December 7, 2025 • 39 mins
Navy Corpsman Jesse Brewer would be awarded the Silver Star for his actions at Hill 689 in Vietnam.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
first responder communities, and these are their stories. American Warrior
Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello, ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to American Warrior Radio. This
is your host, Ben buler Garcia. If you're a regular
fan of the show, you know we've had several veterans
that come on that talked about the Battle of Kasan,
which was just a major, major conflict that occurred January
twenty first through July ninth, nineteen sixty eight in the
Kwang Tree Province of South Vietnam. It pitted six thousand
(00:47):
Marines and their Vietnamese allies against twenty thousand or more
communists North Vietnamese troops. Today, we're going to be joined
by a veteran who walked around that same area at
the same time. He entered the Navy in nineteen sixty six,
deployed to Vietnam in nineteen sixty eight. He's authorized to
wear the Vietnam Campaign rip with four Battle Stars, the
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Purple Heart,
(01:11):
and the Silver Star. He's also a recipient of the
Sergeant Audie Murphy Award for demonstrating dedicated leadership and example
professionalism as an NCO. After leaving the service in nineteen
seventy and completing dental school, he returned to the Army
in nineteen eighty one and served another twenty four years,
if I'm not mistaken, before retiring at the rank of colonel.
Welcome to American Warrior Radio doctor Jesse Brewer.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, thank you so much for having me. I really
appreciate this opportunity.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Did I get Is it twenty four years in your second.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, It's kind of hard to figure that out because
when I started, I received a health professional scholarship from
the Army, and so I had four years of active
duty in the Navy. I didn't have to serve that
final two years because I was a combat veteran.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
I was exempt from that.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
So basically I'm counting four years active duty in the Navy,
and then once I received the scholarship to attend dental
school from the Army, I was in the lieutenant in
the reserves while I was in dental school, and then
once I graduated, I was promoted to captain, so that
time counted as well. And then I joined the reserve
(02:23):
active reserve unit for from about i'd say eighty five
to the year two thousand. Once I was promoted to colonel,
I took over a command unit of a medical company
dental services outfit in California. And so when you start
tallying all that time, it comes to somewhere around the
(02:47):
neighborhood of thirty four to thirty five years.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Your initial four years you were corman. Yes, that was
at you're doing when you were in Vietnam.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Let me ask jess, why did you enlist or were
you you drafted?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, you know, any discussion of who I am and
who or what I am really has to start out
with my dad, and I'll talk about him in just
a second. But the reason I listened in the Navy
was some really sage advice that he gave me, because
the Navy was a branch of service that was going
to allow me to be promoted in rank hunch I
(03:26):
finished boot camp, and it also guaranteed my mos choice
of military occupational specially of hospital corps. So they gave
me some guarantees as opposed to some of the other branches,
and so I chose the Navy and became a Corman.
So once I finished boot camp, I went to Balboa
(03:49):
Hospital for Core school training.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
That was the A school.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
And then after the A School, because I was Fleet
Marine Force, I went to Camp Pendleton and had training
in order to train me to be a combat medic.
And some people don't know that the Marines don't have
their own medical assets, so they use Navy personnel. So
(04:13):
once I finished FMF, then I was basically ready to
be deployed overseas.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Okay, And just to clarify FMF as fleet Fleet Marine
Force and that's that's things like medics, and.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Yes it is.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
You have a basic MOS military occupational especially which is
zero zero zero zero, and that's Hospital Corman. Once you
finish your Fleet Marine Force training, then you have a
secondary MOS of eighty four oh four which is Hospital Corman,
Fleet Marine Marine Force Corman.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Jesse, tell us more about your father.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
My father was, you know, he kind of set the
example for me to follow, not only as a man,
but as a father and a husband. And you know,
he very seldom told me what to do. He just
lived his life and basically let me follow him do it.
And so in nineteen thirty nine, he en. He listed
(05:13):
at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He was ROTC and he
was part of the Tuskegee Experiment where they were training
African Americans to fly and support the war effort. The
problem was, once the war ramped up, they were deploying
the aviators prior to graduation, so they were not able
(05:37):
to get their degrees before being deployed. And he basically
wanted to be the only male son in the family
that was going to be a college graduate so he
can switch to infantry. Completed his degree, was deployed to
the ninety second Infantry Division in Italy. Eventually was a
(05:59):
company commander. He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star,
and then of course returned to his family, you know.
And so when the war ramped up in Vietnam, of course,
you know, I wanted to follow his example to serve
my country, and as I mentioned, I picked the Navy
because they allowed me some guarantees.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Did he speak very much about his service.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
No, he didn't. He didn't talk about it very much.
You know, in the nineteen the forties and fifties, you know,
it was not only a tough you know, tough war,
but it was also tough for African American, especially officers,
because of the you know, the cultural aspects of the
time that he was involved in. So he didn't really
(06:47):
discuss that discussed that much, but I knew he set
an example that I wanted to follow, and I wanted
him to be proud of me, of course, and serving
the country was part of that. And I was always
interested in medicine, and I was going to go to
(07:07):
med school. But then I had some friends who were
going to dental school. And these were guys that I
really admired and respected, so you know, we were always
talking and you know, they said, you know, why don't
you try dental school, And I said, well, yeah, that's fine.
I can do that because I enjoyed working in small
spaces and of course, Dennis is always in somebody's mouth,
(07:29):
and you're working in a mirror, so not only are
you in a small space, but you're also working in reverse.
So and I like working with my hands, so I
was kind of intrigued me so, and I really inspired
these guys, and we all went to dental school together
and of course graduated and the rest is history.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Okay, just when we come back and like to talk
if you don't mind talking a little bit about your
time in Vietnam. I know, you know, skin to a point,
We've got a lot of younger listeners, both both civilians
and people in the military right now, who were having
a probably a very different experience than you had.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
But I think at the end of the day, there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Is a bond there amongst warriors, and I hope that
if you have some thoughts that you'd like to share
with them, then you'll do so as well. To kind
of tell us what the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award is.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
That was basically given to someone who demonstrated leadership and
capabilities and was really mentored in CEOs and so it
was kind of a surprise actually, but a friend of
mine who was familiar with my service as an n
(08:43):
CEO nominated me for it, and you know, as luck
would have it, I received the award. So I was
really pleased, you know, not only to get an award,
but the fact that recognize, you know, my desire to
you know, to be a good n CEO and to
(09:03):
set a proper example for other n CEOs as well. Well.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I tell you what Jesse, I learned something every show.
I mean, of course everybody's heard of Audie Murphy, but
I wasn't aware of that award. So, uh, you know,
congratulations and that this was later in your career.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
That later in the career and came as it was
really a surprise, and it came much later in my career,
and I had no idea that you know, anyone even
knew I existed, let alone you know what I was doing.
And so then that was that was, that was nice.
(09:38):
I really appreciated that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ben Bler Garcia will be
back with more with doctor Jesse Brewer. I'll be talking
about his time in Vietnam. Stick around, Welcome back to
(10:13):
American Warrior Radio. Lasy and gentlemen, this is your host,
Ben Ler Garcia. We're talking with Jesse, doctor Jesse Brewerd.
