John Romph aka "Stick"

Veteran of the Month, June 2005



Brief Bio: dob, service, family

John Romph, DOB; May 10, 1947, Syracuse, New York
Wife: Joanne, 7 children, 11 grandchildren.
My father was a ?vagabond.? I went to 21 schools before I graduated from High School in early June, 1965. One of my homework assignments in my senior year was to go to Ohio State Employment Services and fill out an application for future employment or fill in an application for acceptance at a college or trade school. I chose the job application and that application was accepted and Ford hired me on August 24, 1965 as a Major Heavy Assembler. As is usually the case with new employees, I was layed off in early October ?65.

Why did you decide to join the Armed Services?

?1-A.? Eighteen years old. Out of work. Not going to college. Escallation! Vietnam!!! If drafted, infantry or tunnel rat?

What were your most memorable experiences in the military?

15 October, 1965 I raised my right hand and swore to serve, protect, and defend and was immediatley shipped to Ft. Benning Ga. for basic training. Shortly before Christmas, ?65 I had finished Basic and given a short leave before reporting to Fort Puke, Louseyanna for AIT as a Clerk Typest, 71-B. During that leave, I lost my verginity and while at Ft. Puke I got a call from Joanne and she told me that she was pregnant. I got totalled the night of that phone call and, a short time later, was given orders for Fort Ritchie, Md. Joanne and I were married the first time at Fort Ritchie on 1 April, 1966 (note; April fools day).

In late 1966 I was transferred to STRATCOM-ConUS in Suitland, Maryland where I worked as a classified mail courier taking daily trips throughout and around the DC area transporting classified documents that had been received by STRATCOM. Joanne and I lived off post and Joanne got a job to help in the income department. Number One, Therese Michelle, Terri, was born before we left Ft. Ritchie and we needed the money but early morning on a March day, 1967 I went to work and was immediately ordered to go home and pack. I was going to Korea for a TDY tour of 60 days and was to be a Dulles at oh-ten hundred hours. I went home and Joanne had already left for her job. I had to leave a note for her to tell her that I wouldn?t be home for a while. I was actually in Korea for only 21 days before coming back to Suitland but the dreaded orders for APO SanFrancisco 96238 were given to me in August 1967. I was to be assigned to the First Army Postal Unit in QuiNhon as the supply clerk but because of my security clearance I would also be used as a classified mail courier.

Being the only supply person in the unit, I quickly found out the power of the pencil and had a stack of requisitions that demanded use. I requisitioned everything that I thought the unit could use like a thirty-seven passenger bus, two ton tow motor, a jeep, and I found out some things about pieces parts that could be added to a M-14 to make it a better weapon and ordered them too. The IG came to the unit and asked Captain Francisco where we got all that sh*t and the good Captain quickly pointed to SP4 (E-4) Little John.

Private (E-2) Little John was subsequently transferred to the QuiNhon Airfield Security Detachment where I would remain for the rest of my tour never to write another requisition. I was in a guard tower when the Sargent of the Guard called me on the radio and told me that my second daughter had been born on Halloween, 1967.

In the security detachment we spent 4 hours in the towers or the bunkers and 8 hours off every day for thirteen days with the fourteenth day off. We would spend thirteen days on one shift and the next thirteen days on the next shift and rotated from tower to tower. The airfield only had two guard bunkers, which were close to the front and rear gate.

While in the towers you were not only a guard, you were a target as we all found out during Tet, ?68. On 1 February, 1968 a grenade was tossed into the back of our billetts at about 10 at night and we were told to ?get to the towers, we were being hit.? I had Post #2 tower and when I got to the top of the tower, I relieved a dead man. He and I could not share the same place so I kicked him out. Three hours later, after being ordered to get out of the tower, I jumped about thirty-five feet, on that dead man. I wish I knew his name. I carry a stick today because of that jump but adrenaline is a wonderful thing and I went from post #2 to post #6 where I killed a man later in the day. There were many other things that happened during that year in VietNam provide thoughts and memories that I wish no man ever had to expieriance. Too many names on a wall.

In mid August ?68 I was to go to the 67th Evac. Hosp. across the street from the airfield for my seperation physical since I was to DEROS in a few days and my DEROS was within 90 days of my ETS. On my way to that physical, a mortar round came in and I caught some shrapnel in my knee. I did not finish my walk to the hospital but was instead brought to the hospital in the back of a three-quarter ton ambulance. I never went back to my unit but was med-evaced 13,000 miles on a C141 instead.

What was your homecoming like?

I was brought back on a stretcher to eventually end up at Valley Forge Army Hospital, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and re-promoted to Sp4-E4. The officer in charge gave me the best orders I ever had in the Army, which was, ?You don?t get out of the Army until you can walk without a limp so you WILL walk without a limp.? I learned to walk and was issued a DD-214 on my ETS date, with no ?early out.? There really wasn?t any other thing about my return accept there was two babies waiting for a dad which I didn?t provide them until many more years had past.

What do you consider your greatest achievements?

Becoming the father of seven great kids even after what happened in another life. Being a Grandpa.
Marrying Joanne three times, due to what happened in another life (I keep going after her, she keeps coming back). I can honestly say today that Vietnam and PTSD enriched many a divorce lawyer.
Becoming the youngest international officer of the United Auto Workers, Veterans Affairs Officer, Region II UAW.
Fighting with Ford to get into a Machine Repair Apprenticeship, even with a screwed up leg.
Going into management with the company and retiring after thirty-two years service.
Having the Son and the Father give me another day.

Are you active in veterans' organizations?

Addicted to the Patriot Files.

Do you keep in contact with your military comrades?

No but there are several that I would love to find.

Are there any messages you would like to communicate to your fellow veterans?

If you?ve been in combat, TALK to, and love those who care. Great things can happen at any time unless you are selfish with what time you give to others.
Hug a little person.
Thank you for joining in with the Patriotfiles.
Thank you and bless you abundently David and Bern.

John Romph aka "Stick"