Fifty years ago last month, Professor John Cullhane took a step in a series of many on a journey of service throughout his career. He joined the United States Army.

The decision for him was easy, Culhane said.

“It was the mid-sixties and I had taken a break from delivering newspapers,” Culhane said. “I read an article about the Vietcong. Afterwards, I went home and told my mom I wanted to join the Army and go to Vietnam”.

It was a calling rooted in his family history. His father served in the illustrious 82nd Airborne Division that parachuted behind enemy lines as the beaches of Normandy were being stormed, Culhane said.

America was ensnared in a “cold war” against communism. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower said that the spread of communism was like a row of dominoes: when one falls, they all fall, only the “dominoes” were real countries.  During his inaugural speech, President John Kennedy pledged American support to any country that wanted help in fighting communism. It also meant that millions of young Americans would be faced with the likelihood of military service either voluntary or involuntary.

The mid-sixties was a time when public support for the fight against communism in Vietnam was at its highest. In 1968, that support dwindled as Americans began to question what progress was being made all while daily television news footage showed disturbing images of U.S. and Vietnamese casualties. Footage of casualties in subsequent conflicts after Vietnam were mostly censored. 

 In late 1969, President Nixon announced combat troops would begin withdrawing from Vietnam and that the South Vietnamese would assume a larger role in fighting the communists. Despite the reduction in troop levels, the war effort still needed helicopter pilots.

“I had a nagging desire to fly,” Culhane said.

After nearly one year of flight training, Cullhane earned his army wings and deployed to Vietnam.

Cullhane explained that when he arrived in Vietnam, he was assigned to the First Air Cavalry “Air Cav” Division and flew on utility helicopters nicknamed Hueys.  The life of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam was dangerous and the pilots who flew them simply ran on adrenaline. Cullhane spent his days flying troops and supplies.

Off duty, his evenings were filled with poker games and warm beer amongst his fellow flyers- all happy that they were one day closer to going home. When flying, his lunch usually consisted of canned ham slices and bread. Occasionally, a surprise in the form of a larger can would await him: a coffee tin packed full of cookies from home. Since the beginning of time, soldiers have always cherished mail and care packages from home.

“A lot of soldiers…me included, would get “Dear John” letters,” Culhane said.

They were break up letters from their girlfriends.

“Dating someone in the military was very unpopular at the time,” he said. “We didn’t have the support that we have now”.

Humor was one coping mechanism the flyers used which is why those letters were often posted in a common area for others to read, Culhane added.

 The high point during his combat experience occurred when Cullhane’s unit was tasked with flying South Vietnamese troops into Cambodia, he said.

Kept secret from the public, American strategists knew the enemy had been stockpiling weapons and supplies in the neighboring country but were not allowed to pursue them. When South Vietnamese soldiers were given the order to advance into the neighboring country, they needed a ride.

Cullhane described the first landing as “intense” and that “gunfire erupted from all over the bamboo covered jungle…so intense that one helicopter next to us turned onto its side and crashed.”

He and his unit would spend the next two months flying troops and supplies into Cambodia, Culhane said.

A few days after the missions into Cambodia started, the Kent State shooting took place in which Ohio National Guard soldiers shot into a group of protesters on campus. Four protesters were killed. College campuses across the country experienced intense anti-war demonstrations.

 Cullhane said it was the best and worst year of his life. Memories of Vietnam continue to this day, yet his most important lesson was learning to overcome the fear of death. It is a deep and personal experience which many veterans and others in dangerous professions have had to accept in order to carry out their duties, he said.

Professor Cullhane returned home to a country that distanced itself from these heroes yet he stayed on course to complete law school, become a Monroe County Assistant District Attorney, work high profile cases as an FBI agent, and finally to Hibbert.

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The Hilbert College community will gather this week to pitch in on projects throughout Western new York.

The school will hold its annual Franciscan Day of Caring Wednesday, September 30, with students, staff and faculty learning about Franciscan teachings in the morning and participating in service projects during the afternoon.

