 This is Think Tech Hawaii, Community Matters here. Welcome to Think Tech Hawaii, and it never got quiet. This is a half-hour program that explores the Hawaiian connection with the Vietnam War. I'm your host, Vic Rapp. Our guest today is Gene Timonok. Hope I got that right. Gene is a graduate of Merendold High School in Honolulu and the University of San Francisco. He began his military career in the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was commissioned in 1963. Gene served two tours in Vietnam, 1965 through 66, and again in 1968, departing in 1969. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Gene began a long and productive career with St. Francis Health Care System, serving in several capacities, beginning as their first Director of Development with the organization and retiring in 2007, holding the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer for St. Francis Health Care Foundation and St. Francis Residential Care Community and Chief Foundation Officer St. Francis Health Care System of Hawaii. In 1984, Gene took a leave of absence from St. Francis to become Managing Director of the County of Hawaii. He returned to St. Francis Medical Center in 1987. In 1993, he was appointed trustee for the King Lunalilo Trust Estate by the Hawaii Supreme Court. Gene has written a book titled, Almost a Hero, and he is with us here today to talk about his experience in Vietnam and his book. Aloha and welcome Gene. How you doing? Fine, thank you. First of all, before we get into your book, you had a number of tasks inside the Army. Could you explain exactly what happened to you and part of your career? I know it's going to be in your book, but I'd really like to hear about it. Yeah, I've had an interesting career in the Army, beginning with ROTC. And upon graduation, I was commissioned immediately. So I was equal to someone from West Point, which meant I had my first job immediately. And my first assignment was at Fort Ord, California. I had to train push recruits. And if you recall at that time, there was a draft going on. Every eligible 18-year-old had to register for the draft, and then get into the military. Well, at Fort Ord, it was training for the infantry. So for two months, I had to train the recruits. And then later went on to school Fort Knox, Kentucky, with armor training. But moving forward, I guess that kind of beginning and with a Jesuit training at the University of San Francisco, it kind of propelled me into my life's vision, as it turns out. Never satisfied with what I was doing. I always felt like there was room for change, and I wanted to be an agent of change. But at the same time, I realized that we have a structure, national structure. In my case, in my early years, it was a military. So I try to serve in whatever capacity to benefit the people of the United States. And for me, in a way, reflecting now and speaking with you, being half Hawaiian and having seen what happened in Hawaii, kind of put me in a position, well, how can you do that? You saw the United States came and took over the monarchy and so forth. And that kind of weighed on me, as I carried on my duties. And I was fortunate that my verse assigned me. It's put me in command position. So now I could exercise thought and vision rather than just present myself and beautifully do what I'm told. And I think over the past, and in my book, I try to point it out, the book is not about war per se. It's how I handle it as an individual, as a Hawaiian. Because we weren't just soldiers. We looked like the enemy in many cases. I was even stopped at one of the gates because I just happened to be out with my commanding major. And we're playing volleyball outside of the compound. When we came back, we had our only T-shirts on. My commander was black. He said, I don't have my ID because we left it in the barracks. So it passed through. I was sitting next to him. He said, where's your ID, sir? I said, I forgot my ID. They wrote me up and gave me a ticket. I didn't understand, but I had a ticket for not having my proper uniform on and not having an ID, not the black major. Fortunately, as you know, Hawaiians stick together. So I went and saw the Hawaiians that worked in the Provo Marshall's office. I never had to answer the ticket. But what I'm getting at is the book tries to express how one man's conflict, not only in the war zone, but also in himself. Because I also looked at the Vietnamese as another brown people. And although my wife was Caucasian, I still had to press myself in ways that I felt was my duty and my responsibility. So throughout the book, I talk about these different incidences, not again about war and the ugliness of war, but how I, one individual, one Hawaiian, reacted and took care of this. It was that simple as far as I'm concerned. But again, as I point out in the book, it almost hurt. I came back to Hawai'i twice at the International Airport. And other soldiers came off the airplane. And