Laurie Egan-Hedley and Richard Egan

Recorded January 16, 2020 Archived January 21, 2020 37:12 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id: ddf000451

Description

Laurie Egan-Hedley (45) speaks with her father Richard "Dick" Egan (79) about his military service as an electrician in the United States Naval Reserve, and his experiences in Vietnam during the war.

Subject Log / Time Code

DE speaks about enlisting in the Naval Reserve during the Vietnam War and leaving his family, and recalls training across the street from the rat-infested Granny Goose Potato Chip Factory in Oakland, CA.
DE recalls hazing in the military, being seasick aboard the ship, and the food he ate while on tour: "monkey meat" in the Philippines and his favorite french onion soup in Vietnam.
DE recalls troops going on boat excursions on the river in Vietnam, and having to re-arm the boats when they returned.
DE speaks about finishing his service, and tells the story of being discharged in Saigon and coming home in a stained white uniform.
DE remembers making the decision to enlist rather than be drafted, and telling his parents. DE speaks about the one book he read while abroad, "The Source" by Michener.
DE recalls coming home and being hired by Western Electric, meeting LEH's mom, and some childhood memories of a neighborhood bully.
DE speaks about lessons he has learned from his family, and he and LEH recall some of DE's proverbs, or "Eganisms." DE recalls LEG breaking her leg at cheer practice.

Participants

  • Laurie Egan-Hedley
  • Richard Egan

Recording Locations

Barona Cultural Center and Museum

Venue / Recording Kit

Partnership Type

Fee for Service

Transcript

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00:01 My name is Lori egan-hedley. I'm 45 years old. Today is January 16th 2020. I'm at Barona band of mission Indians reservation. And my father is Richard Egan.

00:19 And I am Richard Egan most of my friends. Call me dick. I'm 79 years old. This is January 16th, 2020 and I am at the band of mission Indians with my daughter Lori.

00:38 So Dad.

00:40 One I guess all the stories of you going to war joining the military. Those are things are not heard growing up probably because I never asked her never had the time to sit down and do it. So I was hoping you could tell me more about that but like set the scene, so you were young man. Where were you living?

01:01 Okay, I had been was living in Riverside California not too far north of here and it was in the 60s and the Vietnam War was going on and I was concerned about being drafted. So I enlisted in the naval Reserve. I was working for Western Electric part of the Bell System. So I had a fairly decent job. So I went to what to call a Class A School in the Great Lakes outside of Chicago.

01:38 So then the company I was working for Westar electric. They paid the difference of my military pay and what I had been aren't for the first six months of my active-duty. So I spent three months at the great lakes in the training and then I was assigned to an LST that LST was in mothballs in Mare Island. And Mare Island is east of San Francisco on the Sacramento Delta area.

02:22 So there's a big mothball Fleet there so that the assigned us to these ships and it was last used in the Korean War and we were there recommissioning Personnel. So for 1 year and took us to get that thing recommissioned because it wasn't going to be just a regular LST. It was going to be a mother ship for pvr's River Patrol boats d666 Reserve meetings, and then went on active duty 1666.

03:20 So I actually know that was 65 cuz we spent a year refurbishing the ship and then in 66, it was recommissioned and sailed to Vietnam from that from Sacramento from the Delta taken to a private Shipyard Todd shipyards, which is just across the bay from

03:47 Naval Air Station

03:51 In the San Francisco Bay can't even think the name of it now. So we were housed on the the Naval Air Station property in the ship was in the private Shipyard across the way so we would go over there and alien watch the progress of the Eureka missionary this ship. I was by designation of Fire Control technician, which is part of the Gunnery department. And so that the people not my department would monitor The Guns of 40 millimeters are being refurbished at another private location in Oakland.

04:36 The government just farmed this work out to private entities because they couldn't do all the work themselves and they are professionals that they hired to do this.

04:52 So

04:54 Funny thing that always crops up when I think about that is we went over to Oakland to check on the status of the guns that they were refurbishing.

05:09 And where we parked was in a alley and in that alley was right next door to a Granny Goose potato chip factory.

05:20 And the Rats around that Granny Goose potato chip factory. Just turn me off from Granny Goose. I never did eat Granny Goose is after that probably isn't in business anymore. But anyway, so after a year, we finally got the ship ready for recommissioning and it was free commission there at Mare Island and our way at are underway training wear civilian train the officers and the list of personnel how to operate the ship's functions. So we did that outside of San Francisco out there in the open ocean. So that was for a couple of weeks we did that and then we were actually homeported in San Diego. So the next thing we do is head for San Diego.

