Veterans Archives: Preserving the Stories of our Nations Heroes
In a world where storytelling has been our link to the past since the days of cave drawings, there exists a timeless tradition. It's the art of passing down knowledge, and for Military Veterans, it's a crucial piece of their legacy. Join us on the Veterans Archives Podcast, where we dive deep into the heartwarming and awe-inspiring stories of those who served, no matter when or where.
Here, Veterans get the chance to be the authors of their own narratives. Through guided interviews in a relaxed and safe environment, they paint their experiences with their own words and unique voices. The result? A memory card in a presentation box, a precious gift they can share however they please.
But that's not all. These stories find a secure home in our archive, a treasure chest of experiences for future generations to explore. The best part? It's all a gift to the Veteran – our way of saying thank you for their service.
Tune in to the Veterans Archives Podcast, where history, heroism, and heartwarming tales come to life.
Veterans Archives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Please visit our website for more information. www.veteransarchives.org
Veterans Archives: Preserving the Stories of our Nations Heroes
Joe Dormady's Legacy of Love, Military Achievement, and Business Innovation
Ever wondered how a bustling household of seven navigates life's thrilling adventures? Join us as we sit down with Joe Dormady, who takes us on a nostalgic journey back to his childhood in Ithaca, New York, where he grew up with five boisterous brothers. Joe paints a vivid picture of his nurturing father, a local railroad engineer, and shares heartwarming stories of brotherly bonds and childhood escapades like sleigh riding and skiing. One of the highlights of his youth was meeting the legendary Robert Frost at Cornell University, an experience that left an indelible mark on his life.
Fast forward to Joe's transformative years, where his penchant for mathematics paved the way for a remarkable military career. Despite an early setback with the Air Force Academy due to color blindness, Joe's logical mind found a perfect fit in the Army Security Agency. Through his story, we uncover how the disciplined world of the military opened doors to educational opportunities via the GI Bill, helping him transition smoothly into civilian life. Our conversation also delves into his fascinating career at Burroughs and his successful venture into computer consulting, showcasing Joe's journey from military precision to entrepreneurial success.
As we wrap up our conversation, Joe shares the secret to a fulfilling personal life, celebrating over 60 years of marriage with his college sweetheart. Through tales of family achievements, from his daughters' successes to the invaluable support of his loving wife, Joe highlights the importance of love and respect in nurturing lasting relationships. His reflections on family life offer timeless lessons on cherishing meaningful connections, leaving listeners inspired by the legacy of a life well-lived.
Today is Wednesday, october 9th 2024. We're here with Joe Dormady, who served in the United States Army. So good afternoon, joe.
Speaker 2:Good afternoon how you doing.
Speaker 1:Great, great. So we're gonna start out real simple. When and where were you born?
Speaker 2:Ithaca, new York, november 4th 1936.
Speaker 1:Okay, and did you grow up in Ithaca, new York? Then yes, I did All right your whole childhood. Yep, okay, did you have brothers and sisters?
Speaker 2:Yes, I have five brothers.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. So a total of six boys in the house. Yep, your poor mom.
Speaker 2:Yes, many people have said that.
Speaker 1:Did you keep her busy? Oh, yeah, yeah. So was your mom a stay-at-home mom, a homemaker, or did she work? Yes, okay, and tell me, if you could like, when you think about your mom, what's one of your favorite memories about your mom?
Speaker 2:She was just so nice, I mean, she was warm and took care of you and was always concerned about you. How are you doing? You know what can we do and all that stuff, and always had time for you.
Speaker 1:Well, that's nice With six boys that can be hard to do right, right. And then what about your dad? What did your dad do?
Speaker 2:My dad, was a railroad engineer, okay, and he was a very, very good guy. Loved to smoke cigars. Have these big cigars, that was his treat.
Speaker 1:Now, when you smell cigars today, does that remind you of him at all?
Speaker 2:Yeah, a little bit yeah.
Speaker 1:And was he gone a lot being an engineer.
Speaker 2:Not a lot, I mean. The good news was he had been an engineer for a long time, so he was a senior engineer on the railroad. So he had his pick of routes wherever he wanted to go. So it was always local right around Ithaca, new York, so he was home most of the time.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great.
