American Veteran

(soft music) (plane flies over) On D-Day, I was in the United States Coast Guard. (plane flies over) When we got close to the beach, I dropped the ramp and then machine guns cut down 15 kids. You know for 70 years, I never talked about it. (staccato music playing) It's like a big weight that I've been carrying around. Now I want to talk about it. (orchestral music continues) I was an Army Captain. I was navigator. I was a Marine Combat Officer. I served in World War II. Iraq. Afghanistan. Korea. Vietnam. (orchestral music continues) (bombs explode) (plane flies over) It's important for people to hear these stories, not just to understand why and when and where we send our sons and daughters to go and fight, but also in helping us to come home. (stirring music plays) (planes fly over) (recruits shouting) There is a very stark line between before boot camp and after boot camp. It's basic training, life sucks. I would stop thinking I was going to die, I couldn't take another step. (men shouting) You felt kind of invincible. (men shouting in unison) (tense music playing) When you're in an aircraft, (rotor blades chopping) the size of a CH-53 Delta, (music plays) (helicopter blades chopping) you definitely know, when you're falling and not flying. (rockets launching) I came to you and there's just chaos. (explosions) Bombs going off (rifle fires) bullets whizzing by my ear. (automatic weapons firing) I volunteered for missions. It was just too exciting. Beware, what you wish for. Don't wish for that one, cool firefight to say that I lived through it and I did it. (soldier yelling) (gun firing steadily) It's pretty exhilarating, (rotors turning) when you're able to get out there, effect your rescue and get home. Exhilarating or not war is an ugly thing. (martial piano music) The draft was inevitable. I wasn't thrilled about being in the military but it's what you did. Veterans were shunned. People didn't understand, you know, what are we doing in Vietnam? I did everything in my power to stop that war. The truth doesn't make you free, it compels you to action. I saw sexual assault cases swept under the rug. Are you a homosexual? Don't ask, don't tell. I had a double life. I'm 20 years old. And the first time I was integrated, was in a POW camp. That's a sorry commentary but that was the truth. (tense music plays) (sounds of rockets) My first shot I stepped out of the box and threw up. The first time I shot somebody, in Korea, he was walking on the ridge line and I had a clear shot at him. And I fired. (solo piano playing) Even though you're back home, it's like, I'm going through another culture shock. I missed my ship. I missed my shipmates. Took me a long time to adjust. You just feel better off not talking about it. As a matter of fact, my kids didn't even know I flew until they were teenagers. You know we're professors, we're farming, we're mayors, we work at Home Depot, we deliver the mail, I mean, we are your neighbors. My time in the military confirmed for me, who I thought I was, someone who would be very bold, in my language and my perspective, who would stand up for the little guy. (soothing music plays) I represented the whole country. And you know what, that's still who I am inside.