The Military & Alternative Service Project

The initial letter to the uncles:

May 10, 1992

To the Goering Uncles:

I am writing to ask you to record some memories of a specific
period in your life, that is, those experiences relating to
military or alternative service.

I realize this probably seems to come out of the blue and
you’re probably wondering what brought it on. Actually, it’s been
on my mind for three years or so. While I was living in Japan a few
years ago, I visited Hiroshima and stayed at the World Friendship
Center, which was run by Church of the Brethren volunteers, and has
quite a library of peace church literature. I got to thinking about
where my people were at Hiroshima’s point in history. Shortly
thereafter cousin David G. stopped by on his way around the world,
also visited Hiroshima, and told me something about Herb’s
experience during WWII.

It occurred to me what an extraordinary collection of stories
there is in the experiences of you brothers on the topic of
military service. I’ve mentioned this to David, my sister, Janice,
and others and they have confirmed my thinking that this is of
interest to more people than me.

I recall asking Grandpa once if he had given you any advice or
guidance on the questions of military service requirements. His
reply was that he had at some point admonished you to remember that
the most important thing was that you were brothers as you went
your different ways.

I believe your experiences are a story worth recording—
because of the number of brothers, the age range and hence
historical perspectives, and the differences in your responses to
the choices regarding military service. Of course, it’s your story
and so must first be told by you. That is precisely what I am
asking you to do—tell us about the decisions you made, the
consequences you felt, the problems you encountered. Describe your
experiences… profound, trivial and (in some cases, I hope)
humorous. What’s your hindsight? I’ve included a list of questions
to help you get started, but please don’t feel constrained by them.
Your response can be written or tape recorded as you prefer.

The idea is to collect your responses and try later to fill in
gaps or clarify as need be through interviews, by telephone • or
perhaps at the Goering reunion in Kansas on July 4th weekend. I
don’t have a clear vision of a final “product”, and invite your
comments and ideas about how to eventually retell the stories, if
we want to do that. Right now, my concern is that these stories be
recorded and collected, and that depends on you.

Since it’s taken me three years to get started, and I can’t
promise quick action on my part in the future (I’m in graduate
school), I can’t be too serious about a time frame, but it would be
nice to be able to pursue this at the July reunion for those who
are interested and willing. Toward that goal, it would be helpful
to have preliminary responses in June. It seems to me there can be
numerous revisions, but we can get started this spring. Please call
or write if there are questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Marcia

Questions to stir your thoughts;
Please describe your service related experiences. Use as much
detail as you wish. We’re interested in the mundane as well as the
profound.

When were you in service? How long? Please give dates, if possible.

Where did you spend that time? Were you in one place or several?

What specific duties did you perform? Please give details.

Did you receive training? When, where and for what?

What do you recall about the people you had contact with (other
servicemen, supervisors, underlings, other civilians, Americans,
foreigners, religious, secular)? How did they respond to you, to
your positions? How were you treated by colleagues?

Backing up a bit, how did you get into your line of service? Were
you drafted? Did you volunteer? What decisions did you have to
make? What were the choices you saw?

What did you decide to do? Were you in the military? Non-combatant?

A conscientious objector? Can you explain why you made the choice
you did?

How did you make your decisions? What sort of process did you use?

Who did you talk to? What did you read? What influenced you? What

were you thinking about? What impact on your decision did such
things as family, church, financial support, adventure, education,
etc. have on your decision?

What were the consequences of your choice? What difficulties did
you encounter? How did others react? How were your decision and
consequent experiences regarded by your family, the church,
friends, etc.? Did you have any doubts?

What impact did your experience have on the rest of your life? For
example, is this when you met your wife? Other long-term
friendships? Career decisions? Did you develop any philosophies of
life?

Did you change as a result of your experiences? How so?

Retrospectively, how important was it all? What good do you think
came of your experience? What not so good?

Did you have trouble readjusting afterward? What problems did you
encounter?

Retrospectively, what do you think of it all? Has your perspective
changed over the years? If so, how? Would you do anything
differently? What advice, if any, would you offer a young person
now? Or what advice have you given your own children?

Please also include memories of your brothers’ experiences. What
differences do you see in your own experience compared to theirs?

Response from Walt

Reply from Elva

Reply from Bill

Dan writes
Dan writes more

Herb says

From Aunt Martha

Art’s story

John shares
More from John

From Leonard

From Larry

From Harry