The Interview 3/23/13: Bobby Griffis(Vietnam war Veteran)
The interview was conducted on Saturday March 23, 2013 at the Griffis residence in West Townsend, Massachusetts. Mr. Griffis is a veteran of the Vietnam war.
1. Mr. Griffis, how did you get involved in the war? What were your views of the Unitd States involvement in Vietnam upon being deployed?
I was drafted into the army in the 60's. A couple of my family members had also been drafted. I didn't know what to expect. I was a young kid. I did not have many opinions of everything going on overseas. I was told to fight, so i fought. I would do anything for my country, even if i agreed with the situation or not.
2. Mr. Griffis, were you aware of the illegal actions going on by American soldiers in Vietnam?
Not only was I aware of it, but I saw it first hand. We would rest within 100 feet of Vietnamese children and families. Some of the other soldiers would treat them poorly and inhuman. I was not one of those people. But what was I going to do? I was not going to walk up to six soldiers higher than me in rank and tell them to stop acting like animals. It was best for my safety to just remain quiet. The things I saw were not as intense as the shit going on in other parts of Vietnam, but still unagreeable to say the least.
3. Mr. Griffis, one of the parts of project include researching the protest group Vietnam Veterans against War, could you talk about that?
Kid, like I previously stated, you should never apoligize for your countries actions. Regardless how disgusing the situation is. If your country tells you to jump off a cliff, then you should be doing it. In todays society, Americans are defending the wrong people. They would first defend other countries people than ours. Their priorites are messed up. I would never join a group that speaks bad about our government and tries to make their decisions seem irrational and stupid. I feel it is messed up to do so.
4. Did you ever attend a Vietnam war protest speech or march?
I was in Vietnam during the heart of all the protests, marches, and such in the United States. But i will tell you that I would constantly hear complaining from my mates about why are we even here, or when can we go home? I promise you I am not bullshitting when I say this, but I never complained. I knew that there was an obligation to carry out.
5. Do you have immediate family members that were against the war?
My mother hated the war. I feel it was more because I was gone for such a long time, rather than she disagreed with the whole matter. So when she would hear all these people complaining about how many sons were killed in Vietnam today or this week, she got scared. She wanted me home and did not want us fighting somebody elses war. She didn't want her only baby to die in battle.
6. Did you gain any relationships with friends, that were later killed in battle?
I didn't talk too much when I was in Vietnam. I did not gain many relationships. But that did not mean anything. I would eat lunch with one guy one day, and then the next day he was not there anymore. I will tell you one thing. The protests that spoke about how the war was messing up the soldiers phycologically, that is true. I wake up every morning and see this skin mark on my face from those chemicals during the war. It is tough kid.
7. Did any family members encourage your involvement in the war?
My father fought in WWII. This man was all about principle and discipline. He came home from the war and his father was so proud of him for fighting for his country. He wantd the same thing from me. This was obviously a complete 180 between his and my moms views. He was not one that was against the war. His views also swayed in the other direction by the end of the war though.
8. Knowing what you know now about the war, do you believe the war in Vietnam was necessary?
If ever our nation calls upon us to fight, you should go. Let me state that first. But let me also state that I believe nations should be fighting for their independence the way we did. We did not get help. We fought for it ourselves. We did not have another nation come in and help us fight our battles. We should have let them handle it. But I would never say that.
1. Mr. Griffis, how did you get involved in the war? What were your views of the Unitd States involvement in Vietnam upon being deployed?
I was drafted into the army in the 60's. A couple of my family members had also been drafted. I didn't know what to expect. I was a young kid. I did not have many opinions of everything going on overseas. I was told to fight, so i fought. I would do anything for my country, even if i agreed with the situation or not.
2. Mr. Griffis, were you aware of the illegal actions going on by American soldiers in Vietnam?
Not only was I aware of it, but I saw it first hand. We would rest within 100 feet of Vietnamese children and families. Some of the other soldiers would treat them poorly and inhuman. I was not one of those people. But what was I going to do? I was not going to walk up to six soldiers higher than me in rank and tell them to stop acting like animals. It was best for my safety to just remain quiet. The things I saw were not as intense as the shit going on in other parts of Vietnam, but still unagreeable to say the least.
3. Mr. Griffis, one of the parts of project include researching the protest group Vietnam Veterans against War, could you talk about that?
Kid, like I previously stated, you should never apoligize for your countries actions. Regardless how disgusing the situation is. If your country tells you to jump off a cliff, then you should be doing it. In todays society, Americans are defending the wrong people. They would first defend other countries people than ours. Their priorites are messed up. I would never join a group that speaks bad about our government and tries to make their decisions seem irrational and stupid. I feel it is messed up to do so.
4. Did you ever attend a Vietnam war protest speech or march?
I was in Vietnam during the heart of all the protests, marches, and such in the United States. But i will tell you that I would constantly hear complaining from my mates about why are we even here, or when can we go home? I promise you I am not bullshitting when I say this, but I never complained. I knew that there was an obligation to carry out.
5. Do you have immediate family members that were against the war?
My mother hated the war. I feel it was more because I was gone for such a long time, rather than she disagreed with the whole matter. So when she would hear all these people complaining about how many sons were killed in Vietnam today or this week, she got scared. She wanted me home and did not want us fighting somebody elses war. She didn't want her only baby to die in battle.
6. Did you gain any relationships with friends, that were later killed in battle?
I didn't talk too much when I was in Vietnam. I did not gain many relationships. But that did not mean anything. I would eat lunch with one guy one day, and then the next day he was not there anymore. I will tell you one thing. The protests that spoke about how the war was messing up the soldiers phycologically, that is true. I wake up every morning and see this skin mark on my face from those chemicals during the war. It is tough kid.
7. Did any family members encourage your involvement in the war?
My father fought in WWII. This man was all about principle and discipline. He came home from the war and his father was so proud of him for fighting for his country. He wantd the same thing from me. This was obviously a complete 180 between his and my moms views. He was not one that was against the war. His views also swayed in the other direction by the end of the war though.
8. Knowing what you know now about the war, do you believe the war in Vietnam was necessary?
If ever our nation calls upon us to fight, you should go. Let me state that first. But let me also state that I believe nations should be fighting for their independence the way we did. We did not get help. We fought for it ourselves. We did not have another nation come in and help us fight our battles. We should have let them handle it. But I would never say that.
Reflection
Mr. Griffis was extremely helpful. This man was on sight for important events. He witnessed Vietnamese civilians being abused and other illegal actions going on in Vietnam. This man is a true American though. I believe him when he says he would do anything for his country. From his expressions, I could tell he disliked the war in Vietnam greatly. But he did not want to say that. This man was great help for our project. He had a father that was all about patriotism and loyalty, but a mother who wanted him out of battle. He told us how his father's opinion of the war swayed by the end. The protests swayed his opinion of it. We think Mr. Griffis for his help.