Jesse was a Navy corman UH served in Vietnam. He
eventually ended his career. He became a dentist and ended
his career retired as a full bird. Colonel Jesse wore
I mentioned I started off the show talking about Kasan,
(10:34):
and I was too well, I wasn't too young to
know about Vietnam, but I was too young to serve.
I mean, I think, you know, my oldest brother graduated
from high school right about the time that that that war.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Came to an end.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
So, you know, we, like everybody else, we saw it
was on the news, and not much of it though,
because my folks didn't want us really seeing a lot
of that as young kids. But you talked about when
you arrived you ship off to Vietnam, you arrived in
Danang in the spring of nineteen sixty eight, and you
started to get an inkling of what was about to come.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, it wasn't funny at the time. But I was
sitting in the mess hall, you know, I was waiting.
Danang was kind of an out processing center for soldiers,
you know, who were coming into country and soldiers going out,
so and the mess hall was kind of a meeting
place for the new guys and the old guys, and
(11:30):
of course the older soldiers sitting at the table were
trading horror stories, more stories basically with the usual, with
the appropriate amount of embellishments, of course, And you know,
and someone asked me, well, what even it are you
going to? And I said, well, I'm going to one
nine conversation at the table came to a complete stop.
(11:53):
Soldiers were gasping and you know, you know, doing that
and nudging each other, and someone said he's going to
the Walking Dead, and I'm going, oh, my goodness. And
it turns out that Charlie won nine. The unit that
I was going to, first Battalion, ninth Marin's third Marine
Division was a unit that had high casualty rates, endured
(12:21):
combat endurance, and they had a lot of sacrifices, so
they had the nickname the Walking Dead. And then of
course to make mothers to add insult to injury a
little bit, you know, someone said, well, they're at Geyson,
and you know that's a hot area. So that gave
me a pretty good idea of what I was in
(12:43):
score for. And then after another day or so of
in processing, I was assigned to the unit and off
we went.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Now, normally for a size or for unit this size, Jesse,
how many Corman are there just one ors or a
couple or.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Because the reason I asked is you also.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Rewarded the purple heart, which meant yes, we're wounded. Yes,
And Ben gets a dumb question every show, and so
here's my dumb question, Jesse, if the corman is wounded,
who treats the corman.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Well, you know what happened in this particular case. I
was meta backed out to a to the field hospital
unit and they were shrapnel wounds and both knees, and
so they basically dug out the shrapnels stitched it up,
(13:33):
and then they wanted to put me on you know,
put me on no duty. And I refuse that because
I was the only corman you know, in my unit,
and I couldn't be and I didn't want my guys
to be without me, and so I said, stitch them
up and get me the first thing back to back
to the unit, called a helicopter back and walk back.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
To the unit.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
And the guys were really surprised but had to see
me because obviously, you know, I was there gorman, and
I was responsible for you know, for my soldiers. So
I just could not afford to to do that. And
I really had kind of an example to follow because
my dad received the Bronze Star because he was wounded
(14:17):
as well, and as the company commander, you know, he
refused to be meta backed and stayed with his troops
in order to provide you know, command capabilities and so
you know, I had a perfect example to follow. But
you know, aside from that, you know, it was my
responsibility and I couldn't shirk that.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Sure, well, I I understand I never been there, never
will be, but I really appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Let's talk a little bit about So how long were
you So you arrived early in nineteen sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I yeah, I was deployed. I arrived the latter part
of March, first part of April. The Battle of Case
started roughly in January of nineteen sixty eight, and the
Marines left the combat based in July, the first week
of July of that year, so it only lasted for
(15:14):
you know, approximately a few months.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I was my unit assigned there after April. The last
part of April, we moved from Quaison Combat Base to
dongh and Kwang Tree and we were basically doing a
convoy security going to areas back and forth to Camp Low,
(15:39):
the Rock Pile, the landing Zone, Vandergriff Landing Zone up
to Camp Carol where the one seven fives were. So
we were doing a lot of convoy security for supplies
and what have you, and then the and then patrols
as we were assigned to.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So you came out because you talked about April sixteenth,
nineteen sixty eight at Hill six' eight nine, So was
your unit and Kyson wasn't fully dated withdrawn till July.
So was your unit part of the relief forces to
go into Kayson? Because if I understand you correctly, sure
you actually had boots in the mud at Kason.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
They basically the unit that I was assigned to took
over a defense of the base in nineteen sixty seven,
so they were already a sign there and I was
replacing Unfortunately I was replacing mccorman. That was GAIA and
I was as a replacement, So I was assigned to
(16:42):
the unit that was there on the base.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Basically, we've had, as I mentioned before, Jim Lopez on
who was a loadmaster distinguished flying Cross for supply mission.
So that was already a short runway as I understand it.
But then when you got somebody shooting at you, true
and I think he was flying Sea one thirties and
they didn't land. No, they were basically just pushing stuff
out the back door.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Once they they realized that, I think the supply system
started off, you know, making a landing they had, as
I remember, they had Cariboo aircraft who were basically able
to navigate the short runways landing and taking off. However,
the Vietnamese were pretty North Vietnamere's the pavings, the public
(17:31):
Army of Vietnam were pretty smart. So whenever those planes
with helicopters would land, you know, they would start the
incoming artillery fire. So we got smart and you know,
decided someone decided that, well, we're not going to do
that anymore. We're going to basically come in, drop palletts
(17:53):
and not bothered at land to just take in this
take right away from the landing zone. So we got
pretty smart. It didn't take much to learn a lesson.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Well, and as a medic, I have to ask a question, then,
how are you Well, let's hold that thought to l
after the break because we're running out of time. We
got to take commercial break there, Jesse. But when we
come back, I'd be curious, you know, as a coromin,
what if those aircraft aren't actually landing, how are you
onloading the wounded and the ka So hold that thought
and we'll come back to that when come back. Last,
(18:23):
and gentlemen, this is Ben Buela Garcia. We're talking to
doctor Jesse Brewer about his experience in Vietnam.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
You can find this podcast and over six hundred others
at American Warrior Radio dot com. Please listen and please
share these important messages with your friends and associates. There's
many many ways that we as civilians can appreciate and
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by sharing their stories.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
So stick around. We'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Welcome back to American Warrior Radio. Lasion gentlemen this year
host Ben Viler Garcia. We're talking with Colonel retired Jesse Brewer,
also doctor. We served as a dentist. So Jesse for again.
Dumb question, but do I call you doctor? Do I
call you colonel?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Or what? Do I just call you? Jesse?
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Jesse has sign?
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Okay Jesse.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Before we took the break, we were talking about, you know,
the activity in and around k Song and the fact
that it was such a hot area, I mean between
mortars and artillery and you know, lots of incoming fire.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Is I understand it.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Early on in that conflict, a mortar round actually hit
the Marines AMMO dump and blew that to smithereens, so
they're having a dodge not only the NVA rounds but
their own rounds for a short while there. But you
served as a corman. You talked about these aircraft weren't
actually touching down. How on earth did you get the
wounded out?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Would you know that when I when I said that,
that was basically the supply aspect of it. And so
they would come in and drop the palettes and that
was sea rats and ammunition and you know whatever medical supplies,
et cetera, as far as the wounded were concerned. You know,
the uh, the uh, the Huey's would come in and
(20:26):
you know, we'd we'd radio for a dust off and
they basically would come in and you know, they knew
they didn't have a lot of time, so you had
to rush out, you know, load the uh load these
stretchers onto the aircraft and then they would shoot off again.
