Wilson, Reginald: my Air Force recollections (April 25, 2007)
PublicABSTRACT: Reginald Wilson Reginald Wilson.mp3 0:00 When I was one year old. I was a Wilson Loudmouth. All of us Wilson's are big mouthed. Anyhow, to give the people a little peace and relaxing my mother took me out to the beach, which was about 50 yards away. There was a dead whale on the little bay there near Quathiaski Cove. Anyhow, there was a dead whale on the beach. So I'm "Kloqsiway" (Indian Name) that's the name she gave me. Which means dead whale on the beach. Now she could have given me "Maxinukw" which is killer whale. I dunno. I didn't like that. I'm "Kloqsiway". I'm Dead Whale on the beach. If you see me walking across the street don't say 'Hey Dead Whale on the Beach' 'cuz I always have my bingo dabber on me, you'll get crowned. My name is "Kloqsiway". I am "Kloqsiway." In my heart I am "Kloqsiway" (not Maxinukw) I would have liked to have been. So that's how I got my name. 1:53 My Christian name is Reginald Gilbert Wilson. The Missionaries gave us that name to try and save our wretched souls. But they didn't, my soul is still going to go to the Cape Mudge. All the way. In Lummi, they have religion. The old Indian religion, it still holds true. We're going back to our reserves. That's the way I feel. Ah…. We're down to 1929 now. 2:55 I had a little time on the Cape Mudge reserve in 1932. Had a little time in the Cape Mudge reserve. In 1932, Claude the Indian Agent from Alert Bay said to my dad I he was going to Residential School. I went to Coqualeetza Residential School. I was still speaking Indian, but at the residential school you couldn't do that. Fathers and Sisters and kinda took hold of me. So that that was in 1932, I was 5 years old. 3:55 In 1937 I got Pleurisy, at the, like TB. Anyhow, I was so bad the residential school thought I was gonna die so they sent me back to Cape Mudge. And at Cape Mudge my father he had another wife by then, a younger one. Anyhow, I was playing on the stairs with my sister like Lahal (bone games) and, I dunno what happened. Pleurisy, I don't know anything about, it has to do with your lungs. Anyhow I was throwing up blood. And my dad thought for sure I was gone. 5:00 And so he took me across to the Campbell River Hospital. He And Effrey my Step Mother, thought I was a goner. So they got Amos Johnson, that was Effrey's dad and Auguma (sp?) his mother, to come see me. And they stayed with me about 2 days. And 2 days like, even now looking back I really thought I was gone. So I started getting better and I believe humbly that Effrey's dad I think they just willed me to get well. And I did. I really believe you can will or wish somebody well. Anyhow I really believe they got me well. So I went back to Coqualeetza, and Coqualeetza at that time were really worried about TB so they made me a test case. So in 1937 or whatever or 38, they put me in on bed, they put a big crematoria (sanatorium?) there 7:00 to study TB. Anyhow I had to lay down there and for 2 years I did nothing but lay on the bed. All I could do is, they would give me something to read. I think they really did me good. Cuz when I went to UBC I didn't have no problem with my English or anything like that. And math was nothing to me. All us Wilson's are really good with math. We can put two and two together and get 22. (Laughter.) 7:52 You know I'm crazy? You wouldn't think so would you? Show her the film. (Did you want to see the video of him sky diving) I'm just bringing up the point I'm still crazy (talk between Jody Cook (Joe's daughter) and Jessica Wood re: National Defence Poster, January 30 2006 picture Article in newspaper) I just wanna make a point that I'm still crazy. 9:00 (Jessica: So that's absolutely fabulous, do you think you'd do it again?) Yeah I think I would. I have had 107 jumps being a paratrooper. I've had 29 freefalls, 30 freefalls. Hey, I'll tell you something, ah, You know Kitty Reynolds, and all them they are country singers, this one guy had a Don Marquis, in Clarksville Tennessee, he had a big amphitheatre called the cave, anyhow he'd have people come, 'bout 10,000 at a time. He used to pay us to jump out of a plane and come down in a lake. The first time I did it, 10:30 He used to pay us 75 dollars a jump. I went up there, and figured I'd free fall into the lake. And I'm looking down at the lake, it's coming up quick! So I pull the shoot and the shoot opens ok. And I kept looking at that water and it's coming up in a hurry! So, I pull the release on the shoot and I fell, and I fell, and I fell. I must have fallen about 150 feet down. But when you're looking down at the water it looks close! I landed in the water and come up and everybody was clapping for me. They thought I did that on purpose! I used to jump for Kitty Wells And Roy Akoff (old countries singers), Roy Akoff owned the place and he was a multi millionaire. I was always The Chief to him. 12:00 Anyhow that was good times. But we were back there in 1928. Anyhow, you know I was in the residential school all the way through to 1942. And my brother Charles he was 10 years older than me, he was 17 at the time. And he was determined to go in the Army. 