Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Joe LaBranche

Vietnam | M Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division

Joe LaBranche spent so many years trying to get Vietnam out of his mind, when he finally visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, he couldn't remember most of the names of the fallen he had known. Still bitter over the military leadership and the treatment of returning veterans, he tries to muster some enthusiasm for today's belated recognition efforts. (5:40)
Joe McDonald

Vietnam | A Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Division

Draftee Joe McDonald was in the infantry but suddenly found himself in medic training. Then less than 6 hours after landing in Vietnam, he was on his way to the field. (4:10)
After his first combat experience, medic Joe McDonald was told he was not required to pull wounded soldiers from live fire, but he felt differently. His chief task was to stop the bleeding and get the wounded stabilized for evacuation. (9:01)
Just as he heard of his promotion, medic Joe McDonald narrowly missed the mortar blast that claimed the life of his friend. Back in combat, rushing to relieve a unit under attack, he stumbled upon a scene of horrible atrocity. (8:34)
The RPG that severed Joe McDonald’s foot didn’t kill him. The machine gun fire that hit him as he still tried to help others didn’t kill him. The grenade taped to his hand might have killed him if the VC had found his hiding place. (15:07)
In Vietnam, Joe McDonald helped Montagnard villagers engineer their water supply and increase their crop yields. But back home, speaking at schools, the parents didn’t believe him, saying in Vietnam we were only bombing and killing people. (4:11)
Joe McDonald served 6 months each in San Antonio, Ft. Meade, Vietnam, and the hospital. Unfortunately, he had to face the public abuse known to so many Vietnam vets. (3:13)
Joe Nemastil

Korea | D Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division

They were a little short of funds to continue in college so Joe Nemastil and his cousin talked to a recruiter to see what they could get in the Army. Promised a place in Officer Candidate School, he went off to basic training. The conditions were rough and the Kentucky winter came blowing right through the wall boards of the old barracks. Then, surprise! No OCS and orders for Korea. (5:55)
As soon as the troop ship cleared Seattle and headed for Korea, they hit a storm and Joe Nemastil was seasick the rest of the way. He was on his way to join the 7th Infantry Division at the front. It was only three months before the armistice was signed but it was three months of combat on the static lines. For Joe, the worst enemy was not North Korean or Chinese. It was something in the bunkers. (4:32)
When Joe Nemastil arrived at the front in Korea, his platoon leader gave him a short talk, then disappeared, not to be seen very often again. Joe was assistant gunner on the 75 mm recoilless rifle and quickly learned how to use it in combat. That was just one heavy weapon on the line, and it was really something when they were all firing at once. (4:32)