And then you know, and sometimes that we would have
gunships that would you know, fly in support. So you know,
(20:50):
it was a very very quick operation. You just couldn't
take a lot of time to get them, get them
in and get them out.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
You talked about Hill six eighty nine and that was
in and around that hill. That's the actions that took
place for which you were awarded the Silver Star, which
is a huge are pretty darn big deal, Jesse, I mean,
you know, so tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
This is at a time where your group that was
going out and doing patrols.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
We were assigned to support. We were Charlie Company, first Battalion,
ninth Marines. Alpha Company, first Battalion, ninth Marines was sent
out to that particular location and they immediately were ambushed
by the NVA and they lost thirty eight Marines KIA
(21:43):
three Navy cormen KA and numerous non life threatening injuries.
And so we were assigned to go out and reinforce
them in order to provide not only reinforcement but protection
and you know, added combat power. And so basically once
(22:03):
we got out there, we were ambushed by the North
Vietnamese who were ensconsin fortified bunkers. So we started taking
you know, quite a few, quite a few casualties.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
And so I just.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Happened to be at the right place at the right
time in order to, you know, to do my job.
When I was in training, you know, the military is
very good about training, you know, and it's rigorous and
it's repetitive, and you know a lot of times you
get a little discouraged and we have to do that again.
Oh my god. But I got to tell you, when
(22:42):
it hits the fan, you go on automatic pilot and
all that training just kicks in. So I never really
thought about, you know, what I was doing. I just
basically did it.
Speaker 5 (22:54):
And you know, I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Anybody who tells you were afraid, that's been in combat,
they're not really telling you the truth, but that and
I was afraid, but the fear of that was overwhelmed
by my responsibility to my soldiers.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
You know, bravery.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
The best definition for bravery I ever heard was you
do the best job you can and you never you
never let anybody down. And so that was my motivating force.
I was an automatic pilot. I was doing what I
was trying to do, and it just turned out that
I was able to do some things that worked out,
(23:36):
you know, for my soldiers. It's as I was talking
to you of off the mike, and I mentioned to
you that someone told me that there were no atheists
in foxholes, and that that's true, and it kind of
came home to roost for me because at the end
of the battle, well, first of all, the the firefight
(24:01):
was very intense and even to the point of there
being conversation about us possibly being overrun. We had a
forward air controller with us who called in air support
at that point, and two Army Cobra gunships showed up,
and I've got to tell you, when you watch the
(24:22):
lethality and the armament that's on those helicopters, you know
is deployed, it's it's it's a beautiful sight. And so anyway,
that ended the conflict, you know, basically, And so I
had finished triaging. You know, what I thought was my
last my last wounded soldier, And I don't know if
(24:46):
it was something or someone in my mind said you're
not done and take a look around. And so I
started looking at and guess what, I found a wounded
soldier that was hidden out of sight. And in my assessment,
(25:07):
I determined that he wasn't going to be able to
walk out, so I had to carry him. And it
was six hundred meters to the bottom of that hill
and even a little further to the landing zone. So
we walked, we slid, we slid, we walked, we got
down to the bottom, and we were tast stopped to
take a break, and the next thing I know, here
(25:27):
came a platoon of marines looking for stragglers, and you know,
so go figure, what was it that encouraged me to
take a last look because I was basically by myself,
and I was basically going to add back to the
landing zone to get you know, get the heck out
of there.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
So you by design with the last man out.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
I was supposed to be. I was, by design the
last man out.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
I'm the corman, you know, and so I have to
be there until all of my soldiers are safe or
meta backed out or everything is you know, cop aesthetic
as the way it's supposed to be. And so, like
I said, I don't know what why, you know, I
decided to take that last look around and I ended
(26:15):
up carrying you know, this young man. He couldn't have
been more than eighteen years old. They didn't look like
like he shaved. And so the stragglers. We had that platoon,
like I mentioned, looking for stragglers, and they found us,
and basically we took a couple We found a couple
of branches from some trees, cut them up, took our webbelts,
(26:40):
slashed them around the two branches formed a stretcher carried
him out, and you know, we got him out of there.
My only regret, and to this day, basically, is that
I never asked him his name, And I always wonder
did he make it, what happened to him? What's he
doing now? Does he remember me? Because I remember him?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Just when we come back, I'd like to just well,
let me real quick before we We only have one
second left after this. But I've talked to World War
two veterans who fought in the Pacific Campaign, and they
talked about how, yes, you know the enemy is shooting
at you, and there's our children, there's more. There's lots
of ways to get wounded or get killed. But they
(27:26):
had almost more casualties from sickness and disease in those
jungles than they did. You know, as far as is
there simpler, I think you'd mentioned sepsis was a big
bad one.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
They're you know, you really, I guess you don't think
about it because in a combat situation, the issue is
more you know, gunshot wounds or trauma from explosions or
you know, current nowadays it's idt's of course, but you know,
basically the second and third most cause of death in
(28:00):
Vietnam with sepsis, and it's basically wounding, wounds that become
infected by certain agents that if you don't recognize that's
what's going on and get them meta backed out immediately
for hospital care, they go into septic shock and then
the next thing is death. And so that's basically statistically
(28:23):
the number two, number three cause of death you know,
in Vietnam.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
So, okay, ladies and gentlemen, this is Ben Bula Garcia.
We're talking with doctor Jesse Brewer. Jesse, when we come back,
I'm gonna kind of expand our conversation here a little bit,
because you know, the mission of our program is to
educate and inform, and I'm just hearing your story. I've
got I'm curious about some other issues. Lady and gentlemens,
stick around, we'll be right back. Welcome back to American
(29:16):
Warrior Radio, Lasier. Gentlemen, this has Ben Buler Garcia. We're
talking with doctor Jesse Brewer. Doctor Brewer, before he was
a doctor, was a Navy corman. Four years Well, you're
a Navy corpner for four years. How much time did
you actually spend in country in Vietnam?