Speaker 2:That's handy.
Speaker 1:It is. So where were you at in the pecking order of six boys?
Speaker 2:Next to last.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you almost got to be the baby of the family.
Speaker 2:Almost.
Speaker 1:Do you still get that special? Did you still get the special treatment, or was that just reserved for the youngest?
Speaker 2:That was just reserved. Well, actually I got the special treatment, Did you? My older brothers really took care of me. Any problems occurring, any bullies that came my way they took care of, so I always felt safe. What kinds of things did you do as a kid? Oh, just what kids do. I went sleigh riding. We lived in Ithaca, New York, which has a lot of hills, so we did a lot of skiing, a lot of especially in the wintertime sled riding, all that stuff. It was really great. And Ithaca is the home of Cornell University, so there was always something going on at the university. I got to meet Robert Frost, the poet.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a different era then, because he was gonna talk at Cornell so I wanted to go listen to him because he was always my favorite poet and I didn't have any money, but I wanted to get a book and have him autograph it. So I went to the Cornell bookstore and I said I don't have any money, I don't get my paper route money until two days, but could I get a book and I'll pay in two days? And they said sure. So they gave me a book and I went up and listened to him and afterward I went behind stage, met him and had him autograph the book and it. I went behind stage, met him and had him autograph the book. And it was great, you know, because he was always my favorite poet.
Speaker 1:What a wonderful experience.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was, it really was.
Speaker 1:And I'll share something with you that not a lot of people know. Robert Frost is one of my favorite poets as well, so the minute you mentioned his name, I thought, wow, that's incredible, whose woods these are. That's right, that's right, that's right, the woods are lovely dark and deep.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, he is terrific. He was terrific.
Speaker 1:He was. There's something about reading his poetry that, for me anyway, gives me a certain feeling.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's relaxed I mean it? Gives you a nice comfort. Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it gives you a nice comfort. Oh, absolutely, yep. So as kids, did you tend to do things together? Were you close enough in age that you did a lot of stuff together then?
Speaker 2:Yeah, a bit. Yep, my youngest brother and I, of course, and my older brothers took care of us, right, so we used to do things too.
Speaker 1:Well, when you think about hanging out with your brothers as a kid, what's one of your favorite memories about being with your brothers?
Speaker 2:You always felt safe, you always felt secure and you always knew they were going to take care of you. They do cared about you and you cared about them. It was a very caring relationship, so it was great.
Speaker 1:Did you guys pick on each other, though, like brothers will?
Speaker 2:Well, occasionally I can't even say my younger brother, the youngest brother, my younger brother and I used to hide and when one of my older brothers came by we used to jump out at him, you know, and stuff. So it was a good relationship, it really was a great family.
Speaker 1:Was it kind of the deal where you could pick on each other but no one else could pick on you?
Speaker 2:guys, yeah, yeah, yeah, you always felt protected.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, tell me a little bit about school. What was school like for you? School, well.
Speaker 2:I hate. Well, I shouldn't say I hate to say that, but I was kind of a bookworm and stuff like that. I really enjoyed school, I enjoyed learning, and then, you know, and I was actually pretty good at it, so I used to get all A's and stuff like that, so it was, you know, it was good time for me.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You know, I never, never really objected to going to school at all, because it was good.
Speaker 1:You never gave mom a hard time about getting up early and going to school. Nope, I wish I could say that.
Speaker 2:I know Most people do Right.
Speaker 1:But I really did enjoy it. What were some of your favorite subjects in school?
Speaker 2:Math. Oh, always loved math. So English was okay, you know, but math was my real love in school.
Speaker 1:So what is it about math that you like? I know it's kind of a weird question, but I'm just curious.
Speaker 2:Well, it's just the logic. You know, I always liked logic, I always like logic, I always like philosophy because of the logic and all that stuff, and that's why I like math, because it's very logical Right.
Speaker 1:2 plus 2 is always going to be 4. That's right, Whereas with some other subjects there's all these different rules right? Yes, well, even with English right I before E, except after C.
Speaker 2:I before E, except after C.