there were tourists all over. And you know, Hawai'i had changed during the six years. And as I walked, I was looking for my wife and I started waiting. And no one else was waiting. And no one said, welcome home here. I just won the bronze star. I was up for the Legion of Merit. Previously, I had gotten an Army Commendation Award. And I think I had provided projects and to answer supply shortages that I felt could have shortened the war. And let me just explain this one incident. Our helicopters were out of ammunition, out of supplies. And the VCs were moving down north and taking over a lot of villages. And a complaint we had in transportation headquarters was that we didn't have the supply. And so I just sat there because I was responsible for the helicopter supplies. So I said, to the major, that black major, I think I have an answer. So he takes me to McVee, where all the top colonels were there. The Army, Navy, Air Force, all bird colonels. And here's this black major and this brown captain. And we go in there and the major believed me, said, tell them your plan. So I told them what I wanted to do. But they would have to take concerted effort of all the major services because we had to transport the ammunition and other supplies from the Philippines into Vietnam. The Navy has to coordinate the landing. Army got to move it. They got to move it south. The Air Force got to fly it. It has to be a concerted effort. And I demonstrated how it would be done. And I waited. At the head of the table was a full bird on maternal. So I waited. He looked at me, says, Captain, how long have you been in the military? Probably, I said, six years, sir. And he looked at me and said, I've been in this man's army for 30 years. And I'm not about to give an approval on a plan that might work. I handed in my resignation at that point. I just could not believe these bird colonels, all sixes, telling me we can't move forward on a plan that may work. Anyway, so just ask you briefly. It goes with the no good deed goes unpunished. That's right. For me, the war, like I said, was complex as an individual. And again, I try to reflect that in the book. And because of my position, both in 65 and 68, this was right during the Tet offensive, I was sent all over the place. I never knew where I was going. I just got the orders and I was gone. And I couldn't tell anybody where I was going, because I didn't know. I just had to open up my orders and go. And many times in most instances, I traveled alone armed with a .45 caliber pistol. And that was it. And I got on airplay. And I think at times, I was able to board the aircraft, whatever it would be, a fixed wing or helicopter ahead of other officers, higher ranking officers, because they didn't know who I was. They'd see the brass of my collars. They'd look at me, the stall Hawaiian Filipino boy that looked like the enemy. And they couldn't. The Vietnamese soldiers salutes me. They didn't know what was happening, because I was in my combat gear. And so in a way, it helped me move around the country. But on the other hand, it really hurt. And like I said, when I finally come home, there was no greeting, no band, no flag waving, just one woman, see, in her southern drawl. That was my timing. That's more than a lot of us got. That's right. And you were very lucky to have that. That's right. That must have been a heck of an experience, especially going back to Tennessee for you. Kentucky. Or Kentucky, pardon me. Louisville, Kentucky. Desegregation was just occurring in 1964 and 1965 with the Civil Rights Act and also with the Voting Rights Act. It must have been a heck of an experience for you and an eye-opener. Very much. Again, I told you I was at Fort Ord. And then we traveled two other officers, one Caucasian and one Spanishman. And the first night we were in Louisville, the guy said, hey, let's go get a drink. Good idea. It's been a long ride. So we go to the nearest bar in downtown Louisville. And it was a jumping place. And we're in uniform. And we go in. The Caucasian guy goes in. Nothing. The Spanish-Mexican guy goes in. Nothing. I was stopped. And so they came to my aid and said, hey, what's happening in Hawaii? So I took out my ID and I have carried a state ID all these years. So I showed him my state ID. And he goes, oh, you're Hawaiian. Pass on. Pass through. Well, I had a grand time. But again, to answer your query, yes, it was difficult. So I made you, you must have had a subconscious thought or at least that feeling while you were there. Well, yeah, constantly. And I did marry the girl I met there in Louisville. So, you know, and I was kind of taken aback because my wife had said the wedding will be in Louisville. And sure enough, no problem. I'll tell you what, Gene, psychologically it was there. We'll get back to talk more with Gene about his book and his experiences after these messages. This is Think Tech Hawaii, raising public awareness. Hi, I'm Ethan Allen, host of