Interview

Cliff Bracher, Interviewed by Tegan Jackson, 2015

Name of Person Being Interviewed: Cliff Bracher
Other People Present: Judy Bracher
Researcher: Tegan Jackson
Date of Interview: 4-12-15
Location of Interview: 81891 Hwy 37 Pendleton, Oregon, 97801
Special Conditions: Helicopter flew over, Papers ruffling, and People Walking
General Description: Early Life, Basic Training, Germany, Traveling
Length of Interview: 34:28

INDEX
0-0:41 Talking about Rankings
0:40-3:11 Getting Drafted
3:11-4:00 Getting Prepared for Basic Training
4:00-6:13 Basic Training
6:13-6:49 Training as an M.P.
6:50-8:00 Getting married and preparing for Europe
8:00-9:08 Talking about his Battalion
9:08-10:09 Did he see combat? And talking about East Germany
10:10-13:32 Talking about switching from an M.P. to a Clerk Typist. He also moved to the commanding     officers clerk
13:32-14:30 Talking about Judy coming to Europe with him
14:30-16:39 Living in a dormitory and having K.P. duty
16:39-18:20 Supplies
18:20-20:54 Test and requirements for his job
20:54- 27:00 Taking leave and entertainment. His VW Bus
27:00-28:45 European Discharge 30 day leave. After being discharged and traveling more
28:45-31:47 The friends he made
31:47-34:28 What the service did for him

Mr. Cliff Bracher
Interviewed by Tegan Jackson, 2015

Mr. Cliff Bracher was raised in Pilot Rock, Oregon.  He attended Eastern Oregon University in La Grande Oregon.  He knew that once he graduated from college that he was going to be drafted into the Vietnam War because he had a low draft number. A week after he graduated, he got a letter saying that he was going to be drafted into the Army. If he wanted to choose his branch, he would had to have made it a career. He was given 60 days to report to Portland. He needed to report in August of 1970. He had to take aptitude tests. After the tests, he was sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, where he began his basic training.

After basic training, he had no leave time. He was sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia. While in Georgia, he studied to become a Military Police. But while in Georgia, his orders got confused, and he became friends with the Commander. He was told he was going to go to Europe and that he could bring his wife. So he called his college sweetheart, Judy Dorran, and asked her to get married. He was shipped home in the middle of December and on the 27th, he was married.

On January 1st he was sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey. After that he was sent to Frankfort, Germany. After Frankfort, he was bused to his battalion. Some of his memorable experiences were when he was sent to the headquarters unit, and he was going to have to do line duty as an MP. Before he left, an officer came out and asked if anyone knew how to type that had a college degree. So he was told to type something. Instead of going out on duty he stayed with the headquarters unit.

He kept records and did office work. Ironically his first phone call was a gentleman from La Grande, Oregon, asking if he wanted to be the commanding officer's clerk. His company had KP duty, but he only did KP duty once, because they hired local Germans for a $1 a month. He had the best food in all of Europe. Once a year, they had to pick up all of their things and move, just in case of an attack.

During his time there, he lived off base with his wife Judy. He had a 8-5 job, Monday through Friday. They would throw parties at their house. On the weekends they would travel around Europe in a Volkswagen bus. While on duty, he could write his own passes because he worked for the Battalion Commander. So he never had to take any leave time.

When he was discharged, he had a month of leave time. So he took a European Discharge so he could go travel around for a month. After he was discharged, he toured Europe again.

When he came back to the states, he started working on the family farm. He has four kids: Cindy, Gretchen, Randy, and Paul. And he has nine grandchildren. He is currently supposed to be “retired” from the farm, but he isn’t. He still helps whenever he is needed.
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Mr. Bracher is glad he served for two years in the Army. It was a great experience, not only for him, but for his wife Judy also. 
 
 

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