Vice President for Mission Integration and Campus Ministry Jeffrey Papia said the event is a great example of Hilbert’s commitment to the Franciscan tradition.

“We do this because we have to, we do this because we must. We, as a Catholic and Franciscan school, are not simply here for education’s sake,” said Papia. “The degrees we give out, the students that we educate, the things we do are all meant to support the world around us and make the lives of those around us better and more fulfilling.”

In past years, Hilbert students, faculty, and alumni would participate in large scale community projects for a day of service. With the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s not practical this year, but Papia said the day of caring work will be just as impactful.

“A lot of what we’ll be doing is inside the classroom. Smaller projects that are manageable within the space. Things that we’ve organized in working with our community partners,” Papia said. “Little tasks and work that might not be as large as organizing a big food pantry, or doing inventory at the Teacher’s Desk, but smaller projects that you can do at your desk with your neighbors around you that still nevertheless serve the community.”

Papia hopes things like the day of caring might inspire Hilbert students to get involved in something that’s bigger than themselves.

“When you get into a space and you are meeting people and developing relationships in the context of service, there’s just something more meaningful, there’s a bond that’s deeper,” said Papia. “There’s a passion that often can be ignited in you when you get to see and experience and learn from people who are out in the world doing the good work of social justice, and are doing it in ways the inspire you a desire to create similar change.”

Community partners include the Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition, Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center, and Native American Community Services. To make participation easier, the college will be suspending classes until 4:30 Wednesday, with the day of caring starting at 10 a.m.

A newscast will soon be hitting the airwaves of Hilbert’s HAWK Radio, and it comes because of a first-of-its-kind collaboration between campus media organizations.

The Scribe and HAWK Radio are teaming up to create HAWK Radio News with Ryan Zunner, which will air Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30am on the online radio station. As the name suggests, Hilbert Digital Media & Communication senior Ryan Zunner will serve as anchor and news director of the newly created program.

The show will feature both original reporting from Zunner, as well as feature reports from student-journalists of The Scribe.

Dr. Donald Vincent, the faculty advisor to HAWK Radio, said a newscast has been on his radar for a while, and is excited to see it coming to fruition.

“I’ve wanted a news show on HAWK Radio for years, but it’s never happened. By being a reliable and regular information source, HAWK Radio can become part of the daily routines of Hilbert Community members,” Vincent said. “Also, news gathering and reporting fosters research and communication skills that can be translated to all careers. This is one more way we can prepare students for their futures.”

Vincent believes having Zunner at the helm of the twice-weekly newscast, it adds an extra layer of credibility and an opportunity for other students to hone their skills.

“I doubt most college stations can boast having a news director with so much professional experience,” Vincent said of Zunner’s resume. “He has worked in the field extensively through internships and paid positions, and HAWK Radio News will deliver high quality content under Ryan’s leadership. He will also mentor our less experienced students, assuring that HAWK Radio News will carry on into the future.”

Zunner throughout his studies has interned at The Investigative Post, Spectrum News Buffalo, and WBFO News, where he was recently hired as a part-time reporter. His work has at the station has earned him praise and accolades. For his coverage of social justice protests in Buffalo, Zunner appeared live on cable network MSNBC to share his reporting nationally. In addition, he’s had several pieces air on National Public Radio, the national affiliate of WBFO. In 2019, Zunner was also a co-recipient of a New York State Broadcasters Association Award of Excellence.

Zunner said he’s excited to anchor his own news show on HAWK Radio, after having been involved in HAWK Radio since 2016 in several different on-air and behind the scenes roles.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have built so many skills during my time at HAWK Radio, ones that really have put me ahead of the game in my still-early career in broadcast news,” said Zunner. “Having had tons of great opportunities, I’m excited to kind of give back to the Hilbert community in my final year by creating an informative and engaging newscast. I know I’m not going to be able to do it all alone though, so I’m definitely looking forward to working alongside the great student-journalists at The Scribe.”

The first broadcast of HAWK Radio News will air Tuesday, September 29, at 11:30am. Zunner said he hopes to create a mix of campus, Southtowns, and national news, with college students in mind.