April 12, 1948
Father of three boys
retired sales manager for Ingram Barge Company
Georgia born, Indiana raised, Illinois home
Meet Gene Shiver
Georgia born Shiver found himself unsure of his path in life and felt he was “spinning his wheels” in college. When he decided not to return second semester in 1968, he expected that letter in the mail, knowing he essentially “volunteered for the draft.” As a 20-year-old “kid” he thought Vietnam sounded somewhat like an adventure, one he thought he was ready for. He wasn’t. His first mission out on his recon patrol, he saw a guy, a young man, killed right in front of him. It wasn’t the last time, either. Shiver’s candor helps us see and feel just a sliver of what these young people went through, and how it still affects them today, nearly half a century later.
These days...
Shiver returned home and wanted to get back to “normal” life. He married Carla Wyatt (my aunt) and they have three sons and eight grandchildren. They travel often to visit their kids and grandkids in Texas and Colorado. They enjoy retirement, but without work to occupy his mind, it’s given Shiver more time to reflect, whether he wants to or not, on his tour in Vietnam.
It’s funny, when someone is family you think you know them because you’ve grown up with them in your life. But sometimes we take for granted the fact that our elders were people before we came along. With my Uncle Gene, I’ve learned so much about him and through this process, I’ve grown closer to him. I even learned he and my Uncle Dave, who passed away from cancer, served at the same time, in the same division, in the same location. They didn’t even realize that until the 90s, that’s how little they ever discussed their time in Vietnam. I’ve heard a story of his heroism since his session, and I’m excited to visit he and my family in Collinsville, Illinois and record it to share. I’m honored he agreed to participate, without him, this project wouldn’t exist, so thank you Uncle Gene, for your service and welcome home.