Speaker 5 (29:31):
Oh, twelve months?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Twelve months, okay.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And then he came back and he, thanks to Army scholarship,
became a practicing dentist for many years and retired as
a colonel Jesse. I'm kind of curious because you mentioned
your your father was part of the Tuskegee experiment, as
you called it, and that obviously was a very confusing,
I use that word time in our nation where you had,
(29:56):
you know, African Americans who were serving our country but
were being sent off to protect a country that did
not recognize them as full citizens. And that's I can't
imagine the the internal struggle for someone like that who
wants to be a patriot. But so, I mean, by
(30:18):
the time we got though to Vietnam, significant change, not
so much because that was also very you know, between
doctor King's assassination and just the riots on the home
front and you know, the Kennedy's are just a lot
of a lot of turmoil on the home front. And
how how much was that reflected where you were, where
(30:39):
you and your comrades were in the jungles of Vietnam.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Well, I think you'd have to make, you know, the
distinction between what was going on in the rear area
versus what was going on out in the bush, so
to speak. And when I say that, I mean out
on patrol, out in direct potential direct contact, you know,
with the enemy.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
In the rear area.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
You know, you basically you know people in when you're
in war. You know, I think maybe the the concept is,
you know, you're always fighting, but when you're in the
rear area, you know a lot of times you're not
doing anything. You're sitting around playing cards, playing music, you know,
having a good time, maybe out on the little makeshift
(31:26):
basketball court. You know that we had in the in
the rear area, and so you had a lot of
guys that you know, are not doing much, and so
sometimes you know, there's trouble, and we had what was
what I like to call judicial enlistments, and so at
the time, that was a it was something that the
(31:47):
judges opted to you either go to jail or you.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Join the military.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Well the military, of course, Marines, of course, you know,
wouldn't put up with any foolishness, and but you know,
habits die hard sometimes than when you're in the back
and you know there's stuff going on back home, and
uh you know, uh so things happen, So a lot
of stuff was combined. But to the rear area, out
(32:14):
in the bush, we're depending on each other's lives and
the camaraderie is just it's I often said, why can't
it be like this back home? Why does it take
a combat situation? Why do we have to be out
in the bush facing an enemy in order to exhibit
(32:36):
the kind of comradeship that that you have out there.
But then of course when you get back to the rear,
then you know, then you had to deal with, you know,
some of those issues that come up, but.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Not from the people you were out in the jungle
with or now, I mean, they weren't switching sides, if
you will, for lack of.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
A better time.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Absolutely, it was just there was.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Just knuckleheads that were back in those POGs. I think
is the phrase word or whatever?
Speaker 5 (33:02):
You yeah, back in the rear areas.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Yes, And also I'm curious, so you you're attached to
a marine, a lot of pride, there are a lot
of tradition, but you because you were Corman, did you
automatically garner their respect even though you were Navy.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Yes, okay, yeah, that that's that kind of exempted me
from a lot of the the issues that would occur
in the rear And basically, I mean, so.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
What are you going to do to your corman? You know,
I mean really yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
And so it automatically gave me a certain a certain
level of respect and basically, you know, my my Marines
looked out for me. So if there was any foolishness
going on in the rear area, I didn't have to
say a word. I basically, you know, someone would deserve it.
Someone giving me a hard time, you know, they put
(34:03):
a stop to that immediately.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Outstanding.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
One of the common one thing I learned Jesse in
doing this program as Vietnam veterans, told me that one
of the best things one can say to a Vietnam
veterans is not necessarily thank you for your service, but
welcome home. And so many veterans who returned from Vietnam
did not face the most warm reception upon arriving back
(34:26):
in the country.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
What was your experience like.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I basically, once I got back from Vietnam, I went
right back to UCLA undergrad because I wanted to finish
my degree and proceed on with my you know, career aspects,
and so I didn't I didn't flaun it. You know,
when people realized that, you know, I was was an
(34:53):
ex was a veteran. You know, there was the baby killer,
the you know, the usual stuff that that was sensational
lives to a certain extent by the media. But for
the most part, you know, I didn't have a rough
time assimilating back into the world, so to speak. I
(35:14):
had a very good support system. My dad was ex military,
had been in the war, knew understood what I what
I had experienced, what I was going through. So I
was kind of fortunate to avoid the demons that destroyed
a lot of my fellow soldiers with respect to PTSD,
you know, the emotional the drugs, the alcohol, the suicides,
(35:38):
and I was. I was fortunate, extremely fortunate. And then
of course I was raised Catholic, and so I had
a pretty strong, uh you know, religious background, and I
just put my faith in God. I knew I was
doing the right thing. You know, I wasn't shooting anybody.
I was saving lives, and that for me was a
(36:03):
self saving grace, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
You know, Jesse, you continue to support veterans. Of my understanding,
you still do a lot of volunteer as a host.
You serve as a hospice volunteer with a lot of veterans.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Yes, my wife being retired, you know, and at home,
my wife decided, you know, you're messing up my schedule,
so you need to get out and find something to do.
And so basically I was at an American Legion meeting
and this gentleman came out to give us a speech,
(36:37):
and he was a hospice representative, and he was looking
for volunteers. And I said, you know what, that's something
I want to do because there are veterans who are
in hospice and if I could, you know, make a difference,
you know, that would be something that I would like
to be involved in. So I visit several facilities and
(36:58):
I have about four or five patients, one or two
of them are veterans. I have a preference for veterans,
but not exclusively. So I'm assigned to, you know, to
visit these patients. And unfortunately, you know, these are people
much older, senior citizens, and they don't a lot of
(37:18):
times they don't have anybody visiting him. The families stick
them in a home and that's it. They forget them,
you know. And my thing is, you know, listen, when
you were born, they changed your dirty diapers, you know,
they did everything for you. And now at this end
of the spectrum, what you're you're sticking them in a
home and you're forgetting about them, and you don't visit them,
you don't care. So I try to provide whatever empathy
(37:43):
and care and socialization and companionship that I can, and
I get a lot.
Speaker 5 (37:48):
I get a lot of a lot out of that.
So I enjoy doing that.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Good on you, brother. We've got just about a minute left.
We've got a lot of men and women still wearing
the uniform listening to us on the American Forces Network.
Just any sage, words of wisdom or advice to them, well, you.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
Know, not really, just you know, hang in there. We
will know.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
I will never forget you, and you know, and I'm
hoping that, you know, the rest of the country doesn't
as well. I know there's a lot going on with
you know, with things. I won't go into it, you know,
under these circumstances, and so they just need to remain
strong and and wear that uniform with pride because it's
(38:29):
it's it's it's it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Well, Jessha, I know you'll be the last one who
admit this, but I consider you a hero, sir, and
I really appreciate you probably were in the uniform and
saving those lies in Vietnam and just doing your part
on behalf of all the rest of us.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Well, if I wasn't, if I was forty to fifty
years younger, I would do it again.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Standing well, I'm sure they'd love to have you.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Well at this age, I don't know. I'd look at
some of the guys in the uniform and the combat
gear that theyre It's got to be forty fifty sixty
pounds a year, so I don't know.
Speaker 5 (39:06):
I'm not in the best of shape look I used
to be.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
But Jesse, we appreciate you spending some time with our
listeners today.
Speaker 5 (39:12):
Oh it was great.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Thank you so much, Ben, and I really appreciate the
time my privilege you allowed to spend with me.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Ladies and gentlemen, don't forget you can find this podcast
and over six hundred others at American Warrior Radio dot Com.
Are also on almost all the streaming platforms iHeart, Pandora, Spotify.
