King High Remembers: Rodolfo Guzman

King High Remembers: Rodolfo Guzman By: Derek Cantrell, Amanda Haag, Alex Hernandez

Rodolfo Guzman • US Army • Privet • Mechanic Helicopter Pilot Crew Chief

Before the Army • Rodolfo Guzman completed high school and moved on to collage. • After a few years of collage life Rodolfo Guzman decided to move onto the work force. • He became a grocery clerk. • Around this time his all friends were being drafted around him.

Before the Army cont. • This is when he decided to enlist. • He chose the US Army. • He aspired to be a pilot. • Life in the service was “hectic” sais Guzman with a smile.

Basic Training • “What was boot camp like?” we asked. • “In the army it is called basic training” says Guzman. • He than continued to say “ it was hard” “a lot of stress” • Due to the time of war there was no special training and after basic training they were sent to there platoons.

Vietnam: The People • “Were you able to stay in touch with your family?” “What was that like?” we asked. • “Yes, we sent letters. Mail call was always a good time” • “Who was your best friend in the service?” • “Ron Patton”

Vietnam: The People cont. • Do you still see anything of Mr. Patton?” • “Yes we golf and go fishing together.” • “is there anybody else that was really memorable?” we went on to ask. • “Our pilot was amazing and I remember most the men I served with” • “Did you see any discrimination?” we asked. • “Yes and it took many years to reverse those thoughts.” he replied.

Vietnam: The Pets • “Did you have any pets?” • “Yes” he replied. • “What kind?” • “We had a monkey named Mary Jane. He belonged to a medic who was killed.” Rodolfo says. • He then continued on to say “We also had dogs ducks and two pigs.”

Vietnam: The Pets cont. • “Which was one of your favorite pets and why?” • “Our favorite was DOG which was one of the dogs. It was our guardian, it would always be in the communication room but when it went to the bunker we knew that something was about to happen.

Vietnam: Entertainment • “What did you do for entertainment?” we asked. • “We would have these barbeques once a month where we would have steaks and have fun.” said Rodolfo Guzman with a smile. • “Where did you go while on leave?” • “I went to Sidney Australia for rest and relaxation while I was on leave.” he replied.

Vietnam: Pre Combat • “Did you carry anything special for good luck when you went out on your Huwwy?” we asked. • Rodolfo Guzman smiled and said “yes I would carry a Virgin Marry Medal” • “Did you have any pre combat rituals?” • “No” he replied

Vietnam: Pre Combat cont. • He then continued on to say “when those sirens went off telling us that we needed to go get someone we put every thing down and headed out. There was no time to do a ritual. We just got in the helicopter and left on the flight over we would only think. “who’s hit? Who do we need to get? How are we going to get them?”

Vietnam: Combat • “Have you seen combat?” • “Yes, I was a Mechanic Helicopter Pilot Crew Chief which means I was on a Huwey Helicopter going back and forth picking up and dropping off the men who were doing the ground fighting.”

Vietnam: Combat cont. • “Were your ever engaged?” we asked. • “Yes we took fire all the time.” he replyed • pic of helicopter

Vietnam: Combat cont. • “In one of these occasions we were shot down and made a crash landing. We were surrounded by ‘Charlie’ and were almost taken as prisoners of war but managed to b extracted and got back ok” says Rodolfo Guzman.

Vietnam: Combat cont. • “Were you ever hit?” • “Yes, I was hit three times in the chest. I was also hit in the heal and the finger. I was almost hit in the head but I ducked at the right moment and it missed me by inches.” • “What was it like being shot?” we asked in awe. • It was weird its like everything stops but you know everything is still moving…”

Being Hit cont. • ‘“Your vocabulary goes from all the words you could say down to two words “I’M HIT!!”’ says Guzman. He then recounted what happened in great detail. • “I’m hit!” “where?” “I’m hit! I’m hit!” “Where do u feel pain?” • You can not think while this shock is right there.

Vietnam: Combat cont. • “What other casualties were there?” we asked. • “Two crews were hit during my deployment. The first crew lost two of there men. The second crew was completely taken out.” said Rodolfo Guzman.

Vietnam: Medals • “Did you receive any awards or medals?” we asked. • “Yes I received the… • Purple Heart • Air Medal • Vietnam Service Medal • Vietnam Campaign Medal • Vietnam Cross of Gallantry”

Vietnam: Medals cont. • “I also was awarded awards for • National Defense and • Good Conduct

After Vietnam: • “When the war was over did you stay in the service?” we asked. • “I finished my three years, ended August 27, 1970 at noon, right after I drove from Alabama to California.” Mr. Guzman replied. • “What did you do after that?” we asked. • “I went back to being a grocery clerk. After that I became a mail man and retired from there.” he said.

After Vietnam: cont. • “Did you take advantage of the GI Bill?” we asked. • “Yes I finished my degree” he replied. • “How did people respond to your homecoming?” we asked. • “Good, a lot of “thank you for serving”’ he replied.

After Vietnam: cont. • “Do you attend reunions?” we asked. • “Yes I attend reunions all over the place.” he responded with a smile.

Affect on Rodolfo Guzman’s Life: • “How did the military affect your life?” we asked. • “It taught me many things. It taught me structure, how tough you can be and even how to be compassionate.” he said. • “How did you overcome your feelings towards war?” We asked • “It just takes time.” came his reply.

Affect on Rodolfo Guzman’s Life: cont. • “What are your feelings towards your service in the military?” we asked. • “Even though its hell and it changes you I have no regrets; I would do it again.” he replied. • “So you saw your service as a positive thing in your life right?” we asked. • “Yes” he responded.

Affect on the solders of today's Life: • “Did you service affect the service of solders to come?” we asked. • Rodolfo Guzman replied “Yes when we go to meetings there would b young guys there who would sit and ask us about our service and just listen to our story. They took the information we gave them and use it when they do their jobs.

Thank You • Thank you to all who serve, who protected our country and those countries who could not protect themselves. And a special thanks to Rodolfo Guzman who told us his story. If people did not tell there stories their stories will die and be lost. If history is lost in time we will be domed to repeat it. So thank you to those few who tell their story.

King High Remembers: Rodolfo Guzman