Veteran's History Project - James L. Schilling

James L. Schilling

Staff Sergeant

U.S. Army

1964-1966

1974-1995

EDITOR'S NOTE: Veteran's History Project author Larry Nelson is taking a few weeks off. During that time, we'll re-run previously published features about local veterans. The following story about James L. Schilling first appeared in the Sun-Telegraph on May 26, 2012.

Jim Schilling knew he was going to be drafted in early 1964. In Sidney, he prepared for it by putting his car in storage, leaving his job, saying goodbye, and steeling himself for what lie ahead.

Well, the government didn't quite have its ducks in a row and had to defer his entry for another 90 days. Jim had to hit the re-wind button, getting his job back, taking his car out of storage, etc. Then, in April of the same year, he and others went by bus to Denver for entry into the U.S. Army. The next destination was Fort Polk, La. There were several trains to board and get off before arrival. It was also his first look at life in the South – particularly with regard to segregation and racism.

The train stopped at a small fruit stand. In the middle of a dark night, the only light was from a single bulb illuminating the stand. Finally a truck arrived and took the men to the base. The next morning, he was in a mess hall trying to eat when someone called out his name. In a room full of freshly shaved heads, no one stood out. Finally, he recognized Mike Hardy from Sidney!

Fort Polk provided One-Station-Unit-Training, or OSUT, for basic and advanced training. In basic training, his barracks was inspected by an officer who seemed to always be focused on Jim. Three days in a row, the officer scuffed Jim's spit-shined boots (at the time and in some military circles, that could be a felony or at least, grounds for a butt-whippin'!) He still knew the names of his drill sergeants. Adjusting to military life wasn't easy. It was hot and humid. One oddity was that he was with other guys who were drafted and were in their 20s, like he was. The younger men were those who enlisted.

During hand-to-hand training, Jim was seen as the guy who wanted to fight the larger guys. He figured that if he could outfight the big ones, the little ones wouldn't be much trouble. One bigger man had to learn that the hard way.

In Advanced Individual Training (AIT), Jim was in a heavy weapons platoon. Most of the platoon was made up of National Guardsmen and Army Reservists who, at the end of training, were going to be going home. The draftees, like Jim, were going to war. There was considerable tension between the men. The training sergeant caught on and made sure Jim and a couple of others had it a bit easier than the other guys. The living conditions changed too. In basic training, there were newer buildings, newer lighting and plumbing, even individual stalls in the restrooms. In advanced training, no privacy stalls, poor lighting, open bay showers ... in World War II barracks.

Jim graduated as an infantryman, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 11B20. He received orders to report to Fort Riley, Kan. He was sent to a Ranger unit that trained all the time, became highly skilled soldiers. He was soon issued two items of everything on the list. They were on a 24/7-ready-roster. He could ship out immediately, two bags of gear were always ready to go. A sergeant calling off the roster of names asked if there was anyone whose name was not called? Jim stepped forward and said yes. The sergeant asked his name ... "Schilling, Sgt." The sergeant asked why his name was not on his list? Jim said "it's not my list, sergeant." For that response, Jim got no time off for a month!

During the training, his unit got a new squad leader, Sgt. Manley. Manley had actually been released from prison for second-degree homicide. He wrote generals, congressmen and others and said he would like to re-enter the Army. He had been in two wars; the end of World War II, and Korea.

In training, he was situated too close to an M-2 (.50 cal machine gun) when it went off. He is still disabled from that. When the orders came out for deployment to Vietnam, the sergeant called him out and said he didn't have to go because of his hearing. Jim said he preferred to go with the guys he had trained with. In staying with his unit, he soon was promoted to Specialist Four.

Before leaving for overseas deployment, Jim admitted to a little gambling which in turn provided him sufficient cash to finance a trip back to Sidney to be with his family, and to treat them to meals and good times. Soon enough, it was time to move out. They flew from Salina, Kan., to Oakland and boarded a troop carrier, the USS Gordon – all 3,500 men.