Our mission is to get these messages out to as
many years as possible. Please help us do that. Until
next time, all policies and procedures.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Remain in place. Take care.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
You've been listening to American Warrior Radio. Archived episodes may
be found at americanwarriorradio dot com or your favorite podcast
platform
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
first responder communities, and these are their stories. American Warrior
Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello, ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to American Warrior Radio. This
is your host, Ben buler Garcia. If you're a regular
fan of the show, you know we've had several veterans
that come on that talked about the Battle of Kasan,
which was just a major, major conflict that occurred January
twenty first through July ninth, nineteen sixty eight in the
Kwang Tree Province of South Vietnam. It pitted six thousand
(00:47):
Marines and their Vietnamese allies against twenty thousand or more
communists North Vietnamese troops. Today, we're going to be joined
by a veteran who walked around that same area at
the same time. He entered the Navy in nineteen sixty six,
deployed to Vietnam in nineteen sixty eight. He's authorized to
wear the Vietnam Campaign rip with four Battle Stars, the
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Purple Heart,
(01:11):
and the Silver Star. He's also a recipient of the
Sergeant Audie Murphy Award for demonstrating dedicated leadership and example
professionalism as an NCO. After leaving the service in nineteen
seventy and completing dental school, he returned to the Army
in nineteen eighty one and served another twenty four years,
if I'm not mistaken, before retiring at the rank of colonel.
Welcome to American Warrior Radio doctor Jesse Brewer.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Well, thank you so much for having me. I really
appreciate this opportunity.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Did I get Is it twenty four years in your second.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, It's kind of hard to figure that out because
when I started, I received a health professional scholarship from
the Army, and so I had four years of active
duty in the Navy. I didn't have to serve that
final two years because I was a combat veteran.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
I was exempt from that.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
So basically I'm counting four years active duty in the Navy,
and then once I received the scholarship to attend dental
school from the Army, I was in the lieutenant in
the reserves while I was in dental school, and then
once I graduated, I was promoted to captain, so that
time counted as well. And then I joined the reserve
(02:23):
active reserve unit for from about i'd say eighty five
to the year two thousand. Once I was promoted to colonel,
I took over a command unit of a medical company
dental services outfit in California. And so when you start
tallying all that time, it comes to somewhere around the
(02:47):
neighborhood of thirty four to thirty five years.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Your initial four years you were corman. Yes, that was
at you're doing when you were in Vietnam.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Let me ask jess, why did you enlist or were
you you drafted?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, you know, any discussion of who I am and
who or what I am really has to start out
with my dad, and I'll talk about him in just
a second. But the reason I listened in the Navy
was some really sage advice that he gave me, because
the Navy was a branch of service that was going
to allow me to be promoted in rank hunch I
(03:26):
finished boot camp, and it also guaranteed my mos choice
of military occupational specially of hospital corps. So they gave
me some guarantees as opposed to some of the other branches,
and so I chose the Navy and became a Corman.
So once I finished boot camp, I went to Balboa
(03:49):
Hospital for Core school training.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
That was the A school.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
And then after the A School, because I was Fleet
Marine Force, I went to Camp Pendleton and had training
in order to train me to be a combat medic.
And some people don't know that the Marines don't have
their own medical assets, so they use Navy personnel. So
(04:13):
once I finished FMF, then I was basically ready to
be deployed overseas.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Okay, And just to clarify FMF as fleet Fleet Marine
Force and that's that's things like medics, and.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Yes it is.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
You have a basic MOS military occupational especially which is
zero zero zero zero, and that's Hospital Corman. Once you
finish your Fleet Marine Force training, then you have a
secondary MOS of eighty four oh four which is Hospital Corman,
Fleet Marine Marine Force Corman.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Jesse, tell us more about your father.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
My father was, you know, he kind of set the
example for me to follow, not only as a man,
but as a father and a husband. And you know,
he very seldom told me what to do. He just
lived his life and basically let me follow him do it.
And so in nineteen thirty nine, he en. He listed
(05:13):
at Tuskegee University in Alabama. He was ROTC and he
was part of the Tuskegee Experiment where they were training
African Americans to fly and support the war effort. The
problem was, once the war ramped up, they were deploying
the aviators prior to graduation, so they were not able
(05:37):
to get their degrees before being deployed. And he basically
wanted to be the only male son in the family
that was going to be a college graduate so he
can switch to infantry. Completed his degree, was deployed to
the ninety second Infantry Division in Italy. Eventually was a
(05:59):
company commander. He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star,
and then of course returned to his family, you know.
And so when the war ramped up in Vietnam, of course,
you know, I wanted to follow his example to serve
my country, and as I mentioned, I picked the Navy
because they allowed me some guarantees.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Did he speak very much about his service.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
No, he didn't. He didn't talk about it very much.
You know, in the nineteen the forties and fifties, you know,
it was not only a tough you know, tough war,
but it was also tough for African American, especially officers,
because of the you know, the cultural aspects of the
time that he was involved in. So he didn't really
(06:47):
discuss that discussed that much, but I knew he set
an example that I wanted to follow, and I wanted
him to be proud of me, of course, and serving
the country was part of that. And I was always
interested in medicine, and I was going to go to
(07:07):
med school. But then I had some friends who were
going to dental school. And these were guys that I
really admired and respected, so you know, we were always
talking and you know, they said, you know, why don't
you try dental school, And I said, well, yeah, that's fine.
I can do that because I enjoyed working in small
spaces and of course, Dennis is always in somebody's mouth,
(07:29):
and you're working in a mirror, so not only are
you in a small space, but you're also working in reverse.
So and I like working with my hands, so I
was kind of intrigued me so, and I really inspired
these guys, and we all went to dental school together
and of course graduated and the rest is history.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Okay, just when we come back and like to talk
if you don't mind talking a little bit about your
time in Vietnam. I know, you know, skin to a point,
We've got a lot of younger listeners, both both civilians
and people in the military right now, who were having
a probably a very different experience than you had.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
But I think at the end of the day, there.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Is a bond there amongst warriors, and I hope that
if you have some thoughts that you'd like to share
with them, then you'll do so as well. To kind
of tell us what the Sergeant Audie Murphy Award is.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
That was basically given to someone who demonstrated leadership and
capabilities and was really mentored in CEOs and so it
was kind of a surprise actually, but a friend of
mine who was familiar with my service as an n
(08:43):
CEO nominated me for it, and you know, as luck
would have it, I received the award. So I was
really pleased, you know, not only to get an award,
but the fact that recognize, you know, my desire to
you know, to be a good n CEO and to
(09:03):
set a proper example for other n CEOs as well. Well.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
I tell you what Jesse, I learned something every show.
I mean, of course everybody's heard of Audie Murphy, but
I wasn't aware of that award. So, uh, you know,
congratulations and that this was later in your career.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
That later in the career and came as it was
really a surprise, and it came much later in my career,
and I had no idea that you know, anyone even
knew I existed, let alone you know what I was doing.
And so then that was that was, that was nice.
(09:38):
I really appreciated that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ben Bler Garcia will be
back with more with doctor Jesse Brewer. I'll be talking
about his time in Vietnam. Stick around, Welcome back to
(10:13):
American Warrior Radio. Lasy and gentlemen, this is your host,
Ben Ler Garcia. We're talking with Jesse, doctor Jesse Brewerd.
