Weber, Rick

Rick Weber was born July 8, 1946, and he grew up in 1950s Pittsburgh, the son of a WW2 veteran.  His childhood was typical of the time, enjoying the abundance of the “Fabulous 50s”.  He played football in high school, where he injured himself, something he aggravated in university.  He consequently failed the army medical test, and as the Vietnam War heated up in the late 60s, Rick applied his student deferments and thought he was insulated from the draft.  The army had other ideas though, and Rick was inducted, and sent to basic and then officer training, and then Vietnam itself.  A young lieutenant, Rick commanded many young American soldiers during a time when most did not want to be there, and the war was slowly reaching its end.  Rick provides great insights into the roles and character of the men who served under him, and what a typical day of an infantry commander and unit might be like.  He also discusses the difficulties the returning soldiers experienced, as they came back to a country where not all welcomed them.  Rick himself had to adjust, and for years he kept his military service under wraps.  Returning home to his wife, the two of them did find their niche though, and Rick reintegrated himself over time.  More recently he has dedicated himself to veteran-related causes, and he works to preserve the stories of veterans from both World War Two and Vietnam.  Crestwood students were fortunate to meet Rick over zoom in May 2021.