Pamela Sulton and Lester Phillips

00:00 Hello. My today is Wednesday, June 30th. 2021. My name is Pamela Hampton Sultan. And I, I am 60 years old.

00:16 My participant for today is Mister Lester e Phillips, the Third.

00:23 And he is a very good friend of mine. Mr. Phillips. Listen to Just Who You Are.

00:31 Today is Wednesday, June 30th, 2021. My name is Lester Phillips. The Third.

00:44 Might be kissing your age. By age is 95.

00:53 You are Pamela, Hampton, Sultan, and we are related by being the best. What we are best friends. So we'd like to just let you know a little bit about mr. Phillips. We're going to start off by just talking a little bit Mr. Phillipson. The first thing you wanted to ask you is when when

01:18 Were you drafted?

01:21 In service. I was drafted in service. I was drafted and August and 1920.

01:32 45.

01:36 I am from the little town of Hartsville, South Carolina.

01:42 I was drafted and had the time of my family and friends. All knew that I was going to service, they knew I was there.

01:56 Happy to go in service because it was all the people that do most of the people at that time was very

02:06 Answers to get into service because of the wall was hot and we wanted to serve.

02:13 So you just answered my question of the reasoning that you wanted to go and join the service. But how did you choose your branch of service with the Lester in service? I went in early in the day that it was scheduled for me to go in. That was the day at your location. I was in it was stepped in, just white, but they were also accepting black, but we had to go from Hartsville to Columbia. We had to go on the bus. So we was in the back of the bus and we had plenty of space to look at the people. Our friends was there to greet. I feel well, and so is Austin. Jackson's domination and step forward this to say into service.

03:13 Fort Jackson is in army base. So you started your career. What was your basic training? Like? Mr. Lester my Boost. What's up? Engineering camp? Fort Leonard, Wood, Missouri. And bar, was that hell? We was trained Building Bridges.

03:41 Digging ditches doing all kind of repairing buildings.

03:50 Train tracks and cell phone. And when I finish training, I was deployed. Now, I'm next question. It is. Okay. You were at Fort Jackson. And what was your first deployment? Like, what do you remember about that first deployment? At the time of Christmas? Everything was grounded at the time. So we stayed at Lindenwood doing the Christmas. First of January. We was noted on the bus, take me to print and sent home for 15 days and then off to Germany, landed butzbach Germany. Well,

04:39 We was working on building repair and bridges tracks railroad tracks and rules. So I was very busy and enjoy the work very much. And what year was that mister? Mister Lester. That was 1940.

05:02 Six, five and six world powers in trading, only 13 weeks, several weeks, basic training and eight weeks of Technical Training, and then about that time with nothing but 45, or 46. Well, you have been in three Wars you were in World War World War II, and Korea, and Vietnam War. So, tell me about another one of your deployment. Well, returning home. Because at that time, we had early release because of the water was over at time in Europe, still fighting in

05:54 And so I went to school and enrolled in South Carolina state and there are two industrial education. And also it's all PCC students. I graduated in 51. At that time. I receive a commission Sekulow panel lbs, the green DSi, industrial, and Grand Vacation. So I can graduate in May 51, June 25th. I had all the bedding and forbidding to careers and their we was in actual combat.

06:41 Tell me a little bit more about. Can you describe how you felt in combat or something that you'd like to to let us know about combat. So that was your first combat. Yeah, that was in Korea right now.

06:59 Actor in Korea. What is the pan by playing? But was only from Japan to Korea Japanese boat black. And there was no,

07:23 People there anybody that I could see Garden going to the front. What's the 45th National Guard? That's the Oklahoma National Guard. Unit was the first black soldier supposed to be wonderful when I get there or the train was no one there to meet me. So I stood there couple of us and later a Jeep with come by and pick up another and there to the front lines and boy, was I scared. You. Also, we're spanning three different War. So we've talked about where were we talked a little bit about Korea and now tell me about your deployment to Vietnam.

08:23 Well, after I left.

08:27 Korean. I actually transferred to Okinawa where we was Garden, bummers B-29, 1st employment of the B-29 to the for you regarding them. And later. I received orders to come back to the States and end up at the secret album, from Tuskegee. Now to Vietnam.

09:00 Vietnam.

09:02 I was with MacKenzie Terrebonne, General work mall and staff of a J-3 operation and do all the all over.

09:19 Vietnam and Cambodia and Laos from different. Whatever happened in Vietnam, somebody from the j3 was there before or after?

09:32 I was there for two 18-month trips.

09:39 Who was I was there for 36 months?