Jesse was a Navy corman UH served in Vietnam. He
eventually ended his career. He became a dentist and ended
his career retired as a full bird. Colonel Jesse wore
I mentioned I started off the show talking about Kasan,
(10:34):
and I was too well, I wasn't too young to
know about Vietnam, but I was too young to serve.
I mean, I think, you know, my oldest brother graduated
from high school right about the time that that that war.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Came to an end.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
So, you know, we, like everybody else, we saw it
was on the news, and not much of it though,
because my folks didn't want us really seeing a lot
of that as young kids. But you talked about when
you arrived you ship off to Vietnam, you arrived in
Danang in the spring of nineteen sixty eight, and you
started to get an inkling of what was about to come.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, it wasn't funny at the time. But I was
sitting in the mess hall, you know, I was waiting.
Danang was kind of an out processing center for soldiers,
you know, who were coming into country and soldiers going out,
so and the mess hall was kind of a meeting
place for the new guys and the old guys, and
(11:30):
of course the older soldiers sitting at the table were
trading horror stories, more stories basically with the usual, with
the appropriate amount of embellishments, of course, And you know,
and someone asked me, well, what even it are you
going to? And I said, well, I'm going to one
nine conversation at the table came to a complete stop.
(11:53):
Soldiers were gasping and you know, you know, doing that
and nudging each other, and someone said he's going to
the Walking Dead, and I'm going, oh, my goodness. And
it turns out that Charlie won nine. The unit that
I was going to, first Battalion, ninth Marin's third Marine
Division was a unit that had high casualty rates, endured
(12:21):
combat endurance, and they had a lot of sacrifices, so
they had the nickname the Walking Dead. And then of
course to make mothers to add insult to injury a
little bit, you know, someone said, well, they're at Geyson,
and you know that's a hot area. So that gave
me a pretty good idea of what I was in
(12:43):
score for. And then after another day or so of
in processing, I was assigned to the unit and off
we went.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Now, normally for a size or for unit this size, Jesse,
how many Corman are there just one ors or a
couple or.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Because the reason I asked is you also.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Rewarded the purple heart, which meant yes, we're wounded. Yes,
And Ben gets a dumb question every show, and so
here's my dumb question, Jesse, if the corman is wounded,
who treats the corman.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Well, you know what happened in this particular case. I
was meta backed out to a to the field hospital
unit and they were shrapnel wounds and both knees, and
so they basically dug out the shrapnels stitched it up,
(13:33):
and then they wanted to put me on you know,
put me on no duty. And I refuse that because
I was the only corman you know, in my unit,
and I couldn't be and I didn't want my guys
to be without me, and so I said, stitch them
up and get me the first thing back to back
to the unit, called a helicopter back and walk back.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
To the unit.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
And the guys were really surprised but had to see
me because obviously, you know, I was there gorman, and
I was responsible for you know, for my soldiers. So
I just could not afford to to do that. And
I really had kind of an example to follow because
my dad received the Bronze Star because he was wounded
(14:17):
as well, and as the company commander, you know, he
refused to be meta backed and stayed with his troops
in order to provide you know, command capabilities and so
you know, I had a perfect example to follow. But
you know, aside from that, you know, it was my
responsibility and I couldn't shirk that.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Sure, well, I I understand I never been there, never
will be, but I really appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Let's talk a little bit about So how long were
you So you arrived early in nineteen sixty eight.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I yeah, I was deployed. I arrived the latter part
of March, first part of April. The Battle of Case
started roughly in January of nineteen sixty eight, and the
Marines left the combat based in July, the first week
of July of that year, so it only lasted for
(15:14):
you know, approximately a few months.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I was my unit assigned there after April. The last
part of April, we moved from Quaison Combat Base to
dongh and Kwang Tree and we were basically doing a
convoy security going to areas back and forth to Camp Low,
(15:39):
the Rock Pile, the landing Zone, Vandergriff Landing Zone up
to Camp Carol where the one seven fives were. So
we were doing a lot of convoy security for supplies
and what have you, and then the and then patrols
as we were assigned to.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So you came out because you talked about April sixteenth,
nineteen sixty eight at Hill six' eight nine, So was
your unit and Kyson wasn't fully dated withdrawn till July.
So was your unit part of the relief forces to
go into Kayson? Because if I understand you correctly, sure
you actually had boots in the mud at Kason.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
They basically the unit that I was assigned to took
over a defense of the base in nineteen sixty seven,
so they were already a sign there and I was
replacing Unfortunately I was replacing mccorman. That was GAIA and
I was as a replacement, So I was assigned to
(16:42):
the unit that was there on the base.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Basically, we've had, as I mentioned before, Jim Lopez on
who was a loadmaster distinguished flying Cross for supply mission.
So that was already a short runway as I understand it.
But then when you got somebody shooting at you, true
and I think he was flying Sea one thirties and
they didn't land. No, they were basically just pushing stuff
out the back door.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Once they they realized that, I think the supply system
started off, you know, making a landing they had, as
I remember, they had Cariboo aircraft who were basically able
to navigate the short runways landing and taking off. However,
the Vietnamese were pretty North Vietnamere's the pavings, the public
(17:31):
Army of Vietnam were pretty smart. So whenever those planes
with helicopters would land, you know, they would start the
incoming artillery fire. So we got smart and you know,
decided someone decided that, well, we're not going to do
that anymore. We're going to basically come in, drop palletts
(17:53):
and not bothered at land to just take in this
take right away from the landing zone. So we got
pretty smart. It didn't take much to learn a lesson.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Well, and as a medic, I have to ask a question, then,
how are you Well, let's hold that thought to l
after the break because we're running out of time. We
got to take commercial break there, Jesse. But when we
come back, I'd be curious, you know, as a coromin,
what if those aircraft aren't actually landing, how are you
onloading the wounded and the ka So hold that thought
and we'll come back to that when come back. Last,
(18:23):
and gentlemen, this is Ben Buela Garcia. We're talking to
doctor Jesse Brewer about his experience in Vietnam.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
You can find this podcast and over six hundred others
at American Warrior Radio dot com. Please listen and please
share these important messages with your friends and associates. There's
many many ways that we as civilians can appreciate and
honor those who served, but this is one of them
by sharing their stories.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
So stick around. We'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Welcome back to American Warrior Radio. Lasion gentlemen this year
host Ben Viler Garcia. We're talking with Colonel retired Jesse Brewer,
also doctor. We served as a dentist. So Jesse for again.
Dumb question, but do I call you doctor? Do I
call you colonel?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Or what? Do I just call you? Jesse?
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Jesse has sign?
Speaker 4 (19:30):
Okay Jesse.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Before we took the break, we were talking about, you know,
the activity in and around k Song and the fact
that it was such a hot area, I mean between
mortars and artillery and you know, lots of incoming fire.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Is I understand it.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Early on in that conflict, a mortar round actually hit
the Marines AMMO dump and blew that to smithereens, so
they're having a dodge not only the NVA rounds but
their own rounds for a short while there. But you
served as a corman. You talked about these aircraft weren't
actually touching down. How on earth did you get the
wounded out?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Would you know that when I when I said that,
that was basically the supply aspect of it. And so
they would come in and drop the palettes and that
was sea rats and ammunition and you know whatever medical supplies,
et cetera, as far as the wounded were concerned. You know,
the uh, the uh, the Huey's would come in and
(20:26):
you know, we'd we'd radio for a dust off and
they basically would come in and you know, they knew
they didn't have a lot of time, so you had
to rush out, you know, load the uh load these
stretchers onto the aircraft and then they would shoot off again.