Speaker 1:Did you know there was another part to that, except when sounding like A, as in neighbor and way.
Speaker 2:Oh no, I didn't know that part of it.
Speaker 1:I learned that when I was in kindergarten and I say it today and people look at me like I'm crazy.
Speaker 2:No, I don't think so. That sounds good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I'll remember that. So did you play any sports at all in school? Did you do anything like that? Any teams?
Speaker 2:I played baseball a little bit, but nothing. You know, I always wanted to play football, but at that time I was really short and fat so I didn't have a lot of stamina and stuff like that. So I finally grew up and finally slimmed down.
Speaker 1:Did that happen like during school at some point, or did that happen after school?
Speaker 2:Well, it happened actually when I went to high school, but I was always a chubby kid until I hit high school, and then I gradually slimmed down and got taller, much taller.
Speaker 1:So how was high school for you?
Speaker 2:High school was good because I had slimmed down and I was taller and you know well, I'll just tell it right now I was very smart, so I had never had any problems in school.
Speaker 1:You know, it was always boom, boom, boom so I lost a lot of that did you find that people treated you differently when you slimmed down and grew taller, or did people just kind of treat you the same?
Speaker 2:actually the same, because it was always a friendly bunch, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well it sounds like a great experience.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was All through school.
Speaker 1:It was so what happens after? So high school comes around, you make it through school. I'm assuming you graduated. Oh yeah, so what happens after graduation?
Speaker 2:After graduation I went into the. What I really wanted to do was to go to college, of course, and we didn't have a lot of money. We really did not. So I applied for the Air Force Academy and I was accepted. But I flunked the physical because I have slight color blindness and they said we don't want you dropping bombs on the wrong people.
Speaker 1:Right, so I didn't go there.
Speaker 2:So I volunteered for the Army, went in the Army, came out and used the GI Bill to go to college.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk a little bit about your Army experience then. So had you ever been away from home before you?
Speaker 2:went to the Army.
Speaker 1:No, not on my own, no, okay, and then, how soon after high school did you actually leave?
Speaker 2:Probably about three, four months. Okay. So you kind of had that summer and then you yeah, I had the summer and then I went in in November.
Speaker 1:And where did you go to basic.
Speaker 2:Fort Dix.
Speaker 1:New Jersey. Wow. Interestingly enough, when I deployed to Iraq, our deployment site was Fort Dix, new Jersey, and I'm pretty sure it's some of the same buildings.
Speaker 2:Probably, and that's why you know, once I was all done, that's where you ended up to get released, you know Right?
Speaker 1:So Right, so talk to me a little bit about you. You arrive at boot camp Now. I'm thinking you probably just took a bus there to Fort Dix. Pardon, did you take a bus to Fort Dix? Yes, all right. So what was it like stepping off that bus into basic training the very first day? Do you remember that?
Speaker 2:Not really other than you know. You didn't know what was really going on, but you knew you were, you know, going to be a soldier. That's what you were there for, they said. I had an appointment at the Air Force Academy but couldn't go because I have this slight colorblindness.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So hence the Army.
Speaker 1:So you were ready to be in the military. I was. It was just a matter of when and where, of where, yeah. So did you know what to expect for boot camp, or was any of that a surprise to you? How was boot camp for you?
Speaker 2:Well, boot camp was okay. I mean it wasn't thrilling. That's a lot of work, because before I went in I was in high school, I was a little chubby kid and then eventually I lost a little weight, but the Army just was perfect for slimming you down and making you quote right physically. So it was okay.
Speaker 1:So that's where you got your physical fitness was when you got into the Army. Yeah, did you make some good friends in basic training or anybody that you kept in contact with after?
Speaker 2:Not after much. No, okay, because you know, after basic training I went into the Army Security Agency and that was a bunch of spooks and spies, you know. So you really didn't talk about anything because it was all top secret stuff.
Speaker 1:Right, so where did you go to school for that?
Speaker 2:Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Okay.
Speaker 1:So you're still right out there on the eastern part of the country.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, on the eastern seaboard right Okay.
Speaker 1:And how long was your security school Pardon? How long was your security school Pardon? How long was that schooling Was?
