When Diane Thornal volunteered to serve in Vietnam in 1969, she was just 22 years old and fresh out of college. Motivated by years of Red Cross involvement and a desire to support American troops, she joined the American Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas … Continue readingEP 27: What It Was Really Like Being a Donut Dollie in Vietnam

  In 1967, Tom Hall was just another college student when a letter from his local draft board changed everything. His student deferment had been canceled, and within weeks he was headed into the U.S. Army. Rather than serve on the ground, Tom joined the … Continue readingASK A VET EP 26: What They Didn’t Tell Me About Being a Dustoff Pilot in Vietnam

At just 17 years old, Josh Cruze left his Brooklyn neighborhood and stepped into a war that would change him forever. Drafted into the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, Josh trained as an infantryman and was eventually assigned as an M60 machine … Continue readingASK A VET EP 24: What They Don’t Tell You About Going to War at 17 as a Machine Gunner

When Paul Henderson volunteered for the draft in 1968, he had no idea how deeply Vietnam would shape the rest of his life. As a young artillery sergeant, Paul found himself leading a 105mm howitzer crew on remote mountain firebases, firing night after night in … Continue readingASK A VET EP 22: What They Don’t Tell You About Being an Artillery Sergeant in Vietnam

When Ben Thornal received his draft notice, he wasn’t even living in the United States. He was in Mexico, building a life he loved, when a telegram arrived that forced a reckoning. Rather than avoid service, Ben made a decision that would define the rest … Continue readingASK A VET EP 21: They Don’t Tell You About Flying Loaches in Vietnam

When people talk about Vietnam, they often talk about dates, battles, or politics. What they rarely talk about are the quiet details:  the responsibility placed on teenagers, the fear that arrives without warning, and the memories that follow veterans home long after the war ends. In … Continue readingASK A VET EP 20: What They Don’t Tell You About Being an Armorer in Vietnam

In this episode, we sit down with Vietnam Veteran and former Special Forces officer Jim McCauley to talk through one of the most intense and rarely discussed chapters of American military history. Jim served from 1966–1971, spending two years in Vietnam,  much of that time … Continue readingASK A VET EP 19: What They Don’t Tell You About SOG Missions in Vietnam

In the latest episode of Curious Humanography, we sit down with Marv, a Vietnam veteran whose journey is a testament to resilience, humility, and the complicated reality of service. Marv sheds light on what it means to be young, far from home, and carrying responsibilities no … Continue readingASK A VET EP 18: I Was a Machine Gunner in Vietnam