Gray Thorne, Joe: my Marine Corps experiences (May 14, 2007)
PublicRank: Corporal.
Interviewee: Gray Thorne, Joe
Interviewer: Wood, Jessica D.
ABSTRACT: Corporal Joe Gray Thorne Joe Gray Thorne (AKA BINGO).mp3 0:00 Mentions http://www.powowtrail.com and some information on him published there. Discusses some of the work he has been involved in and how he still considers himself the current president of NAVA Vancouver Island Chapter. (National Aboriginal Veterans Association, although there is current conflict over that. That will be resolved when National president comes to the area. Is currently working on a variety of veterans stories (for film project.) Monday May 14th 2007 Served in Vietnam in 3rd Marine Air Wing. His mother is from Cowichan tribe and father is Nuu Chah Nulth. Joe served on council for Ditidaht. His father was Oscar Edward Grey and was himself drafted from Port Renfrew for WW2. His father was an Army Commando. Joe's brother Glen was drafted a year after Joe, into the US Army Special Forces. His other brother Buddy Grey was also drafted and served in the US Army running tanks and as a 'Canon Cocker'. (aka gun bunny personnel in an artillery battery) Joe thought he was going to finish high school in the US. He got to homeroom in 1969 and was drafted from his first homeroom class. They were taken to the AP centre at 5 am. He was drafted in Seattle, Washington. He had wanted to move to the US to finish high school there, because he wanted to experience new things and he did. How did he end up in the Marine Corps? His brothers went to Fort Bragg and Lafayette. Joe was in San Diego MCI recruitment camp, then on to Camp Pendleton. Brainwashing started right away. 4:00 stood at attention for 36 hours. Flinched and was beaten. Was with 88 of the best men you'd ever meet. Went through advanced infantry training, recon training and then 5 days furlough, before receiving West Pac (orders). Best friend was Alton William Logan III. Ironic that his family had changed their name from Custer to Logan (irony). Joe describes losing him in combat at Danang Airforce Base. 6:30 Talks about his duties, going through tunnels, more scared of snakes and rats than enemy. Drove 18-wheelers, talks about life expectancy based on the task you were doing. When we weren't doing that we were out in the jungle 7:25 Discusses the incidents of racism and strategies around being ethnic in the US military. Discusses "Band of the Hand," how they would identify themselves in a fight, and who they would support first in combat and the repercussions of doing so. Considered Vietnam to be the really ugly war, when the nature of war changed. Knew what they wanted to do to succeed but were prevented from doing so. Referred to it as a "balance of economy". Discusses the challenge in describing the war and the what the glorification omits. 10:00 Discussed the change in your nature. "You start getting mean." Describes the Old Man at the camp as being 18 years old. Discussed the food boxes and the camaraderie and what they discussed together. Discusses the replacement of M14 with M16s and the devastation that ensued as a result. Discusses the jamming problems with the M16s. 12:00 Discusses thoughts of home and the connection to looking at the stars and the connection to home and the comfort they gave. Discussed the at acclimatizing to the horror. "Picking up that riffle and squeezing the trigger was just routine." Discusses the loss of spirit and soul. Discusses injuries that took him home. Discusses hand to hand combat, and the lack of weapons and what they resorted too. 14:00 More discussion of hand-to-hand combat and the lack of communication that led to the meeting of platoons and not knowing who the enemy was. 15:00 After major injury was airlifted to Korea to a Mash Unit. Not expected to live. Can't remove bayonet from spine, will be crippled. Leave it, it is rusting. Was sent to VA hospital State side. 16:00 Mom came in and I didn't recognize her. Took 3 days to start 'coming back.' Was doing peculiar things in the hospital… describes behaviour and the feeling of still being mad. 17:00 Started to come around, thought it was 1969 again, not 1973. 18:00 Discovers Father had died in same room at hospital 3 days prior to his arrival. 19:00 Remembers mother's strength, and how the war affected his life and what he decided he wanted for himself afterwards. Reminisces about missing 87 comrades. (Joe was the only one to come home.) 22:00 Discusses why he fights for veteran rights and recognition and the difference in how they were treated when they returned home compared to non-native veterans. Discusses what happened to his family when they tried to apply for survivor benefits for his mother. 23:00 Discusses what he sees as token settlements for WWII veterans and their widows. 24:00 Discusses the impact his sons desire to join the military had on him. 26:00 Wonders what his life would have been like had he not been drafted. Discusses going to cemetery to talk to father, "Sometimes I sit in cemetery and talk to my father. Is the only place I can go. I used to sit in closet, but people thought I was crazy." 27:00 Discusses love of woods and how it protects him, and why he believes veterans are often in the mountains. 29:00 Tells of his unease in the city, and what helps. Brings up lingering dreams, and how he won't share it with his family. Discusses how his pain is taken from him from his wife and family. Discusses the impact of his family on him and what it takes to be a "warrior." 33:00 Discusses the type of person that is a good soldier. Shows fear at what is happening to veterans returning from Iraq, sees similarities. Feels like is carrying a torch that was handed down from WWII vets to Korean vets to the Vietnam vets and is now passing it on the Iraqi Vets. In the hopes that "Someone has to pick up and stop this nonsense." 35:30 Discusses meeting "Tran" at a garage sale in Duncan. Was a young boy that was trapped in a foxhole with him in Vietnam for three days. End interview.
An interview/narrative of Corporal Joe Gray Thorne's experiences whilst serving with the United States Marine Corps. Interview took place on May 14, 2007.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 36.5, 127.75
- 40, 127
- Original recording (MP3 and WAV) on digital versatile disc (DVD) in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- GT_477
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- May 17, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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