Updated: 5/7/2010 4:02:26 PM
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Melvin Page has one "page-turner" of a military career. He survived knife fights, countless gun battles, he took four rounds from an AK-47 machine gun in the stomach, a near direct hit from a napalm strike and corpsmen nearly zipped him up in a body bag.
In addition to our on camera interview Mr. Page also answered the following ten questions.
1. What one person influenced you most in life?
My hero when I was a kid was Hopalong Cassidy. So many folks have helped me. My drill sergeant in basic training is probably one person who had the most influence on me. His first name was Vincent. He could bite the top of a Coca-Cola glass bottle. He was a Korean vet who also fought in Vietnam. He retired from the Army after forty years. He was Grand Marshal in a Memorial Day parade and on his way home he was killed by a teenager running a stop sign.
2. Do you feel honored and respected for serving your country?
I do now. For the first twenty or thirty years we kept our mouths shut. But now people tell me they respected my service. I never talked about my service until the mid-90's.
3. How can people thank you for your service?
Nobody owes me nothing. The way I was raised in East Tennessee when military called we went and served. I was drafted but once I was in I looked at it as a job I had to do.
4. How do you honor your fellow service men and women?
I brag on them all the time. I get to spend time and talk to them and I do a lot of public speaking now about my service.
5. How do you think this generation of service men and women is different or similar to yours?
They're doing the same thing we were asked to do. They're serving just like we did. It is an all volunteer military now but other than that I don't see many differences.
6. What influence did your military service have on the rest of your life?
I think it taught me a lot. I have a greater respect for life. We had a saying in Nam, "It'll never be no worse than this."
7. Does your family have a history of military service?
My two brothers served in the Navy in Vietnam. My step-dad was in the Navy in WWII.
8. Would you encourage younger generations in your family to join the service?
Let me put it this way. Fifteen years ago I didn't want them thinking about it given the way I was treated after returning from Vietnam. I've changed my mind now and think it would be an honorable thing to do.
9. How has your opinion of war changed?
Not much. I looked at it like having a job to do. That's how I looked at it and that's how I think many service members still look at it.
10. How did your military experience shape your faith?
The day I was wounded I knew a higher power helped save me. The good Lord kept me alive. My service kept faith strong.