A Day Trip to Fort Polk: A Step Back in Time for 3 Vietnam Veterans

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- You know when you have as many friends as I do, you get invited to a lot of events. And two members of my VFW Post, The Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group, and WiseCrack Warriors, asked me to accompany them on a trip to Fort Polk, now Fort Johnson, in western Louisiana. It was essentially a bucket-list trip for them. Two had arrived at Polk in 1967, and one in 1970, for Basic Training. My only conditions were: That I drive, have them buy my gas/meal, and laugh at my jokes. So we set a date of March 5th, met at 0600 hours at a designated location, and started making our way east. We met up with a third guy up the road.

Along the way, I got to hear everyone’s stories. My friend Harvey “Hee Haw” Yaw (Polk 1970), and Ed “In-Head” Holesovsky, (Polk 1967), joined me, along with Ed’s basic training platoon friend, Paul “Harvey” Harp, (Polk 1967). After basic Ed met Paul several times in Vietnam, then lost contact for 53 years. This was a chance of a lifetime for these former soldiers. Neither had been back to Fort Polk since they left well over 54 years ago. And I’m calling it Fort Polk (since the guys knew it as that).

I knew the day was gonna be something special, but the morning weather wasn’t cooperating. It was cloudy with lingering fog, which later yielded to rain, but it was more of a nuisance than a hazard. And yet we trudged on in our journey at speeds that would make a driving instructor blush, while avoiding 5 or 6 accidents. A normal day with my autobahn style of driving.

Each of my friends had a different story to tell after they left Fort Polk. The place holds a sentimental value in their lives. They spent at least 8 weeks of their lives there. In tough conditions, training for combat, not knowing if they would be alive or dead in a year.

Ed Holesovsky and Paul Harp, came from different parts of the Gulf. Ed on the Coastal Bend of Texas, Refugio, and Paul from the Panhandle of Florida, Fort Walton Beach. But they came together to receive their basic training at Polk. Ed was older, 26, while Paul, just out of high school at 18. Ed already had a degree, and was teaching/coaching school when he was drafted. Paul volunteered straight out of high school. Harvey Yaw, came from Houston, just north of Hobby Airport. He was 19 when he arrived at Polk, and like Ed completed his infantry training. Paul went on to become a helicopter pilot.

All the way to Fort Polk, the guys told stories and laughed. Paul relayed his time in helicopters during the conflict. His two tours involved piloting small scout helicopters, the OH-6. He was an officer and flew many combat hours. It was on one of those hours, hovering <50 feet above the ground; when he spotted an enemy soldier aim his weapon at him. He tried to swing the chopper so that his gunner could take action, but it was too late. The engine was hit, and Paul and his gunner found themselves downed. Thankfully they were soon evacuated to safety.

Ed remained at Fort Polk for a period after his training, and when he arrived in Vietnam, he drew a lot of rear guard duty. Some luck for an infantryman. Well maybe not, he could type. And it was at Cam Ranh Bay that Ed met his wounded basic training buddy, and he would see him again before being transferred stateside. Ed googled Paul 3 years ago, and they found each other.

Harvey Yaw went to Vietnam as a 19 year old in 1971, and spent three-quarters of his tour on patrol. Of course, he was in danger. Injured too. But he survived and he too kept his wits about him like the others.

The meat of the trip happened at the Fort Polk Museum. The curator, Gregg Grant, was jaw dropped at the trio and their reminiscences of the base from 54+ years ago. And no one had lost any of their memories from back in the day. Gregg’s assistant, Amy Brennan, was equally impressed too. A full two hours of the visit was spent looking at the exhibits from 10,000 B.C. to Afghanistan, to reviewing base newspapers and basic training yearbooks. And holding dangerous weapons too.

Afterwards, we took a drive around the base (and the Sun came out), going south to view the only buildings remaining that harbored soldiers training back in the 1960s/70s. We also went north to ‘Tigerland,’ which was a simulated Viet Cong village all those years ago. Incredibly, 98% of the base they trained at is gone. But the guys got to remember their good ‘ol days.

These fresh memories of the guys may possibly be part of their departing days, and I was glad to have taken part of it.

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net