SEARCH RESULTS

Bert Johnson

---

Before he went to Vietnam, Johnson went to Ranger school. He talks about the preparations he made for Vietnam and his flight trip over in October 1968. Once there for a little while he was assigned to a helicopter unit. He describes his first experiences in the new country and what it was like on a daily basis. (6:09)

---

While over in Vietnam, unfortunately Bert Johnson was one of the many that fell victim to Malaria, supposedly from a mosquito bite. Luckily, he was able to recover and survive the rest of his tour. On one mission he was told to recover two bodies, and in addition he remembers his first time finding dead. He was also there for the battle of LZ Carolyn. (7:37)

---

Once the battle of LZ Carolyn settled down, Bert Johnson was firing at the enemy and wound up getting injured very badly in the head. When he was taken to the doctor who was going to operate on him, he was still conscious and had to sign release forms. He had a nice interaction with the doctor, who he found out went to Harvard. Once his tour was over, Bert went back to Harvard in September of 1969. (6:31)

---

Johnson explains more experiences from his time in Vietnam, such as the interactions he had with protecting Vietnamese civilians living in a local village, creating and setting booby traps, and interaction with wildlife. While in foxholes, some men killed a wild boar and tried to cook it in their foxhole and failed. (6:07)

---

When he came back to the states, protests against the Vietnam War by students was at an all time high. Because of this, he and many others kept their service a secret while attending college. After some time he attended law school and got through it mostly without anyone finding out he was in the service. He gives advice to future generations as well as nods to people who made an impact on him while he was in the military. (4:26)

Bert Schwarz

---

Inspired by Lindbergh, Bert Schwarz became an Army Air Corps pilot and was assigned to the Philippines. Arriving ahead of their planes, the flyers and their crews became provisional infantry when war with Japan broke out. As American forces consolidated in Bataan and formed lines, there was no hint of what was to come. A tough Georgia boy named Rocky Gause kept spirits up. (6:37)

---

They were prepared to hold their own in Bataan, but Air Corps pilot Bert Schwarz was one of many who felt their commander, a retired WWI balloon pilot, was not up to the challenge. Helped by Ed Dyess and Joe McMicking, he flew to Corregidor to pass his concerns on to Reggie Vance, his friend at headquarters. By the time he got back, the man had been replaced. (6:18)

---

At first they were confident a relief convoy would appear around the corner at any moment. That convoy never came. As MacArthur left for Australia and Bataan was written off by the men at the top, Bert Schwarz and the rest of the Battling Bastards of Bataan faced an overwhelming enemy force and were captured. Rocky Gause was one man who wasn't going to take it. (5:34)

---

Whatever you have heard about the Bataan Death March, you can believe, says Bert Schwarz. His determination kept him going while many died from deprivation or a bayonet. After the unbelievable ordeal, they got to Camp O'Donnell, which was even worse. Men continued to die and burial details were a constant duty. (6:19)

---

Bert Schwarz tells the story of the cross built by POW's when a Japanese guard gave them a sack of cement for a shrine to their dead comrades. The most able bodied were sent to Davao Penal Colony which had farms and orchards. This was where Schwarz became an expert at rice farming. (7:09)