'Cuz that's what all the propaganda was, Was that they needed us in the Army. And he couldn't go and join cuz he was an Indian. So my dad and I from Cape Mudge we spent the whole day to go down to the Sinclair Building on Hastings Street. Arneel was the Indian Agent then. Charles couldn't get in cuz he was an Indian. So we went in and Arneel made him a whitie, took away all his Indian privileges. And in an hour We walked him down Granville Street two blocks and then inducted him into the army. So He spent time, 6 or 8 months in Camp Borden I think. He went overseas and landed in Normandy on D Day + 1. The second. He was in the Calgary Highlanders second division. He went all the way to Apple or Holland in 1945. Then he come back and we met him in Vancouver and took him back to Arneel (sp?) and made him an Indian again. And they took away all his veterans benefits. About 120,000 dollars worth of benefits you know. 15:00 I was at UBC, and Charles showed up, and he got his benefits under the Indian rights. Oh before I get carried away with that, I come back from Korea you know and I was at fort Campbell and the first company meeting I went to, they say 'who is from the mountains from the west coast?' Or course I raised my hand, "they said ok, you're gonna be the ski instructor." Ok we were in Red Cliff (?) Colorado, we were in the sticks, away from civilization for 3 months and I was getting thirsty for a beer. Anyhow I took my company and I made a trail through the pines. And a lot of them crashed right into the trees and had broken shoulders and everything else. And I come back to camp. And they says "they want you at headquarters" oh hell I thought I'm gonna get reamed like hell cuz I had so many kids hurt. I went into there. And there was my brother Charles, and he had joined the Air Force, the AC 2, He was one wrung before being the lowest. On his lapel, he had golden albatross. And everyone was really ginger around him you know. And I said to myself and to Charles, I know what's going on. They thought he was a colonel. You go and ask for a three-day pass for me, just tell them you haven't seen me in about 10 years. So he went to see our town commander, and said I haven't seen my brother in about 10 years and I'd like to spend the holidays with him can you give him a pass? And he no sooner had he said that it was written out. But the ending date wasn't on there, I could have stayed there forever. Anyhow we were way up in the mountains. They give us one of those snowmobiles to go down 10 miles down to the road. And the then they give us a big deuce and I have to take it down to lesthborow (?), I spent 3 days. 19:00 I'm just telling you cuz this really happened. Shows you I'm just sergeant Bilko all over again. My company commander when I come back says I know what you pulled there, I'll let it go this time, but if it ever happens again you're gonna get court marshalled. But he knew what had happened. I told you I didn't volunteer? I got drafted. I was in Astoria, Oregon. I tore up the first two draft notices and said "they can't do that to an Indian." 20:00 the foreman of where I working says there is somebody at the gate that wants to see you. I thought well I dunno if I'll go down. I went down there, and there was another draft notice. I couldn't tear it up, cuz it was in a big hand. Federal Officer. Said you put 2 years in the army or go back to the Lummi reservation and never come off it or go back to Canada. And I thought well that's a pretty good option, cuz I was a pacifist and I thought who the hell can shoot somebody else. Anyhow I figure I'll go and tell mom I'm going on my way to Canada. So I finally caught up with her, and told her what had happened and told I was going on my way back to Canada. And I can hear her voice right now, she said "No son, you go in the army and take care of brother Joe." My kid brother had got drafted. So I went in the Army just from her telling me. I couldn't tell her "hey that's not the way it is" cuz those old ladies don't know the way the government works. So that's how I went in the army. 21:40 I took care of Joe one time. Yeah, In San Francisco. He was headed on his way to Korea and well I figured as long as I was in the Army, the