Voice Of Vashon

Lisa Devereau & Eric Ireland were instrumental in coordinating the construction and fund raising for the Vietnam Memorial. This memorial is at Ober Park. It also specifically celebrates the lives of the 12 young men who lived on Vashon Island and were killed in action in Vietnam. I urge the community to visit this memorial.

These three men are all veterans an spend time supporting other local Vashon veterals providing direct service and assistance as well as making sure the veterans are assisted in filling out the necessary papers correctly to get financial and medical support.   The Veteran’s Service Center is open 1-4, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It is […]

David Watson, shown with his family in Viet Nam, was a friend of mine from Ellensburg. He was a Vietnam era veteran. He moved to Saigon, now Ho Chi Mihn City 14 years ago. He married there and has 4 children. On the day we interviewed his kids were taking piano lessons much like kids […]

Rich Adler and Gary Birka, receiving Silver Stars above, were just kids when they arrived in the Nam with smiles on their faces. Both were presented with many unbelievable images of war. Rick and Gary were both given the Silver Star in a recent ceremony at JBLM for their heroic duty in a battle in […]

George Nelson did his service on a Siwft Boaton the Mekong River, Mlong Delta aNmd all the little tributaries. Some were so narrow the boats couldn’t get through without scraping the sides. Another primary mission was to patrol the small san pans for contraband and munitions. Sometimes a mom and pop san pan was loaded […]

Roy Burgarner worked on the boats on the river as an electrician repairman. His job in Vietnam was as vital as any other to repair the boats, get them back in service with a quick turnaround.

  Billie Two Feathers is a Vietnam Veteran and was a Pathfinder while she was in Vietnam. Because of her unique tracking and trail-finding skills she left Viet Nam with a $10,00.00 bounty on her head by the North Vietnamese Army.  

Grethe Cammermeyer is a retired military nurse and served in a hospital during the Vietnam War.  Colonel Cammermeyer served as a Medical Nurse and also served in a Neurological unit where she worked with soldiers with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and spinal cord injuries (SCI).She also successfully fought the “don’t ask, don’t tell” provision of […]

  Absolutely do not miss this interview when I interviewed an amazing, and I mean amazing person, Robert Barrett I also interviewed his daughter Lori Bakken. Robert was shot down in 1967 and spent over 1989 days in captivitythe Hanoi Hilton and the Zoo, which were prisoner of war camps. He is 92, sharp as […]

The Donut Dollies are no different in many ways from the males who fought the war . As a group of female Red Cross volunteers, the Donut Dollies officially began traveling with American soldiers during World War II. On a surface level, their roles seemed simple: provide wholesome entertainment and a “taste” of home to […]