Series: Leech Lake

Christine Leith shares her experience enlisting in January, during what was considered a peaceful time…only to be shipped out at that December.

Glen Cloud went to San Diego for Navy basic training in 1971. One of the punishments for falling asleep in class was the marching party. But Cloud would join it even if he wasn’t in trouble to get some extra exercise.

Rebekah Fineday discusses war and tour duty while serving eight years in the Air Forces.

Elaine Flemming shares experiences of being a woman in the Armed Forces during 1977.

Glen Cloud joined the Navy during the Vietnam War. The day after arriving at Worm Island for boot camp, he was woken up by yelling sergeants and trashcan lids.

Christine Leith talks about “Native Women Warriors.”

Theodora Redwing didn’t like the sight of blood. But one night, when she was working guard duty for the Navy, a girl cut her wrists and Theodora had to act fast.

Theodora Redwing was a yeoman in the Navy. She trained female recruits and tested them to see what job they could do. And if the recruits didn’t salute her, it was her job to remind them.

Theodora Redwing went to Navy boot camp at the Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland. Back then, training wasn’t coed. For female recruits, training wasn’t guns but marching, swimming and book learning.

Theodora Redwing was working at Northern States Power in Minneapolis, making photocopies all day long, day after day. There has to be more to life than this. So she joined the Navy.