Roy Vashon
"Mr. Roy F. Vashon, a Korean War veteran
with a lot of spark. He’s very knowledgeable, and an extremely kind
man.
He lived in Winslow, Maine, since he was a boy. When he turned 21, the government did a draft for men to become soldiers in the Army. 'See, when you’re drafted the enlisted men treat you differently, they don't have as much respect for draftees, because you were forced to join.' After saying all of his good-byes he was sent all around the United States, to receive his eight weeks of training. After waiting a few months, he was sent to serve our country.
'I was in the trucking part, we transported anything and everything, from supplies for the troops, to Korean and American soldiers.' He told us many different stories, some sad, others quite funny. 'Well, as we were driving troops down to their base, we were following another truck which was attacked, by some Korean civilians trying to stop the war. They tipped the truck and ran off. Many of the people who were inside the truck had died, due to the big crash that had happened when it was tipped over.'
There were many unpleasant memories such as that one he had revisited just for us, but there were also a lot of humorous ones too. 'Well, as I went out to town to pick up a package my mother had sent me, a group of Koreans had stopped me after I received my package. They offered me a great sum of money, I knew what was in the package, so it wasn't anything secretive. I gave them the package, and the group handed me a wad of Korean money. I waited until Id gotten back to the base before I opened it, it looked like a big wad of cash at the time, but when I counted it, it was nothing. Sure it had the big bills on top but, inside, there was nothing but a piece of foam.' Let’s just say after that little incident, he learned never to do it again.
Mr. Vashon, is so brave, for even entering the war. He just took the training and not one complain, and felt sorrow for his lost friends. Even though it may seem like being in the war was like a walk in the park, it really wasn't. His leisure time was spent down in the Capital looking in stores, and writing letters to home. It may seem less dangerous now, but if you talk to a Korean War Veteran, they would most likely tell you about 'Bed Check Charlie'. It may seem like a strange name. The story behind it was that, every other night, there would be a bomb plane that was traveling to the Capital of South Korea, Seoul. 'You could hear it coming miles away,' Mr. Vashon says. 'We’d run for the fox hole as fast as we possibly could. But we all knew were it was heading. We all still ran, though, because we never knew if plans might change, and they drop the bomb randomly. When we all got there, some body yelled, Bed Check Charlie’s back. And the name stuck.'
My Peperé is one of the bravest people that I know. Going through all of that misery. Being away from home, and being forced to go to war. 'It seemed exciting at the time, you know, go and see the world, then come back.' After all that Peperé has seen, and done. I think that he is beyond proud, of his service to his country. He believes that his service doesn't nearly compare to to those in Vietnam or WWII, but I believe they all should be equally proud, no matter what war they served in.
Although he served in the Korean War, which is also known as The Forgotten War. 'It wasn't a big deal', he said. 'I went over, served my country, saw the world, and came home.'
I am very proud that he served, and I know that he’s so proud to wear the Korean War Veteran hat that I bought him.
I love my Peperé and I don't know what Id do if he weren’t here. I’m very proud that he served and he said, 'Of course, Id do it again, if I were a little younger of course.'" ~ S. Getchell
"Mr. Vashon was about 21 or 22 when he got drafted into the Korean War. He was not scared at all. He says that when you get scared, you get careless. He was in for about 13 months, got out in 1954. He was a supplier with about 3 other men....
...A typical day for Vashon was to deliver supplies to men. He delivered guns, gun powder, and food, things like that. He faced hardships. His hardships were dealing with the rain and cold. It would rain for a couple of weeks at once and never stop....
...He said if kids would want to join it’s no game, no picnic. T.V. makes it look different than real life. His lasting influence that stuck with him was to not take anything for granted. A really good memory that he had was that he saw different children and cultures....
...I learned that there was a lot of people forgot about the Korean War. When the people came home to reunite with their loved ones, people would be like so where have you been for so long? The Korean War is also called the “Forgotten War”
Mr. Vashon taught me not to take things advantage. See what things really are. This was a very valuable experience for me, because it’s not like people get to interview people from the Korean War everyday. I was very happy and proud to interview Roy Vashon." ~ S. Mea
"...Mr. Vashon was not scared of the concept of war. 'What good would it have done to be scared?' he told us when asked if the thought of war made him scared. So he was a brave soldier and fought for his country, no matter what had to happen. He also said that becoming a soldier was no problem for him. It was easy, but while there he said that the war did change him. It changes everybody in at least one way; it gives them more respect for people. Which is exactly how it changed Mr. Vashon also.
So all in all, Mr. Vashon thought that the war was a very good experience for him, and he would go back any day. Just, maybe in the Air Force, if they allowed him to. When he tried to go into the Air Force after his first war experience, they turned him down because he didn't have good enough eye sight. But maybe if it was improved he would've also been an Air Force veteran. Mr. Vashon said that he thought that any young man should go into the war; it will teach them the respect that they need to live.
