Arvin Morell

Arvin Morell

2023-10-28

video

Skye Jalal

Arvin Morell

5.4 Arvin Morell 00:45:17 Latino Lorain Latino Veterans Fall 2023 Oberlin College Libraries oberlin Arvin Morell Skye Jalal 0 https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/media_objects/ns064606n Avalon https://media.lib.oberlin.edu/ video &lt ; iframe title="Alvin Morell" src="//media.lib.oberlin.edu:443/master_files/br86b364d/embed" width="600" height="337" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen&gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; English 0 Introduction Okay. I am Skye Jalal and I'm interviewing Arvin Morell to talk about his life as a part of the Latino Veterans Oral History Project. Thank you Mr. Morrell, for agreeing to be interviewed. Can you please state your name and birthdate? Jalal introduces Arvin Morell who is being interviewed for the Latino Lorain Veteran History Project, which is a collaboration between the Lorain Historical Society and Oberlin College. The interview takes place in the Lorain Historical Society. Latino Lorain Oral History Project ; Lorain Historical Society 0 33 Early Life Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up? Arvin Morell talks about growing up in South Lorain. He was born to parents who arrived from Puerto Rico on work assignment in 1951. He speaks about his father, who worked for Ford Motor Company, and his mother who was a stay-at-home parent before working for Dalton Sewing Factory for 10 years. He talks about growing up with 4 brothers and 1 sister, and the importance of spending time outdoors in their upbringing. He also talks about how his parents instilled a value for going to church in him at a young age. This value is still important to him today. Puerto Rico, early life ; Ford Motor Company ; Dalton Sewing Factory, ; childhood ; parents 0 182 Religion and Children Absolutely. I'm no longer in, in the Catholic church, but I belong to a House of Praise International, what they consider born again Christian. I've been serving the Lord actually this year will be 32 years. I accepted Jesus Christ when I was 30 years old. Mr. Morell is no longer a part of the Catholic Church, and is now a member of the House of Praise International. He speaks about how both of his sons, Seth and Justin, were raised in the church. Mr. Morell shares a childhood memory of Friday trips to the grocery store with his mother. On these days she would allow him and his brother to pick out special treats such as pop tarts and cereal, and visit restaurants such as Burger King, McDonalds, and the Casey’s hamburgers on 21st street in Lorain. Children ; religion ; Christianity ; Catholicism ; House of Praise International 0 345 Decision to Enlist How did you first begin to think about military service? Mr. Morell talks about his family’s connection to the Ford. Both his father and older brother worked for Ford for many years, and he assumed during high school that he would work there as well. However, layoffs began at Ford in 1979, a year before he graduated high school in 1980. This left him to find alternative plans. His friend, Jack Lowe, had joined the Marine Corps in 1979 so Morell figured that he would as well. &#13 ; Arvin Morell and his friend from “up the street”, Angelo Capello, joined the military together as a part of the Buddy System. Morell talks about the comfort of going into bootcamp with somebody who he grew up with. He also talks about coming from a military family himself. His oldest brother, Tony Morell was drafted into the Vietnam War. Another older brother, Ray Morell, went into the Air Force in 1979.&#13 ; Ford Motor Company ; U.S. Marines ; layoffs ; Buddy System 0 500 Early Military Service And where did you do basic training? Mr. Morell talks about going into basic training at Parris Island, right out of high school at age 18. His service lasted for four years, from August 15th 1980, to August 14th, 1984. He speaks more about the experience of going into the military with Angelo Capello, a friend from Lorain who he already knew. He says that this eased the experience of leaving home for the first time. &#13 ; Morell talks about how the military shaped him, specifically about how it taught him discipline. He says that the Marine Corps turned him “from a boy into a man.” In an anecdote about shaving his head, he explains how the military “wants you to be one person” and the importance of being responsible for the whole community. Parris Island ; enlistment ; discipline ; U.S. Marines 0 719 Engagement and Early Marriage Right. I have some questions now about your time in service. Arvin talks about his relationship with his now-wife Glenda, throughout his time in service.The two of them were highschool sweethearts, and got engaged at age 19 during his second year of service. Marrying Glenda allowed her to travel with him, when he wasn’t stationed overseas. &#13 ; He proposed to her by payphone while stationed in Naples, Italy. He talks about the difficulty of being separated from her, the letters