06:20 Chip Ellis t s so I had my private automobile the private Shipyard and they said well anybody who has an automobile here since we have a lot of room on the tank deck they call it because I see us a landing ship tank. It was made for holding tanks so that they hold our ship our cars on the ship down to San Diego Chevy station wagon and

07:00 So we got here to San Diego and got my car off there. Okay and everything and then we did some more underweight raining here and we were ready to go. So we

07:17 Pack up and head out for Vietnam. And did you get to see your family before you left her family living in the San Diego area? So I saw them and any other members of the family who would at that time.

07:44 Where were they?

07:47 I guess they were in Riverside from Riverside.

07:55 No, because they only want to Tucson no other than Uber in Tucson, that's correct. Yeah, and they went to Thailand after I was already back in. Likes you so they were in Tucson at the time. So it was really only my sister and her family and then my sister's kids were kind of small in that station wagon would have been pretty nice for Holland the kids around so I left my station wagon with them while I was away and then we headed out and course we had to top off the fuel before we left so we pulled up to the fuel pierced. They are at in the San Diego Bay.

08:39 And the captain was at the helm and he you crashed into the fuel. I put a big scar on the side of the bow of the ship before we even got out to see so they didn't require very high-ranking professionals to man those ships and

09:16 So then head out.

09:20 And I look up it was a morning. I look up and there is Fort Rosecrans cemetery and all those white crosses up there and I had to wonder if maybe I'd be under one of those white crosses when I came back, but that never happened. To Hawaii and as it happens my youngest brother was stationed at Hawaii in the at the submarine base there. So I met up with him and he knew all the local bars cuz he had been there for a while. So we visited some of those I was only there for a couple of nights. So I saw him for a little bit and then we headed out the next day and then we were going to have

10:14 Exercise of firing arms 40 mm guns had a drone towed behind an airplane going to head out to the few miles out there to see and I told it to plane is up there in the Drone is ready to be fired upon. So we're already asked it was kind of Cloudy and so we started shooting in the pilot of plane said no you guys are coming to close to us spend this so we didn't get any more alive training. They didn't train you. Well Island and we did some fire and out there, but we never had moving targets were just shooting.

11:11 Then we headed across the sea and then they got to the International Date Line. And of course they had to have a ceremony and initiation for those who have never been across the internet International Date Line before so you have some home movies of this had to crawl through trash or something saved up the garbage on the ship for a week. We used to just dump it over the side. I saved it up for a week in these cans and then they sewed up canvas. Shoot that are about 3 ft wide.

12:07 In a new field these shoes with this garbage that have been sent and they made a scroll through those Chutes and as we were crawling through they had Links of fire hose cut up and they whipped the tube where are rear ends were sticking up and they whip those and then when we came out of the Chute we had to go up forward and we had a helicopter dick in the helicopter. Dick had non-skid gravel on it.

12:41 Well, we had to go on our hands and knees and crawl around on that gravel.

12:46 Still being whipped by those fire hoses, and then course we were all dirty. So what they do, they turn the fire hoses on us washed his off knocking Us in the one another and everything they fall over.

13:04 Are we did okay with that so

13:07 Got through that and then when you got your tattoo.

13:15 His answer

13:18 Headed for Guam and before we got the Guam or boiler that makes fresh water failed. So he had to have that rebuilt while we're in Guam think you're never going to get there or never going to get it for the rest of my hitch. That'll be all right and the Civil Service personnel there then rebuilt the the boiler and they didn't seem to care if they got it done or not. It just took forever to to do this, but you do while you're there if we want to

14:02 Restaurant watched out for lionfish

14:09 But other than that, it was just hang out on board ship.

14:13 Did you ever get seasick? I was seasick. Probably every day that I was on the ocean.

14:24 Shuffle

14:27 So then I

14:29 Finally got going out of the attic. Womyn and our next stop was the Philippines. So got to Suisun Bay.

14:41 And

14:46 There are some experiences there, too.

14:50 First thing was get off the ship and walk into the village there.

14:59 And there's a cyst drainage ditches. I don't really know what the name means what they call them beans you ditches. It was muddy ugly water. And these kids were down there on the water waiting for the sailors to throw money. So they could dive down there for the money and then water was so murky. I don't know how they can find the money, but they did Nick ever asking for money more.

15:27 So then we went into town course, we found some bars everything one of the most popular thing as I ever was. They called monkey meat on a stick like you see in the restaurants nowadays chicken skewers or something like that. I don't know what we're eating dog hungry.

16:01 So then

16:03 We got underway again.

16:06 We were there for probably the best part of a week and then got underway again in headed for Vietnam.