quickest way is Airborne, Maybe you get killed right away. That was my thought. So that's why I went Airborne. I was went a ranger hunh. 187th Airborne. That's how I really got in the Army. I was telling the guy this morning, that I was a pacifist until those mortars and machine guns started hissing at me, then I changed my mind about being a pacifist. Forgive me. That's true that's the way it happened. I got some mortar shells and stuff in me. I got out to Fort Lewis and then they shipped me to Fort Campbell right away, they needed airborne and I was airborne qualified. (Jessica: how old were you?) I was 26 when they drafted me. Just under the age of draft. And that's how I got in the army. 23:40 I still had some shame of being in the army. Still hugged me hey? Until I buried my brother Charles. Then I knew I had been in the army, so for him I put on my Veterans outfit, since then. And Really being Airborne and Ranger you had something to be proud of. There were quite a few that washed out on the training. They couldn't take it. But with me, the rougher they made it, the better I liked it. I'm still crazy. Now we're back to 1939. 25:00 No that's why I'm a veteran. It wasn't because I wanted it that way, that's just the way it happened. So you More or less in the long run got a jist of what I am. Yeah, I'll be marching with the veterans. I'm really proud that I'm with the veterans, like you see there Chinese veterans, they all volunteered, I didn't, I got drafted. I'm proud of my service now. (Where did you serve?) 26:00 Koji in Japan, Korea, Oxford Germany, Fort Campbell, Camp brixon (?) bridge, these are airborne and all over the states, Alaska, Greenland, all of them… Airborne is the United States Fists. They say Airborne: we're especially mean. I guess, It's the rough training we had, we're tough so don't' give us answers. That's just the way everyone thinks of us. You know. And it's true. I guess it must be. I guess some were really rough, I guess some of us didn't give a damn one way or the other. But they were proud to be Airborne. So start your questions. (break) Water coming out of the ground (the water) still under the construction, I figure I need to get to Cape Mudge to go fishing hunh. So I figure this for some evil thing. I will hitchhike from Prince Rupert all the way into Vancouver. And that's what I did. It took me a week. I had the cab drive me past Port Ed and I figured I'll get a ride. But I looked too pitiful… so I started walking. 28:30 It got dark. Heard the wolves howling. They would sound close then they would sound like they were a long distance away. There was a lot of wolves around there. I was glad when the morning come and I got a ride a to Hazelton…Kispiox. Stayed there about 2 or 3 days…from what I remember. I'm just kidding. I knew quite a few people from Kispiox, yeah the Johnsons'. The Harris'. Margaret Harris', there are 2 Margaret Harris' the one that's about my age, she's about 70. She was a beautiful girl, but she was meaner, she meaner than mean. And Judith Morgan was another one of those really close to me. Judith and I were writing back and once and she was living in Missouri I think it was. before I went into the service. Once I got into the service I figured well there ain't no sense in getting serious with nobody. So I never did write to her again. I was gonna call Judith Morgan. She married a preacher. I dunno. But then I heard they had got divorced. So I don't know. If she's still alive, I'd like to tell her hello, cuz I saw a good bit of her. She was so talented. 31:00 She would just draw. I heard she was in Education, I don't know. I know Robinson's up that way. (So that was before or after you were in the service?) After. What was it like for you when you got out? I ah, my wife and I got married and my wife and I went to Washington DC. I got my discharge money and we went to Washington DC and all over hunh. 32:00 It was hard on me, everybody you know, times were hard. So the only job opening was house electrician. Residential wiring. So I did that. Then I enrolled in apprentice. And that's how I earned my living being an electrician. I become Master electrician. Not just my GW, I was just under electrical engineer. WE had correct a lot of the engineer goof ups, cuz they goof up royally. SO that's how I made my living all these years. Plenty of money, course most of construction workers so I boozed a good bit. Till my wife told me, I had 7 kids, anyhow she said you quit drinking or get out of the house and I had 7 kids, so I just quit drinking. You know we had them 7 kids. 4 boys and 3 girls and the way she took care of that. She bought be a big colour TV with a remote. So that's how we got the end