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Service Reflections of SMSgt Don Zeman, U.S. Air Force (1970-1994)

Service Reflections of SMSgt Don Zeman, U.S. Air Force (1970-1994)

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After graduating from Charles D. Owen High School while living in Black Mountain, NC, 1968, my family moved to Danville, VA. I attended Danville Community College for a year and a half, but my heart wasn’t into more school at the time. I was a better draft avoider than a student. Quitting school several times, my 2S (student) deferment was changed to 1A (ready for immediate induction) and I was called for a physical.
I was unsure what I wanted to do, and how to start my adult life. Going to college was a long-term path. Working low-paying jobs that didn’t require experience was not satisfying. Without a commitment to school, I faced being drafted.
My older brother, Sgt Frank J. Zeman III, had completed five years of Air Force service and elected discharge in June 1970. My twin brother, SMSgt Ronald F. Zeman, USAF Ret., and I were in the first group for the new (December 1969) draft lottery and our draft number was 161. Without a deferment, I would have been drafted with numbers 195 and below were called.

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Service Reflections of NCC Don Richards, U.S. Navy (1980-2004)

Service Reflections of NCC Don Richards, U.S. Navy (1980-2004)

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Growing up I was influenced by war movies, TV and history involving the military (and I still am) so; I felt a sense of duty. In 1980 (age 20) I knew I wanted to join but, I wanted some control over what I would be doing. One day I drove to the recruiting office, grabbed some pamphlets and left. I didn’t look at the recruiters or give them a chance to talk to me.
I looked at the material over, talked to my brother-in-law (who was a Navy Vet) and went back a week or so later to negotiate IC “A” school.
When I learned I could be promoted to E2 by referring two others to join; I parked outside the recruiting office almost every day, during lunch. When someone came up I’d ask, “are you thinking about joining the Navy”? If they said yes I’d say “my name’s Don, come on, I’ll introduce ya! The recruiters must have thought I knew everyone in town and at least three of them enlisted (so, since I referred them, I was promoted to E2).

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PFC Jerome Silberman (Gene Wilder), U.S. Army, 1956-1958

PFC Jerome Silberman (Gene Wilder), U.S. Army, 1956-1958

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In the glittering world of Hollywood, Gene Wilder remains an iconic figure, celebrated for his comedic genius and unforgettable performances. From his iconic roles in classics like "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" to his collaborations with Mel Brooks in uproarious films like "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles," Wilder's legacy is etched in the hearts of movie buffs everywhere. Yet, amidst the laughter and applause, there exists a lesser-known chapter of his life – his service in the United States military. Beyond the screen, Wilder's journey as a soldier reveals a depth of character shaped by discipline, sacrifice, and patriotism. Gene Wilder’s Early Life: From Milwaukee to Basic Training Gene Wilder was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of Jeanne (Baer) and William J. Silberman, a manufacturer and salesman of novelty items. His father was a Jewish Russian immigrant, as were his maternal grandparents. Growing up, Wilder and his...

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Service Reflections of HM1 Kenneth Smith, U.S. Navy (1987-2007)

Service Reflections of HM1 Kenneth Smith, U.S. Navy (1987-2007)

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I had always wanted to join the Navy, ever since I was 12 years old.
My uncle was in the Navy and he would always come home with more sea stories to tell.
When my dad went back in the Navy, after 10 years of broken service, we moved to San Diego. I was immersed in the Navy culture and I knew I wanted to become a Sailor. I joined the Sea Cadet Corps and stayed in it for 3 years, until we moved to Minneapolis, MN.
I joined the Minnesota National Guard, while still in high school because the Navy didn’t want me until I graduated. I wanted to serve my country as soon as I could I finally joined the Navy in April of 1987 and went to Boot Camp in Jun 1987.
While in Boot Camp, a Chaplin asked my company why we joined. I was the only one in the company to say I simply wanted to serve my country. It was not popular, back then, to be as patriotic as I was. But I was proud to serve, and I am proud to have gotten as far as I did.

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Service Reflections of GYSGT Wesley Heckman, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2003)

Service Reflections of GYSGT Wesley Heckman, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2003)

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My father was the biggest influence on me to join. Although he never once said anything to me about joining the Marine Corps, he never went to the recruiter with me. The only statement he made to me was…

1. “Boy, if you want your driver’s license at 16, you need to get a job, buy a car, and insurance. Then you can get your license.”

2. ” When you turn 18, you are going to have to get out of MY house or pay rent” That was his philosophy. I bought a 1965 Malibu from our next-door neighbor for $500.00; my mother was the bank, payments were established, and at 18, I was in the Corps.

I was born at Camp LeJeune. My brother at Portsmouth, Va, and my sister at New Port, RI. When my father went to Viet Nam we lived near my Grandparents in Pittsburgh, PA. When he returned, he got I&I duty in Providence, RI, and we lived at Quonset Point, RI. When he had to spend the night as Staff Duty NCO, he would often take me along to hang with him, which was really great during Xmas, you know, Toys For Tots. Back then, you donated any toy, used or new. So the corner of the Shop was filled with toys, and I tested them before they were distributed.

