Harvey Chesley, Sr.
"What Mr. Chesley had to say about his
life in Vietnam was amazing. He had gone through so many things, and
saw a lot of things that is hard for people even to imagine happening.
For example, Mr. Chesley saw Buddhists set themselves on fire. He
experienced a poisonous gas called Agent Orange. What veteran Mr.
Chesley, along with every war veteran did for our country is worth
sharing, for people to understand the reality of war.
Mr. Chesley was a Marine Corps Sergeant who decided to join the military when he was 17, in 1961. He joined the war because he thought it was a good thing to do, he wasn't drafted. But back when the war first started, he didn't think it would turn out like it did. Unlike many people who fought in Vietnam, Mr. Chesley knew that he was fighting against communism, and he thought it would be the right thing to do to join the military during this time. But when he first joined, he didn't know that he would go to Vietnam.
His most typical day would be a day of preparing trucks and military vehicles. He remembers the rice paddies that he constantly had to walk through, and he remembers the rain that would last from 25-30 days. Mr. Chesley remembers walking through jungles often, and some jungles had few living plants, due to the chemical gas called Agent Orange, used by both sides so that the soldiers had nowhere to hide...
...One of the things that bothered him was that right before he left to serve in the military, his daughter was born, so he wasn't able to see her in the 14 months that he served...
Mr. Chesley was a Marine Corps Sergeant who decided to join the military when he was 17, in 1961. He joined the war because he thought it was a good thing to do, he wasn't drafted. But back when the war first started, he didn't think it would turn out like it did. Unlike many people who fought in Vietnam, Mr. Chesley knew that he was fighting against communism, and he thought it would be the right thing to do to join the military during this time. But when he first joined, he didn't know that he would go to Vietnam.
His most typical day would be a day of preparing trucks and military vehicles. He remembers the rice paddies that he constantly had to walk through, and he remembers the rain that would last from 25-30 days. Mr. Chesley remembers walking through jungles often, and some jungles had few living plants, due to the chemical gas called Agent Orange, used by both sides so that the soldiers had nowhere to hide...
...One of the things that bothered him was that right before he left to serve in the military, his daughter was born, so he wasn't able to see her in the 14 months that he served...
Mr.
Chesley with the daughter he missed, Mrs. Laporte
...But in the end, Mr. Chesley was proud of his work. He said, without any hesitation, that yes, he would do it again. 'If it's freedom you want, it's worth fighting for,' was his confident, exact quote. I think back to what he has told me, and wonder how anybody could go through such things for our country, and want to do it again...
Mr. Chesley said that he believed in freedom for all, and that, I think, must have been what motivated him to keep going, and made him willing to serve for our country again, if he had the chance. Freedom is something everybody should have, and Mr. Chesley risked his life for freedom, which makes him just as much a hero as the people who died or lived through serving in Vietnam...
Mr. Chesley said that the war made him 'grow up in a hurry'. He was only 17 when he joined. I wonder how he could put up with such miserable things at an age that young. He saw people die, and he saw people killed. I don't think I’d ever be able to participate in that. I admire his and all the other soldiers’ bravery.
Overall I feel proud of what Mr. Chesley has accomplished. People like him make me look at our country knowing that people risked their lives for our freedom like he did, against the spread of communism. He stood up for our freedom." ~ A. Clifford
"...It was very difficult to communicate with his family. You had to make appointments to use the radio. Everything you wanted to say had to go through several people. It wasn't the same as talking one on one with someone. Letters were allowed but they took three to five weeks to arrive. The thing he missed the most besides his family was freedom...
The conditions were terrible. Sometimes there would be 20-30 days of straight rain. Other times there would be months without it. Mr. Chesley said 'there is no since in hurrying and running in the rain because your gonna get wet any ways.' He said when you slept you had to wear mosquito nets because the mosquitoes were so big and there was so many of them.
Mr. Chesley said the worst thing was coming home. Everyone hated them and blamed them for being in Vietnam. It was also hard with his family. His children didn't know who he was and it took a while for them to get to know him. He now has Leukemia, and he is certain it is caused by Agent Orange. He said the war made him grow up in a hurry. If he had the choice to go back to war he would. He would also encourage other people that could use what the military has to offer to join. He told me he would be willing to help anybody train and get ready for war if he could.
Mr. Chesley taught me a lot of things about war. One thing that really stuck with me was that not everything was bad. He told us some good things that happened to him while he was there. If I didn't hear this from him I probably wouldn't believe it. This is probably a lifetime experience for me and a lot of other people because some veterans do not like to tell their story. I think this is the best way to learn. Learning from somebody who has actually experienced it helped me understand the bravery and courage Mr. Chesley had to volunteer to fight. He still has lasting effects and yet he would join again any day as long as it was for a good cause. That is true bravery. He believes in fighting for freedom and he said 'if freedom is what you want, it's worth fighting for!'" ~ K. LaPlante
"...The things that I learned from Mr. Chesley was that the most important things to you could even be the people you are going to war with. If you are hurt physically or mentally then just keep on working your hardest. And also you should always have someone's back, like to help them, and even more. But when Mr. Chesley said that, it felt he was my hero. I think the most important thing I learned was that no matter how you feel, or how bad you don't like things you should always keep it to yourself and just move on. This interview changed how I feel about war, and how I pictured it before he came into talk to us. He told me everything that I needed to know." ~ D. Dubois
"...Mr. Chesley did mechanical repair for the Army. He fixed helicopters and tanks, plus other heavy machinery. Also, Mr. Chesley helped build schools in Vietnam. One of the greatest things Mr. Chesley got to do was drive Ngo Dinh Diem around. He said that the war made him grow up fast. He even felt bad for the Vietnamese soldiers. Also while there, Mr. Chesley had an officer friend and got plenty of food, including monkey meat...