of the line. 34:23 (What year were you discharged ?) '53. Um hmm. (So you were in for how long in total?) No '53, no '55 when I come back from Oxford Germany, I went in 1951. (That's a lot of jumps in a short period of time.) 35:00 When I come back I was sent to Fort Benning. I put all the kids through jump school. I got to jump every time with them. That was a lot of fun. We had these 250 foot tower where we would raise them up in a parachute and let them go. They raised me up and let the class know he's gonna pull the chords and go this way. And one March, I jumped and I went right into the steel tower. My prints are still on that tower. I had an awful time getting out of my chute. I wasn't letting go of that Iron. That's how I know my prints are still on there. It wasn't too bad, cuz I was on a cross bar. But crawling around to the centre. I did most on my waist pack and the wind was really blowing. Let me tell you, it was funny to me. I was putting kids through jump school 37:00 and I was not the master jumper, I was his helper. Kids were getting sent to Korea. Anyhow. He tapped the guys out, and this sergeant Tivol,(sp?) he was a 3 up 2 down Sergeant. Sergeant first class. Anyhow, This one jumper, I remember, Ryder, he froze in the door. And people tried to push him out. He wouldn't go, so Tivol took a step back to knock him out the door, and Ryder side stepped and the Tivol went right out the door (Did he have his chute on?) yeah he had his T12 on. We had the most fun with him, when we got him to the NCO club. I had to tap both sides. Lost and field at Fort Benning. That's just once of the incidences I remember. Things come back to me you know? 38:40 (What was your first jump like?) Kinda a blur. I was scared of course. But in my mind I know millions have done this before, and I know I'm good or better of those millions. So I went out. After the second jump I kinda realized… (open your eyes when you jump?) yeah, after awhile just teasing the guys, be peeling an orange going out. Just being an asshole you know, just the way I was. Or eating an apple. Hey, That's how my service was. 39:45 Most of the guys I marched with I really respected cuz they did it voluntarily. I was drafted. I know eventually I got to be a good jumper. We went to Nicaragua. Like the US used to use the airborne as just a threat. Somebody give them trouble, it was us that went. (So you jumped into Nicaragua?) No, We went there so they, what I really found out, was that united fruit, dole owned that, and it was really a lot of money, and they threatened the fruit company. So they sent some of the airborne in. and most of the time, I was with the 11th airborne or 101st airborne and they'd scramble you. They'd get you from the beer joints. 'cuz we weren't allowed civvies clothes. So they knew what unit you were with, and if you were with the unit they needed you were gone. What really sobers you up is when you get live ammo. That's when you figure it's serious (You had live ammo in Nicaragua?) yeah, 2 calls I've had live ammo. (gets quiet) 42:30 The only place I've heard "lock and load" was in Korea though. When we were in Nicaragua, we just stayed in the airport in our fatigues in about 105 degrees there. Our faces would be just soaked by 7 o'clock in the morning. 43:30 (Who was your CO in Korea?) Sergeant Nelson, was one of them. (Sergeant Nelson?) No I meant he Captain Nelson. The sergeant I was thinking of was my Master sergeant. Oh let me tell you, now that I think of it. we made touchdown in Korea. We were waiting in the pads getting ready to go, and the guys were there, and they were all sticking together, I went there just to be in the crowd. Anyhow they had a big doobie going around… Marijuana. It come by me, I can't back out now… I just about choked from the smoke cuz I never did smoke. And got through that and passed it around and then come, course when we got on the plane and had all my gear ready and I went to sleep, and we had about 35-40 minute ride. And I went to sleep And the first thing I heard was tie up, buck up and check equipment. And I jumped up with my GP bag, the general purpose bag. With all the machine gun bullets and you come right out of the plane and the first thing you do is pull the chord on the GP bag for it to fall right down for you. And wondering if I would get that bag gone before I landed. You know, like world war II, they jumped where they had a little time. In Korea We jumped at about six or 700 feet and it would take 240 feet for your chute to fully deploy and your planes are going just like that cuz they are all at 105 miles an hour, just barely stalling. 