Vietnam Veteran Served in the US Navy

Today I met Vietnam Veteran Ralph J. Gervasio, Jr. He was drafted into the military many years ago and talked to me about the carnage he witnessed when his ship was hit with friendly fire while simultaneously being attacked by Vietnamese gunfire. Gervasio served in the U.S. Navy.

The carnage witnessed by Gervasio was grim as he tried to resuscitate a shipmate whom had already died. He talked about how some personnel on the ship were missing limbs, fingers and more.

The following day he was asked to retrieve something out of the ships freezer… next to the food was the body of the man he tried to save the day prior.

When he was released from the military in the early 1970’s, he had to wear his civilian clothes on the flight home. The military command he was with actually told him to do so because too many reports of returning war time veterans being spit on or attacked prompted the civilian clothes order.

He never admitted to serving in Vietnam until the 1980’s out of fear of not being hired or being fired from his civilian job because he was a U.S. Veteran. Times were much different in the 70’s and 80’s for those who served out country.

Gervasio told me that you never get over things seen in Vietnam.

Despite the hard times, he now volunteers to help younger veterans returning from war zones.

Hear the entire interview by Scott Walker (19 Min):

Johnny Navy

He had a US Navy tattoo on his right hand and he told me, “I was in Panama when Manuel Noriega was captured.” He served in the Navy for thirteen years in the late 1970’s and 1980’s.

History unfolded in 1989 as Noriega was brought down by a team of Navy Seals. After the former leader was taken into custody, he was flown by the US Air Force to America to stand trial for drug trafficking charges, evidently he was bringing drugs into the US while dictating the country of Panama.

As for Johnny, the 54 year old man is wheelchair bound for the most part and lives in a motel that was converted into efficiency apartments. He told me that Hospice services visit him weekly. Johnny said, “I have thyroid cancer and it has gotten too bad.”

In his younger days after the Navy, he was no stranger to trouble. He was arrested multiple times, but that was then and now he is simply making ends meet.

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live." - Norman Cousins (1915-1990), American Political Journalist, World Peace Advocate

U.S. Navy Veteran

He served our country in the United States Navy while stationed on the USS Alamo. The old ship was launched into service in 1956 and has traveled to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, just to name a few stops.

After getting out of the Navy, he returned to his hometown of California where he picked up his love for singing. His musical career took him to Las Vegas where he performed with bands on a regular basis.

Following that dream of music, he made the trek from the West to the South landing in the Music City (Nashville). Over the years he has sang at bars and musical venues throughout the country.

While he has traveled the world as a sailor and traveled the U.S. as a singer one thing has been a constant battle... Diabetes. That battle continues with the recent amputation of both his right and left legs.

He is not homeless, but calls a motel room near the heart of Nashville home.