Speaker 2:it a while Probably. I would say about 18 months. Okay, it was a long time because you learned an awful lot.
Speaker 1:Now, did your math background help you with that school at all?
Speaker 2:I think so because it's logic. You know, math is really a logical thing, and what we were doing as part of the Army Security Agency was logic, putting pieces together.
Speaker 1:So interesting, but yeah, so were you an analyst, then Is that kind of what your job?
Speaker 2:was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, yep, all right. And then you got, so you get done with your training. And then where did you go from there?
Speaker 2:Well, I went overseas to Germany, okay, and kept an eye on the East Germans. At that time it was East Germany, west Germany, Right.
Speaker 2:So we were kind of looking out at the East Germans to see what was going on. Was that kind of exciting? Oh yeah, it really was. You felt you were doing something you know that needed doing and I guess it did, if you look back on it. But it was exciting. And the other exciting part was but it was exciting and the other exciting part was you were so trusted I mean, the Army trusted you to do these things and it really felt good, yeah, that they thought I was competent enough to handle all this stuff. And you're a young guy, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, you weren't very old when you were doing that.
Speaker 2:No, I was 17, 18. Wow so.
Speaker 1:That's a lot of responsibility.
Speaker 2:It was. But you know that's what made you feel good about it, that they trusted you to do that. So you did it.
Speaker 1:So what kinds of things did you do off duty when you were in Germany? Anything exciting when you weren't working.
Speaker 2:Nothing much, although the University of Maryland had an off-campus kind of thing in Germany. They have a worldwide thing. So that's what you did. You went there to get some more education and stuff, okay.
Speaker 1:Were you able to work on your degree as part of that then, while you were there?
Speaker 2:Yep, okay, so that all worked. You know, it was great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you were kind of getting what you were wanting right, yeah, exactly, and getting paid for it. That's not a bad deal, not a bad deal at all. And how long were you in Germany then? I guess about 18 months, okay, and then where did you go from there?
Speaker 2:Well, from there I got out and I went to college at the University of Toronto In Canada.
Speaker 1:Why Canada? I'm just curious.
Speaker 2:Oh, because my aunt had a friend who went to the University of Toronto. I thought it was the greatest thing that ever happened. Since I was in the Army I had the GI Bill. University of Toronto was terrific as far as expense because the Canadian government paid a third of your tuition. The province of Ontario paid a third of your tuition so all you had to do was pay the other third and I got that under the GI Bill. So it was terrific as far as not having owing any money or not borrowing or not anything you know.
Speaker 1:Right, that's an amazing deal. It was, it was a terrific deal and you could use your GI Bill in Canada.
Speaker 2:I didn't realize that.
Speaker 1:Pardon, you could use your GI Bill in Canada.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yep, okay, I didn't know that that was part of the benefit.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess you could go anywhere as long as it's a college or recognized university, which of course the University of Toronto is.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so you went there for four years then.
Speaker 2:No, I went for two years, okay, and then I got married and we lived in New York, so I went to Fordham University to finish up for the degree.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, tell me about this marriage. So where did you meet your wife?
Speaker 2:I met my wife at the University of Toronto. Okay, so she was a fellow American.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And you know, we just happened to hit it off. Now, where was she from? She was from New Jersey, oh. So I don't know why she was in Toronto, just like I don't know why I was in Toronto, somehow you ended up there.
Speaker 1:It was great. Yeah Well, can you tell me about when you first met your wife?
Speaker 2:We were in Latin class of all things, because I liked math. But they had a deal that for every math you took you had to take a language. So I took Spanish because I had this math. I took geometry, so I had to have some other language. So that was how it worked at the University of Toronto. So we met in Latin class and I kept looking around and there was always this girl back there looking at me saying, wow, you know. So I finally asked her out, of course. Later she said she wasn't looking at me, she was trying to look through me. She said your big, fat head was in the way. Wow.
Speaker 1:Well, you think about the things that had to happen for you both to be at the same college and both be in Latin class.
Speaker 2:That's no coincidence, it was. Think about the things that had to happen for you both to be at the same college and both be in Latin class. Yeah, that's no coincidence, it was. But, as I said, I had to take Latin because I needed another language, because I was taking another math, right?
