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FORECASTED THE WEATHER IN
SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN FOR MORE
THAN THREE DECADES.
THE UNKNOWN WEATHERMAN IS MY
SPECIAL GUEST NEXT, ON "I
REMEMBER."
>> HI, I'M JIM PECK.
WELCOME TO "I REMEMBER."
JOINING ME TONIGHT IS JOHN
MALAN, THE CHIEF METEOROLOGIST
AT WTMJ.
ALTHOUGH HE'S ENJOYED A LONG AND
REWARDING CAREER IN
BROADCASTING, HE ONCE HAD OTHER
DREAMS.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.■ç
GENTLEMAN.
>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN A BLIZZARD
LIKE THIS SINCE JANUARY OF 1999
AND FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO CALL ME
SAY TO COMPARE IT TO THE 1947
JANUARY BLIZZARD, NO, IT WAS
NOTHING LIKE THAT.
>> JOHN MALAN IS THE CHIEF
METEOROLOGIST FOR WTMJ, WHERE HE
HEADS THE STORM TEAM 4 WEATHER
CREW.
>> JOHN MALAN HAS THE FIRST
CHECK OF OUR BIG BASH FORECAST.
>> I THINK MOST OF THE NEXT FOUR
DAYS ARE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY
NICE.
AT LEAST IT'S GOING TO BE WARM.
FORECAST FOR 30, 83.
LOTS OF SUNSHINE.
FRIDAY COULD BE THE WORST OF ALL
THE DAYS.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A FEW
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ROLLING THROUGH.
>> WHEN HE JOINED WTMJ IN 1994,
HE WAS ALREADY A FAMILIAR FACE
IN THE TELEVISION MARKET.
HE HAD BEEN THE CHIEF
METEOROLOGIST AT WISN CHANNEL 12
SINCE 1980.
>> MY MOM■ç DECIDED TO DRESS ME
LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF JOHN MALAN.
>> JOHN MALAN AND WEATHER
SERVICE 12, MAKING WINTER JUST A
LITTLE WARMER ON ACTION NEWS AT
6:00 P.M. AND 10:00 P.M.
>> WHEN HE MOVED TO CHANNEL 4,
THE STATION PROMOTED THE WEATHER
TEAM WITH MALAN WEARING A BAG ON
HIS HEAD, AS HIS WISN CONTRACT
PREVENTED HIM FROM APPEARING ON
ANOTHER LOCAL STATION FOR A
TIME.
A BASEBALL ALL-STAR IN HIGH
SCHOOL, JOHN MALAN ONCE DREAMED
OF PLAYING PROFESSIONAL
BASEBALL.
HE SPENT A SHORT TIME WITH A
MINOR LEAGUE FARM TEAM, BUT
WHILE RECUPERATING FROM AN
INJURY, JOHN WAS DRAFTED INTO
THE MILITARY.
HE SERVED IN VIETNAM AND WAS
AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.
IN THE 1970'S, JOHN MALAN SPENT
SOME TIME TEACHING, AND HE STILL
ENJOYS HOLDING CLASS WITH THE
TRAVELING WEATHER SHOW TODAY.
AND HE SHARES HIS BROADCASTING
EXPERIENCE WITH WEATHER INTERNS,
A NUMBER OF WHOM ARE CURRENTLY
ON THE AIR IN WISCONSIN.■ç
MALAN ALSO ENJOYS GETTING OUT IN
THE COMMUNITY, WITH EVENTS SUCH
AS WEATHER DAY AT MILLER PARK
WITH THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS.
IN 2001, JOHN MALAN WAS INDUCTED
INTO THE EMMY ORGANIZATION'S
"SILVER CIRCLE," FOR HIS
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS AS HIS
COLLEAGUES CELEBRATED HIS LONG
CAREER THAT DATES BACK TO HIS
DAYS AS A WEATHER PRODUCER AT
WLS IN CHICAGO IN THE 1970'S.
>> YOU HAVE SOME WILD FIRST DAY
ON THE JOB.
DO YOU REMEMBER IT?
>> THE VERY FIRST DAY?
OH, YES I DO REMEMBER THAT VERY
FIRST DAY.
I WAS AT CHANNEL 12, AND IN
APRIL OF 1980.
>> WOW.
>> LONG TIME AGO.
>> A WHILE BACK.
>> BUT I WAS THROWN IN WHEN A
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT THE
YERKES TRAILER COURT, I BELIEVE,
WAY UP IN DODGE COUNTY NEAP#j4(&
BEAVER DAM, SO I WALK IN THE
NEWSROOM AND THEY GO, HEY, NEW
GUY, JUMP IF A NEWS CAR AND DO A
REPORT ON THIS TORNADO THAT JUST
TOUCHED DOWN AND CAUSED DAMAGE.
AND I'M LIKE, NEVER DID A REPORT
BEFORE.
>> YOU HAD NEVER DONE A REPORT?
>> NO, I'VE HELPED.
I PRODUCED SOME THINGS WHEN I
WAS AT WLS-TV, ABC IN CHICAGO,
BUT I NEVER REALLY WAS A
REPORTER, YOU KNOW, AND I SAID
WELL, HOW HARD COULD THAT BE.
>> FAMOUS LAST WORDS.
>> YEAH.
>> TILL I GOT OUT IN THE FIELD,
AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY
INTERESTING STORY, BECAUSE IT
WAS AN ANTICYCLONIC TORNADO.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> THAT MEANS IT ROTATED THE
OTHER WAY.
