On Wed, Nov 9, students were offered the opportunity to listen to the remembrances of three veterans; Doug Eberhardt, of the U.S. Army; Tom Smith, of the U.S. Navy; and Jerry Weatherby, of the U.S. Air Force, who all served in the Vietnam War.

Similar events have been held in previous years with veterans from World War II and the Korean War, in honor of Veteran’s Day.

The session began with Dr. T. Lindsay Baker, associate professor of Social Sciences, giving a brief history of the Vietnam War before proceeding to ask the veterans about their personal experiences in Vietnam.

When asked about the training they received, Weatherby responded that he, as a pilot, was trained in the use of World War II aircrafts, and then began with jet-powered aircraft. He also stated that he received water survival training and jungle survival training in which he had to survive “10 days in the jungle with whatever you could find.”

When asked about their experiences in Vietnam, Smith responded that from 1963-65 he worked at the only hospital in the country, which was severely understaffed. He said that with only six doctors in the hospital, and an overwhelming number of injuries and casualties, that they were unable to care for everyone who came into the hospital.

“One of the hardest things that you’ll ever have to do is set people aside to die,” Smith said with tears in his eyes.

One of the things that Eberhardt recalled was his immense fortune in multiple situations. He told of how he was heading out with his platoon, and his commanding officer asked for his seat in the jeep making him ride on top. Later, the jeep was attacked and due to his position atop the jeep, he was able to survive with just a broken nose.

One member of the audience asked the veterans about one thing they took with them in Vietnam, and each had a very different response.

Eberhardt told the audience that he carried an “appreciation for this country,” while Weatherby said that family was the most important thing to him. Smith replied that, “The grief sometimes to me is pretty brutal,” because “losing your friends is one of the hardest things to do.”

The session was very inspiring, and provided an interesting look into the lives of soldiers during wartime. This event was made possible by a collaboration of the Department of Social Sciences, the W.K. Gordon Center for Industrial History of Texas, the Department of Military Science and KURT 100.7, which broadcast the session live.