likeable science on Think Tech Hawaii. Every Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., I hope you'll join me for likeable science. We'll dig into science, dig into the meat of science, dig into the joy and delight of science. We'll discover why science is indeed fun, why science is interesting, why people should care about science and care about the research that's being done out there. It's all great, it's all entertaining, it's all educational, so I hope to join me for likeable science. I'm Helen Dora Hayden, the host of Voice of the Veteran, seen here live every Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. on Think Tech Hawaii. As a fellow veteran and veteran's advocate with over 23 years experience serving veterans, active duty and family members, I hope to educate everyone on benefits and accessibility services by inviting professionals in the field to appear on the show. In addition, I hope to plan on inviting guest veterans to talk about their concerns and possibly offer solutions. As we navigate and work together through issues, we can all benefit. Please join me every Thursday at 1 p.m. for the Voice of the Veteran. Aloha. Welcome back to Never Got Quiet. We're speaking today with Gene Tawanak about his book, Almost a Hero. Gene, I have a question for you. One of my favorite writers was Robert Heinlein. One of his Whittier quotes was, writing is not necessarily something that is to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterward. I've only read the excerpt on the blog site, Almost a Hero, on the Hero's 50 website. Your style is engaging, and I look forward to reading the rest of the book. So what is it that motivated you to write? Is it your attempt at the great American novel or is it just something that you compelled that you needed to share? Well, you know, just as you say, you're going to write a book, Meaningful Peace. You do do it in private. And unfortunately, I think in my case, the private moments were like two, three o'clock in the morning. And I never had any inclination or desire to write a book. Somehow it came out of me. And once I started, I couldn't stop. And looking back, when the manuscript was finished, the first draft, I couldn't believe those words came out of me and those thoughts came out of me. How I remember, I'll never know. And I did a lot of research, obviously, when you're writing a book, to be a number, and so forth, what was really happening everywhere at that time in the United States, especially. But I never planned to write it. And, you know, let me throw in one thing, if I may. The title of the book is called Almost a Hero, a Vietnam, a soldier, Vietnam Journal. I picked that title just, it came to me. And the reason for the title is that during the 60s, before the war really erupted, every eligible 18-year-old had to sign up for the draft. So that meant once the war began, they could have been sent or was already sent to Vietnam. And I think the number was like half a million soldiers eventually gone. So in my mind, everybody that was signed up could have been a hero. And to me, anyone who was killed, wounded, or otherwise maimed, were heroes. Fortunately, after two tours, I was unstressed. And so therefore, I, like many others, could have been, we were almost a hero. And, you know, I just felt so strongly because of my experiences there, and you never knew what would happen day after day, and how you would survive. And you didn't survive as far as I learned with your mindset. You just did whatever was necessary. I remember one time, we were a rocket attack, and before the rocket hit the ground, I was off my bunk and running. And when I got down, the rocket started coming in. I just lie down. There was a rain gutter, and I told myself, make you self-level with the ground. That wasn't my survival as a rocket hit. And, you know, I got up after that, you know, missed, and I'll go another day. But anyway, you know, like I said, it's an experience that you don't plan. You just react. Oh, but it must, it obviously had an impact on your life and how you think. You say you weren't wounded, but a lot of folks came back with PTSD, and our souls were wounded in a way, especially with this Ken Burns documentary showing so much that we didn't know. And I couldn't watch it. I started watching it, and I disagreed, because I just felt like it told a story in a broader sense, but I needed to get to the individual, because each one of us were heroes, potential heroes. And each one of us, no matter what branch of service, no matter what your calling was in terms of duty, you reacted. So I felt that there was not enough of an individual input that I stopped watching. I just said, I can't watch this anymore. But you're right. Until I wrote the book, I never thought of Vietnam. I don't know why. Maybe it was inside. I didn't want to talk about it. Maybe I was wounded more than I realized emotionally. I don't know. But when I wrote the book, that's