Barry Dunleavy and Maria Garten

00:01 My name is Maria Garten also known as Mimi and I am 71 years old today's date is March 3rd 2020 and I am in Las Cruces at the University hosting the military voices storycorps program right now and the name of my interview partner. Today is Barry Dunleavy and he's a friend who I have known for a number of years and I think has something worthwhile to say in the military voices.

00:39 Well, I hope so, but my name is Barry Dunleavy. I'm a TI-84 takes me back from the military point of view to the Korean War. Sometimes it called The Forgotten War but at any rate and still lives with me a little bit today's date is March 3rd and location is Las Cruces. My interviewer partner interview partner with whom you just heard from his baby Gardener and a relationship as friends for quite a few years now thing.

01:18 Don't

01:19 Okay. So what we want to speak about today is your history and in particular touching on those parts in your life that

01:34 Are related also to the military not just specifically military but related to them. So let's go back and start with you going into the Marines and what the situation was at that time in the United States in your life. I think that was 1949-50 1950 close am. Okay, so

02:05 So it's there a starkly speaking what what happened back in the nineteen forty-nine 1950s specifically 1959 at that time. I was 18 year old high school graduate from the point of view of Korea. When the North Korean forces on June 25th, 1950 invaded South Korea, and it's that time. The first thing that happened most of us at that time live with the memories of World War II and we're not expecting another water come along involving the United State but

02:49 Harry Truman was President the time and when the North Koreans invaded the South he immediately sent American troops that were stationed in Japan extent that we tend to Korea to stop the advances of the North Korean and it was whole question of Communism in the stop go to the spread of Communism as an 18 year old going on 19 and the Warriors beginning to rage so to speak all the young people my friends without but we've got to go into the service. Maybe we'll get drafted. Maybe I don't want to get drafted and just going to the Army do I decide to do you know, I kind of like the idea of the Marine Corps?

03:41 I have to admit that at the time I was about to leave going on 19, I'd seen John Wayne and Sands of Iwo Jima a popular movie at the time. So the idea of the Marine Corps was very appealing to a youngster like me at the time. So I went down to spoke to my parents and said that's what I wanted to do and went down to the Recruiting Station in Boston, Massachusetts signed up and they gave me a day to report to the Marine Corps. We took at the train down to Parris Island South Carolina be an infantry training basic basic training down in time. So that that's the beginning of my career and a bench video.

04:35 Why would send to Korea and after Advanced infantry training and spent almost exactly one year there 19th, June 51 to June 52. Could you tell us a little bit about the close order drill that you learned at your basic training, which I've heard you mention before.

04:59 One of the great values of close-order drill is that you hit it makes you it makes you part of a of a body of people in this case. Mostly young man and you learn to to marching step together and respond to a command soon and too much to the right to the left turn or turn around and go backwards you no answer but it's an organizational thing that organizes everybody and that it makes you realize that you're part of a

05:45 I'm an active body of men with a mission to do what it can carry over into a degree and I always thought it would be interesting to 214 into high schools and colleges in. Nobody would have go for it. I don't think of the time close order drill, but it it has that facility for making you part of a group of people setting out to do something you create something.

06:19 So you mentioned also that you were doing Advanced infantry training there at boot camp.

06:29 Well, that's after boot camp. I thought I might get to sign to some more glorious to activity in the next there was some

06:45 Talk to them my psychological profile said I could possibly be a air control person for the Marine Air Wing. But now when I was announced after basic training my assignment was to for infantry and to report Oceanside California for advanced in infantry training which was another another 10 weeks or so afterwards. We boarded this ship usns General General William Lytle still remember that two years later and after about 14 trips across the Pacific we reach Japan had a day off in Japan and then joined the US forces in Korea at that time. We're just beginning to get a handle on

07:42 Military situation in South Korea

07:48 And that took a

07:54 We had been pushed down to American forces have been pushed down to the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, city of pusan and became known as if we sign for perimeter and that's where we almost got pushed into the into the South China Sea. I think it was, but from that point on the American forces began to push back the North Korean forces and historically the Chinese then came in and reinforce the North Korean so it became a much longer baton much longer fight in.

08:38 Korean so what happened to you there then can you tell us about your battle experiences?

08:49 Well, I would just say that the most noteworthy of experiences was in.

