With Good Reason

In the 1960s, it took almost three weeks to cross the sea from America to Vietnam. Three weeks for young men in crowded cabins, with salt water showers and absolutely nothing to do but think: about home, about the war, and about what’s next. For some, it was a round-trip journey; others never made it home. For the radio documentary Messages from a Forgotten Troopship, we tracked down three soldiers who had traveled on a single troopship, the General Nelson M. Walker. Through found tape and contemporary interviews, we recreated the troopship and captured the moments outside of combat—three weeks there, and for the lucky ones, three weeks back. Harmon Adams' story is just one of those three. In this excerpt, he shares his reflections of going home after war. Adams died just months after this interview.

In the 1960s, it took almost three weeks to cross the sea from America to Vietnam. Three weeks for young men in crowded cabins, with salt water showers and absolutely nothing to do but think: about home, about the war, and about what’s next. For some, it was a round-trip journey; others never made it home. For the radio documentary Messages from a Forgotten Troopship, we tracked down three soldiers who had traveled on a single troopship, the General Nelson M. Walker. Through found tape and contemporary interviews, we recreated the troopship and captured the moments outside of combat—three weeks there, and for the lucky ones, three weeks back. Harmon Adams' story is just one of those three. In this excerpt, he shares his reflections of going home after war. Adams died just months after this interview.

Joseph Roane, an agronomist trained at Virginia State University, was part of a group of African American expatriates who were encouraged by the Stalinist government in the 1930s to work in the Soviet Union building a society free of class and racism. Jon Bachman (Stratford Hall) and Marian Veney Ashton (A.T. Johnson Museum) are making a film on how Roane survived Stalin’s purges and returned to the United States to become a mentor to young African American agricultural students. Also: Brian McKnight’s (University of Virginia at Wise) new book We Fight for Peace tells the story of American prisoners of war in the Korean War, who defected to North Korea and what happened to them when they decided to return to the United States.

Later in the show: An entire generation of Americans grew up knowing no other president than Franklin Roosevelt, who served four terms and led them through the Depression and World War II. Pulitzer Prize-winning FDR biographer David Kennedy (Stanford University) gives a spellbinding account of this ebullient man of constant cheer who crafted the New Deal and the social security system. Kennedy and University of Virginia political scientist Sid Milkis spoke at a recent conference held by the Center for American Studies at Christopher Newport University.

Joseph Roane, an agronomist trained at Virginia State University, was part of a group of African American expatriates who were encouraged by the Stalinist government in the 1930s to work in the Soviet Union building a society free of class and racism. Jon Bachman (Stratford Hall) and Marian Veney Ashton (A.T. Johnson Museum) are making a film on how Roane survived Stalin’s purges and returned to the United States to become a mentor to young African American agricultural students. Also: Brian McKnight’s (University of Virginia at Wise) new book We Fight for Peace tells the story of American prisoners of war in the Korean War, who defected to North Korea and what happened to them when they decided to return to the United States.

Later in the show: An entire generation of Americans grew up knowing no other president than Franklin Roosevelt, who served four terms and led them through the Depression and World War II. Pulitzer Prize-winning FDR biographer David Kennedy (Stanford University) gives a spellbinding account of this ebullient man of constant cheer who crafted the New Deal and the social security system. Kennedy and University of Virginia political scientist Sid Milkis spoke at a recent conference held by the Center for American Studies at Christopher Newport University.

The late poet Lucille Clifton was widely acclaimed for her powerful explorations of race, womanhood, and spirituality. She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and received the Robert Frost Medal for lifetime achievement posthumously, from the Poetry Society of America. An anthology of her work; “The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010 recently won the Hurston Wright Legacy Award for Poetry, and Clifton was also honored by the Furious Flower Poetry Center (James Madison University.) Also: A talk with Hilary Holladay who is the author of “Wild Blessings: The Poetry of Lucille Clifton,” the first full-length study of Clifton’s work.

Later in the show: From Homer to Chaucer to Rita Dove, poetry has plumbed and expressed human strife, love, and everyday realities. Bob Hicok (Virginia Tech) worked for twenty years in the automotive industry. His poems explore the lives of family and friends coping with economic devastation in Michigan. Also: Kevin Shortsleeve (Christopher Newport University) is working on an anthology documenting nonsense literature from all over the world. And: In her poem, “Empty Nest,” Lisa Russ Spaar (University of Virginia) explores how a familiar place changes through time. Spaar is a Guggenheim Fellowship awardee and an essayist on the subject of how poets’ personal odysseys intersect with a desire to understand humanity.