I remember riding with him in a 5-ton, taking Marines to the airstrip. Later in my career, I asked him about those rides. We were hauling Marines to begin deployment to Viet Nam. From there, we moved to Parris Island, and for the next six years, it was boot Camp. It was a different time there as well. We saw a lot of training and got to do a lot. Once or twice I ran obstacles on the Confidence Course or climbed the O course rope to prove to young recruits “a child can do it.” I loved it. So without a word from my father, he showed me his love of the Corps, which I chose as well. Our favorite movies to watch together were John Wayne in the Sand of Iwo Jima, The Great Santini, and The Boys in Company C.

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Service Reflections of MSGT Terry Bacon, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-1998)

Service Reflections of MSGT Terry Bacon, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-1998)

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PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents MSGT Terry Bacon's legacy of his military service from 1977 to 1998. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life. Start recording your own Military Memories HERE. Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Marine Corps. When I was about 7 or 8, I had an uncle who had returned from Vietnam. It was in '67 or '68. He was a door gunner and crew chief on a UH-34D. When he got home, he gave me an eagle, globe, and anchor to play with, and I carried it with me everywhere. It left a lasting...

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Service Reflections of CPL Chandra Duncan, U.S. Marine Corps (1981-1986)

Service Reflections of CPL Chandra Duncan, U.S. Marine Corps (1981-1986)

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As a child, I always wanted to be a Marine and spent many hours watching movies and playing “war” with friends in the backyard wearing surplus WWII, Korea, and Vietnam apparel and gear given to me by my “uncle” Jr. The late 90s, while I was in high school, was a relative time of peace, and the few people I did see joining the military were doing it for college money, which, while making sense to me, also kind of soured the idea for me. In my senior year in 2000, the Army National Guard ran a recruiting event in the quad area at lunch, and a friend and I added our names to a list to get more information; my mother always told me that the military would brainwash me and that I was flat-footed and wouldn’t be accepted anyway (I’m not flat-footed) and when that Army Sgt called the house I heard my mother quickly give him a piece of her mind and then abruptly hang up on him, and that was the end of that, I wasn’t fully committed to the idea myself and had apprehensions and concerns about whether I’d be up to military life and honestly was unsure that I even had what it takes to make it through boot camp. After high school, I worked for my family, got engaged, and took out a loan for my first home. Then September 11th happened. I was angry, and silly as it may sound, I was filled with guilt as I saw on the news the brave men and women my age who answered the call to service both before and during this unprecedented time in our country. Still, I had obligations here at home and continued on my current course at the time. Years passed, and I grew older and feared that my youth would quickly pass me by. Then, the economic recession of 2008 hit.

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Service Reflections of ETCS David Scheffler, U.S. Navy (1972-1995)

Service Reflections of ETCS David Scheffler, U.S. Navy (1972-1995)

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PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents ETCS David Scheffler's legacy of his military service from 1972 to 1995. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life. Start recording your own Military Memories HERE. Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Navy. The Next Adventure I served in the US Army during the Vietnam War, developing a sense of Duty and Service. As my 'Sense' of duty developed, I simply knew that I was born to serve. Perhaps I was influenced by my years as a Boy Scout sitting around myriad campfires listening to the...

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Service Reflections of MMC Kenneth Parment, U.S. Navy (1981-2004)

Service Reflections of MMC Kenneth Parment, U.S. Navy (1981-2004)

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PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents MMC Kenneth Parment's legacy of his military service from 1981 to 2004. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life. Start recording your own Military Memories HERE. Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Navy. My family was a military family. I always knew I would join and serve, just not what branch or specialty. My father (Army Air Corps) and Uncle (Navy) said the Navy had the best chow and no marching. I wanted to try out for the Army Ranger program, but following my parent's advice,...

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Service Reflections of SSG John Smith, U.S. Army (1976-1996)

Service Reflections of SSG John Smith, U.S. Army (1976-1996)

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PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents SSG John Smith's legacy of his military service from 1976 to 1996. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life. Start recording your own Military Memories HERE. Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Army. My Step Uncle Tommy Shelton was a soldier during Vietnam, I remember him visiting when I was a kid, and he would not talk much about it; when I got older, my Dad asked him to speak to me as my brother, and I had already decided to join the military. My Dad really did not want us to join...

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SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

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List the names of old friends you served with, at which locations, and recount what you remember most about them?:

In late 1976, I reenlisted for my second tour of duty. I had chosen my next duty station as West Point, NY, which was close to my parent’s residence. The year prior, while I was stationed in Hawaii, my mother had undergone major surgery in order to amputate one of her legs that had been destroyed by osteomyelitis. Her diabetes had exacerbated the disease. The only solution was amputation, a risky endeavor because the diabetes could cause the procedure to end her life. The surgery was a success and in due time, she was fitted with a prosthesis.

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