IN THIS -- WELL, IT DOESN'T MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN LIKE INTENSITY
AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT 99.8%
OF ALL TORNADOES IN THE NORTHERN
HEMISPHERE ARE COUNTERCLOCKWISE,
JUST LIKE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS
AND SO ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE,
WITH THE RIGHT WIND CURRENTS,
THE THUNDERSTORM ROTATES THE
OTHER WAY, AND■ç MAKES -- IF IT
MAKES A TORNADO, IT MAKES AN
ANTICYCLONIC TORNADO, SO IT
TURNS LIKE A CLOCK, INSTEAD OF
COUNTERCLOCKWISE.
>> YOU HAD TO BE THE ONLY
REPORTER COVERING THAT WHO
UNDERSTOOD THAT.
>> I WAS, ACTUALLY.
I ACTUALLY WAS, BECAUSE WE
WERE -- YOU REMEMBER HOWARD
GERNETTE.
>> SURE.
>> WE TOOK OVER FOR HOWARD, THEY
SAID WE'RE BRINGING IN
METEOROLOGISTS, THE ONLY OTHER
PERSON IN TOWN WAS JIM OTT AND
PAUL JOSEPH WHO HAD DEGREES AND
THEY'RE IN-STUDIO GUYS, SO I WAS
THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE WHO HAD
ZOOM KIND OF SCIENCE BACKGROUND,
SO THEY REALLY WENT WITH THIS
STORY AND I HAD ONE OF THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GUYS
OUT THERE EXPLAINING IT AND WHY
THE DAMAGE WAS TURNED THIS WAY
INSTEAD OF TURNED THAT WAY AND
IT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A
REALLY INTERESTING STORY.
>> DANGEROUS, BECAUSE THEY START
SENDING YOU OUT ON STORIES.
>> AND THEY WERE PATTING ME ON
THE BACK AND I'M LIKE, WHY ARE
THEY PATTING ME ON THE BACK.
DID I GET THIS RIGHT?
BUT IT TURNED OUT I RAN INTO A
NICE CONCEPT AS I WALKED OUT.■ç
>> THAT'S THE FIRST DAY ON THE
JOB THERE.
ACTUALLY, YOUR FIRST DAY ON
TELEVISION THOUGH, PREDATES
THAT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY,
DIDN'T I READ THAT IT HAD
SOMETHING TO DO WITH GOOD
MORNING AMERICA?
>> YOU KNOW HOW TELEVISION
WORKS, JIM, YOU START IN THE
MINOR LEAGUES AND GO UP TO THE
MAJOR LEAGUES, SO I HAVE INTERNS
EVERY NIGHT.
IN FACT, THERE'S ONE WAITING FOR
ME WHEN I GET BACK TO WTMJ AND
YOU START OUT IN A VERY SMALL
TOWN LIKE ALPINE, MICHIGAN,
AN -- ALPENA, MICHIGAN AND THEN
DOWN TO SIOUX STE. MARIE AND
THEN RHINELANDER AND MAYBE TO
MADISON AND MAYBE TO MILWAUKEE
AND MAYBE TO CHICAGO AND THEN
MAYBE NETWORK.
WELL, ON MY LAST DAY, I USED TO
PRODUCE JOHN COLEMAN'S GOOD
MORNING AMERICA'S WEATHER CAST.
THAT'S WHAT I DID, I MADE THE
MAPS, I TOLD THEM WHAT TO SAY,
WROTE EVERYTHING, HE WENT OUT
THERE AND HE PERFORMED THE
WEATHER.
SO ON MY LAST DAY, WHEN I WAS
GOING TO CHANNEL 12 IN
MILWAUKEE, HE SAYS, WELL, I WANT
TO SHOW EVERYBODY WHO THAT GUY
IS, YOU KNOW, WHO WROTE ALL
THESE FORECASTS, AND THE
SO HE SAID PUT ON A SUIT, I'LL
PUT A MIC ON YOU, JUST SO YOU
CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER I
ASK YOU, AND I GO, AND I'M
NERVOUS, RIGHT, I MEAN, I'VE
NEVER BEEN ON TELEVISION BEFORE
AND THIS IS NETWORK, REMEMBER,
DAVID HARTMANN, JOAN LONDON,
THEY WERE THE ANCHORS OUT OF NEW
YORK, SO WE'RE IN CHICAGO, DOING
OUR WEATHER SEGMENT AND HE SAYS
BEFORE I DO THE WEATHER, LET'S
BRING OUT JOHN MALAN, WHO DID
ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES
FOR ME OVER THE LAST TWO AND A
HALF YEARS, FOR GOOD MORNING
AMERICA AND HE'S GOING TO
CHANNEL 12 IN MILWAUKEE, THEY
SHOW A BIG GRAPHIC, YOU KNOW,
CONGRATULATIONS AND THAT AND I'M
OUT THERE SHAKING HIS HAND LIKE
THAT AND HE GOES, YOU KNOW WHAT,
JOHN, LET'S NOT LET MILWAUKEE BE
YOUR FIRST TELEVISION WEATHER
CAST.
LET IT BE ON NETWORK.
GO AHEAD, DO IT.
AND HE WALKS OFF CAMERA.
>> OH MY LORD.
>> AND I'M STANDING THERE, --
>> YOU'RE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION
ALL BY MYSELF.
