- May 2, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Ormond Beach resident John Reeves arrived at the Da Nang Airport on May 1, 1968.
He remembers how busy it was. There were helicopters, airplanes and bombers. He was 19 years old and fresh out of the Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina.
"I still remember walking down the steps … and there were all these green bags on the side of the tarmac," Reeves recalled. "I’m going, ‘I wonder what that is.’ I finally figured out that they were bodies.”
Reeves' time in Vietnam was short. He was only in combat for 40 days before he returned to the United States.
Having enlisted shortly after graduating from high school in his small town of New Jersey, he knew that if he didn't go to college, he would likely end up being drafted for the U.S. Army. But, he wanted to be a Marine.
"I’m a big supporter of our country, and I was back then, and so it seemed like the right thing to do at the time," Reeves said.
His father, a World War II veteran who served in Europe, wasn't keen on the idea of his son enlisting, but Reeves said his family was supportive of the decision. Following what would have traditionally been a 13-week training period at Parris Island but was shortened to eight weeks due to the need for recruits, Reeves became an infantryman for the Marines.
His short time in the service was harsh. Reeves didn't get to know a lot of people — too many were getting hurt, he said.
“In those 40 days, you didn’t have a whole lot of time to really think about stuff," Reeves said. "We were always pretty much on the move."
On June 10, 1968, Reeves was in ambush where he got shot. The bullet went through one side of his left forearm, exited out the other side and shot through his right shoulder. The injury eliminated the use of his right arm, and he was transported back to the U.S. for rehabilitation before he was medically retired from the military.
Reeves was awarded with a purple heart medal, a recognition he says shows his service is appreciated by his country. A now retired insurance broker, Reeves is a member of local chapters of the Marine Corps League, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign wars and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
As Veterans Day approaches, Reeves said all veterans have one thing in common: They did what they thought was right.
“It’s just one day," Reeves said. "If you meet a veteran, just say thanks.”
