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Arlie Aukerman

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Arlie Aukerman recalls the men on his B-24 crew, including pilot Irving Kraus, who at 22 years old was responsible for the plane and the mission, and Lloyd Blackburn, the gunner from Kentucky who wouldn't give up his whiskey. (6:04)

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Arlie Aukerman was on his way to New Mexico to train for Pacific action in the B-29 when Japan surrendered. They locked the doors on the train to keep the troops from bolting. After his discharge, he declined to join the reserves. He'd had enough of guys like his drill instructor back in basic training. (4:47)

Armand Chapeau

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As soon as he went from reserve to active status in the Coast Guard, Armand Chapeau found himself in the Cold War. Deployed during the Berlin Wall crisis and the Cuban blockade, he then began intense training for Vietnam. (6:52)

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Nearly lost in transit with many Army troops to Vietnam, Armand Chapeau and his small Coast Guard contingent finally made it to Da Nang where his ship, the Point Ellis was based. Search and interdiction was the mission. (6:50)

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Patrolling the coast near Da Nang, Armand Chapeau was hit with small arms fire while at the helm. Told he would never walk again, he said, “No, I don’t think so,” and got up and walked down the hospital corridor. (9:23)

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If it had not been for a police line, wounded veteran Armand Chapeau would have been showered with blood and worse by protestors when he disembarked in California. Undeterred by them or his injury, he returned to active duty. (5:11)

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Armand Chapeau had a scare when his Coast Guard unit broke off pursuit of a Vietnamese junk. They decided to practice with the grenades they had armed, and were alarmed when not one fuse worked. (6:24)

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Armand Chapeau recalls the time that his unit went water skiing and put the fear of God in the Vietnamese fishermen. He also explains why they wouldn't change the oil in their engines. (4:26)

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As Executive Officer, Armand Chapeau had to do what was needed, including delivering two babies. The lack of fresh fruit and vegetables was getting to him, though, and when he got leave in Hawaii, he hit a grocery store and had a feast. (4:44)

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Upset that the politicians “gave it away” after the troops had “won the war twice,” Armand Chapeau still had a long satisfying Coast Guard career after his return from Vietnam. (4:43)