>> ALL BY MYSELF.
NO IDEA HE WAS GOING tOç PULL
THIS STUNT, AND I -- AND I LOOK
OUT INTO THE CAMERA AND THE
IMAGE OF THE FIRST MAP COMES UP,
WHICH I DREW, AND I JUST STARTED
TALKING.
HERE'S YOUR WEEKEND FORECAST,
FOLKS, YOU HAVE THIS OVER HERE,
THAT OVER HERE, AND IT'S LIKE
1:30, IT'S NOT A BIG LONG, AND
THEY WOULD ALWAYS THROW TO THE
LOCAL GUY, LIKE THEY DO TODAY
AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY NOW
LET'S CHECK YOUR LOCAL FORECAST.
I GOT THROUGH THIS PRETTY GOOD
UNTIL I SAID, NOW LET'S TEXT
YOUR LOCAL FORECAST, YOU KNOW.
SO -- BUT ALL IN ALL, PRETTY
GOOD FOR YOUR FIRST TIME ON
TELEVISION, AND WHEN I ASKED
ANYBODY WHO COMES TO THE
STATION, WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST,
YOU KNOW, RHINELANDER, YOU KNOW,
ALPENA, MICHIGAN, SOME SMALL
TOWN SOMEWHERE, GOOD MORNING
AMERICA.
>> AND IT'S BEEN DOWNHILL EVER
SINCE.
>> EVER SINCE, EXACTLY.
>> COME BACK TO THE TORNADO A
LITTLE BIT.■ç
IS THIS A HOT SPOT FOR
TORNADOES, IN WISCONSIN?
>> DODGE COUNTY IS.
>> IT IS.
>> YEAH.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S -- IF YOU HAD
TO SAY WHERE'S THE TORNADO ALLEY
IN WISCONSIN, IT RUNS FROM DANE
COUNTY TO FOND DU LAC COUNTY AND
I THINK THERE'S NO REAL STUDY
THAT I'VE READ, I THINK IT'S
BECAUSE IT'S ON THE WESTERN
SLOPES OF THE MINOR LITTLE
KETTLE MORAINE.
AND IN METEOROLOGY, YOU OTHER
THAN ORO GRAPHIC LIFTS, SO YOU
TAKE A WIND THAT'S GOING HORTON
TALE -- HORIZONTALLY, IT HITS
SOMETHING, IT WILL BE FORCED
UPWARD, TO YOU GET EXTRA UPWARD
MOTION.
STORMS GETTING IN THAT AREA OF
THE KETTLE MORAINE, WHICH IS
THESE THREE COUNTIES.
DANE, DODGE, FOND DU LAC.
AND THAT'S OUR LITTLE MINI
TORNADO ALLEY HERE.
>> IF THERE'S A CAPITAL CITY FOR
A TORNADO OR CAPITAL AREA, WHAT
WOULD IT BE IN AMERICA?
>> OKLAHOMA■ç CITY.
I MEAN, OKLAHOMA CITY BY FAR.
>> REALLY.
>> A MONOPOLY.
NOBODY -- AND THEY'RE SETTING
RECORD AFTER RECORD AFTER
RECORD, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE,
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, HAS HAD
PROBABLY 20 TORNADOES AND
THEY'RE ALL PRETTY SMALL.
I THINK AN F-2 WAS THE BIGGEST
IN THE PAST 125 YEARS.
OKLAHOMA CITY HAS HAD WAY MORE
THAN 100 TORNADOES WITHIN
THIRSTY LIMITS, WITHIN JUST
THEIR, YOU KNOW, LIKE OUR
MILWAUKEE COUNTY, AND THEIR
COUNTY LIMITS.
WAY OVER 100 TORNADOES IN THE
SAME TIME PERIOD, AND IN MANY OF
THOSE ARE F3, F4, F5 AND MOORE
OKLAHOMA IS A SUBURB OF OKLAHOMA
CITY IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC AND
THEY HAD TWO F5'S THIS YEAR.
>> WHEN YOU SAY F2, F5, WHAT■ç
DOES THAT REFER TO?
>> INTENSITY, WIND SPEEDS, HOW
MUCH DAMAGE THEY CAN DO, HOW
CATASTROPHIC THEY CAN.
IT'S BASICALLY WIND SPEED.
IF YOU'RE AT THE TOP OF THE
SPEED, YOU'RE TALKING WIND
SPEEDS OVER 200 MILES PER HOUR.
IF YOU'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
SCALE,EF ZERO, THE ENHANCED
FUJITA SCALE, YOU'RE IN THE 65
TO 75-MILE-PER-HOUR WIND
CATEGORY.
SO THEY GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE
DAMAGE DONE BY A TORNADO AND
THEY SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE,
WHAT KINDS OF HOUSES WERE
KNOCKED DOWN, WERE THEY BRICK
VERSUS FRAME, DID THEY KNOCK
THEM DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, JUST THE
BASEMENT STANDING THERE, DID IT
SHRED BARK OFF TREES OR JUST
KNOCK TREES DOWN, AND THERE'S
ENGINEERING EQUATIONS THEY USE
TO SAY, OK, WELL, TO DO THAT,
YOU NEED A WINDOW, 120 MILES AN
HOUR, 180 MILES PER HOUR.