Speaker 1:And what were you going to school for? What was your degree going to be in?
Speaker 2:I was going to teach. I was going to become a teacher and, as it turned out, of course I didn't. But I ran into computers and I just loved computers because they did what you told them to do. So I became a computer specialist and went to work for Burroughs, which was a computer manufacturer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I recognize the name. I do want to back up a little bit. So how long did you and your wife date then, before you got married?
Speaker 2:Probably about a year. Okay, yeah, yeah. You and your wife date then before you got married. Probably about a year. Okay, yeah, yeah, I guess about a year.
Speaker 1:And then you got married, you moved back. So did you move back to Ithaca, New York, then, or?
Speaker 2:No, we were in Toronto, and from there I moved to New York City, Queens, New York, Okay. And then you went to Fordham and from there I moved to New York City, Queens.
Speaker 1:New York.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And then you went to Fordham.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And did she continue on her education?
Speaker 2:No, okay, she worked and put me through college. Really.
Speaker 1:Well, that's not a bad deal either. Right, okay. And so you went to Fordham and you got your degree in computer science. Then, yes, okay all right.
Speaker 2:It was very good. Fordham is a good school.
Speaker 1:And then did you stay in New York then? Yes, All right. So after you graduated college, then what did you do after that?
Speaker 2:Well, we lived in Long Island and I went to work for Burroughs, which was a computer manufacturer. So I worked out of New York, you know, and commuted in from Long Island.
Speaker 1:Now was this back in the days of the giant computers with punch cards and things like that.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And so what was that? What was it like to work on computers back then?
Speaker 2:Well, you really were, at that time, a pioneer, because it was all new, computers were all new, and initially, when I started working on computers, you were always so nervous because you were afraid you were going to break them, because you weren't smart enough to know they're not going to break Right. So and then you know, I just fell in love with computers.
Speaker 1:Did you find that your work in the military, in security services, did any of that kind of translate over into computer work? Did it help you with that?
Speaker 2:No, it just helped me to Well, it just Helped you to understand the whole area of working relationships, what you had to do and all that stuff. Follow through, follow up all that. So it gave you, I guess, a path to follow as far as working goes.
Speaker 1:Well, did you work on any interesting projects at Burroughs, any big things that you did?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah. I worked like we had the very first, as far as I know, computer that was working on projecting elections and stuff. And I was involved in that, you know, trying to come up with programs to do this and do that and just figure out what was going to happen. So project the future really A limited future of course. So very interesting it really was. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1:So talk to me a little bit about that, because this is like when you think about that today I can pull up a website that can punch in some numbers and it does all the work for me?
Speaker 2:Oh, it sure does.
Speaker 1:This was very manual at the time, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And punch cards and, you know, the mag tapes and all that stuff and even paper tape. So really interesting, if you like the logic of it all, which I do, of course. So it was just terrific, it was a perfect spot for me.
Speaker 1:So how…? Oh, what's my question? So I know what I was going to ask you is did any of your predictions come true?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So you were able to predict the outcomes of things then based on the analysis from the computer.
Speaker 2:Yep, so mostly elections. You know you projected elections and almost always they came true. You know that's all just logic based on this, this and this. This is going to happen and it does. Right, so as long as your data is good, yeah Right, oh yeah, yes, and you didn't try to fudge things. Oh, wait a minute. I'd really like this guy to get elected, oh no, you want a predictive analysis.
Speaker 1:You don't want to.
Speaker 2:No, you don't want to.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Just what you felt is right, but no Fact, fact, fact.
Speaker 1:So how long were you at Burroughs?
Speaker 2:Oh, I don't know really A long time. Uh-huh, you know I was a senior specialist, really, you know. So, yeah, it was a good place to work.
Speaker 1:They did take care of you well, now did you retire from Burroughs?
Speaker 2:then? Actually I did. But then I formed my own company, a consulting company, obviously dealing with computers, and that was good too.
Speaker 1:So you formed your own consulting company. Would this have been in the 60s by then?
Speaker 2:Yeah, early 60s, I guess. Okay.