And then you know, and sometimes that we would have
gunships that would you know, fly in support. So you know,
(20:50):
it was a very very quick operation. You just couldn't
take a lot of time to get them, get them
in and get them out.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
You talked about Hill six eighty nine and that was
in and around that hill. That's the actions that took
place for which you were awarded the Silver Star, which
is a huge are pretty darn big deal, Jesse, I mean,
you know, so tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
This is at a time where your group that was
going out and doing patrols.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
We were assigned to support. We were Charlie Company, first Battalion,
ninth Marines. Alpha Company, first Battalion, ninth Marines was sent
out to that particular location and they immediately were ambushed
by the NVA and they lost thirty eight Marines KIA
(21:43):
three Navy cormen KA and numerous non life threatening injuries.
And so we were assigned to go out and reinforce
them in order to provide not only reinforcement but protection
and you know, added combat power. And so basically once
(22:03):
we got out there, we were ambushed by the North
Vietnamese who were ensconsin fortified bunkers. So we started taking
you know, quite a few, quite a few casualties.
Speaker 5 (22:19):
And so I just.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Happened to be at the right place at the right
time in order to, you know, to do my job.
When I was in training, you know, the military is
very good about training, you know, and it's rigorous and
it's repetitive, and you know a lot of times you
get a little discouraged and we have to do that again.
Oh my god. But I got to tell you, when
(22:42):
it hits the fan, you go on automatic pilot and
all that training just kicks in. So I never really
thought about, you know, what I was doing. I just
basically did it.
Speaker 5 (22:54):
And you know, I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
Anybody who tells you were afraid, that's been in combat,
they're not really telling you the truth, but that and
I was afraid, but the fear of that was overwhelmed
by my responsibility to my soldiers.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
You know, bravery.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
The best definition for bravery I ever heard was you
do the best job you can and you never you
never let anybody down. And so that was my motivating force.
I was an automatic pilot. I was doing what I
was trying to do, and it just turned out that
I was able to do some things that worked out,
(23:36):
you know, for my soldiers. It's as I was talking
to you of off the mike, and I mentioned to
you that someone told me that there were no atheists
in foxholes, and that that's true, and it kind of
came home to roost for me because at the end
of the battle, well, first of all, the the firefight
(24:01):
was very intense and even to the point of there
being conversation about us possibly being overrun. We had a
forward air controller with us who called in air support
at that point, and two Army Cobra gunships showed up,
and I've got to tell you, when you watch the
(24:22):
lethality and the armament that's on those helicopters, you know
is deployed, it's it's it's a beautiful sight. And so anyway,
that ended the conflict, you know, basically, And so I
had finished triaging. You know, what I thought was my
last my last wounded soldier, And I don't know if
(24:46):
it was something or someone in my mind said you're
not done and take a look around. And so I
started looking at and guess what, I found a wounded
soldier that was hidden out of sight. And in my assessment,
(25:07):
I determined that he wasn't going to be able to
walk out, so I had to carry him. And it
was six hundred meters to the bottom of that hill
and even a little further to the landing zone. So
we walked, we slid, we slid, we walked, we got
down to the bottom, and we were tast stopped to
take a break, and the next thing I know, here
(25:27):
came a platoon of marines looking for stragglers, and you know,
so go figure, what was it that encouraged me to
take a last look because I was basically by myself,
and I was basically going to add back to the
landing zone to get you know, get the heck out
of there.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
So you by design with the last man out.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
I was supposed to be. I was, by design the
last man out.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
I'm the corman, you know, and so I have to
be there until all of my soldiers are safe or
meta backed out or everything is you know, cop aesthetic
as the way it's supposed to be. And so, like
I said, I don't know what why, you know, I
decided to take that last look around and I ended
(26:15):
up carrying you know, this young man. He couldn't have
been more than eighteen years old. They didn't look like
like he shaved. And so the stragglers. We had that platoon,
like I mentioned, looking for stragglers, and they found us,
and basically we took a couple We found a couple
of branches from some trees, cut them up, took our webbelts,
(26:40):
slashed them around the two branches formed a stretcher carried
him out, and you know, we got him out of there.
My only regret, and to this day, basically, is that
I never asked him his name, And I always wonder
did he make it, what happened to him? What's he
doing now? Does he remember me? Because I remember him?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Just when we come back, I'd like to just well,
let me real quick before we We only have one
second left after this. But I've talked to World War
two veterans who fought in the Pacific Campaign, and they
talked about how, yes, you know the enemy is shooting
at you, and there's our children, there's more. There's lots
of ways to get wounded or get killed. But they
(27:26):
had almost more casualties from sickness and disease in those
jungles than they did. You know, as far as is
there simpler, I think you'd mentioned sepsis was a big
bad one.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
They're you know, you really, I guess you don't think
about it because in a combat situation, the issue is
more you know, gunshot wounds or trauma from explosions or
you know, current nowadays it's idt's of course, but you know,
basically the second and third most cause of death in
(28:00):
Vietnam with sepsis, and it's basically wounding, wounds that become
infected by certain agents that if you don't recognize that's
what's going on and get them meta backed out immediately
for hospital care, they go into septic shock and then
the next thing is death. And so that's basically statistically
(28:23):
the number two, number three cause of death you know,
in Vietnam.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
So, okay, ladies and gentlemen, this is Ben Bula Garcia.
We're talking with doctor Jesse Brewer. Jesse, when we come back,
I'm gonna kind of expand our conversation here a little bit,
because you know, the mission of our program is to
educate and inform, and I'm just hearing your story. I've
got I'm curious about some other issues. Lady and gentlemens,
stick around, we'll be right back. Welcome back to American
(29:16):
Warrior Radio, Lasier. Gentlemen, this has Ben Buler Garcia. We're
talking with doctor Jesse Brewer. Doctor Brewer, before he was
a doctor, was a Navy corman. Four years Well, you're
a Navy corpner for four years. How much time did
you actually spend in country in Vietnam?