IN 1999, I WENT DOWN TO MOORE,
OKLAHOMA, THE SUBURB OF OKLAHOMA
CITY, TO DO A REPORT, ON THE
YEAR IN 1999, IN MAY, AND THAT
WAS THE TORNADO WITH THE
STRONGEST WIND SPEEDS, UP UNTIL
THIS MOORE TORNADO, WHICH WAS
ACTUALLY JUST GRAZED MOORE, BACK
IN THE SUMMER, 300-MILE-PER-HOUR
WINDS.
AND I MEAN, EVERYTHING JUST
FLAT.
SO I MEAN, EVERY HOUSE, AND THE
HOUSES DOWN THERE ARE MAINLY
BUILT ON JUST FLATS, ALL YOU SAW
WAS FLATS.
THE.
>> AS IF A CYCLONE WENT THROUGH.
>> EXACTLY.
>> IS AMERICA A BIG PLACE FOR
TORNADOES?
>> IT LEADS THE WORLD.
>> OH, REALLY?
>> LEADS THE WORLD.
THE MONOPOLY ON TORNADOES.
HERE'S A TRICK QUESTION YOU CAN
USE, OK.
>> DON'T WATCH RIGHT NOW.
>> THIS IS A TRICK.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO GET DRINKS ON
THIS SOME DAY, RIGHT.
YES, BY FAR, THIS COUNTRY,
BECAUSE IT'S OPEN TO THE ARCTIC
AND OPEN TO THE GULF OF MEXICO,
SO YOU HAVE EXTREMELY COLD,
EXTREMELY WARM AND HUMID, AND
THEN YOU'VE GOT A MOUNTAIN RANGE
THAT BLOCKS THE WINDS FROM THE
4úáQáUSO IT FORCES THEM SOUTH OR
FORCES THEM NORTH.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
WESTERLY WINDS ARE MORE OF A
CALMER WIND, WE CALL IS ZONAL.
WHEN WE EVER GET INTO ZONAL
FLOW, IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE,
IT'S QUIET.
NOTHING IS GOING ON.
BUT YOU GET THOSE SOUTHWEST
WINDS, OR EVEN NORTHWEST WINDS,
IT MIXES THINGS UP.
AND THAT'S WHAT -- WHY WE HAVE
SUCH A HUGE AREA OF TORNADOES
ACROSS THE MIDSECTION OF THE
COUNTRY.
MORE THAN 1,000 EVERY YEAR.
>> WOW.
>> HIT THE UNITED STATES.
>> WE HAVE THE MOST DEATHS THEN.
>> WE HAVE GENERALLY, THE MOST
DEATHS BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC
AREA.
BUT OUR WARNINGS ARE SO GOOD
THESE DAYS, WE ARE NOT GETTING
THE KIND OF DEATHS WE COULD HAVE
HAD, AND THERE'S GOOD EXAMPLES
OF THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE
YOU THE TRICK FIRST.
>> OK.
>> IF THEN, SOMEONE SAYS, OK,
WELL, IF THIS COUNTRY HAS THE
MOST TORNADOES, WHAT IS THE
BIGGEST DEATH TOLL?
IT HAS TO BE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
>> BANGLADESH.
>> REALLY?■ç
>> 1300 PEOPLE, ONE TORNADO.
>> WOW.
>> AND IT'S ONLY -- IT'S VERY
WEAR TO GET TORNADOES, THEY HAVE
TO HAVE A CYCLONE, WHICH IS A
HURRICANE, MOVING ONSHORE, WHICH
SPAWNS TORNADOES, AND IT'S JUST
THE SHABBY LIVING QUARTERS ALONG
THE GANGES RIVER AND ALL THE
DIFFERENT RIVERS THAT FEED THOSE
AREAS, SO THEY'RE ALSO
CONCENTRATED.
THE BIGGEST DEATH TOLLS ARE
ACTUALLY IN BANGLADESH.
BUT OTHER BIG OF THE DEATH TOLL,
WHICH WAS CLOSE TO 700
CASUALTIES, FATALITIES, IN ONE÷
SINGLE TORNADO, CAME IN 1925,
BEFORE WE HAD A WARNING SYSTEM
FOR TORNADOES.
BEFORE WE HAD SIRENS, BEFORE WE
HAD TELEVISION.
BEFORE WE HAD GOOD RADIO WITH
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE,
WHERE YOU COULD SEND WARNINGS
OUT AND THAT WAS THE TRISTATE
TORNADOES, WHICH STARTED IN
MISSOURI, ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER, SO IT STAYED ON THE
GROUND, STAYED ON THE RIVER,
ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,
WENT UP TO OVER A MILE■ç WIDE,
FOLLOWED THESE RAILROAD TRACKS
THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PART OF
ILLINOIS.
>> MILE WIDE.
>> A MILE WIDE AT TIMES.
>> AND WENT THROUGH LIKE MUR
MURFREESBORO, KILLED 700 PEOPLE.
BUT AGAIN, NO WARNINGS.
NOW, WE HAD A TORNADO THAT BIG,
JUST THIS SUMMER.
AND ONLY -- WE ONLY HAD
INJURIES, WE DIDN'T HAVE DEATH
BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY WARNINGS
NOW.
WE CAN GET THAT TORNADO 20, 30
MINUTES BEFORE IT HITS
SOMEBODY'S HOUSE.
>> YOU DIDN'T ALWAYS WANT TO BE
A METEOROLOGIST.
YOU DIDN'T GROW UP SAYING I WANT
TO BE A WEATHERMAN.
>> NO, I NEVER DID.
