Anthony J. Violanti

Yeoman Petty Officer Third Class Gerard J. Desmet

Fireman Roger Harvey

Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Officer Third Class Elvio Delise

Lieutenant Michael B. Steiner, US Navy, (Ret)

Commander Robert G. Chaffet, US Navy, (Ret)

Staff Sergeant Albert G. Jean

Sergeant First Class Carl F. Tomanelli, US Army, (Ret)

Airman First Class Edward R. Robinson Jr.

Airman Second Class John N. Perez

First Lieutenant Paul F. Murphy Sr.

Airman First Class Stanley F. Focht Jr.

Communications Technician Petty Officer Third Class Philip C. Meuse

Private First Class Robert S. Meisser

First Lieutenant Robert A. Gardella

Corporal Technician Fifth Grade Richard J. Morway Jr.

PART THREE

Appendix A

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix B

Service Ribbon Images Earned by the Veterans featured in Veterans' Reflections

Appendix C

Combat Service Identification Badges and Shoulder Sleeve Unit Insignias

Appendix D

Personally Earned Combat Service and Qualification Badges

Appendix E

Personally Earned Service Medals and Unit Commendations/Citations

Appendix F

Southeast Asia Resolution, Public Law 88-408, Gulf of Tonkin Joint Resolution

References

Resources

About the Author

Endnotes

ILLUSTRATIONS

Authorized Military Service Ribbons in Order of Precedence, cover image courtesy of the Author.

View of East Berlin as seen from Checkpoint Charlie, 1976, photograph courtesy of the Author

Davis Station and Tiger Moral Emblems. 509th Radio Research Group, courtesy of the Author

Vietnam Force Logistic Command Patch, image courtesy of Sergeant Wayne L. Parsons, USMC

US and Uzbekistan Air Force Base pictured. Photograph courtesy of Lt. Colonel Wayne L. Parsons, USA, (Ret)

Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker) Fighter pictured. Photograph courtesy of Lt. Colonel Wayne L. Parsons, USA, (Ret)

AC-130E Gunship Call Sign Spectre Patch. Image courtesy of Lt. Colonel Richard L. Matthews, USAF, (Ret)

Pork Chop Hill, view from Site 7, Lima 2, 1966. Photograph courtesy of the Author

Patrol Squadron VP-10 patch. Image courtesy of Petty Officer Second Class William K. Brock, USN

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To my first cousin, Specialist 4 John William Graser (January 24, 1949--May 27, 1968), who served his country as an infantryman with the US Army's First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

He was killed in action in Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam.

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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

---Edmund Burke (1729--1797), British statesman, parliamentary orator and political thinker, played a prominent part in all major political issues for about thirty years after 1765, and remained an important figure in the history of political theory.

History never looks like history when you are living through it.

---John W. Gardner (1912--2002), Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration

PREFACE

Veterans' Reflections: History Preserved is the product of a nearly eight-year effort beginning in 2007. This collection of firsthand accounts and personal stories is based on many hours of interviews. These stories provide a snapshot of American military history from World War II to the end of the Cold War and are told through the personal experiences of sixty veterans. It was a privilege to meet these veterans, and each one had a story worth telling, including one veteran who served in-country during the Vietnam War, in Operation Desert Storm, and in Operation Enduring Freedom. Collecting and preserving their accounts was a moving experience. Though some have departed the ranks, their stories will endure. It is important to tell their stories to ensure that they are never forgotten by future generations.

I asked each of the veterans I interviewed to provide a copy of his DD214 form---that is, his Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The DD214 is an official document that shows service branch, service dates, rank, awards, and decorations. Using this document, I obtained the medals, badges, and service ribbons earned by the former military men. The first annual Veterans' Day Recognition Ceremony was held in 2007, and---assisted by keynote speaker Major Thomas D. Gillis, executive officer, First Battalion, 304th Regiment, Ninety-Eighth Division (Training), US Army Reserve---recognized each veteran and presented him with his earned awards. The Veterans' Day Recognition Ceremony has been held every year since, and continues to the present day.

