Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
2:32 | Marine Mike Province compares the personalities of the three Lieutenants he served under in Vietnam. Two out of three ain't bad. He pays tribute to the Corpsmen, who were alongside the Marines, taking care of the wounded. The wildlife and the elements were front and center, namely snakes and Jungle Rot.
Keywords : Mike Province Vietnam Camp LeJeune Jungle Rot Corpsman Jerry Greenleaf snake tiger mosquito
He told the Marine recruiter that he was interested in a two year hitch and the old sergeant said, "Son, for a two year hitch, all I can promise you is two years of a hard time." That sounded OK to Mike Province and he was off to Vietnam by way of Camp Pendleton. He had just arrived and was on the way to his unit when the truck driver came upon two young Vietnamese girls who had bicycled over a mine in the road.
Booby traps were a fact of life in Vietnam. In fact, Mike Province replaced a Marine who had shoved others out of the way of the blast from one and was badly injured. The squad leader was big and tough and would issue a beating for what he considered transgressions. Eventually, it was Mike's turn, but first, he had some words for the sergeant.
There was a machine gunner in Mike Province's platoon named Emilio De La Garza. On a patrol, they encountered an enemy who indicated he wanted to surrender. De La Garza went to bring him in and, as they approached, he pulled out a grenade. When it was over, there was a Medal Of Honor waiting.
They were told an attack was coming and they hunkered down in individual foxholes and waited. Marine Mike Province's thoughts drifted to home and family and then his mind got the best of him. Fear set in and he began to shake uncontrollably. This made him so mad he started pounding himself with his fist and then, the firefight began.
Marine Mike Province feels lucky that he had a loving family to welcome him home from Vietnam. He knows there were many who had a much different experience. Everyone who served there in any year is worthy of remembrance to him. He only wishes the lessons of Vietnam could have provided more guidance for the wars of today.