I WASN'T -- YOU KNOW, MOST OF MY
FRIENDS IN THE BUSINESS, LIKE
PAUL JOSEPH, JIM OTT, PAUL
SANITY, YOU KNOW, BRIAN GOTTER
WHO IS AT THE STATION AND SCOTT
STEELE, THEY'LL ALTEL STORIES OF
THEIR WEATHER■ç STATIONS AT THER
HOUSE.
>> YOU DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE
SET UP IN YOUR BACKYARD.
>> I LIVED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF
CHICAGO.
IF I PUT A WEATHER STATION IN MY
BACKYARD, IT WOULDN'T BE THERE
THE NEXT DAY.
IT WAS A TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD, IT
REALLY WAS AND I DIDN'T WANT TO
GET BEAT UP A LOT, BUT NO, I
NEVER HAD -- THAT'S NOT WHERE MY
WEATHER INTEREST STARTED.
IT WASN'T IN SCHOOL.
>> BASEBALL WAS YOUR SPORT,
WASN'T IT?
>> THAT'S ALL I DID.
>> YEAH.
>> ALL I DID.
BASEBALL.
>> YOU HAD A SHOT.
>> I HAD A SHOT.
I WAS ALL-STATE BASEBALL PLAYER,
AND IN MY SENIOR YEAR I MADE THE
ALLSTATE, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE
BACK OF THE TRIBUNE.
YOU MAKE THE TRIBUNE IN CHICAGO,
THAT'S PRETTY BIG, YOU KNOW, AND
I GOT A LETTER FROM THE
PITTSBURGH PIRATES, THEY SAID
THEY WERE HAVING A TRYOUT CAMP.
GOT IT ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE I
GRADUATED AND I WAS THINKING,
SHOULD I GO COLLEGE, AND I JUST
KEPT TELLING MY PARENTS, I'M
GOING TO MAKE IT.
RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, I'M
GOING TO MAKE IT IN BASEBALL AND
MY■ç MOM AND DAD, ARE SAYING, GO
TO COLLEGE AND I'M LIKE NO, NO,
I'M GOING TO GO.
YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE ME A COUPLE
BUCKS, I HAD MY OWN CAR AT THE
TIME, AND I DROVE TO MUSKEGON,
MICHIGAN, WHERE THEY WERE
HOLDING THE TRYOUTS, AND I MADE
THE FIRST CUT, AND THEY KEPT ME
THERE FOR A WEEK, MADE THE
SECOND CUT, AND THEY SAID, YOU
KNOW, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE
THIS -- I'M THE LAST CUT AND I'M
PROBABLY GOING TO MAKE THIS
SINGLE A MICHIGAN SQUAD.
>> WHAT POSITION.
>> THIRD BASE.
>> AND I THINK THEY WERE CALLED
THE PEPSI'S, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
I THINK THEY WERE CALLED THE
PEPSI'S.
SO WE HAD THESE INNER SQUAD
GAMES GETTING READY FOR THE
FINAL CUT, AND YOU KNOW, YOU
WANT TO MAKE THAT TEAM, YOU
KNOW, AND I -- I RAN OUT A
DOUBLE TO TRY TO MAKE IT A
TRIPLE AND I CAUGHT MY SPIKE ON
THE THIRD BASE, AND CRACKED TWO
BONES IN MY ANKLE.
>> OH, NO.
>> SO YOU KNOW,■ç THEY SHADE, H,
AS SOON AS YOU HEAL, YOU GO
HOME, AS SOON AS YOU HEAL, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK
AT YOU AGAIN.
I GOT HOME, THERE WAS A DRAFT
NOTICE.
>> OH, MY.
>> FOR THE ARMY.
THIS WAS IN THAT TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO DATE MYSELF, BUT
IT WAS BACK IN THAT TIME.
WHEN THEY ACTUALLY HAD A DRAFT,
YOU KNOW, GOING FOR --
GREETINGS.
EXACTLY.
AND I WENT TO THE -- ON CRUTCHES
TO THE, YOU KNOW, INDUCTION
CENTER AND THEY SAID YOU DON'T
HAVE TO COME IF RIGHT NOW, YOU
CAN WAIT THREE OR FOUR MONTHSAL
YOU'RE HEALED AND THEN COME IN.
THAT WAS JUNE AND I WENT IN IN
OCTOBER.
>> HOW DID YOU GET TO VIETNAM?
>> AIRPLANE.
>> I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.
>> I'M SORRY.
>> ACTUALLY, IT'S A LONG STORY
OF ME, GETTING DRAFTED, GOING
IN, YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T WANT
TO GO TO VIETNAM, LIKE NOBODY
REALLY WANTED TO GO TO WAR, AND
I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOOD.
I'M IN THE ARMY, I'LL GET SOME■ç
TRAINING, I WAS TALKING TO --
UPPING FOR ONE MORE YEAR INSTEAD
OF TWO TO THREE YEARS AND
PICKING MY DUTY, SO I SAID,
ARMOR WAS GOING TO GERMANY, ALL
THE TANKS, ALL THE ARMOR, KIND
OF EXCITING, YOU LEARN THE TRADE
AND THEY SAID HOW ABOUT ARMORED
INTELLIGENCE WHERE YOU LEARN
CRYPTIC CODE, I SAID, THAT'S FOR
ME, SO I WENT TO FORT KNOX, AND
THEN THEY WANT TO SEND ME TO
NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER SCHOOL
AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE I HAD GOOD GRADES AND
STUFF AND JUST BEFORE I WAS
GOING TO SAY YES, THEY ANNOUNCED
THE WHOLE 11th ARMOURED
CAVALRY FROM FORT KNOX WAS BEING
SHIPPED TO VIETNAM, WHICH I WAS
TRAINING AT THE TIME.
