Oral History Interview with Vicente Blaz, November 17, 2006 Page: 2

                                
going any place because it was a poor island. So, you just expect to grow
old and live there and enjoy. Go to the beach because that's all you got.
Then get old and die and be buried there honorably. But the war changed
everything because it opened up avenues we never thought existed. I was
on that avenue that got me here right after the war.

Mr. Mannering:
Gen. Blaz:
Mr. Mannering:
Gen. Blaz:
Mr. Mannering:
Gen. Blaz:
Mr. Mannering:
Gen. Blaz:

Just my curiosity, do get a chance to return to Guam yourself?
Yes, I joined the Marines and made a career and then after I got out
after thirty years of service, I returned to Guam.
Oh, you did?
I taught at the University of Guam. Then a couple of years later, I
was teaching government. We ran a mock political campaign. The mock
campaign was enjoyable and the guys really (?)elected. Then next year,
there was a real campaign for the U.S. Congress. My students said, "You
know, we ought to run this thing again." I said, "Yes, but you need a
candidate." They said, "You're the candidate." We ran the thing and I'll
be darn if I didn't win. That's how I got to the Congress.
If I read this correctly, you served eight years in the Congress?
Yes, I did. I came in the same class as Tom De Lay. I was
president of the incoming Republicans so I know this guy. Dick Armey, I
know Lamar Smith, and Phil Graham, and people like that. Of course, I
know the president, George Bush, who was president when I was there. I
got to know him fairly well just by virtue of my position.
You've had a remarkable career.
To be honest with you, Jerry, I'm really quite surprised at how
things worked out. You probably will not see again another fellow who
was a general officer and also a member of the United States Congress.
I'm a rare breed of cat. I didn't sit down and design that. I didn't say this
is what I'm going to do. I just took it a step at a time and I think, if this is
for rhetorical purposes, I think the significance of what I can say is that I
really didn't expect to be anywhere. But I was so impressed by the United
States Marines that landed on Guam and liberated me, that I made up my
mind way back there that I was going to be one of these guys. I just made
up my mind. I mentioned this morning or yesterday morning that one of
the most difficult things I ever did in my life was after liberation. We're

not talking about the occupation and the guy says, "Oh." I say it's an
entirely different story. After the liberation, the fighting was still going on
and my father volunteered to help the Marines do something in the rear.

Hays 2 o  31