why I say I don't know how I brought all of these images back. And I talked to a couple of people who assisted me, and they too, one fellow especially, he was with the 25th Infantry Division, and he was the lead platoon to bring the division into Vietnam. And he had the same reaction. He had a different mission than I did, but his reaction as an individual was essentially the same. So when we talked, I felt that we were on the same level. Never mind that my job was, you know, flying around the country or traveling around the country, carrying out orders, whereas he had to defend positions, go out on individual missions. I didn't have to do that. Well, the thing about Vietnam is there was no frontline, and nobody was safe from a rocket or a mortar attack or even being sniped at. So I was relating to your story about the rockets coming in. I always felt that my buttons were in the way for me getting any lower. Well, I'll tell you, for me, my greatest fear would be, excuse me, sitting on the John when the rocket hit. I said, nobody will know where I was, you know, because I was there alone. I had an experience like that. The shrapnel went through the side of the wall. It was a good spot to be in. How do you feel about compulsory service? I mean, you dealt with the draftees at Fort Ord, and that was one of the basic training centers as well as AIT, and you're dealing with these young kids coming in that don't know anything about military life, no discipline, straight off of mama's apron strings, and you got to turn them into fighting men. That's right. Well, a direct answer is, I'm all for it. I wish we were back in. One of my sons is a first sergeant here in Hawaii, National Guard. It's 30 years in. I'm not even 50 yet, and he started in the Air Force Reserve. I saw what it made of him, how it assisted him, and I'm so proud of him. I have a grandchild now. I'm going to Air Force ROTC at Kaiser, and he looks great in his uniform. Like I said in the beginning, and yet, I have this tug-and-pull because I'm a native Hawaiian, and I'm thinking, we're invaded also. Why would I want my people to go out there and defend because you have? This is your life, and I think that learning experience, it's one of your science shows, begins here. I think it has to happen. I think these those that didn't go because they had deferment of some sort, it's okay for them, but I think as a national rule, it should be compulsory. It's interesting. There have been a lot of people who have been calling for National Compulsory Service, not necessarily the military, but Peace Corps or whatever, or one of our future guests is a Peace Corps volunteer, and he'll be on the program, and we're going to be talking about that in terms of the legacy of Vietnam and what it meant to him versus the other two guests that are going to be on the program, who were veterans or who are veterans, and I think what we're all looking at is, since the end of the draft, we have seen a division in America, and you're talking about we were invaded. My forefathers were the invaders, but it's still, you're looking to work as a nation, and as a group together, and that's what we did in the military, and I think an awful lot of that sectarianism or tribalism would go away if we all learned to work together. I just want to add one thing as part of this interview. This year for the first time, and why it happened, I don't know, the Fourth of July celebration, and I sat there and watched all of to-do, the rockets red, glaring, so forth, and I thought again to myself, as a native Hawaiian, that's the day that you should remember that the martin gate was overthrown. For the first time, I had this again tug-and-pull, why I don't know, maybe because I'm a little older and I've seen a lot of things happening just as you have, and I think we have to share that knowledge, share that experience with those behind us, so that they can see history as a learning episode rather than something that happened. It's happening every single day. Anyway, thank you for the question. And we're all part of that history. We still have a part to play. That's right. And I appreciate the fact that you were a psychology major. Maybe that had to do with it. I really appreciate you coming on here. And I really hope that your book turns out well. Oh, me too. I hope to turn into a television program. Well, I think we all have those aspirations of becoming writers and saying, I'm going to be on the New York Times bestseller list, but somehow or other, it takes a bit to get there. Gene, thanks for being on the program. My pleasure. And again, good luck. I'd like to have some feedback. If you have some comments, please send us an email at 808VietnamVets at gmail.com. I would like to thank the staff here at Think Tech Hawaii and for all their support and assistance. Truly without them, this program would not be possible. Please come back again next week for another issue of It Never Got Quiet.