Michael Rummel and Rick Appleton
Recorded
June 17, 2013
47:45 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
mbx008314
Description
Subject Log / Time Code
Mike talks about how he chose to enlist in the Marines. He was at Michigan State University an burned out, as well as had doubts about himself, so he chose to enlist. He was sent to study with the army because there was no Marines for his job.
Mike remembers one of his first nights in Vietnam, when he was sent to a "transient hooch" that had no real bunker. Incoming sirens went off and he found himself naked because he had been sleeping nude due to the heat, with a flip flop in one hand and his glasses in the other thinking, :They don't know I'm a good person."
Mike talks about his choice to extend his tour of duty by 6 months twice while in Vietnam. He was offered 30 days "free leave" with a paid round trip ticket anywhere in the world and he talks about the places he traveled.
Mike talks about looking into an explosion in Vietnam years later and discovering that he had almost been killed because a second grenade had been thrown and was found right near where he had been, but never exploded.
Mike talks about the change in society's views on the military and the need to "separate the war from the warrior"
Mike talks about being ready to finish his degree to go into teaching yet not wanting to, but had yet to find a job after having left the military, and getting hired just in time by I.N.S.
Participants
- Michael Rummel
- Rick Appleton
Venue / Recording Kit
Partnership
Partnership Type
OutreachInitiatives
Keywords
- 26th Marine Regiment
- 2nd Platoon
- 2nd Squad
- 3rd Battalion
- Cryptologic Technician
- electrical maintenance company
- emphathy
- Force Logistics Command
- Homeland Security
- Honey Wagon
- I.N.S.
- Immigrants
- India Company
- Judge Advocate General's Corps
- law school
- Lawyer
- tactical crypto technician
- Transient Hooch
- U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN 70)