08:58 We were in the mountainous area of Korea.

09:08 The units are

09:12 We read each person had a you're each part of the unit there had to take their responsibilities. And one day we had to go go on patrol from our positions up in the hill and go down to the valley floor, and I'm not sure if we would just have the Marine.

09:44 Grunts, I suppose I should say and then tell us what why we were going down or what we were doing what I said when we reached the floor. We started watching along the upper room that was close to what was once a active rice paddy and as we were marching along and then single file not quite knowing what we're looking for where we're going. We got a word from the front of the command front of the column to turn around and go back one as soon as I heard that and I think that is the same with others and that was that was a big No-No you didn't turn around and go back the way you came you you kept going and found another way around because and this is what happened as soon as we speak.

10:44 And around and started back and I had just thought I would near the back. I had been near the back when we turned around. I was near the front. So I be on the exam up the hill into a brawl in a grassy area. When all of a sudden rifle fire from across the valley of corrupted and those fellows who started the climb up. We're somewhat protected and myself and another, we hit the hit the ground and there's no cover but just making a low as possible Target for that and the shooters and the worst part of it. Is that today?

11:44 I became of the Bulls Eye of a Tiger from across the valley in the bullets, which would hit around me left and right and I didn't do what any point one of them. I might go through my my head or harder one whatever but all you could do is hug you with and hope for the best, I did after a while. I've something to hear hit my leg like that on right side and I thought one of the bullets are probably kicked up a stoner Pebble put on his how I said my hand on my right side and then when I pulled it back there was blood on it. So it wasn't just a hit a rock hitting that one of them finally have found me as I did at Target, but at that time things began to slow down.

12:44 Slow down and we weren't quite sure what was happening. Doug Allison was a fellow behind me had a significant amount of covered but he called up to me and he said Barry can you make a run for it? What we want to break out of this situation that the Lord had not hit the bone in my legs. I said no. No, I can run that can run. So let's go. Let's go. Let's go on Sunday. We are broke up and headed headed out this Foothill. And as soon as we got to the top of the Ridge and then we could have got over to the other side. We know that we were we were free the rifle fire could not resist and then what about this time things have quieted down and

13:43 I got a corpsman came and put a difficult game military bandage on while I get called in a helicopter. And as I mentioned to you before is it people who are familiar with the mash program? It was a shame Bell Helicopter that came in and pick me up and it had one or two bags one of these side and I was just as happy to get climb into that compartment on the left side of the

14:26 How do you have a helicopter at lifted off and all I could see lying? There is the Blue Sky ahead of me and the realization that I was still alive a beautiful under the leg but nothing too serious and packed in there within.

14:45 Seven to ten days might have been dating or 7 or less days, you know, I was released released from the from the mash unit and sent back to my unit and then to carry on with it whatever the unit was doing at that time. So that was that was the most telling Adventure that I had from a military point of view and with a Marine Corps and you remained there and fought with your wounded like you were okay enough to do that to Rob know to stay there. And and for how long were you there then continuing your service?

15:38 OIC

15:40 I got over there in June of nineteen.

15:44 1951 June 251 and the situation I'm talking about he was in late September and then I wasn't rotated home until June of 52. So I stayed with you and and whatever were you we were doing but at that time peace talks had begun and the peace talks to him. It was a very little action on these two lines facing each other in North Koreans on the on the North side. I was on the other side.

16:29 And we just own it was almost 2 after taking various.

16:37 Lands Inn in military action. We re stopped him and became almost done Security Forces on the battle line then and then that's my neighbor. We would send patrols out to see what's happening out in the valley and when I bet the steel made from then on and find in June of 52, I'd finished my year and was happy to pack up and go home and you left the military with something like a metal.

17:17 Purple hydrangea

17:26 Which is which is nice to nice to be after that. It did read it says it true. You were served your country and I'm very specific white and it has cost you in a bit of a woman and some of us get much worse, but then

17:50 You begin to respect them.

17:56 Situations like that towards like that. It says it's your you did what was expected you if you was at as a as a marine ever as a representative country and in this situation trying to make that video.

18:15 Situation in Korea more tenable

18:19 This concept of service to your country is something important to you.

