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Diary Entries

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Week 4 1960s Diary Entries

Witness and store own to Watts Riots

Aug. 13, 1965

I am fearful of the riots that have been growing now for a couple of days. They are getting more violent and have heard that they are looting stores. I am more afraid that they may try and get into my store and take everything. There are signs that there was some looting already on this street. There are many youths, standing on the streets still littered with broken glass and debris from the previous night’s melee. The crowd stared unsuspectingly at me whenever I come out of my store to gauge how things are. Around 4 pm a car had stopped in the street, blocking traffic after being hit repeatedly by rocks and bricks. A police car raced down the street by my store, rounding up three youths. A car drove by a short time later driven by a white man and I heard someone yelled out, “It’s a white man, get him.” A barrage of bricks and rocks struck the car, knocking out windows and leaving ugly dents. The driver lowered his head from sight and accelerated. Thank goodness he was able to get away.

Aug. 14 1965

Today is not looking any better than it did yesterday. More and more people are loitering in the streets. I went to go outside and heard remarks that maybe they should start looting the stores. Well I rushed back inside and locked up. I had a gun under the register that I got out so I could scare of anyone who tried to break in. A short time later, a group of about 20 young men started to approach my store. They stared directly into the store. They stood there for what seemed like forever contemplating if they should act. Suddenly from nowhere a rock smashed into my front door cracking the glass. That was all it took as the rest of the men started to charge and smash into the windows. By a small miracle a cop car came down the street and turned on the sirens as they approached. Most ran down the street, not before throwing whatever they had in their hands at the cop car. The rest of the night went by somewhat quietly.

Aug. 15 1965

Today was almost back to normal. The police had car patrolling the street so almost vacant. I ventured outside a witness a shoe store at the end of the street had been broken into and ransacked. Thank full nobody was hurt. Was hearing on the radio how in other parts of the city it had been much worse. I am thankful that I did not have to use my gun.

Being a nurse during Vietnam

Dear Diary,
I do not know what day it is for they all seem to run together. I have had little time to relax because the wounded soldiers keep coming in. I am close to the battles so the wound pile up quick. The noise outside at times can be tremendous and we can hardly hear ourselves think. Shells and mortars drop much closer at times, but I am so busy that I tune them out. There is just so much to do and so little time. At times the wound was so much that all we could not give all of them there proper medical help. So many have died already and there is not much we could have done to save them. I feel bad that I cannot remember their names, but I cannot forget the severity of their wounds and their young faces. Nor the hopelessness and sadness I felt as so many of their lives slipped away.

Dear Diary,
Today was no better than another day. One thing that I told myself was that I was going to be honest to the men. The wounded and dying men in our care need our strength, I told them. We couldn't indulge in the luxury of our own feelings. On the other hand, I was always straight with the soldiers. I would never give them false hope. I think I owed that to them for all they were doing. I am starting to think that after this war has finally ended that there will be no survives. All who have been here will be scared for life. There is too much death and pain to not be touched in some way. Every night I cry myself to sleep and thing of all the young men that are fighting for America in this war. I often think about if we are doing the right thing by being here. In the end I’m here and I most do the best job I can. I want to go home but know that if I do maybe there is a chance that there will be one lees nurse to do her job so I stay until I can no longer do my duties…

Robert Westman
Westman97@yahoo.com
EST

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