Veteran Salute: Building bridges throughout Vietnam
Topeka (KSNT) - Serving over two decades with the Navy, Seabee George Kern built bridges, schools and more here at home and overseas in Vietnam.
With the draft in full swing, Kern had a unique opportunity to showoff skills he'd already developed, now with the Navy.
“If I could verify two or more years experience in a construction field, they would bring me in as an E4 versus coming in as an E1," Kern said. "I had the experience as an operator, my dad said you’re crazy if you don’t do it. So I went up, went through the process and everything, and recruiter told me before I signed ‘if you do this you’re going to Vietnam.’ I said well I figured I was going anyways, I’d just pick who I’m going with.”
With his background in operating loaders, backhoes, dump trucks and more, joining the Seabees was a no-brainer.
“We resurfaced highroads, built roads, worked on a couple of bridges, finished those up," Kern said. "We were helping their infrastructure basically. We were putting up buildings, which a lot were for the military but we had the Seabee team that went out. They built clinics or schools for the locals, and I just thought okay, we’re doing a good thing here.”
Working wherever need be sent the Seabee all over Vietnam.
“Liberty Bridge, it was pretty much done when we got there," Kern said. "We took over from another battalion, our battalion sent a crew out, they finished it. We went out with the trucks, we asphalted the bridge, that felt good we got that job done. Lang Co bridge I had started on that project building a ramp for the temporary pontoon bridge, got pulled off of that and sent up north. Rebuilding up around the exchange, cleaning all the mess up, not one that actually sticks out there was just like I say, okay this is where we need you today, there you go.”
One of the moments that did stick out to Kern happened while he was apart of a security platoon.
“We got hit with rockets one night, we figured this bunker could take anything but a direct hit from the rocket," He said. "Well, when the sun came up the next morning and I looked over my shoulder, the back corner of the bunker is laying out on the ground. I kinda growled you know I know what I’ve got to do, I got to build this back today. I almost got killed that night, and the only thing that bothered me was ‘I gotta build this back up again’.”
About a decade after his active time with the military came to an end, Kern rejoined the service in the Navy Reserves. He'd take on more of a leadership position as a Crew Leader, working on projects at a California Naval Air Station and in Arizona.