Vietnam Veterans Speak at Oak Forest HS

When talking about Vietnam with her students, Oak Forest High School English teacher Ms. Jen Schanz noticed that students had problems conceptualizing how intense and raw the wartime experiences were for the Vietnam veterans. When Schanz started teaching The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, a story about a group of men who fought in the Vietnam War, she knew students would need a little help picturing what was going on in the novel.

On November 25, students in Ms. Schanz’s class and Mr. Mike Brown’s history class, had the privilege of meeting with four Vietnam War veterans who shared their firsthand accounts of the Vietnam War.

Speaking to the students were veterans Alan VanBladel, Tom Newton, John Swiderski, and Gary Sieroslawski from the organization Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 11, who shared their firsthand accounts of the Vietnam War.

Each veteran talked about what life was like when they arrived in Vietnam. One veteran, Tom Newton, was a gunner for a Chinook resupply helicopter. He said he was very lucky because he was only fired on twice, but it was still very scary. He said, “I think about my experience in Vietnam every day.” He has sought counseling for how he is feeling about it. He said that many veterans may have had an okay time while they were in Vietnam, but are having problems processing their memories because of the post-traumatic stress they are still suffering.

The other veterans agreed with Newton. Gary Sieroslawski said, “We are talking to you because it is good therapy for us.” He was drafted and trained as an artillery man. He was responsible for firing the huge Howitzer guns which could fire rounds up to 22 miles away. He said that because of the time spent firing those huge guns, he can’t hear so well today.

John Swiderski was an auditor for the Army. He processed criminals and materials for the Army and traveled all over Vietnam. Of all of the veterans, he seemed to have the most normal job. He said that he was speaking to the Oak Forest High School students to prove that Vietnam veterans “are normal people.”

Allan VanBladel was not drafted as the other three speakers were. He voluntarily enlisted in the Navy. He said while he was in Vietnam, he was on a ship that was equivalent to three football fields long. His ship was responsible for providing “harassment” for enemy forces on the land by firing large guns. VanBladel actually visited South Vietnam several years ago, and was touched at the monuments they erected to the “Hero Comrades,” or the American soldiers who fought for them.

The veterans explained the draft board, how they passed their time waiting until their next set of orders, snakes and other deadly creatures that they encountered in the jungles, and how heavy their clothing and day packs were. They also explained that every boy must register for the selective service when they turn 18.