Ralph Holtby, Interviewed by Hannah Jones, 2015 INTERVIEW LOG
Name of person(s) interviewed – Ralph B. Holtby
Other people present: His wife, and both of my parents_
Researcher: Hannah Jones_
Date of interview: 5-23-15
Location of interview: Redmond, Oregon (at his home)
Special conditions (noise, interruptions, etc.): N/A, moving in chair_
General description of contents: About his life in the Vietnam War_
Length of interview: 1:03:27
TOPIC SUMMARY
Time and Contents
00-1:00 Where he went, what he did, what war he was in, what his work was and where he lived before being drafted.
1:05-3:40 Where he was drafted, what camp he went to. Where he was trained, and about his training.
3:40-5:38 About his trainer and who they were.
5:39-6:40 His advantages in the war.
6:40-8:35 Where was he sent, what Vietnam was like. The first few days over there.
8:36-10:05 About his job, and the casualties.
10:06-29:26 Memorable experiences.
29:26-30:47 Medals and awards.
30.:47-34:53 What it was like, and about the supplies.
34:53-36:02 Pressure and stress.
36:02-38:13 Good luck, entertainment.
38:15-41:56 Leave, where he went in the service.
41:56-44:41 Humorous events.
44:42-46:17 What he thought of his officers. If he had a diary.
46:18-48:15 Day his service ended, where it ended.
48:16-49:41 What he did in the weeks and years after.
49:42-5:05 Schooling and the GI bill.
50:06-52:47 Close friends while in the service.
52:47-54:37 VFW organizations. Life after the war.
54:38-58:13 Military experience, about Vietnam now.
58:14-1:03:27 Anything he wanted to add that wasn’t covered in the interview.
Mr. Ralph Holtby Interviewed by Hannah Jones, 2015
Ralph B. Holtby lived in Washington where he was working for the fire department fighting forest fires when he was drafted into the Vietnam War.
Mr. Holtby was first stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington where he was born when his dad was stationed there during the second World War. He then was stationed in Fort San Houston in Texas and went through sixteen weeks of hard training. Because he was a contentious objector, he was trained as a combat medic to care for the men who were wounded in battle.
After his training at Fort San Houston, his orders were to be sent to South Vietnam in December of 1968. While some men were sent out to the hospitals in Vietnam, he was sent out to the jungle with his platoon. One of Ralph’s most memorable experiences was walking through the jungles day after day, and carrying his pack which weighed about sixty pounds.
The only way he could communicate with his family was by letters. Occasionally, one of his family members would send him canned food. Holtby wasn’t put under pressure, but stress was put upon him by trying to live day to day, and having the stress of knowing that he couldn't go home until the war was over, Ralph said in the interview, “When you’re there you’re there, and you can’t go home and that’s just the way it is.” While in the service, he also traveled to Hawaii, and then to Hong Kong.
Ralph B. Holtby’s service ended at Fort Carson, Colorado. He got out in the middle of the night to avoid being spat at during the day by protesters who didn’t agree with the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Bronze Star. When he returned to Washington state, he resumed his job with the fire department fighting forest fires for seven more years. He then went back to school to be a chiropractor. He has been a chiropractor for over thirty years and lives in Redmond, Oregon with his wife.