Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:46 | The first volunteers at basic training went to a sponsored event at a resort, but the second round of volunteers got KP. That's how Jerry Gast learned not to volunteer. He impressed his superiors enough, though, that he was sent to NCO school.
Keywords : Jerry Gast Vietnam Manhattan IL Fort Leonard Wood Fort Polk Fort Benning NCO school Oakland CA Flying Tiger Line
Vietnam was amazing. The heat and the weather were overwhelming. That, and the lack of plumbing at the forward base, was an extreme culture shock to the American teenagers. Jerry Gast was initially at the beach, where he could go swimming and was ferried to the mess hall, but that would soon change to friendly fire and booby traps.
Jerry Gast became a squad leader soon after he arrived in the field in Vietnam, but he is quick to sing the praises of the other men in his platoon. A lot of good men in that unit.
There was little contact up by the DMZ so the 1st Air Cavalry was moved south near the Cambodian border. Plenty of action there. The first day, Jerry Gast's platoon set off on a 500 meter sweep in front of the perimeter and ran into a trail. The ambitious lieutenant decided they would follow it. Bad idea.
Jerry Gast says it was the leadership in his company that made all the difference in Vietnam. Captain Barry McCaffrey and 1st Sergeant Emerson Trainer set the tone and it filtered down though the NCO's. That all took a turn when both were wounded at the beginning of a fierce firefight.
Jerry Gast got back to the world on the day of the moon landing. He soon found out that wearing the uniform was a bad idea, then the local VFW refused to allow him to join. It was time to shove Vietnam in a little box and put it away.
Jerry Gast has some observations about the Vietnam War and then recommends some good music and a good book.