Speaker 1:Yes, 60s, 70s. So what was it like computer consulting during that time, because it seems like everything was changing so rapidly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you changed with it.
Speaker 1:Right, right. Is that kind of what you guys did? You had to stay on top of it?
Speaker 2:yes, but you know, if you enjoyed it, which I really did. I loved computers. You know, it was one of those things you just say well, just go on with it. You know. Right, right so it all worked out well, so in all this time, any children. Well, I got married. Right and then we started yeah, we had children. We had a total of four kids, okay, so Girls, boys.
Speaker 1:All girls, all girls. Yes, my harem. So did your wife stop working then, after you graduated, or did she continue to work after?
Speaker 2:No, she worked, she just enjoyed it. But once the kids came, of course she didn't work. She was a mother, but once the kids came, of course she didn't work.
Speaker 1:She was a mother.
Speaker 2:That was her career.
Speaker 1:Right, so tell me about having four girls. What was that like for you? It was terrific, was it it?
Speaker 2:really was. They're all such sweeties they really are and fortunately they all were well and they all were smart, so you couldn't ask for more than that. Right, they were kind. You know, they really were. They still are, of course, very good kids.
Speaker 1:Now were they fairly close in age.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, yep, we had four, the four all under five years old.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, so like one a year, wow, until we figured out what caused it, yeah yeah, that's half the battle, right Right, you're a smart guy, so tell me about your oldest daughter. When was she born? So tell me about your oldest daughter. When was she born?
Speaker 2:Oh, I have no idea anymore with numbers like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:What do you remember most about her? She had epilepsy.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And sometimes it was really tough on her because she'd study and then have an epileptic seizure and it would be all gone. Oh no, so she'd have to go all over again. So finally they had a. We found out they had a cure for it. I had to have a. It's a brain operation, so it was. You know that's kind of scary to talk about that, Right, but so we finally she finally had the operation and it went away, and so she was perfect, Wow. So.
Speaker 2:That's pretty amazing oh it was, it was glorious, it really was.
Speaker 1:So. So what did she go on to do then?
Speaker 2:Oh, she went on to become a special ed teacher. She went through college in Atlanta, of course, and now she still is, except she's a consultant now. But she was a special education teacher and worked with the blind. Just thought it was just so good and so needed and so rewarding when you had accomplishments, you know.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So she just right now she's still consulting on a part-time basis. If somebody needs something, she's there for them, you know.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's good. Yeah, now what about your next oldest?
Speaker 2:Next oldest. She also I guess they all are she's very smart, so right now she's a senior vice president of like Standard Poor's. So she got her PhD. So she really, as I said, she's really smart.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's amazing.
Speaker 2:And so are the next two.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so tell me about the next two.
Speaker 2:The next two yeah, Well, Chris, who was the third, she was very, very happy, go lucky, happy, wanted to be involved in everything. She was very into things, you know. And Jean was the last one. She I don't know how best to describe her, but same thing Very smart. She is the CEO, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is a group that certifies hospitals. Okay, so they do a lot of work in the hospital area and all that stuff. So they all did very well. What does Chris do?
Speaker 1:What does Chris do?
Speaker 2:Chris was. She was kind of a a consultant financial, a consultant financial. She got into the finance end of it and she really has done a great job. Helps me out figuring things out. That's what I do, but no, she is good. They all are good, I have to say. They all turned out wonderfully well. So I attribute that to my wife.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:She really she's a perfect person, but go ahead.
Speaker 1:I was just going to ask you do you have like a favorite memory or something from when the kids were growing up and something you may have done as a family, Something that just sticks out in your mind when you think about your family?
Speaker 2:I don't know. I mean it was a family. I mean really we all enjoyed each other. They were just terrific kids. They really were, and a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:Well, it sounds like you're proud of them too.
Speaker 2:Oh, very proud of them. And they've all, as I said, they've all done well. Ceo, chief Executive Officer, senior Vice President of Standard Poor's I mean good big companies. So they all did very well. So I don't have to worry about financing them or anything.
Speaker 1:Right? What's the old adage? They're never really off the payroll, but it sounds like maybe you've accomplished that I did yes, it was, they accomplished it really.
