Edward Skerness -USMC 1966-71

Inspired by his father, Edward G. Skerness Sr. a World War II Marine who served on Guadalcanal, Edward G. Skerness Jr. enlisted as a Marine at the age of 17 in 1966. George 1st served in Iwakuni, Japan and was sent to Vietnam soon after his 18th birthday. While in Vietnam George was stationed in Da Nang and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 18 (MAG-18) as an engineer working on ASRAD antennas in support of helicopter operations. “One time they set me out to service an antenna, but this antenna had been overrun the night before and this gentleman had got blown to smithereens and there were pieces of his uniform and stuff, and we had to use the same foxhole that he was in. That smell and just seeing pieces of his uniform there, those things never leave you.” - Edward G. Skerness Jr.

George would do two tours of duty in Vietnam and was turned down when he requested a third because, “at that point I wasn't good anymore for the Marines. I had witnessed too much; I was kind of getting disillusioned with it at that point.” - Edward G. Skerness Jr.

After receiving a dishonorable discharge and battling anger issues and alcoholism George began to seek help and eventually gained an honorable discharge and eventually even the High School Diploma that the USMC had promised him.

Today George is an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of Coshocton County, OH, works with Blue Star Mothers and is proud to be an Honor Guard. “Nowadays we talk openly about the Vietnam War. At one time, we didn't say anything. We'd drinking a bunch of beer and blackout and just not care. For years, I lived my life like that until I could finally talk about it like right here and now.” - Edward G. Skerness Jr.