Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Andrew Witzel

Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) | Multiple Units

After his Afghanistan deployment, Andrew Witzel made the tough decision to get out of the Marine Corps. Returning to his home and starting post-service jobs helped him deal with his personal problems. Especially helpful were the jobs that dealt with helping fellow veterans. (Caution: strong language.) (5:07)
Afghanistan veteran Andrew Witzel is not at all happy about the pullout from that country. How in the world would anyone want to be our ally? He feels remorse for the women and girls who are losing their opportunity to thrive in an open society. (2:50)
Andy Banister

WWII | U.S. Army, Medical Dept., 129th General Hospital

Mr. Banister shares how a soldier spent four nights sleeping in a bathtub while crossing the North Atlantic. (:50)
Mr. Banister discusses what it was like to serve as a doctor's assistant and give penicillin to many patients. (1:09)
Andy Boyko

Vietnam | I Co., 3rd Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment

Andy Boyko immigrated to America at a very young age, and growing up he knew he wanted to be a United States Marine. He describes some of the training he received after he enlisted in 1964, and how he was able to share these stories with the others who were there with him. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (4:50)
In 1965, the first Marines were landing in Vietnam and that fall Andy Boyko would be one of them. Stationed at ASP-1 (Ammunition Supply Point), he was tasked with protecting the ammo dump as American forces began to set up in country. After a few months, he’d get some of his first incoming, and then the war would take a serious turn. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (6:17)
Andy Boyko was one of the first troops in Vietnam, but by the time he'd go on his second tour, the entire war had changed. The fighting was fiercer, and the enemy more intense. He describes the tenacity by which the VC and NVA fought against the Americans. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (7:46)
Vietnam veterans all remember the intense weather they experienced in country, especially during Monsoon season. Andy Boyko describes the trials of trying to stay somewhat clean in the unforgiving rain. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (7:46)
Not only did they have to deal with the immediate threat of enemy soldiers, the system of booby traps laid across the region was incredibly saturated and dangerous. Andy Boyko describes the disbelief from the higher ups that the area was as dangerous as they had reported. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (5:28)
Andy Boyko was assigned to operate the demolitions, so that meant he was face to face with a lot of danger. He let his Corpsman do the honors of detonating a charge one day, but as luck would have it, the charge didn't go off, so he was the one who had to fix it. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (7:35)