16:16 And oh, by the way the day we left San Diego. We went up to Camp Pendleton unloaded a bunch of tractor like devices on our worship or the ER or the the tanks used to go.

16:35 So we were to take these 20 tractors over to Vietnam. So we went in to Danang and drop these tractors off.

16:45 And there some sort of Base there or drop them off there and then we got back out to sea and heading south.

17:03 And there was a big fire fight going on. I'm sure so we were requested to hang loose stand by in the vicinity in case they needed our help our help is not required. So we just

17:20 Hung around there for a while and then headed on out.

17:25 Went down to South Bay.

17:39 So we stayed anchor there in vung Tau for a week or so.

17:49 And

17:51 We are at most a bunch of other ships that were hanging around there.

17:55 And then we were allowed to have Liberty and we would go ashore and lcms landing craft.

18:08 Machinery LCM

18:13 Bolted bunch of people in it go in there. And so we were able to go into town and I had a really good except the French had a big influence in that area too because I was controlled by the French for a while. So there was a nice hotel.

18:38 I wasn't really used this time for a hotel because they didn't have many visitors in the area at the time but they still had a restaurant and I'm telling you I had the best french onion soup I've ever had my life in that hotel dining room.

18:56 Why was big memorable event?

19:02 And nothing else to remember about that. So then we went up the river from there to Saigon.

19:13 And they happen to be having a change of command in the Navy command there at the time. So since our ship was brand new and sparkly and everything, and I just have a name York County USS Garrett County, Garrett County, Maryland.

19:34 So the captain right away got somebody to go over the side and paint the area that he gotten. Yeah, they were going to host the ceremony on our ship because it was so nice and clean so they did have the change of command there on our ship.

19:57 And then after that we were sent.

20:05 That was up to you the Saigon River. Then we were sent back out to the ocean and up the Mekong River.

20:13 The Mekong River is one huge River. So we would go up The River To Where the River was 1000 yards wide, and we anchor right in the middle.

20:25 And that was our duty station. So we were the mothership disease pbr's in the PBR as would leave our ship and go up and do whatever they did up the river.

20:43 Yes, sir, and it was no ships were those boats were operated by the Navy Seals so you can imagine what kind of activity they got in there and they come back with some of their War Stories. I don't even like to think about them a little on repeat them. So so it was pretty gruesome and they had enough room on these boats to take a passenger. So

21:15 People Personnel from our ship could ride with them on a daily basis if they wanted to I opted to never do that. Although some of my counterparts on board ship did do that see what was going on just curiosity or why why do they want to risk a captain who drove the boat?

21:50 So that a captain to drove in the boat and coxon who helps with anchoring and maneuvering the boat and a gunner so they were kind of short of personnel so they would take anybody who wanted to go along and help man the boat. So yes go out in the night come back in the morning or something.

22:26 So all of our Personnel whoever went up did manage to get back so my job there a while we were out there was to rearm the boats because being in the Gunnery Department, we were in charge of the ammunition magazines on the boat on a ship. So we got to take see ammunition to go out there and rearm the boats.

22:55 What they had used up that day.

22:59 And

23:01 Then since I was just a 2-year active duty reservist the end of my active-duty came up while we're up there, so I was sent on.

23:17 A small boat that came up we would get mail and stuff.

23:23 By Courier boats do it come up. So one of those days on that it one of those both came up. I was sent back to Saigon on that boat to what I could be discharged. How long have you been out there by this time?

23:49 I was taken back to Saigon house in what's it called? Beq enlisted quarters. It was so hot and muggy steaming there was just a very uncomfortable and it was going to be about a week before my plane left tonsil North there.

24:17 So every day I would leave the BBQ where I was staying.

24:24 And take some convince out to the airport to make sure I knew that wrote. I was going to get well well acquainted with that route to get out of there. So the uniform of the day in Vietnam was dungarees like blue jeans and chambray work shirt.

24:48 Well what I was going back to the States it was going to be summer time in the states. So the uniform of the day here was or dress whites.

25:01 So I got my whites out of my sea bag and I had the

25:08 The ghoul are in a BBQ whatever her title was one of the locals there had heard send them to the laundry.

25:19 And it came back and if you're not familiar with the Navy uniform the the trousers are ironed inside out. So the creases are inverted and down the legs while they came back with nice well iron.

25:44 And they didn't have very clean water. So they are a dingy around and limps and no starch granny cuz I understood where I was coming from.

26:08 That was a long as they're playing right? I've been on left when you fly into.

26:15 Left on some nut and went to Okinawa, Northern, California.

