Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Michael Patrick Felker Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: 1st Marine Division
- Location of Service: Great Lakes, Illinois; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Vietnam; San Francisco, California
- Highest Rank: Hospital Corpsman Third Class
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/30416
Like many during the era, Michael Patrick Felker enlisted in the Navy to avoid being drafted into the infantry. Hoping for an assignment as a journalist, he instead became a hospital corpsman, going out in the field on patrols and night ambushes with Marine infantry platoons. A pacifist as well as a noncombatant, he was deeply affected by the patients he treated and the casualties he witnessed. Settling in San Francisco after the war, he confronted what he terms another "baptism by fire": integrating into a largely antiwar community after having served in the military. Little by little, he came to terms with his experience, and made his voice heard, through work on campaigns to end gun violence and ban land mines.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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PlayBoot camp felt like a prison; mistreatment by commanding officer; didn't fit into the military mold; hospital corpsmen assignment; relief of realizing that the next part of his service wouldn't be like boot camp. 00:05:14.1 - 00:11:22.1
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PlayExperiences from going on patrol in field; witness his first major casualty; felt worse than being shot at; still remembers that anniversary of it. 00:23:24.6 - 00:30:48.7
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PlayAfter the war, continuing his pacifist philosophies; working on campaigns to end gun violence and ban land mines. 00:44:22.0 - 00:46:18.6
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PlayHis role as a noncombatant; coping mechanisms; working on land mine ban issues is cathartic; local veteran organizations have been very accepting of him as a gay veteran. 00:46:48.2 - 00:50:19.3
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PlayReception by his fellow servicemen during boot camp and then in Vietnam; Marines in Vietnam did not give him a hard time. 00:50:22.7 - 00:51:48.5
More Resources
About this Item
Title
- Michael Patrick Felker Collection
Names
- Felker, Michael Patrick
- Draper, Mark
- Matthew Bleistein
- Free Library of Philadelphia
Home State
- Pennsylvania
Headings
- - Felker, Michael Patrick
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: 1st Marine Division
- Location of Service: Great Lakes, Illinois; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Vietnam; San Francisco, California
- Highest Rank: Hospital Corpsman Third Class
- Dates of Service: 1968-1972
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 2005-02-17)
- Photograph: Copy photographic print [1 item] -- Photograph (collected 1970)
- Computer File: Floppy Disk [1 item] -- Electronic file of photograph (collected 1970; 2005-06-06)
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-02-17; 2005-03-08)
- Manuscript: Printed matter [3 items] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/30416
Cite as
- Michael Patrick Felker Collection (AFC/2001/001/30416), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video