Wilkes County Veterans History Project: Tim Day

So, I left UNC-Carolina in 1969. I knew I would be drafted, so in order not to be in basic training at Fort Bragg in June or July, I signed up in February of 1970. Evidently, there were lots that had the same idea, because instead of going to Fort Bragg in February; I got shipped to Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Do you know what kind of weather Fort Dix, New Jersey has in February? Cold! 20s or 30s, snow, wind, and freezing rain. I developed pneumonia during Basic. The day before shipping out, I went to the infirmary, and I was told I had pneumonia. The doctor said that doesn’t keep you from shipping out. Vietnam has the perfect weather to help you get over pneumonia! So, ship out I did. After being in the country for about a month, a helicopter landed and a medic hopped out hollering “Day, Day “. I said “Yes sir “and he said “Get in, I’ve got orders from the Surgeon General to fly you back to Basic Camp to be checked out. Evidently, my Mother and Aunt had gotten hold of our congressman and complained about how I had been told I had pneumonia and got shipped off to Vietnam anyway. They had orders to verify that I was ok. Just like the doctor said at Oakland, “Vietnam is the perfect place to get over pneumonia,” because I no longer had it.

In another incident, I came down with malaria and was sent to an Army Hospital. There was no room in the malaria ward, so I was put into the wounded Purple Heart recipient ward. A One-Star General was coming around one day, pinning the medals on the guys or their pillows; asking them where they were wounded and how. He got to me, leaned over and placed the medal on my pillow, and asked, “Where you hurt son?” I said, “I have Malaria, sir!”  The General turned five shades of red, jerked that medal off my pillow, and stomped off. All the guys held their laughter until he walked away. Then they cracked up, the ones who were able to.

I spent a year in Vietnam, I turned 21 while I was there. I walked point for three months and carried a radio for nine months. I never regretted my service, was just glad I made it home; there was a lot who didn’t.  I’ve had a good life, married to Anne Bagby for over 41 years, and had two sons, Matt and Michael.