Joseph Lombardi was born in Chicago in 1947 and raised in the Cragin neighborhood on the northwest side of the city. His father had served under George Patton in World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
Roger Dexter was born in Melrose Park, Illinois in 1945, the fourth of five children. His father served in the Army in World War II but was never sent overseas, in part because of the large number of children he had.
Roger Hoffman was born in Chicago in 1950, the son of a World War II Navy veteran. His father served on the destroyer USS Sterett and survived a kamikaze attack on his ship during the Battle of Okinawa. Twenty-seven years later, Roger would also serve his country on Okinawa.
The Vietnam War was escalating, and Paul knew it would just be a matter of time before he was drafted. He considered joining the Marines but had a lifelong interest in airplanes and flying, so instead he joined the Air Force.
Clyde Hall, Jr. was born in Mississippi in 1948, one of seven children and the son of a World War II veteran. When he was seven his family moved to Chicago, but after his sophomore year of high school, Clyde moved back to Mississippi to help out his grandparents who still lived there.
Ron went to his draft office in early 1968 to ask why he hadn’t been drafted, and a month later he received his draft notice. In that sense, Ron says he volunteered to be drafted, although he recently discovered a twist to the story.
After Boot Camp and infantry training, "Sarge" was assigned to Camp Pendleton in California. His Military Occupation Specialty was artillery, and his specific weapon was the 155 mm self-propelled howitzer.
Richard “Dick” Dowsett was born 1931 in Dowagiac, Michigan and spent his childhood there. After finishing high school, he attended Western Michigan University and graduated in 1953 with a degree in Business Administration.
John “Rizz” Lapo’s toughness, acquired on the streets of Chicago, served him well in the jungles of Vietnam.
When Donna Glielmi and her fraternal twin sister were born in Chicago in 1955, her mother hadn’t known that she was pregnant with twins.
When Paul Crites finished Basic Training in 1970, his Major told him something that he hadn’t been aware of.
Mike Morrell’s grandfather served in the U.S. Armed Forces World War I, and half a dozen uncles and his father served during World War II.
One day in Vietnam, Dick Davis volunteered to lead a re-supply convoy out into the field. He ran into trouble from an unexpected source.
During his service in Vietnam early on during the war, Thomas Zilla had occasion to put his Boy Scout first-aid training to use to help treat a fellow soldier following an attack.
Bob Misevich was awarded three Bronze Stars as an Army combat medic in Vietnam, where he served during the 1968 Tet Offensive.
U.S. Navy Vietnam Des Plaines, IL [...]
U.S. Army World War II Woodridge, IL [...]
Lucky To Survive, Multiple Times
A Navy Seabee, Two Bulldozers and A Surf Crane
Wally’s lieutenant asked him if he’d be interested in “Isolation Duty.” This meant being sent to report on weather conditions in remote corners of the globe.