26:27 How to get home

26:32 Didn't stay at Travis. I was bust down to

26:38 That island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay as you go across the San francisco-oakland Bay Bridge. There's an island there and Military and Treasure Island, so I was there for a few days and then I was released from there. So my brother and second youngest brother drove up there to meet me in bring me home.

27:07 Riverside

27:10 So when you first decided to enlist ahead of the draft, what did you tell Grandma and Grandpa?

27:17 Cyst in my feelings that and they all understood it's a lot of people were being drafted and I said, I'd rather be in the Navy than the place.

27:30 Some branches of service and I didn't want to be in.

27:37 All the funny thing to do and I still have it the day the evening. I came home from enlisting in the reserves.

27:47 I checked the mail and there was an envelope there with my draft medicine. Report Los Angeles for induction.

28:04 I needed that right. What about I don't know what made him decide to but that he was always interested in the submarine side showing the submarine service. I went in first and then he thought of the long not too long later. What did you take from home when you left?

28:37 What do I take from home any wake pictures or any possessions would you take with you took up?

28:51 A book to read it was James A Michener the source.

29:00 Took me forever to read that book that I kept me company all the way across the ocean the stuff the stuff I left at night. Well.

29:09 My brother John and I were living in the guest house behind my folks house in Riverside. So I just left all my stuff there. I know I left a motorcycle and I came back as a part owner in a boat.

29:30 Thank you Jesus for all your clothes and then I'll look back and then back to work and my progression raises because I only wanted one and only worked with him for like a year when I took this leave and so I was on automatic progression raises for the first two years. So I got my progression raises all the while. I was gone. I came back making the same amount of money the other guys for hire the same time. I need to think I've been working for this little

30:20 Precision Instruments company and it was a downturn in their business. So I got laid off. So I went to the unemployment office and signed up for unemployment and the next day. I got a call from this guy saying we want you to come down and take a test for Western Electric and a couple days later. They said we want you to come to work for us. Can you start Monday? I'd like to but I just told my friend that we could go on a fishing trip down to Mexico for a week starting Monday. So I said couldn't make it the following love you and I said well, yeah we Monday report to 9129 Magnolia Avenue.

31:14 So that was a pretty good career with them. So you got home and you met mom cuz pretty soon after then cuz you got married in 68.

31:37 And then a couple months after that we got engaged fast.

31:49 The rest is history mom, wasn't that far behind either? So it was right for both of us?

31:57 Not known each other right before even though both in the town.

32:03 We are mutual friends. Thank you for sharing with me. And I'm sorry it took so long to sit with you and hear it all. I'm glad you shared glad to tell you a couple things about my childhood. I was born in Portland, Oregon.

32:27 And

32:29 My next brother who is 13 months younger than me.

32:33 I was born in Los Angeles, so I wasn't in Portland, Oregon very long.

32:38 Benning Road to San Diego and I had a brother born here.

32:45 And

32:47 It was living in San Diego for several years. One of my earliest memories of my childhood was I got this nice metal airplane that back in those days things are made out of metal. Now, they're all plastic and I was showing it to the neighbor kid who live just across the picket fence from us and the kid's name was Billy Richards. Never forget that guy. I showed him my nice new airplane to of the uprights of that picket fence.

33:24 So that that really hurt.

33:27 And this was here in San Diego and that house that was destroyed for the freeway and a couple of things. I also wanted to mention that they really stick with me is my dad was a very intelligent person practical-minded and I had two older sisters. So I learned a lot from what he tell them. Anyway, one of my older sister the oldest one she had a date one time and the guy didn't show up and she was so upset.

34:14 I remember my dad telling her.

34:18 You've got to learn to take a disappointment. Not that you should be a defeatist amazing, but learn to take a disappointment and then do something about it going other way to something more positive. So that has stuck with me all my life and I think about that every once in awhile.

34:37 Good, that's a good one. And another thing high school and she was.

34:49 I had a class project with making posters something to do with life life sciences or something else. And so my dad helped her come up with this poster and and there was a seamless success comes in cans. So he made this poster picture of cans and the labels on the cans said success success comes in cans and then it's small print on the bottom and said failure comes in camps that sticks with me to

35:29 I like that.

35:33 So keep that can do attitude.

35:40 Nice

35:42 Well

35:45 Anything else any other Pearls of Wisdom?

35:55 Having to go pick up.

35:57 Laurie after school and she came limping out there with a broken leg for cheer practice.

36:04 Oh it was sad.

36:13 Tell me that same one more time about putting your name start with your name and some faces fools names like their faces appear in all public places.

36:33 First one up is the best one dressed.

36:48 Thank you, Dad. Thank you Lord for this opportunity.

36:55 Funny Siri things with you in a peaceful environment or no interruptions.