Interview, Bernard Gundrum, USA

Bernard Gundrum (b. 1947) was born and raised in Gates, New York. He was one of seven children, three of whom entered the military. After graduating from high school in 1966, Gundrum went to work as a garage mechanic for the Rochester Telephone Company. A few months later, he enlisted in the United States Army in order to avoid being drafted. Gundrum served in the Army from 1966 until his honorable discharge in 1969, when he returned home to Rochester and his job at the telephone company, where he worked until retirement.

In his interview, Gundrum explains how his aptitude test and prior knowledge of mechanics earned him a placement in Army aviation. He was trained in helicopter maintenance at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, and Ft. Rucker, Alabama. Gundrum reports that he and his cohort received only four months of training before being sent to Vietnam and that they were expected to learn more while on the job. He shares his memories of first arriving in Vietnam after a stop in Alaska and of his first overseas assignments. He also speaks extensively about the Vietnamese people he encountered. After being in country for a short time, Gundrum was assigned to be a door gunner and he describes what this position entailed. He was eventually promoted to Crew Chief and served in this role for the remainder of his time in Vietnam. Gundrum was also stationed in Germany and he compares his time there to his experience in Vietnam. He discusses the Army’s process for handling returning servicemen, his feelings about being a Vietnam veteran, and his thoughts on how the war has affected his life, comparing his experience to the way more recent veterans have been treated.