18:27 Yes for young person I think of it at that time and that's it. It is something that did begin to resonate within a I'm I've done something specific and the discomfort of them have a moon but it is said that they know that that's what they sent me here for was there and do my part and after the whole military experience the one of the things I liked the idea that appeal to me most is that I did everything that was asked of me and I think that that's what I need Soldier Marine Harriman. Maybe Matt vesting that they can stay.

19:27 I served my country and I did everything that I was asking me some from that I was here for that. I would not have missed it for the world. So you return now to the US and what did you do following you?

19:46 Military experience

19:52 Next to me I had another year to just to serve on my original investment, but I can put the sign to the Boston Navy Yard security detail. That was nearest my home at the time. And after that I finished up Highway 7 released are discharged from with a

20:27 Release him and I was finished with my military time and I was so high. I always like the Korean people in the Korean Idaho ran into a at home after the Marine Corps. I ran into a one of the priests on the vocal of church and wanted to know if you want to know what I was going to do with myself now that I was back and for you to choose something that I said that I'd do him. He asked me if I'd ever thought of becoming a priest night and I said, I guess there's a lot of young followed you at one time or another think maybe they would like to become a priest. So I went off to the cemetery and and the cemetery was run by the maryknoll fathers were Mission organization.

21:27 Amanda interview part of that the appeal is that is organic set that brute youthful appeal to what is maybe I could go back to Korea as a missionary until 4. Never. Never happened, but it was strong motivation at the time. I eventually settled but I decided that I want two things that happened in the cemetery. Is it each class would put on a class play the matter was of the cemetery was the beginning of it was set up as a as a freshman sophomore junior senior at each class put on a plate and I eventually decided to to leave the cemetery because I was in the each one of the play's each year and I suddenly realized hey.

22:27 The one I really like to do, you know, so I left the Seminary on call. Called home and tell him I told my mother and father that I was there going to come home and

22:44 The next day of this is a small town south of Boston and I told him I really wanted to pursue the idea of being an actor made in Temple for the idea. I said, well, that's what you want to do. And my father was going down to New York on business the next the very next day and I haven't they said why do black why don't you come with me and you can get started on your career as an actor still alive. It went down to the next morning at 1 go down from the Boston area down to New York City and he left me at the corner of 8th Avenue and 57th Street and I was on my own to pursue my acting career so it worked out very well.

23:44 And at the time I went to see you there was a time outfit to call today.

23:53 Catholic Actors Guild and at the time I I wouldn't have asked already there and she said why you really need to 200.

24:02 I guess I'm training. So as it turned out the American Academy of dramatic arts in New York was about to start their spring semester. So that got me started on my acting career and it all eventually worked out very well. And this isn't the first thing you were studying though. When you were at the Seminary you were there for long enough to get his degree. Also a big hug and I had a four-year education and graduated from the that part of the cemetery with in a B&B and that serve me well ever since so I thanks to Mary know quite thorough knowledge of Latin Latin.

25:03 I am what I heard that the watch told people I wanted to go into the Seminary.

25:14 But you've got to take it take I haven't had some high school Latin, but I had to get today. I had to take a year of a map and studies just Alone 1 whole.

25:30 Academic Year is studying Latin. It worked. It worked out anybody who wants an education and studies going to happen because so much of that I wore his own language of Latin origin itself. So that was good at it from that point of view. So here we are back in New York. You've been dropped off on the corner and

26:08 Where did you go? What did you do? You eventually found out you had to go to this dramatic school, but what would it happens when your father dropped you off on the corner? But we had we had a we had that there was an elderly couple who lived in New York City and they were part of the family. I didn't know them too. Well until I got down here down to New York, but that was one of those as far as a port in the storm. I have to print given that of the number of Bill and Margaret McCloskey with a name and then I had their phone number so I called them up when I told them that I was down this city yet that I would be. All right. Maybe I'll let you find I forgot how I put it.

27:08 They say took me in that night and I eventually couldn't have a friend stay with him forever. So and after a week or I think it was a week. I went to I went off on my own and started combing the streets of Midtown Manhattan looking for a room that it to rent. And then that was the next step for getting established to in New York in pursuing my acting career. I found a room on 303 West 54th Street. It's no longer in existence. But at the time for $7 I had a room and as I have said before there was no extra charge for the Cockroaches.