This interview went very well and I am very glad that I had a chance to do it. Mr. Vashon told us all about what a great experience the war was and I know that I at least learned a whole lot more about the Korean War than I came in with." ~ B. Halliwell
He lived in Winslow, Maine, since he was a boy. When he turned 21, the government did a draft for men to become soldiers in the Army. 'See, when you’re drafted the enlisted men treat you differently, they don't have as much respect for draftees, because you were forced to join.' After saying all of his good-byes he was sent all around the United States, to receive his eight weeks of training. After waiting a few months, he was sent to serve our country.
'I was in the trucking part, we transported anything and everything, from supplies for the troops, to Korean and American soldiers.' He told us many different stories, some sad, others quite funny. 'Well, as we were driving troops down to their base, we were following another truck which was attacked, by some Korean civilians trying to stop the war. They tipped the truck and ran off. Many of the people who were inside the truck had died, due to the big crash that had happened when it was tipped over.'
There were many unpleasant memories such as that one he had revisited just for us, but there were also a lot of humorous ones too. 'Well, as I went out to town to pick up a package my mother had sent me, a group of Koreans had stopped me after I received my package. They offered me a great sum of money, I knew what was in the package, so it wasn't anything secretive. I gave them the package, and the group handed me a wad of Korean money. I waited until Id gotten back to the base before I opened it, it looked like a big wad of cash at the time, but when I counted it, it was nothing. Sure it had the big bills on top but, inside, there was nothing but a piece of foam.' Let’s just say after that little incident, he learned never to do it again.
Mr. Vashon, is so brave, for even entering the war. He just took the training and not one complain, and felt sorrow for his lost friends. Even though it may seem like being in the war was like a walk in the park, it really wasn't. His leisure time was spent down in the Capital looking in stores, and writing letters to home. It may seem less dangerous now, but if you talk to a Korean War Veteran, they would most likely tell you about 'Bed Check Charlie'. It may seem like a strange name. The story behind it was that, every other night, there would be a bomb plane that was traveling to the Capital of South Korea, Seoul. 'You could hear it coming miles away,' Mr. Vashon says. 'We’d run for the fox hole as fast as we possibly could. But we all knew were it was heading. We all still ran, though, because we never knew if plans might change, and they drop the bomb randomly. When we all got there, some body yelled, Bed Check Charlie’s back. And the name stuck.'
My Peperé is one of the bravest people that I know. Going through all of that misery. Being away from home, and being forced to go to war. 'It seemed exciting at the time, you know, go and see the world, then come back.' After all that Peperé has seen, and done. I think that he is beyond proud, of his service to his country. He believes that his service doesn't nearly compare to to those in Vietnam or WWII, but I believe they all should be equally proud, no matter what war they served in.
Although he served in the Korean War, which is also known as The Forgotten War. 'It wasn't a big deal', he said. 'I went over, served my country, saw the world, and came home.'
I am very proud that he served, and I know that he’s so proud to wear the Korean War Veteran hat that I bought him.
I love my Peperé and I don't know what Id do if he weren’t here. I’m very proud that he served and he said, 'Of course, Id do it again, if I were a little younger of course.'" ~ S. Getchell
"Mr. Vashon was about 21 or 22 when he got drafted into the Korean War. He was not scared at all. He says that when you get scared, you get careless. He was in for about 13 months, got out in 1954. He was a supplier with about 3 other men....
...A typical day for Vashon was to deliver supplies to men. He delivered guns, gun powder, and food, things like that. He faced hardships. His hardships were dealing with the rain and cold. It would rain for a couple of weeks at once and never stop....
...He said if kids would want to join it’s no game, no picnic. T.V. makes it look different than real life. His lasting influence that stuck with him was to not take anything for granted. A really good memory that he had was that he saw different children and cultures....
...I learned that there was a lot of people forgot about the Korean War. When the people came home to reunite with their loved ones, people would be like so where have you been for so long? The Korean War is also called the “Forgotten War”
Mr. Vashon taught me not to take things advantage. See what things really are. This was a very valuable experience for me, because it’s not like people get to interview people from the Korean War everyday. I was very happy and proud to interview Roy Vashon." ~ S. Mea
"...Mr. Vashon was not scared of the concept of war. 'What good would it have done to be scared?' he told us when asked if the thought of war made him scared. So he was a brave soldier and fought for his country, no matter what had to happen. He also said that becoming a soldier was no problem for him. It was easy, but while there he said that the war did change him. It changes everybody in at least one way; it gives them more respect for people. Which is exactly how it changed Mr. Vashon also.
So all in all, Mr. Vashon thought that the war was a very good experience for him, and he would go back any day. Just, maybe in the Air Force, if they allowed him to. When he tried to go into the Air Force after his first war experience, they turned him down because he didn't have good enough eye sight. But maybe if it was improved he would've also been an Air Force veteran. Mr. Vashon said that he thought that any young man should go into the war; it will teach them the respect that they need to live.
This interview went very well and I am very glad that I had a chance to do it. Mr. Vashon told us all about what a great experience the war was and I know that I at least learned a whole lot more about the Korean War than I came in with." ~ B. Halliwell