Several veterans said that it was the first time anyone had taken the time to thank them for their service. That gave me the inspiration to record their stories and write Veterans' Reflections. The military service of millions of Americans is reflected in these stories, which will put you in the middle of the action. Their firsthand accounts capture war, love, and peace and are intended to be a tribute to each and every veteran. I often include a historical context to reflect the time in which the veterans served.

Writing Veterans' Reflections was difficult at times, especially when I was listening to firsthand accounts of combat. Once a Korean War combat veteran called me at home three weeks after his story was completed. He said, When reading my own story, those days in Korea rushed back like it was yesterday. I listened as he wrestled with his emotions. Months later, he told me how much he appreciated his story being recorded for future generations, especially his grandchildren.

A Vietnam combat veteran said,

I was fighting to survive and go home, while the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong fought to preserve their nation. Most of the South Vietnamese I met really had no interest in the war or its politics. It did not matter to them whether there was a North and South Vietnam; they just wanted to return to the rice paddies of their ancestors.

Fortunately, he said, I made it home. He stopped and wiped his tears.

Ultimately, I hope the stories in Veterans' Reflections promote healing among and an understanding of our veterans.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

No book is ever the product of one person's efforts, and this one is certainly no exception. It would not have become a reality without the help and suggestions of many supportive friends and especially the veterans who provided their stories.

I am thankful for the support of my wife, Florence.

I am thankful to Lieutenant Colonel Wayne L. Parsons, US Army, (Ret), and his wife, Lora Parsons, whose reviews led to some revisions. Throughout the writing process, Wayne and Lora provided continued support, for which I am truly grateful.

I am thankful to Major Thomas D. Gillis, executive officer, First Battalion, 304th Regiment, Ninety-Eighth Division (Training), Londonderry, New Hampshire, for his active participation in the presentation of awards to the veterans.

I am thankful to the veterans of the Nevins Co-Operative Retirement Community, Londonderry, New Hampshire, for their stories and for hosting the Veterans' Day Recognition Ceremony, which began in 2007.

I am thankful to Jonathon Mitchell for his detailed review of the manuscript and advice about the flow of the content. I appreciate his ability to view Veterans' Reflections from a nonmilitary perspective.

INTRODUCTION

World War II, 1939--45, was the bloodiest, deadliest war the world had ever seen. More than thirty-eight million people died, many of them innocent civilians, including the six million European Jews executed by the Nazis. The Holocaust grew out of Europe's long history of anti-Semitism; for centuries, Jews had been the continent's scapegoats and victims. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party took advantage of these feelings to gain political power. Hitler had a maniacal hatred of Jews. He blamed them for Germany's defeat in World War I and for all the country's economic troubles. After Hitler became dictator in 1933, Germany's government passed many laws that deprived Jews of their rights, liberty, and property. The Nazis launched their final solution to the Jewish question, which called for the murder of every single Jew in Europe. By the end of the war, only five hundred thousand European Jews were still alive.

Corporal Hitler had served as a message runner on the western front (World War I) and was twice decorated for bravery. He received the Iron Cross Second Class in 1914---and four years later, in 1918, the Iron Cross First Class. His superior officer, Lieutenant Hugo Guttmann, who pinned the Iron Cross First Class medal on Hitler's chest, was Jewish. Hitler wore this Iron Cross throughout his career, including when he served as führer of Nazi Germany.

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became the world's strongest nations---superpowers. They had different views, and from 1945 to 1991, they fought a war of ideas called the Cold War. Though the United States and Soviet Union never went to war with each other, they found alternative ways of furthering their Cold War agendas, using other countries---Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, and others---as proxies.

The Korean War, 1950--53, began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea, fought its way south, and captured almost the entire Korean peninsula. The United States, under direction of the United Nations, launched a mobile campaign of swift infantry attacks followed by bombing raids, and pushed the North Koreans back across the thirty-eighth parallel. But by July 1951, the conflict was a static trench war. When the war ended with an armistice, a ceasefire on July 27, 1953, the intensity of fighting dropped off, but a permanent peace treaty has yet to be signed.

