“You’re gonna die! There are 10,000 people over there waiting to kill you. You’re not gonna live,” Gary Gullickson told History classes on May 18th during first and second block.
Gullickson is a Vietnam war veteran who was in the Marines. He visits BHS twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. He drops by to share his stories of his adventures in the Vietnam war during its worst.
“The good times were really good and the bad days were really bad,” said Gullickso. “You don’t really know how good you actually have it until you hear someone screaming for their mom or saying their last words.”
In the speech, he informs the students of his honest thoughts about being in the war and describes in detail the hardest parts of being in the war. Stories from watching his friends die, to having to kill others, to his travels home. When one would think he should be the happiest on his way home, it was when everything seemed to hit him, when he realized he wasn’t welcome anymore.
“My brother and I never talked about Vietnam for 18 years.” said Gullickson. “
I would listen to others talk about it. But no one knew I was there. After the airport, I realized no one liked me for it. It was a very difficult time trying to sort all that out. We weren’t welcome anywhere.”
I would listen to others talk about it. But no one knew I was there. After the airport, I realized no one liked me for it. It was a very difficult time trying to sort all that out. We weren’t welcome anywhere.”If students and staff wish to donate to help other Vietnam war veterans, contact social studies teacher Tracy Hulley about donations, buying books and buying pins.
