Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:07 | As his sister drove him to the airport to leave for Vietnam, a morbid thought came over Jesse Groves. He forgot about it when he got there and stepped off the plane into what seemed like hell itself. (Caution: strong language.)
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Jesse Groves had a tough upbringing until he went to live on a dairy farm, where he thrived. Drafted into the Army, he was about to find out about that war in Vietnam, of which he was only vaguely aware.
Getting shot at was bad enough but not being able to take a shower really got to Jesse Groves when he had to stay in the field for weeks at a time. He had a new family, the men in his platoon, and they all smelled just as bad as he did. (Caution: strong language.)
When his unit moved to the A Shau Valley and got new leadership, Jesse Groves noticed a marked improvement. The action there was hot but the company was functioning at a high level. He especially appreciated the gutsy new 1st Sergeant.
Jesse Groves knew he might get shot by the same guy who shot the man lying out there by the VC bunker. He considered it, then headed out. This occurred during a long series of firefights which would decimate the company.
Mail call was a really big deal to Jesse Groves. There was very little contact with the outside world in the jungles of Vietnam. He was vaguely aware of the anti-war movement, but a man getting shot at has no time to ponder such things.
Coming home from Vietnam was a difficult experience. Jesse Groves was perplexed by the apathy and outright abuse. He suppressed his memories and moved on. Once later wars made service respectable again, and once he began to reconnect with his comrades, he could feel proud of his service.
