Oral history interview of James Claude Jeffries

In this interview, Jim Jeffries recalls his experiences first in the United States Marine Corps and later in the United States Army. He recalls his background and growing up years in Indianapolis, Indiana, and how he joined the Marine Corps at 17 years old to "straighten out" his life. During basic training, a drill instructor beat him up and he deserted the Marine Corps, abandoning his parents and siblings as well. He later enlisted in the Army under a different name and served as an Army cook until he was discharged. He re-enlisted and transferred to the Army Medical Corps when he learned they were seeking an EKG technician with no prior medical background. He excelled as a cardio-pulmonary technician and was assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center where former President Lyndon B. Johnson, and his wife received their medical care. Realizing that the background check for his security clearance to do that work would reveal his desertion from the Marine Corps, he confessed and with the support of his commanding officer, he received a formal honorable discharge from the Marine Corps and a formal statement from the Army that his Army enlistment would not be considered fraudulent. He describes reconnecting with his parents and siblings and the welcome he received from them. He recalls performing EKGs on former President Johnson and the former First Lady, "Lady Bird" Johnson. He received his cardio-pulmonary training at a Navy school, and he describes in detail the safety precautions he learned there to protect himself from radiation exposure, putting similar precautions in place when he returned to his post at Fort Sam Houston. He discusses his post-military careers, his retirement, and the medical care afforded military retirees. Army of Occupation; EKG; desertion; Jennifer Spivey; pulmonary function; radiation; NCOIC; TRICARE James Jeffries served in the United States Army Medical Corps as an EKG technician and a cardio-pulmonary technician from 1953 to 1974.