Storycorps

After three months of explosive ordnance and heavy equipment training by the U.S. Army, 18-year-old Roger Thompson arrived for duty in Vietnam in March of 1968. During his service, he witnessed firsthand the terrors of war, which inspired his lifetime mission of helping fellow veterans who struggle with both the physical and mental effects of combat.

On August 28, 1963, an estimated 250,000 people made their way to Washington, D.C. to demand civil and economic rights for African Americans. In attendance at the March on Washington was Gloria Dreher Eaddy of Columbia, SC, who later became a friend and mentor to Dr. Bobby Donaldson, a professor at the University of South Carolina.

In the South Beltline and Gills Creek area of Columbia, many homes were extensively damaged by 2015’s historic “thousand-year flood.” Rachel Larratt, a survivor turned volunteer from that area, reflects on the water rising in her own home, as well as the deflated spirits of other survivors who continued to struggle to recover after the disaster.

In the neighborhoods surrounding Lake Katherine, one of the most heavily flooded areas in Columbia during October 2015’s historic “thousand-year flood,” locals, like Marwan Marzagao, went from house to house on Jon boats and pontoons to rescue neighbors trapped in their flooded homes.

Last week, Narrative focused on South Carolina students who survived 2015’s historic “thousand-year flood.” This week, the focus shifts to the other side of the classroom, through the eyes of two teachers.

This edition of Narrative continues our look back on the 10th anniversary of the historic “thousand-year” flood of October 2015, which devastated several communities across South Carolina.

A year after the 2015 floods, Columbia resident Beki Gettys and her son Eli sat down to talk about the morning they awoke to flood waters overtaking their neighborhood.

Each Thursday this November, South Carolina Public Radio presents Stories of Service highlighting conversations between veterans, active service members, and their loved ones from across the state.In this edition, Jacquelyn Stokes speaks with her son Quenton Stokes-Brown about her cousin, Charles "Sonny" Couch, his experiences in the Vietnam War, and the challenges he faced in a segregated south.

Each Thursday this November, South Carolina Public Radio presents Stories of Service highlighting conversations between veterans, active service members, and their loved ones from across the state. In this edition, Kym Klapperich and Roger Thompson of Traveler's Rest, SC discuss a friend Roger made during his first tour of duty who later influenced him to convert to Judaism.

Each Thursday this November, South Carolina Public Radio presents Stories of Service highlighting conversations between veterans, active service members, and their loved ones from across the state. In this edition, Bruce “Woody” Caine and his wife Elaine Oakley Caine reflect on a soldier Bruce served with during deployment in Germany in the 1960s as well as lessons he learned from being a Boy Scout.