that the two of them would send to each other while he was away, and how he spent their first wedding anniversary stationed in Beirut, Lebanon. He shares that he kept the coins from the payphone he used to propose, and had the three of them put together as a 25th wedding anniversary gift. The three coins symbolize himself, Glenda, and God together as one. spouse ; letters ; high school sweethearts ; Naples, Italy ; Beirut, Lebanon 0 932 Military Travel What was the most challenging part of your service? Mr. Morell talks about his experiences traveling while in the military. He shares that he appreciated being able to see places that he would have never seen otherwise. However, it was still difficult to be brought away from his wife. He was surprised to find Spanish spoken in different places around the world. His favorite place to visit was Naples, and he found himself able to communicate with the Italians through Spanish. His wife would either stay in Lorain, or Camp LeJeune in North Carolina while he was overseas. Travel ; Camp Lejeune ; Naples ; spouse ; Spanish 0 1082 Military Jobs and Military Discharge And what was your role, working with the ships? Mr. Morell explains his job in the military as a field wireman switchboard operator, and the process of connecting the switchboards for military communications. He talks about his decision to leave after fulfilling his obligation of four service years. He discusses not wanting to go overseas for a third time as being a main factor is his decision to leave the military. military jobs ; overseas deployment ; military communications ; discharge 0 1224 Returning to Lorain and a Career with the U.S. Postal Service Did you come back to Lorain after? Mr. Morell talks about returning back home to Lorain following his service. He discusses working at the Post Office for 32 ½ years, as a letter carrier in the towns of Elyria, North Ridgeville, and Oberlin Ohio. He talks about how the discipline and punctuality learned through the military became a part of his everyday life, and work as a postal carrier. He also talks about how his original family values of “discipline” learned by his parents, were continued through his time in the military. He says that the military “molds you into what they want you to be.” In an anecdote about “sea-rats” or sea-rations, he explains how the military taught him to become adaptable in different environments. civilian life ; U.S. Postal Service ; discipline ; c-rations (c-rats) 0 1459 Feelings About the Military How has your military service impacted your feelings about war, and the military in general? Morell talks about living in the Beirut building, a year before the 1984 bombing. He shares how his military experience affects his feelings about athletes kneeling for the flag at sporting events. He says that he flys the flag proudly everyday, and that to him it means “freedom, democracy, liberty, and justice for all.” To him, the American flag means that everybody is equal, though it may not always be that way in real life. He shares how he still is willing to sacrifice his life for the country, regardless of those who may not think of him as an American. athletes kneeling ; American flag ; citizenship ; democracy ; freedom ; liberty ; justice ; equality ; racism ; discrimination ; Hispanic ; patriotism ; Beirut bombing (1984) 0 1637 Closing Thoughts What message would you like to leave for future generations, who will view or hear this interview? Morell shares his message for the upcoming generation: “We live in a wonderful country.” He shares how the Marine Corps made him the person he is today, and his great respect for all people who serve in the military. He talks about his positive experiences with the VA system. He discusses the importance of the VA, and of presidential support for veterans. He talks about his life as a one of service, both in his military time and in working as a postal carrier for 32 years. He says that his name, Arvin, means “friend of the people.” He says that he loves God and that he loves people. U.S. Marines ; VA programs ; postal carrier 0 1854 Sharing Photos and Souvenirs I had a couple souvenirs that I'll share. Okay. Arvin Morell shares a series of photographs and souvenirs from his time in service. He shares several images from his time in Beirut, Lebanon, and talks in more detail about living in Beirut before the 1984 bombing. He shares a commemorative jacket that he had commissioned after his service, embroidered with the astrological signs of himself and his wife, and all of the locations he traveled to. He talks about his two sons, who currently work at the post office and as an air traffic controller, and three grandchildren. He closes the interview by reading “Christmas in Beirut”, a poem by his fellow service member, Walt Kennedy. Travel ; Beirut bombing (1984) ; family ; Beirut 0 Oral History In copyright. video All rights reserved. 0 https://oberlincollegelibrary.org/ohms-viewer/render.php?cachefile=LL_Morell_Arvin.xml LL_Morell_Arvin.xml