Gordon Geddes - Peacetime Service - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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Peacetime Service

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during times between major conflicts.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series Go Fund Me.

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.

Copyright © 2025 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
United States Army Specialist Four (SP4) Peace Time Service Gordon Geddes was born in San Rafael, California, on March 22, 1939. After graduating from Porterville High School, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History in January 1962 with plans to teach. Knowing his name was at the top of the draft list, he enlisted in the Army in 1962. He reported to boot camp at Fort Ord, CA, on April 18, 1962. Upon graduation, Private Geddes attended the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill. Learning the tactics and procedures for employing the MGM-5 Corporal Missile fire support system. Private Geddes was then assigned to the 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, First Missile Battalion, which was deployed to the Southern European Task Force in Vicenza, Italy. Because he knew how to type from his time in college, he was assigned to the S3 offices to produce official, classified, and unclassified correspondence. The 82nd worked with the MGM-5 Corporal, a short-range, nuclear-armed tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile that Gordon recalled as an early, complex system. It required a large logistical footprint: a crew of 250 men and 35 vehicles to support all the mobile systems. The missile had to be fueled before launch—an involved process that took approximately nine hours. Gordon remembered driving one of the 2.5-ton, off-road cargo-carrying support vehicles during the unit’s training deployments, several times a year. Specialist Geddes completed his obligated service and returned to the States as the 82nd was preparing to replace the Corporal missile with the MGM-29 Sergeant. The Sergeant was powered by solid fuel, enabling much faster deployment and requiring a smaller crew and less supporting gear. Specialist Gordon Geddes was honorably discharged on January 10, 1964, after two years of service. He returned to school to attend San José State University, where he earned a Master’s degree. There, he met and married Patricia; they have two children. He then attended the University of California, Riverside, and completed his PhD in History. Gordon taught part-time at various community colleges before starting a maintenance business with a friend. He later secured a permanent teaching position in the Los Angeles Unified School District, teaching middle school ESL and English for 15 years in South Central Los Angeles. Gordon retired in 2003 and now resides in San Diego, California.
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Gordon Geddes - Peacetime Service - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Army Specialist Four (SP4) Peace Time Service Gordon Geddes was born in San Rafael, California, on March 22, 1939. After graduating from Porterville High School, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History in January 1962 with plans to teach. Knowing his name was at the top of the draft list, he enlisted in the Army in 1962. He reported to boot camp at Fort Ord, CA, on April 18, 1962. Upon graduation, Private Geddes attended the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill. Learning the tactics and procedures for employing the MGM-5 Corporal Missile fire support system. Private Geddes was then assigned to the 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, First Missile Battalion, which was deployed to the Southern European Task Force in Vicenza, Italy. Because he knew how to type from his time in college, he was assigned to the S3 offices to produce official, classified, and unclassified correspondence. The 82nd worked with the MGM-5 Corporal, a short-range, nuclear-armed tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile that Gordon recalled as an early, complex system. It required a large logistical footprint: a crew of 250 men and 35 vehicles to support all the mobile systems. The missile had to be fueled before launch—an involved process that took approximately nine hours. Gordon remembered driving one of the 2.5-ton, off-road cargo-carrying support vehicles during the unit’s training deployments, several times a year. Specialist Geddes completed his obligated service and returned to the States as the 82nd was preparing to replace the Corporal missile with the MGM-29 Sergeant. The Sergeant was powered by solid fuel, enabling much faster deployment and requiring a smaller crew and less supporting gear. Specialist Gordon Geddes was honorably discharged on January 10, 1964, after two years of service. He returned to school to attend San José State University, where he earned a Master’s degree. There, he met and married Patricia; they have two children. He then attended the University of California, Riverside, and completed his PhD in History. Gordon taught part-time at various community colleges before starting a maintenance business with a friend. He later secured a permanent teaching position in the Los Angeles Unified School District, teaching middle school ESL and English for 15 years in South Central Los Angeles. Gordon retired in 2003 and now resides in San Diego, California.