“I’d never seen a rat as big as a cat until I was in Vietnam…”

Rod Grove landed in Vietnam on his 20th birthday, and served in the army there for just over a year. But the experience left a permanent imprint on his life. In the first of two interview excerpts, Rod talks with Bird Red about the intensities of daily life as a young soldier, the terrifying events, rodents and insects.

Rod Grove is a member of the Southern Ute Tribe.

Picture above: Rod Grove at 20 years old in Vietnam.