By Kathleen Leese

For Miami Valley Today

TROY — Miami County veterans participate in the U.S. Library of Congress Veterans History Project, which captures the stories of veterans as told in their own words to other veterans who are interviewing them on video as a living history for generations to come.

At the age of 78, Carl DeSantis is only one of over 80 local veterans who has shared his story as part of the U.S. Library of Congress Veterans History Project. DeSantis, along with Robert (Bob) Lewis and other veterans that served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and more recent times, want the public as well as their own families to understand what service means.

According to Dr. Vivian Blevins, a retired college professor who began the effort to preserve the stories on video and has continued her work over a 12 year period, said she initially preserved 43 veteran stories on video for the National Library of Congress with the help of honors students at Edison Community College, including World War II and Korean veterans.

“Many of them have died,” Blevins said, making their stories even more important today.

Since that time, she has helped 50 more veterans to tell their stories to other veterans interviewers through the Miami County Veterans Museum.

While many help to make the videos possible, Blevins acknowledged the work of Penny Adams, a Vietnam War veteran, who is the onsite manager for the project. Adams volunteers three days a week at the Miami Valley Veterans Museum.

For Blevins, it is personal.

“I have in my family (a) long history of military service including my sons,” Blevins said, noting the stories the veterans share are important.

She said they gave enormous parts of their lives and that they responded “when we’ve (citizens of the United States) needed them.”

DeSantis, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1972, was commissioned in the U.S. Army and served as a first lieutenant, initially served as a signal officer and spent a year at Fort Bragg, North Carolina as a photographer before being responsible for a platoon of radio operators communicating between the infantry and the artillery in Vietnam. He was a night base commander.

“I was drafted halfway through grad school. It was an adventure. My mother had passed away. I didn’t have to fear her reactions,” DeSantis said.

His dad, a World War II veteran, took it in stride knowing it was his son’s duty as it had been his before.

DeSantis, who later became a director, producer and writer for WDTN-TV, said, “A lot of Vietnam soldiers came home to unpleasantness,” a reference to the unrest that followed soldiers home at that time. “By the time I came home, there wasn’t that much of that anymore.”

He noted that he was blessed his family made it home with no fatalities unlike many who served.

“My dad’s brothers were all in the service in World War II and all of them came home,” said DeSantis.

DeSantis, who, along with his wife Sue share two daughters and 12 grandchildren, understands the importance of the veteran’s project and wishes it had been available for his dad.

“I wish this project was around when my father was still alive,” he said, explaining that World War II often had to be depicted at the theatre.

“Many of us, all we have are movies,” he said, noting it was the same for Vietnam. Coming home, “movies and news clips gave us a picture of that kind of experience.”

DeSantis said that while some units stayed connected, “when I got out, it was just like changing jobs.”

DeSantis is glad the veterans can share their stories and have them preserved in Washington, D.C. for years to come.

He said, “Those of us of similar age, experience, would find them (videos) interesting,” although he hopes others will, as well.

One problem DeSantis sees in the country is a lack of patriotism.

“It was rough a few years ago watching those guys take a knee (at sporting events). You watch these (political) conventions and watch the chaos outside on the street and … they don’t understand,” DeSantis said.

He hopes the videos will help.

Robert Lewis, who, together with his wife Mirella share four children and six grandchildren, got out of the military service on Sept. 23, 2023, having served four years in the U.S. Air Force before taking an 18-year-break and then entering the military again, where he served as a colonel in the United States Army Reserves and United States Army National Guard, with 10 years being active duty. He spent 20 years serving as a chaplain.

Lewis wanted to share his story as part of the project for numerous reasons, including the fact the chaplain story needs to be told. Lewis said there are not as many chaplains in the service and said in order to serve in that capacity, one has to have a master’s degree and “they have to meet the same standards” physically and in other ways as other soldiers. He also hopes his children and grandchildren will someday be able to watch his video and understand what he did and why.

“I was a command chaplain. I enabled ministry,” Lewis explained.

He said the chaplain’s ability to intervene in situations with soldiers is often the most underutilized.

“We’re combat multipliers. We help soldiers keep their head in the game. We nurture the living, care for the wounded, honor the dead.” Lewis added, “with suicide rates climbing, chaplains are there all the time.”

Lewis said he had three deployments to Afghanistan, Egypt and Iraq.

“We’re (chaplains) there for every soldier. These kids have all kinds of issues,” Lewis said, noting he could walk a soldier to get assistance helping to pay a bill or listen as they shared their concerns.

While the military gave Lewis great experiences, he agrees with DeSantis that the country is less patriotic these days.

“You watch a baseball game. How many know to take their hat off for the national anthem? Patriotism is becoming less and less.”

Reflecting on his military career for the video was a challenge for Lewis.

“It was challenging to go back over 20 years of my memory. I’ve traveled so much,” Lewis said.

In preparation for the video, he went through boxes of memorabilia.

Lewis, who donated items to create a chaplain display at the Miami Valley Veterans Museum, said it is important to watch history through the videos. He hopes his own family will one day watch them and learn what he did, noting, “it’s important.”

He hopes veterans telling their stories on video will help.

“It’s important to tell the story. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve done,” but he adds, “there are lots of things I’ve never shared. Things I’ve seen I’ve never talked about.”

The videos are available to watch through the U.S. Library of Congress Veterans History Project online or at Piqua Public Library in the Dr. Vivian Blevins Veterans Collection in the Local History Department of the library or at the Miami Valley Veterans Museum, 2245 S. County Road 25A, Troy, or by calling the museum at 937-332-8852.

Blevins said that while the videos are completed for this year, they hope to continue them again next year.

The writer is a regular contributor to Miami Valley Today.