WELCOME TO THE VETERAN'S FORUM

Most of us know of the sacrifices made by many of our classmates.     This forum is designed to provide an opportunity for those who served to share memories and photos about their time of service.

This forum is open to any classmate who wishes to post a comment or share a memory about a classmate they know who served our country.

Our purpose is to recognize and honor Veterans, not to revisit wounds from the past.

Thank you... to all of our classmates who have served this country.

Susan Devlin

Ralph A. Young                                                                                                     Jun 01, 2017 at 9:48 pm

During my freshman year at Penn State I took Air Force ROTC ultimately desiring to fly fighter jets. Realizing the needs of the service might be different than my dreams, I quit and just decided to follow God's calling for my life. After college I married my college sweetheart and started a career in a field that I am still engaged in 50 years later (and a marriage that will see 50 years this month). Well, the Selective Service caught us and I was sent off to basis training in the Army. So I was to spend two years as an enlisted soldier instead of an Air Force flight officer.

Because of the excellent education that we all received, I graduated in the top of my all my classes and received awesome state side assignments, but then the day came when we received orders for Viet Nam. I had no idea that when I arrived I would be selected to serve on the Army General Staff at its Headquarters in Long Binh. I was ultimately in charge of non combat enlisted assignments. I am still amazed in His grace and protection for our lives and our generations that followed. 

Now we need Terry Rock to post about flying B52 bombers!

Susan Devlin

May 31, 2017 at 7:49 pm · Reply

Robert E. Bronson

I was there the same time Ralph was but I spent most of my time as a DJ on Armed Forces Radio in Thailand

Susan Devlin

May 31, 2017 at 2:32 pm · Reply

Susan Devlin

Oh Wow...." Good Morning Vietnam".....I can hear Robin Williams now.

May 31, 2017 at 2:36 pm · Reply

Susan Devlin

May 31, 2017 at 2:36 pm · Reply

Robert E. Bronson

It was great duty and lots of fun but it was NOTHING like the movie, trust me!

Susan Devlin

Vaughn Gordy

I was in Vietnam for 2 years (69-71) as a C-130 pilot. I saw the whole country from the Delta to the DMZ. I even visited my brother, Steve, (Lebo '64) who was in-country at the same time. I also met up with Rich Hoppe at Cam Rahn Bay. Pat and I went back tourists in 2014.

Jun 01, 2017 at 12:35 pm · Reply

Richard G. (Rick) Hofmann

Vaughn & Rich, Welcome Home!

I was with the 4th Psyschological Operations Group '66-'68.

In a mobile advisory role (one of many) I flew more than a few trips in a -130, Vaughn.  Always seemed to get the last seat - the one looking at the prop line...

Be well,

Rick

David R. Chapman

 I MY ENTIRE FRESHMAN MED SCHOOL CLASS WAS DRAFTED. I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATES WHO WAS ALLOWED TO FINISH ALL MY EIGHT YEARS OF TRAINING PRIOR TO TWO YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY. I WAS HAULED OFF TO BASIC TRAINING WITH SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR AND JOHN LENNON SPECTACLES WHICH GOT ME THREE TRIPS TO THE BARBER SHOP. WHEN I OPTED FOR THE AIR FORCE THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DIDNT CHOOSE THE NAVY. MY ANSWER WAS IN THE NAVY YOU ONLY HAD A HUNDRED YARDS TO RUN. I WAS THE PERFECT SOLDIER. WE GOT OUR DUTY ASSIGNMENT ON THE LAST DAY OF A TWO WEEK CRASH COURSE ON HOW TO SURVIVE THE MILITARY. I WAS GOING TO UDORN AFB IN THAILAND TO REPLACE THEIR ONLY COMBAT FIELD SURGEON WHO HAD JUST BEEN KILLED. WHEN I OBJECTED BECAUSE I WAS OB GYN THEY SAID I WAS QUALIFIED BECAUSE I HAD A YEAR OF GENERAL SURGERY IN MY RESIDENCY. MY SECOND OBJECTION WAS OVER RULLED WHEN MY CO LOOKED AT ME AND SAID DOC I HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN YOU AND THE PSYCHIATRIST NOW WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK I SHOULD SEND. THE NEXT MORNING I WAS ON THE FLIGHT LINE AT SHEPPARD AFB SITTING ON MY GEAR BAG AND THINKING HOW IN THE HELL DID I GET HERE WHEN THE WORD CAME DOWN THEY HAD CLOSED THAT BASE AND WAS REASSIGNED TO THIS REMOTE PLACE CALLED SOUTH CAROLINA. YES RALPH THERE IS A GOD. I HAD O4 RANK WITH PAY SCALE OVER 8 MAKING $17,000 THE FIRST YEAR WITH A RAISE TO $17,500 THE SECOND  WE HAD TO MOONLIGHT TO EAT  I SOON FIGURED OUT HOW THE GAME WORKED  WE PRETENDED TO WORK AND THEY PRETENDED TO PAY US  THE OFFICERS CLUB SERVED 50 CENT MARTINIS EVERY DAY AT 4:30  THERE I FOUND SOLICE FOR MY RESENTMENTS WHICH SOON BECAME REMORSE SO I KNEW I HAD TO CHANGE MY ATTITUDE OR I WOULD SELF DESTRUCT I HAD A NICE ASSIGNMENT TO SHAW AFB REGIONAL HOSPITAL TAKINGS CARE OF PILOTS AIRMEN AND THEIR DEPENDENTS FROM 5 AFB'S AND 17 AIR NATIONAL GUARD UNITS  WE WERE STAFFED FOR 40 DOCTORS BUT ONLY HAD 16  I HAVE TO STOP NOW BECAUSE IM GETTING TOO MANY MEMORIES OF HORRIBLE MILITARY ACCIDENTS  WILL POST A SECOND CHAPTER IF ANYBODY OUT THERE CARES        

DAVID R  CHAPMAN MD

Mary Cullen

Thank you David for being so honest with the time we were losing our men in a war that some Americans were so angry with.  I was married to a marine who was in Vietnam with lots of shrapnel in his body.  Because of terrible PTSD, which was not  known at  that time, I had to finally leave the marriage because of his erratic behavior, and I saw how war can terribly affect our veterans.  Thank you for serving, David.

Terrance (Terry) Rock

Nancy Thompson (Handler)

Dave, the more I read about your life, the more I regret that I never really knew you in high school or in later life. I like your attitude. Do tell more.

Margaret Durkin (Brinkman)

Me too Dave....post away! My husband went into Marine OCS at Quantico. I told him to pick that branch because the uniforms were so handsome. Yikes...crazy advice! P.s. I was a L and D nurse for 30 years. Margie