09:43 Well, you still owe me that you were from Hartsville. And can you just tell me a little bit about you? Tell me about three different wonderful experiences while you were in the service. Can you tell me a little bit about where you were born in and how you grew up early? I was born and Hospital actually being a little town. My family was living in a little, unincorporated does still at still there?

10:21 I joined the voice thing and then the Boy Scouts. I like the hiking swimming camping. I become became a leader and there, I became the first Black Eagle Scout in South Carolina. I trained notable and Asian doing that kind of a couple people from that. Became College presidents, one with the Tuskegee Airmen.

10:58 Couple of City and County Council has won state, senator, in many teachers that I've trained while in the Scout summer camps from all over South Carolina cuz I was a great swimmer and a scalpmaster appointment went to these camps. I was in charge of the camps. Other words. I was just out but I was in charge and the other leaders because I was trying another camp and that time was Jamie the experience to train these people. You started out with the Boy Scouts and then you went into the service and so can you explain to a plane to me? Is there something that you wish that civilians understood about military service?

11:58 NN Scouts and leading these boys and I was helping training young man ever since I was 12, 13 14 years old. So that's one of the reasons I want to go in the service. I want to try and help friend and help young people in the military and I found, it will be extremely difficult. Since I told you, I'm at work in Germany. Occupation was great in, like the German people and the guards, the roundness. And so, his traveling back and forth, but in Germany at that time, I was there during the execution of the, the military, with the German leaders at Nuremberg.

12:56 So that was a great experience. And can you tell me a little bit about your spending thirty years of service? Tell me the date that you went into the service. Okay, did they tow and service was 20th of August 45. Now, the date that when you left your military service the day, I left finally left the military service, February 28th, 1974. How do you say your time in the military affected? You, well, my time in the military action made me mad because there was training with many classes different schools. With my love of teaching, gave me an opportunity to teach and became a military instructor. So, most of the time,

13:56 When I wasn't doing official work so I can come back. I was teaching so it may demand of me. Wonderful. So let's talk a little bit more about the military. Is there something that you would like for civilians to understand about military service? What does it actually? We know what it did for you but for someone someone to know what military service is all about it and really the advantages of it. Well, because I was one of the first black retrievers in the Southeast and station in Charlotte, North Carolina. I had two opportunities to young man. And definitely, I will tell that's why. Not. Just leaving home. Young ladies, not just getting away from home. You must have some other objective. What?

14:56 Addicted, whatever, you'll drink to be. You must keep this in mind. You stay focused. All know, there's plenty of schools that you can change your mind to change fuel injector and to be. But doing the time in service with your would have wonderful life. It would take advantage of the same, the service has to offer. So with that in mind for Generations that are listening to us and listening to this for Generations listening to this years from now. Is there any wisdom that you want to pass on to them?

15:38 What's the weather in Nashville? Like to pass on, on my base? It on what? I?

15:46 You see myself with a wooden service. I had some objectives and then I want to go because I want where was in a crisis. The wall. I want to help protect the country. And what I saw when I was in occupation and end up, getting this ever happened to us. So have something in mind. Keep your objective in mind and always focus on the ejected and stay focused. Mr. Lester East Phillips, the third I've enjoyed talking with you. This is been a heartwarming just to hear the span of time that you have in your service that you've given to our country. But more than anything else. I've enjoyed the fact that you have imparted into me and in

16:46 Do younger people that bit. Once you are focused and you have your focus in mind. You continue to do that. Don't let don't get don't straight. But at the same time you have a lifetime to build on that Focus that your education is, very vital and that never lose the fact that being educated. You can pass it on to others in everything that you said. I have really enjoyed listening to you as you passed on the knowledge, everything that you've done from when you left Hartsville. And then when you went in the service, you are a born leader, a leader, leading people, and having them to see that leadership comes from within and at the military service and the discipline that you learned was very vital. In those thirty years that you that you were in military service.

17:45 Or anything else that you'd like to say mister, mister, mister Phillips, not everything. But at the time I think I have covered the beginning to the end of my service and now I'm retired and

18:05 I enjoy being retired, and I had a wonderful life and I thank you very much as a friend and thank you for accepting my invitation, and thank you for what you have done and thank you for your service and

18:24 As you stated your retirement life, you're really enjoying it. You're able to sever the time. You're able to enjoy the time that that you had this this will end our conversation. We'd like to thank you for listening and

18:42 Just thank you. Thank you. So very, very much for listening to voices of the military was Pamela Hampton Sultan and Mr. Lester Phillips the Third.