George M. Garcia, Vietnam Veteran, Oral Interview (1969/2012)

Introduction

• Interview conducted in 2012 with George M. Garcia, a Vietnam War veteran.
• Garcia served as a corporal in the United States Marine Corps.
• Discusses his experiences during the Vietnam War, including his early life, military service, and returning home.

Arrival in Vietnam

• Arrived in Da Nang at age 18, freshly out of high school.
• Assigned to Company F, constantly on missions from January 3, 1969.

Friendly Fire Incident (February 1969)

• Describes a mission to seek and destroy, following a jet bombardment.
• A miscommunication led to friendly fire from American jets.
• Experienced his most traumatic day when bombs were dropped on his unit.
• Witnessed significant loss of life, estimated about 30-35 men lost.

Personal Injury and Experience

• Describes being hit by shrapnel that hit but did not fully penetrate his neck.
• Reflects on the strange nature of the injury and his focus on helping others during the incident.

Coping with Trauma

• Faced a critical moment of deciding to internalize the trauma to maintain sanity.
• Recounts the first major trauma faced as a young man during the war.

Survival and Beliefs

• Attributes survival not to luck but to God's grace.
• Frequently prayed and pleaded with God during his service.

Refusal of the Purple Heart

• Declined the award of a Purple Heart for his injury because he did not feel worthy compared to the losses he witnessed.
• Maintains that declining the medal was the right decision.

Reflections

• Continues to carry memories of the war and the trauma experienced.
• Believes his decision during and after the war helped him preserve his sanity and dignity.