Speaker 2:They're very, very good, very smart.
Speaker 1:Now do you have grandchildren?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:They each have two Boy and a girl.
Speaker 1:So you went from all boys to all girls to boys and girls, To boys and girls, right?
Speaker 2:Wow, that's great yeah yeah, and they are doing well too. I don't want to brag, but they are sharp kids, yeah, so not bragging, as they say. If it's the truth, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 1:If it's the truth, it's the truth yeah. Yeah. So I want to ask you a couple of questions to kind of jump around a little bit here. Sure, we talked briefly about your time in the Army and the time in Germany, and so when you were in Germany and you're doing all this spooks and spies stuff, is there anything you can talk about that happened while you were there? That was, you know, kind of exciting. That maybe made a difference or a change.
Speaker 2:Well, there was one thing that was kind of exciting, didn't make a difference. Well, it did. Obviously it got me out of trouble. But at one point I was hemmed in by some East Germans and, to make a long story much shorter, I was rescued by the Airborne. So I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Airborne. These were the 81st Airborne, but it doesn't matter, any Airborne will do so. They rescued me and I've been grateful ever since.
Speaker 1:It's like having a group of big brothers that really knows how to fight.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah, it really was incredible, thank you.
Speaker 1:I still think that.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:So was this the same time the Korean War was going on? Pardon, was this at the same time the Korean War was going on?
Speaker 2:Pardon, was this at the same time, the Korean War was going on.
Speaker 1:And fortunately you didn't have to go to Korea, though.
Speaker 2:No, no, I'm a Korean War vet, as they call it, because I was in during that time, but I was stationed in Germany.
Speaker 1:So did any of your spy work involve any part of the Korean conflict at all?
Speaker 2:Not really. You know, it was more keeping an eye on the East Germans and Russians. So that's what I did.
Speaker 1:Well, interestingly enough, the Russians were our friends for a while there, and that kind of all went by the wayside after World War II.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it did.
Speaker 1:So you have lived a very interesting life. You've gotten to do a lot of great things. You've served your country, you've gone to college. You've raised an amazing family. You have grandchildren now who are going to do amazing things as well. I'm sure you have grandchildren now who are going to do amazing things as well, I'm sure you know. As we close out our discussion, though, is there anything that I've forgotten to ask you or that you would like to talk about before we go?
Speaker 2:Well, none of this would have happened without my wife, who is just an amazing person, so all credit goes to her. She really is good and smart and beautiful.
Speaker 1:Well, so tell us a little bit more about her. I met her briefly while we were here and she just seems like an amazing, amazing person. She is, yeah, she helped raise your family and helped you go through college and now you're here taking care of each other. Yep, and where did she grow up? Again, she's in New Jersey.
Speaker 2:Okay, monmouth Beach, new Jersey.
Speaker 1:So she's a Jersey girl then from way back.
Speaker 2:Okay, all right. Yeah, we met in college.
Speaker 1:She was my college sweetheart Well, and I think we're fortunate if we have someone like that in our lives. Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:And how long have you been married? 60-x years, 60-some-odd years 60-some-odd years, a long time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, doesn't seem like a long time, though, does it.
Speaker 2:No, not at all. Yeah, not at all. It's been great. It really has been.
Speaker 1:Well, with all of that in mind, if someone is listening to this. Years from now, let's say 100 years from now. Unless some magic of modern science happens, neither one of us will be here. 100 years from now. Let's say 100 years from now. Unless some magic of modern science happens, neither one of us will be here 100 years from now. What would you like them to take away from this conversation, but also, really, what would you like people to take away from your life and how you've lived it?
Speaker 2:Well, I think what I'd? I don't know, just do things and do things right, you know, do right things right.
Speaker 1:How about that?
Speaker 2:but, as I said, and hopefully find the woman of your dreams, if you're a guy or if it's a girl, find the man of your dreams and just treat them with total respect and love and and have such a wonderful payoff. So I guess that's it. That's what makes your life and she makes mine.
Speaker 1:Well, Joe, thanks for sharing all of that with us. Thanks for sitting with me here today.
Speaker 2:Okay, you're welcome.