46:30 Yeah I remember those few jumps. We jumped to save, some Canadians were, the gooks had them locked down on one hill. and they were about out of ammo. So we jumped behind the gook line to relieve them. And we did. I told that to a veteran from Alberta, he was telling me had had been with the princess pat. I told him I know the princess pat, and mentioned the hill that we jumped to, to give them relief. And the just cried. It comes back to me every now and then. (cries) (it's tough) I never know when I'm gonna fall apart. Usually it's something to do with Charles. I really feel for him, I know he went through hell. Just ah, vet from wheel from Ottawa, he's from Holland, but he's in the government now, he's with the aboriginal vets. I forget his name. I was telling him about that. His dad and mum are Dutch, and he was Dutch and I was telling him about going to oxford. I was telling him I was in my jump outfit, and I was telling him about Charles being with the 2nd brigade of Calgary highlanders. And they kept buying me beer because of that. They really think the world of Canadians. I think that the Canadians make as good a soldier as anybody you know. I don't know if they have to prove it or not. They all know what the Canadian government does here. 50:00 They are really prejudiced against the Indians or First Nations. Because They are given very little natural resources. Billy, my kid, my other brother, Bill Wilson. Says we are going to come into the oil money maybe our kids will, but we'll be gone before then (Bill Wilson is your brother?) yeah, he's my kid brother. Ethyl Pierson is my step mother, they call her Effrey? She's given 5 potlatches. And where did she get the money for all them potlatches? From my dad, my dad was a millionaire. Way back when, in the depression. He was a millionaire. Where he got his money? he had a big packer and he used to buy clams up Guilford island and all over, and they'd have a big load of clams from Quathiaski cove to Campbell river and the tug was on the iron mike and cut them right in half. And there was Albert Wilson and Humpty dick and dad and Effrey and sonny, well in the confusion dad had a hold of Calvin, was a young boy, and Effrey had a hold of Calvin and they wouldn't let go. and when they settled quite a few years after that, Dad got a lot of money and that's where Effrey got the money too. She gave 5 potlatches. 52:35 (what was your dads name?) Charles William Wilson from Cape Mudge. He bought fish for BC Packers, Nelson Brother and ABC. (What did he think of you going in the military?) he didn't know about it till I was in there. And I come back from Korea and I was just dressed in fatigues. And I went to see him, and he grabbed a hold of my hand and took me everywhere to show me off. I think that was one time he was really proud of me. But I wasn't, not at that time I wasn't. I was just proud to be Airborne. Lean and mean, now I'm just mean. (Did you get any decorations or awards for your service?) Purple Heart. I don't know where I got rid of it, somewhere in my travels. Yeah maybe I need another colour TV with another remote. (take a break) 55:00 She says I've got a favour, You don't' have to tell me, whatever it is I'll do. There is a lady I need you to keep for awhile. It was Myrtle Poor Bear, she was a witness for the FBI. So, I kept her for about 6 months. I was getting paranoid. I'd see a car coming down the street, and say well the FBI is after me, but they never did. But she got lonesome for her kids. So we smuggled her across the Canadian border to Winnipeg and she went down. Yeah, Gena asked me to you know be screened by the police, I said well ok. But it was the Canadian police. If it was the FBI, I'd be down the road. (your family is quite the history of being involved with the Peltier trials, incident at Oglala) Effrey Donna and Billy set up the UNN. (Daughter: We are the family that adopted him when he came to Canada. I don't' have the book but my daughter has it, but in the prison writings that he has dedicated that to his step mom and my aunt.) Leonard Peltier is my adopted brother. (They adopted him in a potlatch, so they were trying to keep him in Canada and that didn't' work. It was really neat listening to Kelly tell her story about the whole thing too. I've listened to her and it's something I've already been interested in and passed that down to my daughter Sarah, and keep that going) 57:30 Donna come to me one time and said I need a favour. Whatever, I need you to smuggle me some beer across, cuz they had a beer strike on. I said OK, whatever. 