Stored inside the hold of the ship were all the sealed containers (conex). They held all the supplies needed for soldiers at war. Some rations, clothes, ammunition, tools, cleaning supplies. The movement of the ship in the ocean caused the containers to shift significantly, crashing into each other, damaging the doors and locks. Once ashore, it would take days to unravel the scrambled containers and get the supplies to the men. Jim said that his first night patrol was conducted while he had only seven rounds of ammunition.

They arrived at Vung Tao. General Westmoreland and the command entourage was there to greet the Big Red One (1st Infantry Division). Suddenly, the enemy launched mortar rounds at the newly arriving troops. Once that problem was taken care of, the unit moved out to their new home. They had to establish a base camp. The engineers and local nationals were there to help get it established. They made a random search of the locals as they left the base and found a detailed map of the base that a worker had made.

In conducting patrols and actions, Jim's squad and platoon were picked frequently to be the lead element. He saw plenty of human frailties and excuses from men not wanting to go to battles. He also saw how people could pull together as one unit and get the job done. He watched as a convoy of trucks carrying troops moved out of the base camp and learned that the Viet Cong were waiting for them a few miles away. The ambush was lethal. Jim was part of those sent to bring back the pieces.

There a significant problem with leeches. The soldiers had to constantly and daily check themselves for the bloodsucking parasites. They would use their Zippo lighters to get the leeches to back out of their encroachments in the soldiers' bodies. On his first mission on a helicopter assault run, they were headed into some bamboo spikes. The tips of the shoots were coated with human feces. If they jumped out and landed on the tips, they could easily die. Jim was scratched and found out how bad it was, quickly.

They conducted patrols daily and every third day was a night patrol. One night they were laid on to find a train depot. For some reason, Jim sensed a trip wire and stopped his squad. He saved lives that night. They waited until the wire could be set off. Jim knows that he was blessed with some divine intervention. He repeatedly was saved from situations that were deadly for others.

Jim's unit was issued a new item, a claymore mine. They set them up in an area where they knew the enemy would be coming through. When the soldiers were ordered to detonate the mines, the clickers didn't work. Damn. The next morning, Jim's guys went to check and found that the enemy had found the mines and turned them 180 degrees, thereby aiming them at the U.S. soldiers. It was a good thing the clickers didn't work. (More divine intervention?)

On another patrol, they found another tunnel complex that was three layers deep. It was actually a mine manufacturing facility. There were lots of munitions inside as well. In order to destroy it, they had to secure the area. As they moved on, the unit found themselves in a mine field. They were told to back out, being sure to step in the foot prints of the soldier behind you. They were in a mine field. At the same place, they were told not to touch anything. The Vietnamese were hollering and an interpreter was called in ... they were also in a leper colony.

Going back out on patrol, a series of night actions hit each platoon going out. This was going to be bad. Jim prepared a package to be sent back home. He grabbed some extra ammo and grenades. Medics were going out with them. A serious fire fight was going to happen. The enemy hit the soldiers hard with mortar and machine gun fire. The soldiers dropped low. The radios of the jeeps were loud so everyone could hear. Jim tried to send radio messages back but couldn't reach the radio guys. He went back and found them, too afraid to move. He squared them away and went back to the fight. They returned fire and poured ammo into the enemy. They were outmanned, outgunned, and backs to the wall. They had converted their M-14s to be able to shoot on fully automatic fire. The enemy was blown away. From this firefight, Jim was awarded the Vietnamese Medal of Gallantry.

Soon enough, it was time to re-deploy. Jim returned to the U.S., arriving in Oakland. The protesters in Oakland made the return difficult, but they went on to San Francisco to fly home.

Jim was released from active duty.

He returned to the Sidney area and joined the work force, engaging in various jobs. He still liked the Army and wanted to keep serving. In 1974, he joined the National Guard. He served as a meteorologist, a red-eye missile technician, an artilleryman, and other assignments. He served until 1995.

Jim was promoted to staff sergeant and ended his service with several awards and well-earned medals. His service to America shaped his life in many ways.

Staff Sgt. Schilling, thank you for your service.