Sgt. Jacques Hyacinthe
US Army – Combat Medic
Bliss Army Hospital
Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, USA 9/70-9/73
US Army – Combat Medic
Bliss Army Hospital
Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, USA 9/70-9/73
Jacques Hyacinthe was born in Haiti in 1949. He came to the United States with his younger sister in 1966 at the age of 17. He and his sister headed to the Ligget Ave. in the South Bronx, NY where they were reunited with their mother and brother who had come to the US four years earlier. Jacques’ mother couldn’t find work in Haiti so she and Jacques’ brother had come to the US to find work. His mother worked in housekeeping at the Plaza Hotel and his brother worked as a taxi driver.
Jacques’ native language was Haitian Creole and French and he spoke no English when he arrived in the Bronx. He took English as a second language along with his other classes at Morris High School. Slowly but surely his English improved.
When Jacques entered the US he was required to sign an agreement that required him to enter the military upon reaching the age of 18. When Jacques graduated from Morris High School in 1970 Uncle Sam remembered and he was drafted. Jacques took a series of tests to determine his military occupation and was given the options of Military Police, Engineer or Corpsman. Jacques chose Corpsman. He reported to Ft. Dix for basic training and Jacques recalls “it was tough”. After basic training he was sent Ft. Sam Houston for training as a combat medic. The training included simulated war conditions where the soldiers received simulated combat injuries and the corpsman learned to treat them.
After he completed Corpsman training he was sent to Bliss Hospital at Ft. Huachuca in Arizona. There he worked in the emergency room and specialty clinics. He saw many of the GI’s who were returning home from Vietnam. The injured were first sent to Germany and then to Hawaii and then to Bliss Hospital. Jacques worked hard and learned a great deal including assisting the doctors during surgery.
Unfortunately, Jacques worked for a female Colonel who treated him differently than the other staff. She would assign all of the lowest jobs to Jacques although he was qualified for much more. Jacques got along well with everyone else but the Colonel had it in for him. When it came time to decide to re-enlist or get out, Jacques chose to leave the Military.
Jacques stayed in Arizona and enrolled in a community college. He did well and he received a scholarship to go to France and study French for a year. When he returned from France he went back to the Bronx. His next step was to take technical classes in computer programing and while he was there he was recruited by Digital in 1979. He worked with Digital until 1992 when he left to take a position with UPS in their data center. He worked there until he retired in 2012.
In 1981 Jacques met Danielle, who was one of his sister brides maids. They were married in 1981 and are working on 41 years of marriage. They have two sons. One is a chef and one has an MBA. “They are both working. I don’t worry about them.” As parents, Jacques and Danielle were active in the community and worked with a not-for-profit organization that helped the local schools.
Danielle was a K-8 school teacher for 31 years and is now retired. Jacques and Danielle are enjoying retirement by traveling as much as they can and doing philanthropic work in the southern part of Haiti when conditions allow them to travel there.
I asked Jacques what he thought of his time I the military. “I loved it, really. Sometimes I wished I stayed there.”
Jacques, you are an inspiration to everyone. You came to the US without knowing the language, learned English, served your country, made a nice life for you and your family and you are now enjoying the fruits of your labor. Thank you and enjoy retirement.
Jacques’ native language was Haitian Creole and French and he spoke no English when he arrived in the Bronx. He took English as a second language along with his other classes at Morris High School. Slowly but surely his English improved.
When Jacques entered the US he was required to sign an agreement that required him to enter the military upon reaching the age of 18. When Jacques graduated from Morris High School in 1970 Uncle Sam remembered and he was drafted. Jacques took a series of tests to determine his military occupation and was given the options of Military Police, Engineer or Corpsman. Jacques chose Corpsman. He reported to Ft. Dix for basic training and Jacques recalls “it was tough”. After basic training he was sent Ft. Sam Houston for training as a combat medic. The training included simulated war conditions where the soldiers received simulated combat injuries and the corpsman learned to treat them.
After he completed Corpsman training he was sent to Bliss Hospital at Ft. Huachuca in Arizona. There he worked in the emergency room and specialty clinics. He saw many of the GI’s who were returning home from Vietnam. The injured were first sent to Germany and then to Hawaii and then to Bliss Hospital. Jacques worked hard and learned a great deal including assisting the doctors during surgery.
Unfortunately, Jacques worked for a female Colonel who treated him differently than the other staff. She would assign all of the lowest jobs to Jacques although he was qualified for much more. Jacques got along well with everyone else but the Colonel had it in for him. When it came time to decide to re-enlist or get out, Jacques chose to leave the Military.
Jacques stayed in Arizona and enrolled in a community college. He did well and he received a scholarship to go to France and study French for a year. When he returned from France he went back to the Bronx. His next step was to take technical classes in computer programing and while he was there he was recruited by Digital in 1979. He worked with Digital until 1992 when he left to take a position with UPS in their data center. He worked there until he retired in 2012.
In 1981 Jacques met Danielle, who was one of his sister brides maids. They were married in 1981 and are working on 41 years of marriage. They have two sons. One is a chef and one has an MBA. “They are both working. I don’t worry about them.” As parents, Jacques and Danielle were active in the community and worked with a not-for-profit organization that helped the local schools.
Danielle was a K-8 school teacher for 31 years and is now retired. Jacques and Danielle are enjoying retirement by traveling as much as they can and doing philanthropic work in the southern part of Haiti when conditions allow them to travel there.
I asked Jacques what he thought of his time I the military. “I loved it, really. Sometimes I wished I stayed there.”
Jacques, you are an inspiration to everyone. You came to the US without knowing the language, learned English, served your country, made a nice life for you and your family and you are now enjoying the fruits of your labor. Thank you and enjoy retirement.