I learned that war really doesn't solve anything and it just creates distrust and death and it is not fun and games and people really do get hurt from it. Mr. Chesley taught me that everybody is different with views on the war and it is their choice because people like having their own opinion and this is what makes this country the U.S.A. After the interview I felt lucky to have met Mr. Chesley because he is one of the nicest men I've ever met...This experience was valuable because the veterans have the most wisdom...and kindness anyone could possibly have, especially Mr. Chesley, a very kind Vietnam Veteran."
~ G. Perry
...But in the end, Mr. Chesley was proud of his work. He said, without any hesitation, that yes, he would do it again. 'If it's freedom you want, it's worth fighting for,' was his confident, exact quote. I think back to what he has told me, and wonder how anybody could go through such things for our country, and want to do it again...
Mr. Chesley said that he believed in freedom for all, and that, I think, must have been what motivated him to keep going, and made him willing to serve for our country again, if he had the chance. Freedom is something everybody should have, and Mr. Chesley risked his life for freedom, which makes him just as much a hero as the people who died or lived through serving in Vietnam...
Mr. Chesley said that the war made him 'grow up in a hurry'. He was only 17 when he joined. I wonder how he could put up with such miserable things at an age that young. He saw people die, and he saw people killed. I don't think I’d ever be able to participate in that. I admire his and all the other soldiers’ bravery.
Overall I feel proud of what Mr. Chesley has accomplished. People like him make me look at our country knowing that people risked their lives for our freedom like he did, against the spread of communism. He stood up for our freedom." ~ A. Clifford
"...It was very difficult to communicate with his family. You had to make appointments to use the radio. Everything you wanted to say had to go through several people. It wasn't the same as talking one on one with someone. Letters were allowed but they took three to five weeks to arrive. The thing he missed the most besides his family was freedom...
The conditions were terrible. Sometimes there would be 20-30 days of straight rain. Other times there would be months without it. Mr. Chesley said 'there is no since in hurrying and running in the rain because your gonna get wet any ways.' He said when you slept you had to wear mosquito nets because the mosquitoes were so big and there was so many of them.
Mr. Chesley said the worst thing was coming home. Everyone hated them and blamed them for being in Vietnam. It was also hard with his family. His children didn't know who he was and it took a while for them to get to know him. He now has Leukemia, and he is certain it is caused by Agent Orange. He said the war made him grow up in a hurry. If he had the choice to go back to war he would. He would also encourage other people that could use what the military has to offer to join. He told me he would be willing to help anybody train and get ready for war if he could.
Mr. Chesley taught me a lot of things about war. One thing that really stuck with me was that not everything was bad. He told us some good things that happened to him while he was there. If I didn't hear this from him I probably wouldn't believe it. This is probably a lifetime experience for me and a lot of other people because some veterans do not like to tell their story. I think this is the best way to learn. Learning from somebody who has actually experienced it helped me understand the bravery and courage Mr. Chesley had to volunteer to fight. He still has lasting effects and yet he would join again any day as long as it was for a good cause. That is true bravery. He believes in fighting for freedom and he said 'if freedom is what you want, it's worth fighting for!'" ~ K. LaPlante
"...The things that I learned from Mr. Chesley was that the most important things to you could even be the people you are going to war with. If you are hurt physically or mentally then just keep on working your hardest. And also you should always have someone's back, like to help them, and even more. But when Mr. Chesley said that, it felt he was my hero. I think the most important thing I learned was that no matter how you feel, or how bad you don't like things you should always keep it to yourself and just move on. This interview changed how I feel about war, and how I pictured it before he came into talk to us. He told me everything that I needed to know." ~ D. Dubois
"...Mr. Chesley did mechanical repair for the Army. He fixed helicopters and tanks, plus other heavy machinery. Also, Mr. Chesley helped build schools in Vietnam. One of the greatest things Mr. Chesley got to do was drive Ngo Dinh Diem around. He said that the war made him grow up fast. He even felt bad for the Vietnamese soldiers. Also while there, Mr. Chesley had an officer friend and got plenty of food, including monkey meat...
I learned that war really doesn't solve anything and it just creates distrust and death and it is not fun and games and people really do get hurt from it. Mr. Chesley taught me that everybody is different with views on the war and it is their choice because people like having their own opinion and this is what makes this country the U.S.A. After the interview I felt lucky to have met Mr. Chesley because he is one of the nicest men I've ever met...This experience was valuable because the veterans have the most wisdom...and kindness anyone could possibly have, especially Mr. Chesley, a very kind Vietnam Veteran."
~ G. Perry