19 cases they loaded above my in my tank in my camper, drove it straight across the border. For Donna I would have done anything. She was so precious to me. That's Kelly's mom. And Chris, the youngest girl, looks exactly like Donna. I saw her last year, I said "Donna?" I knew that was Chris, she just loves being compared to being Donna. She looks exactly like Donna. Jody questions Jessica on relation to Reginald. 60:00 I was the skiff man for Johnny Clifton.(Port Simpson) He died a couple years ago. He owned, I fished on the Qwatsu, that was his seiner. Yeah, I can remember Johnny Clifton, we were fishing in bear river. It was illegal to tie up to something, to tie the Seine to something. So, he would run up and wrap the tree up… and right over by the planes, the law was coming for us. So, I cut the lines loose and left him on the beach. (Almost as bad as when you sent the guy under the plane.) He went and hid under the trees. We all got a 25$ fine. (Jody: I was talking to my cousins as well over the weekend. Cuz they were teenagers in high school in the 70's when in Washington when there was a Judge Bolt decision where the natives got half the fishing rights down there. So there was lots of racial tension and that sort of stuff. And dad's walking around with a t-shirt that said "Judge Bolt's Favorite" He's just always picking at people… cheeky very cheeky. He went to court because he got caught outlawing in a river he wasn't supposed to be in. He's got the court evidence of him walking out of the water. And he's got this headlight on his head so you can see him. And he's got this look on his face like Oh shit I've been caught or whatever. So he goes to court with my uncle whose got a cane, and my grandmother who's like waddling along) and the two kids, Judge Bolt! (and after the court he let him off, he asked for the pictures. We had those pictures, I don't what happened to them, for years! But n the back was the "official court documents" Those were like our family pictures, and we're like "oh there's dad getting caught fishing".) 60:03 I went before Judge Bolt. All the people ahead of me are getting 25 or, thousand dollar fines or all like that hung. Judge Bolt says "do you have legal representation?" I told him no, I told him "I'm not giving any money to no lawyers". He kinda smiled. I know he was getting a kick out of me, especially with my mother and my uncle with a cane and these two kids. (Jody: Fun childhood!) I pulled some stuff in my time! I've had fun doing it. 60:04 You know the Province, the Vancouver Sun and the Globe and Mail? They have all done exactly like you have. Given me interviews. I tell them what the Canadian government has done to the first nations veterans and none of it got printed. And with the Globe and Mail they did about three hours on me taking pictures and all that. And I told them exactly the truth of what the Canadian government has done to First Nations veterans (Jessica: like what?) Like having them give up their Indian rights to go in the army and getting them back after they've done their service to Canada. They have done the first nations really rotten and I told the province the sun and the globe and mail and none of it got printed. (Jessica: why do you think that is?) Because the Canadian government just has too much influence on them, they don't want to get blackballed. (Jessica: do you think it was different for you in the states then?) I don't know if I've done an interview in the states. (Jessica: But being in the US army, do you think it was different than being in the Canadian?) No the American army, you're just in the army. You're just one of the soldiers. 60:07 I think the Canadian never really thought highly of the first nations veterans. Like that fellow from Winnipeg was the most decorated man in the Canadian service. They let him die a drunk. Hunter was his name? or was his name prince? (J: Tommy Prince?) Tommy Prince. He was in Korea with the Princess Pat you know. 60:08 I've met his nephews. I was hoping to get a museum set up in, right on Hastings street and Main, on that four square building. Across from Carnegie. Let me tell you another thing I was thinking of. I was a veteran at the friendship centre. So after the meeting I made my way to Hastings street and Main. And there was this cab. Had a lady in there, right on Main. And I looked in the window and says "can you call me a cab?" He looked at me and he says "two blocks down the street, there's a public telephone go and use that." That got me really mad you know. I says you god damned Hindu! Like that, that's how I said Hindu you know (makes hand gesture) He got mad and he didn't' like that. He jumped out of his cab, and went running around. So I got a little ticked I guess and I just cold- ... anyhow... and knocked him down on the street. And across the way at the Carnegie building they had a raid on for dope. And there I was right across the street and knocked this guy down. And this guy got up from the pavement and he went running around to his car. And I thought Oh I'm gonna get charged you know. But there was a cab behind me. I went in there and I says "we gotta get outta here" and he was another East Indian and he was laughing up his storm! He saw what happened. He saw I knocked the heck out of this guy. So I jumped in his cab and took off. (Jody: that was just a few years ago) (Jessica: Oh no, I'm thinking in your twenties and this is a few years ago. Ok maybe a little bit crazy.) At about at 70 I'm doing this! (Jessica: You're a growing concern!) (Jody: he will be eighty tomorrow.) 