Since 1953, the United States has maintained a strong alliance with South Korea. That resulted in a relatively stable situation between North and South until 1966, when fighting again broke out between the Koreas. Technically, North Korea and South Korea are still at war.

In 1959, Cuba became a Communist country, and Fidel Castro was sworn in as the prime minister. The relationship between the United States and Cuba became strained which led to the failed US backed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Beginning in May 1962, the Soviets secretly put missiles there. President John F. Kennedy was afraid the Soviet Union would attack the United States. The resulting conflict was called the Cuban Missile Crisis, and for thirteen days in 1962, nuclear war seemed possible. On October 27, 1962, an agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union was reached. President Kennedy agreed to remove all US missile sites in southern Italy and in Turkey. Premier Nikita Khrushchev removed all Soviet missiles in Cuba.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) low-intensity-conflict Quiet War, 1966--69, also referred to as a Second Korean War, was a series of low-level, armed clashes between North Korean forces and those of South Korea and the United States. These largely took place between 1966 and 1969 at the Korean DMZ, although incidents continue to the present day. The first attack on November 2, 1966, resulted in six Americans killed in action and one wounded.

There was forty-two documented North Korean attacks on American and South Korean troops in 1966-67. The conflict slowed down in mid-1969, and on December 3, 1969, the Quiet War ended. Today, North Korea continues to pose a threat with a war of words and limited military actions along the DMZ. The United States maintains a force of twenty-eight thousand soldiers to defend South Korea.

The Vietnam War, 1955--75, began on February 12, 1955, with the creation of the Military Assistant Advisory Group. The United States began providing aid to South Vietnam. The war escalated in 1964, following a North Vietnamese attack on US warships in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Tet Offensive on January 29, 1968, resulted in a military defeat for the North Vietnamese, but it had a profound effect on the home front. The American public no longer supported the US war effort in Southeast Asia. At the war's peak in 1968, there were more than 550,000 Americans in South Vietnam. The last American forces withdrew from South Vietnam in March 1973, ending the longest war in American history at the time.

However, at the request of the Cambodian government, US Air Force operations continued over Cambodia; the military used F4 Phantom fighter bombers and heavily armed ground-attack Lockheed AC-130E gunships codenamed Spectre based in Thailand along with B-52D Stratofortress bombers based in Guam. The air force flew more than two hundred missions a day. On August 15, 1973, the US Congress stopped backing the air campaign, withdrew financial support, and ordered the end of combat operations.

As a result, on April 17, 1975, the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), otherwise known as the Khmer Rouge, took control of Cambodia. On April 30, Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, was captured by the North Vietnamese, which ended American involvement in Southeast Asia.

On July 11, 1995, twenty years later, President Bill Clinton announced the formal normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

On August 2, 1990, Iraqi military forces, on orders from President Saddam Hussein, invaded and occupied the small Arab state of Kuwait. The 1991 Persian Gulf War was fought to expel Iraq and restore Kuwaiti independence. The war began on January 16, 1991, and ended on February 28, 1991. The United States forged a broad-based international coalition that confronted Iraq militarily and diplomatically.

A new aspect that arose from this crisis was a remarkable cooperation between Washington and Moscow. This cooperation enabled the United Nations Security Council to pass twelve resolutions condemning the Iraqi invasion, which culminated in a decision on November 29, 1990, to use force if Iraq did not withdraw unconditionally by January 15, 1991. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait united almost the entire world community in opposition. President George H.W. Bush had little difficulty winning domestic support to confront Iraq forcibly.

The military campaign against Iraq had two phases. To minimize casualties, the coalition force---with US General Norman Schwarzkopf commanding the non-Arab units, and Saudi General Khalid Sultan commanding the Arab units---pursued a strategy that began with five weeks of intensive air attacks and ended with a ground assault. The air attacks demoralized the Iraqi frontline troops, causing thousands of desertions. The ground war began on