28:04 But it was. It was a great experience, you know, you don't appreciate into your look back and see it and I found it at night jobs in the bank so that I could have money to support myself and and go to school in the daytime at the American Academy of dramatic arts an event for a graduated from there and I keep keep keep moving along the route of Summer theater in Dorset Vermont saw me one of those who plays at the Academy so they invited me to come to the Joint that there are company in Dorset for the summer season, season was 1961 10 plays in 10 weeks.

29:04 So that was a great experience of being thrown into a theater earlier and having to put up.

29:20 You know.

29:23 Play every you and one play every week you had to do a lot of running a blind and go for one one place to another so fast forwarding to a retirement here for both of us in Deming. I was able to enjoy a performance at the theaters that we have Darren Deming and what was formerly the railroad station that you wrote and directed. So I think it because it has to do a lot with the military. Also. I'd like to hear about that. One of the things that came out of the Seminary experience that they used to read to you when you had when you came down for meals, so

30:23 A particular that you would eat meal. Of course, you're listening to a book off and it was a logical and they came down to dinner at midday lunch midday and they started to book the reader that I'm said give us this day by Sydney Stewart and that it had started the the book and it was a story of a about the Death March and being a prisoner of a Japanese for three three years and I'm Sydney Stewart Channel Road to your boy. Did I say after a logical?

31:23 CiCi's that you we would often have come down every day and hear the another chapter or so of this story was very moving and I could see it in my head a lot like a movie and I never forgot forgot that and then as soon as I have the opportunity, I found a copy of it at the Strand Bookstore in lower Manhattan, and eventually I found Sydney Stewart and living in Paris. He was still alive. I made a trip over and saw him and got the rights to it. He was all right.

32:12 I'm excited to meet him because you realize what this man went through for his country to as its older than it has ever butter. And the Bataan Death March is a know a whole lot of story, you know, but it was a great experience and I was able to Fashion that I just scraped both for a movie version and also has a stage were so the stage version that you saw how was the one that everybody in the Premier performance heaven. Give us this day by Sydney Stewart, Anastasia. Eventually came here to to Las Cruces.

33:13 Veterans Day at the Santa Fe theater, I think it is.

33:20 So the best friend that's been a very important part of my life. Give us this day. And before that you also taught Reading Writing rather in a damning for a number of years and between this beginning and the end of our story. You were also an editor for a local newspaper in Upper Manhattan for about 40 years, I believe

33:55 By the time I was getting married and with with two children, and we are living in my wife and I and the kids and we realized that there was no newspaper. You haven't had the New York Times, of course in the neighborhood in Upper Manhattan North Manhattan to use you known as in one until I happened to be published through that I met a young journalist journalism experience and we got some money from the Riverdale press north of us to start a paper in Upper Manhattan. So that's what radio show that's what we did.

34:53 It was somebody said trying to sell advertising and the and the light for the newspaper was right trying to make roses bloom in the desert but it lasted nearly 10 years and it did provide every week news from a political and social point of view for all our swimming in the top of Manhattan do that was good.

35:22 Sounds like you had a life of service.

35:26 Do you know?

35:36 Have I pleased that we were able to go for 275 create a newspaper? And are there still people to remember that even know what that was some cute quite a few years ago now.

35:52 I'm done. I just think from I think a lot of that comes out of those of atoms experience in serving your kind of going to serve your country. And I I like the idea of I think I mentioned this to you used to hear quite a bit about especially if somebody was in the military and I don't always irritated. I tend to think that the real heroes wear those is it as I mentioned before all of the young men and women now who who serving in the military for her for a country that they are heroes service to their country.

36:51 And I can't allow that they realize it a life of service and it has its own reward. You feel like you're doing something worthwhile for people and not to forget that you are 88 now and you were directing last year Shakespeare in the park in Manhattan, which is pretty remarkable for anyone 88 years old and I and that was King Lear is a diver to walking walking my dog a 1 Monday evening from a from the apartment and was getting dark and I saw this group of people.

37:51 Couple of women that behind them. I don't know. What did the fellow was with the young women? I said no. No. No, it's not yours and I sent it to the mistaken identity of something and you said you have something to do with the park all can you layer? Can you park Washington on the bike? So things like that people really appreciate something that you've done?

38:43 Well, I think that's just great and I really love your story. It was fun. Okay, so, thank you.