Interviewed by Jeffrey Jiang
My name is William. Born in 1942, I’m a native of New York. My father passed away before I turned three, leaving my mother to raise me and my five sisters. I was independent as a kid, but I didn’t do well in school.
One day, Uncle Sam called on me. I joined the United States Army in 1964, serving for two years. Initially, I spent time training in South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Then, I went to Vietnam for six and a half months. There, I helped transport ammunition and had a lot of fun along the way.
Eventually, it was time to come home. Veterans did important work overseas, but not everyone respected us when we returned. I remember traveling with my best friend, with whom I served in Vietnam, through a train station in New York. Two hippies glared and spat at us. It was hard to resist the urge to fight back, but we were uniformed service members, and we had our standards. Elsewhere, I ran into people who looked at me like I was trash. Thankfully, I had a mother who was there for me and appreciated what I did.
My favorite part of military service was actually my time in Vietnam. It wasn’t the case that I got sent to Vietnam against my will—I chose to go there. I also really enjoyed the camaraderie of the service, especially when we were ready to come out.
I came out of the Army to get married, and I did so, but not immediately. My one and only marriage ended in divorce, and due to many miscarriages, we had no kids. I decided to call it when I found out she had given her heart to someone else.
On the career front, I worked for three decades at Blessing Health System, rising to the position of senior manager. My job took me to New Jersey and also home to New York. After I left Blessing, Merck & Co. hired me when I was 52. (An odd time to find myself a great-paying job, but that’s what happened!) I worked there for twenty years, finally retiring for good at the age of 72.
I’m not a hero, but I’m not a coward.
I did what I had to do, and I did the best I could.