Jerry D. Blum – U.S. Navy 1962-1966

Jerome “Jerry” Blum, a Past National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, grew up in Hartford. Jerry enlisted in the Navy right after high schooling 1962. Following Boot Camp and Class ‘A’ School in Great Lakes, IL, he was assigned to the USS Vance (DER-387). Onboard, he was sent to the North Bering Sea, as part of the Dewline Picket Patrol. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to the envy of his friends. That lasted a short time before the ship was sent to Vietnam. Jerry was stationed in Vietnam for over 2 ½ years, operating the Evaporators, changing sea water into fresh water. One of the duties of the USS Vance was to search small coastal traffic (junks) for contraband, specifically weapons to be used by the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

Jerry’s Captain on the USS Vance, Lt. Commander- Marcus Aurelius Arnheiter, was removed from duty while serving on board the Vance (DER- 387). In our interview Jerry stated, “I hate to use the word crazy, but that’s the closet to him”, about Lt. Commander Artheiter. The incidents that lead to Arnheiter’s removal are documented in the book The Arnheiter Affair by Neil Sheehan.

As an enlisted sailor in charge of the fresh water distilling plant Jerry now knows that we were spreading Agent Orange and possibly other chemicals to our crews through drinking, washing, cooking, etc.

Jerry was honorably discharged form service in 1966 as USN, EM3.