Speaker 5 (29:31):
Oh, twelve months?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Twelve months, okay.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And then he came back and he, thanks to Army scholarship,
became a practicing dentist for many years and retired as
a colonel Jesse. I'm kind of curious because you mentioned
your your father was part of the Tuskegee experiment, as
you called it, and that obviously was a very confusing,
I use that word time in our nation where you had,
(29:56):
you know, African Americans who were serving our country but
were being sent off to protect a country that did
not recognize them as full citizens. And that's I can't
imagine the the internal struggle for someone like that who
wants to be a patriot. But so, I mean, by
(30:18):
the time we got though to Vietnam, significant change, not
so much because that was also very you know, between
doctor King's assassination and just the riots on the home
front and you know, the Kennedy's are just a lot
of a lot of turmoil on the home front. And
how how much was that reflected where you were, where
(30:39):
you and your comrades were in the jungles of Vietnam.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Well, I think you'd have to make, you know, the
distinction between what was going on in the rear area
versus what was going on out in the bush, so
to speak. And when I say that, I mean out
on patrol, out in direct potential direct contact, you know,
with the enemy.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
In the rear area.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
You know, you basically you know people in when you're
in war. You know, I think maybe the the concept is,
you know, you're always fighting, but when you're in the
rear area, you know a lot of times you're not
doing anything. You're sitting around playing cards, playing music, you know,
having a good time, maybe out on the little makeshift
(31:26):
basketball court. You know that we had in the in
the rear area, and so you had a lot of
guys that you know, are not doing much, and so
sometimes you know, there's trouble, and we had what was
what I like to call judicial enlistments, and so at
the time, that was a it was something that the
(31:47):
judges opted to you either go to jail or you.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Join the military.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Well the military, of course, Marines, of course, you know,
wouldn't put up with any foolishness, and but you know,
habits die hard sometimes than when you're in the back
and you know there's stuff going on back home, and
uh you know, uh so things happen, So a lot
of stuff was combined. But to the rear area, out
(32:14):
in the bush, we're depending on each other's lives and
the camaraderie is just it's I often said, why can't
it be like this back home? Why does it take
a combat situation? Why do we have to be out
in the bush facing an enemy in order to exhibit
(32:36):
the kind of comradeship that that you have out there.
But then of course when you get back to the rear,
then you know, then you had to deal with, you know,
some of those issues that come up, but.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Not from the people you were out in the jungle
with or now, I mean, they weren't switching sides, if
you will, for lack of.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
A better time.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
Absolutely, it was just there was.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Just knuckleheads that were back in those POGs. I think
is the phrase word or whatever?
Speaker 5 (33:02):
You yeah, back in the rear areas.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Yes, And also I'm curious, so you you're attached to
a marine, a lot of pride, there are a lot
of tradition, but you because you were Corman, did you
automatically garner their respect even though you were Navy.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Yes, okay, yeah, that that's that kind of exempted me
from a lot of the the issues that would occur
in the rear And basically, I mean, so.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
What are you going to do to your corman? You know,
I mean really yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
And so it automatically gave me a certain a certain
level of respect and basically, you know, my my Marines
looked out for me. So if there was any foolishness
going on in the rear area, I didn't have to
say a word. I basically, you know, someone would deserve it.
Someone giving me a hard time, you know, they put
(34:03):
a stop to that immediately.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Outstanding.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
One of the common one thing I learned Jesse in
doing this program as Vietnam veterans, told me that one
of the best things one can say to a Vietnam
veterans is not necessarily thank you for your service, but
welcome home. And so many veterans who returned from Vietnam
did not face the most warm reception upon arriving back
(34:26):
in the country.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
What was your experience like.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
I basically, once I got back from Vietnam, I went
right back to UCLA undergrad because I wanted to finish
my degree and proceed on with my you know, career aspects,
and so I didn't I didn't flaun it. You know,
when people realized that, you know, I was was an
(34:53):
ex was a veteran. You know, there was the baby killer,
the you know, the usual stuff that that was sensational
lives to a certain extent by the media. But for
the most part, you know, I didn't have a rough
time assimilating back into the world, so to speak. I
(35:14):
had a very good support system. My dad was ex military,
had been in the war, knew understood what I what
I had experienced, what I was going through. So I
was kind of fortunate to avoid the demons that destroyed
a lot of my fellow soldiers with respect to PTSD,
you know, the emotional the drugs, the alcohol, the suicides,
(35:38):
and I was. I was fortunate, extremely fortunate. And then
of course I was raised Catholic, and so I had
a pretty strong, uh you know, religious background, and I
just put my faith in God. I knew I was
doing the right thing. You know, I wasn't shooting anybody.
I was saving lives, and that for me was a
(36:03):
self saving grace, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
You know, Jesse, you continue to support veterans. Of my understanding,
you still do a lot of volunteer as a host.
You serve as a hospice volunteer with a lot of veterans.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Yes, my wife being retired, you know, and at home,
my wife decided, you know, you're messing up my schedule,
so you need to get out and find something to do.
And so basically I was at an American Legion meeting
and this gentleman came out to give us a speech,
(36:37):
and he was a hospice representative, and he was looking
for volunteers. And I said, you know what, that's something
I want to do because there are veterans who are
in hospice and if I could, you know, make a difference,
you know, that would be something that I would like
to be involved in. So I visit several facilities and
(36:58):
I have about four or five patients, one or two
of them are veterans. I have a preference for veterans,
but not exclusively. So I'm assigned to, you know, to
visit these patients. And unfortunately, you know, these are people
much older, senior citizens, and they don't a lot of
(37:18):
times they don't have anybody visiting him. The families stick
them in a home and that's it. They forget them,
you know. And my thing is, you know, listen, when
you were born, they changed your dirty diapers, you know,
they did everything for you. And now at this end
of the spectrum, what you're you're sticking them in a
home and you're forgetting about them, and you don't visit them,
you don't care. So I try to provide whatever empathy
(37:43):
and care and socialization and companionship that I can, and
I get a lot.
Speaker 5 (37:48):
I get a lot of a lot out of that.
So I enjoy doing that.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Good on you, brother. We've got just about a minute left.
We've got a lot of men and women still wearing
the uniform listening to us on the American Forces Network.
Just any sage, words of wisdom or advice to them, well, you.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
Know, not really, just you know, hang in there. We
will know.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
I will never forget you, and you know, and I'm
hoping that, you know, the rest of the country doesn't
as well. I know there's a lot going on with
you know, with things. I won't go into it, you know,
under these circumstances, and so they just need to remain
strong and and wear that uniform with pride because it's
(38:29):
it's it's it's it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Well, Jessha, I know you'll be the last one who
admit this, but I consider you a hero, sir, and
I really appreciate you probably were in the uniform and
saving those lies in Vietnam and just doing your part
on behalf of all the rest of us.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Well, if I wasn't, if I was forty to fifty
years younger, I would do it again.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
Standing well, I'm sure they'd love to have you.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Well at this age, I don't know. I'd look at
some of the guys in the uniform and the combat
gear that theyre It's got to be forty fifty sixty
pounds a year, so I don't know.
Speaker 5 (39:06):
I'm not in the best of shape look I used
to be.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
But Jesse, we appreciate you spending some time with our
listeners today.
Speaker 5 (39:12):
Oh it was great.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Thank you so much, Ben, and I really appreciate the
time my privilege you allowed to spend with me.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
Ladies and gentlemen, don't forget you can find this podcast
and over six hundred others at American Warrior Radio dot Com.
Are also on almost all the streaming platforms iHeart, Pandora, Spotify.
Our mission is to get these messages out to as
many years as possible. Please help us do that. Until
next time, all policies and procedures.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Remain in place. Take care.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
You've been listening to American Warrior Radio. Archived episodes may
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