My Life, My Story by Bruce

When Veterans share their stories through the My Life, My Story project we build stronger connections between Veterans and their health care teams. We'd like to thank all the Veterans who have shared their stories so far and for sharing their stories with you.

My Life, My Story believes that stories heal, teach and are powerful. You have a story that we want to hear, contact Casey Gunderson at 612-629-7618.

I was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, on November 19, 1946. I grew up there in a small, nice neighborhood. We had a beautiful yard and garden. Everyone was friendly, and I had a happy childhood. Growing up, I got along well with my parents. My father worked at a filling station, and in the winter, my mom and I used to drop him off at work in the morning. Then we would drive over to Lake Carnelian and ice fish until we picked up dad. My mother was a funny lady. I recall that we were always laughing and having a good time together. I had a good relationship with both of my parents. 

In the summers growing up, we lived in a trailer on a resort near Lake Carnelian. I would help the owner with garbage and driving to the dump. I was about 10 years old at the time. As I grew up, I took a liking to playing football.  I played from 6th grade up until my graduation from high school. I didn’t enjoy school all that much, but I loved to play football. I continued to spend my summers working at the resort throughout high school. I helped with the boats and taking people out fishing. I loved spending time there and working there. 

After high school, I was drafted into the army at 18 years old. My father was in the army, but he did not talk about it much.  I had tried to join the Marine Corps before that, but the guy who was supposed to give my friends and I a ride to sign up didn’t show up. When I was about to get sworn in to the army, a sergeant from the Marine Corps came in and said he needed five volunteers to join the MC. I volunteered and joined the Marine Corps. I then left to San Diego, CA, for boot camp. I spent three years there as a supply truck driver. After San Diego, I spent some time in North Carolina as a truck driver. I then moved to Albany, Georgia. I decided I would be an Otter driver. An Otter was a military vehicle that could be driven over rivers and swamps. I spent time in California learning to drive the Otter. After Otter school, I left for Vietnam on December 27, 1967. I got to Vietnam January 7, 1968, and I was in Vietnam for 13 months.

When I came back from Vietnam, I went to work at Anderson Window Factory for a few years. Then I worked at Culligan Softwater where I delivered inventory. I joined Campers in 1974, and I did a little bit of everything there. I made a pizza machine, built a fire extinguisher, was a painter, welder, de-greaser, etc. I spent the summers at Mille Lacs Lake. Fishing is one of my hobbies along with hunting deer. I have gone deer hunting at my Uncle’s farm in Scandia since 1968. I stopped working in 2012 when I had cardiac bypass surgery at the VA.

I married my wife in 1980, and we have been together ever since. She has two kids from a previous marriage, and I have two kids from a previous marriage. I have five grandchildren, one girl and four boys. Three of the boys live in Andover and my other grandchildren live in Baudette, MN. We all get along and have fun together. I am grateful for my whole life, my parents, aunts, uncles, God, all my friends, and I would do it all over again. I am thankful for the military and their wonderful hospitals that help take care of us. Whoever does take care of me, I am grateful for the care that I get. 

Some advice I would give others is to take one day at a time and enjoy it. If you think you want to do something, then do it. Don’t wait.