Page 18 - Hobart Institute of Welding - Fall 2020 World of Welding

Not Your Typical Welding Story, a Reflection on Veteran’s Day

By: Janet Piechocki, Marketing/Career Development Representative

This veteran’s day as I look at social media and see how many people are celebrating
their favorite veterans in their lives, I look back at mine. Those of you that know me,
know my story. Those that don’t, I am prepared to share. Most of my family have
served in the military. Both my uncles, my aunt, my son, his wife, my stepson, my
granddaughter and my cousin’s. All those veteran’s out there served to preserve our
freedoms and way of life so when I say not your typical welding story, I’m talking about
your freedom to embrace and enjoy your chosen path in life in the field of welding.
I personally chose to obtain a degree in Welding Technology and my favorite veteran,
my dad, supported that decision, sometimes financially if I needed a little help paying
for books or lab fees. Dad spent 22 years in the Navy and 20 years working for
Huntington Beach Water Department. He served on the USS Tripoli LPH 10 during the
Vietnam War. After I moved to Ohio, I spent many years going back to California to see
mom and dad. Towards the end of dad’s life he displayed symptoms similar to those
seen in veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
Years later my son had read an article on these payouts to Blue Water Navy vets.
I wanted to know more about it so I called a good friend of mine Ed Ball, who was
the Shelby County Veterans Service Officer for many years here in Ohio. Apparently
I had called the right person because after Ed retired, this was exactly the case he
was assisting with for many years until it was finally settled in 2019. Ed asked me
where dad’s ship was at during certain years and I was able to verify the timeline of
everywhere he went because he kept all his orders in a folder that I now possessed.
Dad’s ship was off the coast of Vietnam for a full year in 1970-71.
The Australians were the first to uncover the affects Agent Orange had on their
sailors. The U.S. began to research also. They called this group of sailors Blue Water Harvey Piechocki
Navy Veterans. It turns out these men
and women on transport and cargo
ships were exposed to 6 times more
agent orange than the guys on land. It
was proven that Agent Orange which
is insoluble, drifted 150 km past the
Mekong Delta. A ship would take in sea
water and run it through the boilers and
condensers and then use it as potable
water for cooking, showering, brushing
their teeth and so on. Dad’s ship, The
U.S.S. Tripoli LPH 10 was out there taking
that water in.
Dad’s story is just one of the many
stories of health issues veterans’ face
after serving. Whether it be physical
or mental, these stories highlight the
sacrifices these men and women make to
preserve our freedom. I am appreciative
to my father and all those veterans out
there that fight to preserve our way of
life and our right to weld on!

USS Tripoli LPH 10

2020 FALL ISSUE - 18 - www.welding.org
Return to Table of Contents