Oral+History+Reflection

Topic: Soldier in Vietnam Interview Subject: Mike Gehl (dad's cousin)

No one really knows what it feels like to fight in war unless you have actually fought in one. My dad's cousin Mike Gehl fought in Vietnam when he was in college and had to make many changes in his life. Vietnam was a really bad war and he voluntarily signed up to fight. By this experience I have learned how brave people really are to go and risk their lives just to save their country. This proves alot about a person and gives me much more respect for Mr. Gehl. He said that he had to fight in Vietnam because he had a right to his country. While listening to Mr. Gehl I learned much more about Vietnam and what the perpesctive of a soldier was while fighting. He said the experience helped him in leading people, and in college, he said that you have to learn how to put your own personal problems aside and worry about other bigger and greater problems in war.

I have always wondered about what a soldier was really feeling and thinking while in war and Mr. Gehl helped me hear what they go through. For him he had three months of training to do before going to Vietnam, and he also had to go to Germany for a couple of months. He worked as an artillery officer in Vietnam, and he had to go through the training before going to fight. He also mentioned that this experience was hard on his family members, but his father had fought in WWII and was proud of his son for going to fight in the war. This helped me understand how family members feel about a child going into war, there a mixed feelings throughout. All in all I think by interviewing Mr. Gehl it gave me much more respect for the men and women fighting right now and who have fought, he is very brave for doing this and I have alot of respect for him.