AND I SAID, DO I REALLY WANT TO
BE AN OFFICER OR EVEN A
SERGEANT, YOU KNOW, IN COMMAND,
I WAS TOO YOUNG, BECAUSE I WAS
LIKE -- I DIDN'T EVEN TURN 19
YET, I WAS STILL 18, SO FINISHED
MY TRAINING, AND GOT SHIPPED TO
VIETNAM.■ç
>> AS AN ARMORED INTELLIGENCE
SPECIALIST.
YOU KNOW WHAT AN ARMORED
INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST DOES?
>> NO, I DON'T.
>> HE LEARNS OUR TO DRIVE ALL OF
THEIR DIFFERENT TANKS AND
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS,
LEARNS TO SHOOT ALL THE GUNS,
LEARNS TO LOAD ALL THE ROUNDS
INTO THE TANKS, YOU KNOW, AND
THEN THEY GIVE YOU SOME TRAINING
ON HOW TO USE THE RADIO AND TYPE
IN SOME CRYPTIC CODES, THAT TOOK
LIKE A WEEK.
>> THAT WAS IT.
>> YEAH.
AND I WAS A TANK GUY.
>> HOW DID YOU GET INJURED?
>> IN VIETNAM?
>> YES.
>> YOU KNOW, FOR TWO YEARS
THERE, I HAD A LOT OF SCRAPES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF
FIREFIGHTS, WE HAD A LOT OF
BATTLES, I WAS ACTUALLY SENT
INTO CAMBODIA, WHEN WE WENT INTO
CAMBODIA, FOR THAT FREE
INCURSION.
>> WHAT WE DIDN'T DO.
>> I TELL YOU.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE SCARIEST --
NO, THE DAY I GOT INJURED WAS
ONE OF THE SCARIEST DAYS OF MY■ç
LIFE.
WE WERE PULLING IN, IT WAS RIGHT
BEFORE CAMBODIA, I BELIEVE, AN
WE WERE REAL CLOSE TO CAMBODIA
BORDER AND WE SET UP A NEW
PERIMETER, PUT UP THE TANKS, WE
WERE GOING TO DIG FOX HOLES, WE
DUG ONE NEXT TO OUR TANK, AND WE
GOT ATTACKED.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY,
BUT WE WERE JUST GETTING ROCKETS
IN, ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADES,
BLOWING TANKS UP.
I WAS NEXT TO OUR TANK IN A FOX
HOLE, SHOOTING A MACHINE GUN
THAT WE HAD SET UP AND I TOOK A
PIECE OF SHRAPNEL.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD IT.
>> THAT MUCH ADRENALINE GOING
ON.
>> AND I FELT SOMETHING WET, IT
WAS IN MY KNEE, YOU KNOW, AND I
FELT SOMETHING WET, AND THAT WAS
PRETTY MUCH ABOUT IT.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY AWARDED ME
THE PURPLE HEART FOR THAT,
BECAUSE IF YOU GET WOUNDED IN A
BATTLE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A
PURPLE HEART, BUT YOU KNOW, I
HARDLY TALK ABOUT IT,
WHY, I KNOW SO MANY MEN,
BECAUSE YOU GET A PURPLE HEART
WHEN YOU DIE.
AND YOU GET A PURPLE HEART WHEN
YOUR ARMS AND LEGS GET BLOWN
OFF, YOU KNOW, YOU STEP ON A --
AND NOT THAT YOU DON'T DESERVE A
PURPLE HEART IF YOU GET INJURED,
SHOT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU HEAL UP
FINE, BUT YOU KNOW, I SEEM LIKE,
THAT'S A REAL PURPLE HEART.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> BUT THAT PIECE OF SHRAPNEL
GOES A FOOT IN DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS.
>> OH, SURE.
>> I MEAN --
>> AN ARTERY, WHATEVER.
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE, YOU'RE
STANDING NEXT TO THE TANK AND
YOU GET ATTACKED.
NOBODY EVER SHOT AT ME IN ANGER.
>> NO, NO, IT'S WARS.
>> IT HAS TO BE TERRIFYING.
>> THE NIGHT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY
WENT INTO CAMBODIA, I'LL NEVER
FORGET, THEY SAID THEY WERE
GOING TO DROP A B-52 BOMBING
STRIPE IF FRONT OF US TO GIVE
US, YOU KNOW, A CLEAR PATH IN,
AND WE -- AT NIGHT, THEY DID IT
AT NIGHT, AND WE'RE SITTING ON
OUR TANKS, LINED UP, READY TO■çO
INTO CAMBODIA, AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
TELLING US ON THE RADIO, COMING
IN FIVE MINUTES, IT'S COMING IN
FOUR MINUTES, YOU KNOW.
THESE EXPLOSIONS OUT IN ABOUT
THREE MILES OUT AHEAD AND
FURTHER IN, IN FRONT OF US,
YOU'RE STANDING ON THE TANK AND
THE TANK, YOU KNOW -- JUST JUMPS
UP LIKE THAT AND YOU'RE LIKE,
BECAUSE THESE ARE 500-POUND
BOMBS THAT THEY'RE DROPPING.