The late poet Lucille Clifton was widely acclaimed for her powerful explorations of race, womanhood, and spirituality. She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and received the Robert Frost Medal for lifetime achievement posthumously, from the Poetry Society of America. An anthology of her work; “The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010 recently won the Hurston Wright Legacy Award for Poetry, and Clifton was also honored by the Furious Flower Poetry Center (James Madison University.) Also: A talk with Hilary Holladay who is the author of “Wild Blessings: The Poetry of Lucille Clifton,” the first full-length study of Clifton’s work.

Later in the show: From Homer to Chaucer to Rita Dove, poetry has plumbed and expressed human strife, love, and everyday realities. Bob Hicok (Virginia Tech) worked for twenty years in the automotive industry. His poems explore the lives of family and friends coping with economic devastation in Michigan. Also: Kevin Shortsleeve (Christopher Newport University) is working on an anthology documenting nonsense literature from all over the world. And: In her poem, “Empty Nest,” Lisa Russ Spaar (University of Virginia) explores how a familiar place changes through time. Spaar is a Guggenheim Fellowship awardee and an essayist on the subject of how poets’ personal odysseys intersect with a desire to understand humanity.

For this Earth Day, we’re taking the planet’s pulse—and our own. Robert Gifford (University of Victoria) explains the dragons of inaction that keep us from changing our behaviors, even if we know they’re bad for the environment. And: Edward Maibach (George Mason University) is starting conversations about climate change in unexpected places: Facebook, the doctor’s office, and the TV weather report.

Later in the show: Coastal geologist Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) says that due to climate change, east coast shorelines are shifting… fast. But, he says there may be a way we can help barrier islands preserve vital ecosystems throughout the accelerating changes. Also: Synthetic hormones are flooding the waterways, so biologist Sara O’Brien (Radford University) is conducting experiments to pinpoint the source of human-made hormones and to determine the consequences of exposure to them. The canary-in-the-coal-mine for O’Brien’s research is the ubiquitous “mosquito fish”.

For this Earth Day, we’re taking the planet’s pulse—and our own. Robert Gifford (University of Victoria) explains the dragons of inaction that keep us from changing our behaviors, even if we know they’re bad for the environment. And: Edward Maibach (George Mason University) is starting conversations about climate change in unexpected places: Facebook, the doctor’s office, and the TV weather report.

Later in the show: Coastal geologist Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) says that due to climate change, east coast shorelines are shifting… fast. But, he says there may be a way we can help barrier islands preserve vital ecosystems throughout the accelerating changes. Also: Synthetic hormones are flooding the waterways, so biologist Sara O’Brien (Radford University) is conducting experiments to pinpoint the source of human-made hormones and to determine the consequences of exposure to them. The canary-in-the-coal-mine for O’Brien’s research is the ubiquitous “mosquito fish”.

Just after finishing college at the University of Virginia, Alexis Ohanian, with his friend Steve Huffman, created Reddit. Designed to be the front page of the Internet, Reddit is now one of the most talked about and influential spots on the web. Plus: Inspired by her architecture degree from the University of Virginia, Becca McCharen began designing structural corsets and body-cages for small fashion shows. Only a few years later, McCharen’s hobby has grown into Chromat, an experimental label worn by just about every major female pop star, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Nicki Minaj. And: While the term entrepreneur goes in and out of fashion, Ron Monark (College of William and Mary) says that the skills required to start a new company have always been in vogue.

Just after finishing college at the University of Virginia, Alexis Ohanian, with his friend Steve Huffman, created Reddit. Designed to be the front page of the Internet, Reddit is now one of the most talked about and influential spots on the web. Plus: Inspired by her architecture degree from the University of Virginia, Becca McCharen began designing structural corsets and body-cages for small fashion shows. Only a few years later, McCharen’s hobby has grown into Chromat, an experimental label worn by just about every major female pop star, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Nicki Minaj. And: While the term entrepreneur goes in and out of fashion, Ron Monark (College of William and Mary) says that the skills required to start a new company have always been in vogue.