Chelsey Boyle

Honors English III

Interview
12/18/16

With over 180,000 soldiers enlisted into the armed forces every year,
veterans stories and experiences often go unheard and unpublished. However, I
had the pleasure of sitting down with Raymond Pallante, an 87-year-old veteran, to
discuss his military experience fighting in the Korean War. He was drafted in the
army around the age of 20 and eventually rose to the rank of corporal as well as
being a squad leader. He was born in Youngstown in 1929 to poor Italian immigrants
with 12 other siblings. After serving for two years, he returned home and married in
1958 and had two kids He currently resides with his daughter and grandchildren so
we met one afternoon in his kitchen. Here he is always surrounded by his family in
their bustling house. He had a very thoughtful, yet positive attitude and laughed
often during the duration of our time together. I chose Ray Pallante as my
interviewee because he is my neighbor and I had always known that there was an
incredible story behind the simple man who lived just down the block.
In the 1950s, Ray was drafted down to Alabama to begin his training. It was
good and it was tough, Ray recalled. We had to walk 25 miles with our packs on
our backs. After training for a year and a half he was deployed to Pomona Valley in
Korea where he stayed there for eight months. After moving there, he moved up in
ranks and obtained more responsibilities. I was a squad leader and I had four men
under me. He also remembers his fellow soldiers fondly. I had a lieutenant named
Lieutenant Love from North Carolina. He was a good lieutenant; I liked him. My men
were good too. Rays job was to manage his crew in loading and firing rounds of
artillery against the enemy. There was one gunner, two ammo carriers, and I was
the squad leader. They had three rounds in the front and three rounds in the back
and the gunner would shoot the rounds into the valley. They would spend around
two weeks resting and training and then they would have to go back up to the line
in combat. During their free time they whole squad. We wrote letters, listened to
the radio, and played pick-up baseball against the farm team.
In Korea, Ray faced many obstacles and even life-threatening experiences. He
actually remembers one experience that almost ended his life. One time I was on
this hill, and as we shot this round off, we came back and the gook on top of the hill
shot at us. My tripod was big and round and 51 calibers and I got out of the way and
it hit the tripod and if I was there I would have got it. But I left and got behind an
MLR (thats a steel rod and a gun is on top of it. But I was pretty lucky I got out of
there in a hurry. In another incident, Ray was tasked with going on an MLR on the
other side of the line and set up a listening post. He hated this assignment because
he was constantly in danger and was an easy target if the enemy ever came out.
Although Ray loved his time in the army, there were many times when he was

scared. They had cans set up which would rattle and make noise if anyone hit them;
this would alert them if Koreans were approaching. One night, the they made so
much noise and he thought they were going to be heavily attacked. Ray laughed as
he explained, We stared throwing grenades but it was only mice hitting those
cans.
Ray said one of most memorable experiences was when he left the service. I
couldnt wait to come home. I came home at three oclock in the morning and my
dad waited for me. I left Detroit on a bus, got back home, sat on the table, and we
drank two gallons of wine. He did return home a changed man and his time in
Korea shaped him into the person he is today. You have to respect your elders, say
yes sir and No sir, and learn a lot. Ray was also very modest describing the
war medals he got. He earned a conduct medal with a rifle on it and a Korean medal
with a star on it.
My time with Ray was filled with stories, laughs, and suspense. I have never
grown closer to a stranger before than I had during my interview with him and it
was an experience I will never forget. I wanted to understand to the best of my
ability what serving in the military was like for him and I am so grateful he took the
time to share his story. His time in Korea serving in the United States army taught
him many life lessons of respect and courage. I hope to use his life of dedication
and service as a model for my own.