THEY LEAVE CRATERS THE SIZE OF
HALF THE STUDIO.
YOU KNOW, IN THE GROUND, SO WHEN
YOU'RE GOING IF THE NEXT DAY IF
THE DAYLIGHT, YOU HAVE TO MOVE
YOUR TANK AROUND THESE HOLES IN
THE GROUND, BUT THAT WAS -- THAT
WAS SCARY, BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
THAT'S SERIOUS BUSINESS, YOU
KNOW, WHEN THEY KNOW YOU'RE
GOING IN TO ENEMY TERRITORY
THAT'S REALLY THEIR STRONG HOLD,
AND YOU'RE SENDING ALL THESE
GUYS, TROOPS, GROUND TROOPS,
FOLLOWING OUR TANKS, JUST LIKE
KIND OF LOOKED MORE LIKE
WORLD WAR II MOVIE WHERE THE
SOLDIERS ARE RIGHT ALONG THE
TANKS AS YOU'RE GOING IN.
THAT KIND OF THING.
>>■ç THE -- AS I SAY, I CAN'T EN
IMAGINE GOING THROUGH THAT.
I HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS IN
VIETNAM AND HE SAID THE SAME
THING ABOUT THE BOMBS FALLING.
IT WAS MILES AWAY.
AND HE SAID, IT WAS LIKE WHOA,
WHERE DID THAT COME FROM.
>> THAT SHAKES YOU UP.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU
CAME BACK FROM VIETNAM, DID YOU
RUN INTO ANY OF THE STORIES THAT
WE'VE BEEN TOLD?
>> AS FAR AS PEOPLE'S RESPONSE.
>> YEAH.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY YOUR FRIENDS AND
YOUR PARENTS LOVE YOU.
YEAH, THERE WAS A LOT OF -- YOU
KNOW, YOU DIDN'T -- YOU ACTUALLY
LIKE ESPECIALLY AROUND THE
AIRPORTS AND OUTSIDE OF THE
FACILITY -- THE ARMY FACILITIES
WHEN YOU'RE LEAVING AND GETTING
ALL YOUR CLOTHES BACK AND THAT
KIND OF THING, THEY WOULD EVEN
SAY TO US, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY
WANT TO WEAR YOUR ARMY UNIFORM
AROUND, THERE'S A LOT OF
PROTESTS GOING ON, STUFF LIKE
THAT AND I THOUGHT WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT, I'M A PROUD
SOLDIER COMING BACK FROM WAR.
I WANT ALL THE GIRLS LINED UP TO
GIVE ME A KISS LIKE I SAW■ç IN
"LIFE" MAGAZINE, WHAT'S THAT ALL
ABOUT?
YEAH, IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, IT
WASN'T -- THERE WASN'T A GOOD
FEELING ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR.
>> THAT'S GOT TO BE -- I WAS
TRYING TO PUT MYSELF AS MUCH AS
I COULD IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS.
AND I'M THINKING,.
COULD BACK OUT OF COMBAT, YOU'VE
SEEN PEOPLE BLOWN UP, YOU'VE
SEEN PEOPLE KILLED, BODY PARTS
MISSING.
COME BACK AND SOME GUY MAKES A
CRACK ABOUT BEING A BABY KILLER,
I WOULD WANT TO GO FOR HIS
THROAT.
>> I TELL YOU, I PROBABLY DID
FEEL THAT WAY AT THE TIME.
BUT THE NEW WAVE OF PATRIOTISM
IN OUR COUNTRY AND I SAY THIS ON
SEPTEMBER 11, SINCE WE'RE DOING
THIS ON SEPTEMBER 11, HAS JUST,
I DON'T CARE WHAT WAR YOU'RE IN
AND WE DO A LOT OF STUFF WITH
THE WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND
THE HONOR FLIGHTS, WITH THE TMJ
RADIO, UNBELIEVABLE, AND NOW
EVERYONE IS JUST KIND OF
PATRIOTIC AND THEY IT.
NOW EVERYONE GETS■ç IT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE 100%, LIKE
A SYRIAN CRISIS GOING ON RIGHT
NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE 100%
IN FAVOR OF WHAT YOUR GOVERNMENT
IS GOING TO DO, BUT THE
SOLDIERS, THEY'RE JUST --
>> YOU'RE PUTTING IT ON THE
LINE.
>> WE'RE JUST DOING DUTY, YOU
KNOW, FOR THE COUNTRY, TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE SAFE AND SECURE.
>> IN THE MILITARY, IS THAT
WHERE YOU GOT INTO METEOROLOGY
BY THE WAY?
>> THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY OF
LOOZE VISITS FOR WEATHER.
>> -- LOVE FOR WEATHER.
>> REALLY?
>> YES.
FIRST YEAR THERE, I LIVED
THROUGH WHAT IS CALLED THE
MONSOON CLIMATE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES, A
THOUSAND TIMES I'VE HEARD PEOPLE
COME UP TO ME, IT'S RAINING
HEAVILY AND PEOPLE GO, IT'S A
MONSOON OUT THERE AND I GO NO,
IT'S NOT A MONSOON.
MONSOON IS A SEASONAL, AND I GET
SCIENTIFIC, SEASONAL DIRECT
REVERSAL OF THE WIND.
SO SIX MONTHS, IT DOESN'T RAIN
AT ALL, AT ALL.
