Eaddy is taciturn about Viet Nam experiences

JOHNSONVILLE Emmit (Joe) Eaddy, Jr. of Johnsonville is a veteran of the Vietnam War that prefers to keep his wartime stories to himself. Joe says he doesn’t even talk to his family about his experiences “very much”. He chooses if he shares those experiences, to let it be with fellow veterans of that war. Today Joe works more with veterans’ groups for the good of veterans’ future than to reflect on what was, choosing rather to keep most of his experiences in his heart. He said, “In Vietnam all gave some, some gave all and some still do.”

Joe said when he went to Vietnam he knew there was a job to be done and all he wanted was to be able to survive and get the job done so he could come back home. He was not looking for any praise, merit award or drum roll.

Joe graduated Johnsonville High School in 1970. He worked at Wellman for a year, volunteered for military service and was called to duty May 4, 1971. Like so many others of our men, he got his basic training at Ft. Jackson. He then received Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) at Ft. Jackson. After a short leave home, he went to Vietnam.

He arrived in Vietnam during the monsoon season where it rained every day for two months. He said, “Every day was not really bad. We guys had some good times. There was that feeling of togetherness, where we realized our lives were in the hands of one another. We had to help each other survive. Color and race had no effect…it was one for all and all for one. Every one knew his job, and they had to do their job and be successful if they wanted to get back home. After returning home, I tried to forget some things, but something is always there to remind you.”

Joe was there after Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr. commanded the “brown-water navy”, the fleet of small craft that patrolled the rivers and canals of South Vietnam. There the swift boats were fast and well armed for their size, but in South Vietnam’s network of narrow waterways they were extremely vulnerable to ambushes. Hidden in the dense vegetation that grew along the banks, the Viet Cong killed and wounded sailors with unnerving regularity.

In answer to the alarming odds there was to deprive the enemy of his natural camouflage with a massive application of herbicides, one of which was Agent Orange. Many U. S. service members probably owe their lives to the use of Agent Orange. For others it may have been a temporary reprieve, but Joe came in contact with the herbicide from which he is still affected today.

Of his experience he said, “When Agent Orange was sprayed it was so hot. With tee shirts on and arms exposed it was hard not to come in contact with the herbicide, which was concentrated more in the North. Once you are exposed, most victims can’t stand much heat, especially sun. They suffer a difficult itch on the skin.
“I came home with the job unfinished”, he said.

After a leave home on his return to the states he reported again to Ft. Campbell. Among his medals are the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one Campaign Star, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Badge (Hand Grenade) and Marksman Badge M-16.

After they brought the Colors (all flags and everyone stationed there) he was selected out of his unit to go to West Point for three months as an instructor; then back to Ft. Campbell where he was discharged in May of 1973.

Upon retirement Joe joined the Army National Guard and retired from that in February 2003 after 24 years. He was a member of the National Guard Unit, Headquarters Battery, 4 BN, 178th Field Artillery, Georgetown, SC.PLL Clerk in this unit, “actually a little bit of every job” he said, keeping up with parts and equipment. He received a discharge medal and his retirement was federally recognized. He received a Certificate of Service from National Guard Bureau for 22 years of service; Certificate of Appreciation from President George Bush as Commander in Chief for service in the Armed Forces of the US.

After all his military involvement and retirement he worked for Seaboard Coastline Railroad as service attendant and supply chief. He later worked with Badger Bazen Company in Florence and Pee Dee Hardware in Johnsonville before fully retiring.
In retirement Joe is volunteer Officer in Chapter #72 of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and of Qualification. The DAV presented him with a Bronze Star Award for 2008-09 for recruiting achievements.

SC Veterans’ Combat Survivor Recognition Day where the deceased vets are also remembered is held each May in Columbia. There is also a memorable held there each Friday. South Carolina is the only state that recognizes veterans in this manner.
Once a year Congressman James Clyburn comes to Columbia to lay a wreath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which carries the names of every vet from SC listed by counties. After that ceremony the group moves to William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Hospital for a program featuring guest speakers. Joe is involved and attends most of these functions.

He also promotes the Dorn VA Medical Center Outpatient Clinic located at 822 Salley Hill Farm Blvd in Florence, whose mission is to veterans to provide care second to none, and to insure that every veteran is satisfied with his or her health care. They can also reach out to homeless veterans, which Joe says the number is higher than one would think. Services offered at there clinic include mental health, social work, PTSD support groups, individual counseling, primary care services, nutritional teaching for diabetic patients.

The clinic currently has about 6,000 patients from all areas, Joe said. Out of a population of 27,274 veterans in the Pee Dee there are 2,018 from Williamsburg County, 10,344 from Florence, 2,486 from Marion, 5,384 from Darlington, 3,204 from Chesterfield, 1,961 from Dillon and 1,877 from Marlboro County. In 2002, the clinic treated 2,987 veterans. That number increased to 5,005 in fiscal year 2008.

Joe’s father, Emmit Eaddy, Sr., is a veteran of World War II and they sometimes swap their wartime stories.

Joe has been married to the former Lenora Alexandria for 32 years. They have two children, a boy and a girl. The son, Fitzgerald Sumpter lives in Myrtle Beach. He served on the ship J.F. K. during his time in service. The daughter, Jotaka, is chief of staff of the NAACP in Baltimore. They also have two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. He is an active member of St. Mark AME Church at Kingsburg.