Vietnam combat veteran helps other veterans find support

The Howell American Legion recently honored Vietnam veteran/HFC alumnus Ronald Brooks as its first Vietnam Veteran of the Month.

“I was surprised. I felt there were others who were more deserving. I appreciate it and felt honored to be recognized by people I work with and respect,” said Brooks.

After learning more about Brooks’ story, it’s hard to believe others would have been more deserving of this honor. But many veterans are inclined to elevate others above themselves, and Brooks is no exception.

A Detroit native, Brooks lives in Hartland with Diane, his wife of 49 years. They have two sons and two grandsons.

“Bobby Brite, the post commander, and some other officers had been talking about the fact that Vietnam veterans were dying at a rate of 500 per day. It won’t be much longer before all of us are gone,” said Brooks. “This is a good way to recognize Vietnam veterans. Bobby let me know two days before I was honored and asked me to write up a bio. That Friday night, they presented me with an award and a nice dinner.”

Semper Fi: volunteering for duty, suffering multiple wounds

Brooks graduated from Cody High School in Detroit and attended HFC (then called Henry Ford Community College) in 1966, where he initially studied to be a history teacher. In 1968, Brooks enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam.

“I volunteered,” said Brooks. “The war in Vietnam was ramping up at that time. I thought it was something to be involved in. I thought the Marines would be the best option, and that was the way I went.”

During his time in Vietnam, Brooks was wounded numerous times. He received two shrapnel wounds from a booby trap, which killed two Marines in front of him and one behind him.

In August 1969, he suffered more wounds from shrapnel, bullets, and a grenade during a nighttime firefight with the North Vietnamese Army.

“I was squad leader for the machine gun teams,” said Brooks. “One of the gunners was taken out by a rocket launcher. I took fire as I went to man the machine gun. When I manned the machine gun, I was blown out of the hole by a grenade. I managed to crawl back to the hole to get to the machine gun. I got shrapnel wounds. I took an AK-47 round to the liver. I had a concussion from the grenade. I was wounded everywhere but my left arm. I was operating on adrenaline.”

His injuries were so severe that he was transferred to a hospital in Japan before being sent to the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Chicago. Brooks was hospitalized for 2½ months. Initially, he signed on for a 3-year tour of duty but received an honorable discharge upon being released from the hospital. His final rank was lance corporal. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

HFC as a first-rate, first-choice school -- multiple times

Brooks returned to HFC to complete his education in the spring of 1970.

“When I came home from the war, I returned to school. I read an article on how Michigan had 4,000 slots for potential teachers, but was graduating 14,000 education majors. I decided to change careers. I switched to computer programming,” he recalled.

Brooks earned his bachelor's degree in computer programming and data processing from the Detroit College of Business in Dearborn (which later became Davenport University) in 1971. The G.I. Bill paid for his education at HFC and DCB. He worked at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn from 1971 to 2005, rising to supervisor for chassis dynamometer before retiring after 34 years.

“HFC was excellent. It was a first-rate school,” he said. “In the mid-1980s I attended there again as part of a joint venture between the College and Ford, taking electronics classes for instrumentation work on test vehicles. The instructors were all first-rate. Many had worked in the field and had been involved in it.”

Upon retirement, Brooks got involved in the Howell American Legion and the Marine Corps League in Howell. He’s been involved for 16 years, remembering the anti-war protests across college campuses, including at HFC in the early 1970s.

“There were ongoing protests at the College, especially after the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970,” he said. “There were active anti-war groups. It was upsetting that the bulk of the country was taking out their anger on the service members who’d been there rather than on the government that put us there. We were being held personally responsible. That was frustrating and disheartening to most Vietnam veterans. I was advised not to travel home in my dress uniform. But I had earned it, so I wore it.”

Veterans looking out for veterans

These experiences explain why Brooks is such a firm believer in supporting veterans.

“When I was discharged in 1969, Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home with open arms. We didn’t have much support, so it was veterans looking out for other veterans,” said Brooks.

Throughout his time with the Howell American Legion, Brooks and his fellow members have found veterans temporary housing, redone bathrooms to make them accessible for disabled veterans, mowed their lawns, painted their houses, helped raise money for their groceries. Brooks has also served in the Honor Guard, paying respects at up to 200 funerals per year. He has planted flags on veterans’ graves during Memorial Day weekend.

“It all comes back to helping veterans in need and their families,” he said. “So many veteran organizations are comprised of Vietnam veterans. We got the short end of the stick when we left the service. We want to make sure that the service members returning since then would always be thanked for their service and welcomed home.”