71:20 I always say I ain't scared of nobody no matter if they're married or not. Cuz I know I can outrun anybody. I move really fast when I'm scared! You can't catch me if I'm scared. (Jessica: I hear you're going to BB King, lucky) After Johnny Rivers Holy Cow! (Jessica: Just spoiled, anything to keep you out of trouble) (Jody: Bingo or concerts) (Jessica: he's warned me he always has a bingo dabber in his pocket.) I'm pretty accurate with that bingo dabber (Jessica: You see that's skill they don't teach you that when you join the airborne.) (Jody: or in residential school) 73:00 I'm fairly close to Micky (Cook). John Malcolm was a really good friend of mine. kinda my nephew or my cousin. (Jody: they are related to Effrey. Alex (nelson) he was my soccer coach.)(Jessica: What team were you on?)(Jody: T-birds) all the hunts I'm close to in Fort Rupert, they're all my friends. (Jody: Alex started as my soccer coach almost about 10 years ago. And got really close to him and stuff because he was Effrey's nephew, and took us under his wings.) I used to carve with the Hunts in Surrey. That's one of mine, that's the spotted Owl One's. Let me show you this one. This is the only one I really have used. It's a speakers staff. That's eagle down, that's eagle eider down there, thunderbird, this is Killer whale, I mean salmon, dog salmon, that's sockeye there and there's a whale and canoe. (Jody: he did this bentwood box, 75:00 that's my hope chest) That happened after I retired. When I was at UBC, Audrey Hawthorne, she's an anthropologist. At UBC I knew her real well. We used to, she had a little museum about half the size of that hallway, she used to sit and tell people what things what they were. I used to get paid 50 cents an hour. (Jody: then he took up button blankets, then he did this for himself) Do you want a picture taken? That's a button blanket, takes about 3 weeks to 6 weeks to take one of them. (Jessica: what haven't you done?) I've done about 14 of these all different. End of the line (re: design on the blanket, taking pictures) Which one did I make you? (Jody: You made me, let me see if I've got it upstairs, the animal kingdom…and you made one for Sarah when she graduated) 78:00 When I'm carving, I think of Charley Wilson they're with me, my grandpa. Or Dat'sala, my uncle he used to carve. Dat'sala, Johnny Wilson. That's his Indian name. He'd just pick up his a stick and just start carving and have a totem pole in a day or two, that's just the way he was. And with these button blankets I think Effrey is with me. I've done that (points) I like that spotted owl. I have got a mate to that one, it's a white one. I give it to Tony I think. I've given my stuff. I was offered 5000 for a cannibal bird (Jessica: A Humsum?) Yeah. (Jody: I think she took them to school, they're at her house, yeah so.) I'm giving this to Sarah. These are Walrus seal bones. I'm gonna give that to Sarah 'cuz she's into Indian... I just got this. (Jody: that's what he does, he receives some and gives it away. Recycles.) yeah. I figure Sarah will really appreciate something genuine. 80:20 Sorry Lonny (talks to recorder) (Jody: that's exactly why I learned it. That's why I gave Charles back that mask. Things just get moved around. He gave a mask to my..) You know my brother buttons. He died with a head mask, had white gwuyasims on there and bear fur my brother Calvin, he was a bear, a grizzly bear. (J
Interviewer: Wood, Jessica D.
Interviewee: Wilson, Reginald
An interview/narrative of Reginald Wilson's experiences during the Korean War. Wilson served with the United States 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. Interview took place on April 25, 2007.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original recording (MP3 and WAV) on digital versatile disc (DVD) in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- WR_478
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- April 25, 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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