SUNNY SKIES, DRY AS A BONE AND
FOR SIX MONTHS, IT RAINS EVERY
DAY.
SO THE WIND --■ç
>> EVERY DAY?
>> EVERY DAY.
SO THE WIND BLOWS OFF THE
CONTINENT FOR SIX MONTHS AND
INTO THE OCEAN FOR SIX MONTHS,
SO I'M DRIVING IT ARMORED
PERSONNEL CARRIER, RIGHT, AND
YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH DUSTY,
RED DUST ROADS AND YOU'RE
PUTTING, YOU KNOW, BANDANNAS IN
FRONT OF YOUR FACE AND YOU'RE
NOT BREATHING IN, IT HASN'T
RAINED IN MONTHS AND THE OTHER
SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, YOU
CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T GET YOUR
CLOTHES DRY.
>> OH.
>> IT'S HUMID, YOU KNOW,
DEWPOINTS ARE IN THE MID 70'S TO
AROUND 80, YOU KNOW, 85 TO 90
EVERY DAY, AND IT RAINS EVERY
DAY.
EVERY AFTERNOON, BIG TROPICAL
DOWNPOUR SHOWERS, AND THAT'S
WHERE I SAID, WOW, WEATHER IS
AWFUL, BUT PRETTY COOL.
>> SO WHERE DID YOU GO TO LEARN
ABOUT IT?
>> GOT BACK AND STARTED A LITTLE
JOB THAT WAS PROMISED ME, WHICH
WAS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD JOB
IN CASH REGISTER SALES.
I WOULD GO OUT AND PUT■ç IN CASH
REGISTERS AT GROCERY STORES, YOU
KNOW, I HAD A KROGER FOOD STORE
ACCOUNT, THEY WOULD FLY ME TO
THE EAST A LOT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.
I SAID I'M GOING BACK TO SCHOOL,
BECAUSE I THINK I WANT TO DO
WEATHER.
I WANT TO LEARN WEATHER AND I
WANT ON THE G.I. BILL, WHICH WAS
THANK YOU, ARMY, THANK YOU,
UNITED STATES.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND TOOK THE G.I. BILL AND
WENT, STARTED AT TRITON COLLEGE,
BIG JUNIOR COLLEGE ON THE WEST
SIDE OF CHICAGO, AND JUST WENT
THERE A YEAR AND FINISHED MY
SCHOOL AT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY, IN GEOGRAPHY AND
PHYSICAL SCIENCE AND THEN WENT
FOR METEOROLOGY OUT TO NORTHERN
ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AND WORKED
THROUGH MY GRADUATE DEGREE
THERE.
>> YOU TAUGHT AND YOU MENTORED
SO MANY, I THINK HALF THE
METEOROLOGISTS IN THE MIDWEST
WERE UNDER YOUR SPELL AT ONE
TIME OR ANOTHER.
IS IT STILL A GOOD BUSINESS FOR
KIDS TO GET INTO?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WILL
ALWAYS BE A GOOD BUSINESS.
WHAT IT WON'T BE ANYMORE IS A■ç
LUCRATIVE BUSINESS.
I GO TO SCHOOL TALKS A LOT, AND
KIDS ARE ALWAYS, LIKE, AREN'T
THEY BRINGING YOU IN A LITTLE,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE BIG
STARS.
>> YES.
>> AND I GO NO, IT'S NOT, YOU
KNOW, NEVER HAS BEEN, YOU
KNOW, --
>> WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SENT A LIMO
FOR YOU TONIGHT.
>> I KNOW.
BUT YOU SAID I WAS SPECIAL
TONIGHT.
>> YOU ARE.
>> BUT YOU KNOW, THE MONEY WON'T
BE THERE, BECAUSE OF THE
ADVERTISING PIE HAS DOWN.
YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED A LOCAL
REPORTER REPORTING ON A LOCAL
STORY, YOU'LL NEED LOCAL
ANCHORS, YOU'LL ALWAYS NEED
LOCAL ANCHORMEN AND SPORTS
PEOPLE, BECAUSE YOUR STORIES ARE
LOCAL, OK, AND THEN THEY MIGHT
BE TAKEN BY NETWORK NEWS
OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU'LL ALWAYS
NEED THAT, SO THE JOB WILL BE
THERE.
TELEVISION ISN'T GOING AWAY,
TELEVISION NEWS ISN'T GOING
AWAY, TELEVISION WEATHER ISN'T
GOING AWAY.
THE MONEY WILL BE GOOD BUT NOT
AS GREAT AS THEY USED TO BE,
ONLY BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW,
ADVERTISING PAYS OUR■ç SALARIES,
AND NOW YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW,
SATELLITE AND THIS AND CABLE AND
INTERNET, AND I HAVE THRELKELD.
THEY'RE ALL IN THEIR UPPER 20'S,
LOW 30'S AND THEY DON'T HARDLY
WATCH TV UNLESS IT'S AN HBO
MOVIE.
>> NONE OF US WILL EVER BE AS
WELL AS PAUL JOSEPH.
>> NO, PAUL JOSEPH HAS DONE WELL
FOR HIM.
>> JOHN MALAN, FAST HALF-HOUR.
>> ARE WE DONE.
>> JUST ABOUT DONE.
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SAY THANK
YOU.
AND I HOPE YOU JOIN US NEXT TIME
AS WE CONTINUE TO REMEMBER.