WEBVTT 00:00.332 --> 00:03.882 ♪ When I was seventeen, I ♪ 00:03.882 --> 00:07.693 ♪ I was a beauty queen, I ♪ 00:07.693 --> 00:10.880 ♪ I had such real big dreams, I ♪ 00:10.880 --> 00:12.720 - I'm First Lieutenant J.R. Phelps. 00:12.720 --> 00:14.110 I'm a Public Affairs Officer 00:14.110 --> 00:16.000 with the United States Army Reserve. 00:16.000 --> 00:17.630 Guess it's really overwhelming 00:17.630 --> 00:19.970 to sit and think about it, the legacy. 00:19.970 --> 00:21.860 My grandfather, my dad's dad, 00:21.860 --> 00:25.090 served in the Red Ball Express during World War Two. 00:25.090 --> 00:27.750 It was a truck convoy that served 00:27.750 --> 00:30.726 getting supplies through Normandy. 00:30.726 --> 00:33.559 (classical music) 00:40.110 --> 00:42.197 - [Announcer] One way, all the way. 00:42.197 --> 00:44.087 The Red Ball Express. 00:46.760 --> 00:48.410 - They were called the Red Ball Express 00:48.410 --> 00:51.020 because they didn't drive with headlights on, 00:51.020 --> 00:53.670 they only drove with red tail light 00:53.670 --> 00:55.643 that each truck followed. 00:56.681 --> 00:59.500 (orchestral music) 00:59.500 --> 01:02.600 - My dad served in the army during the Vietnam Era. 01:02.600 --> 01:06.630 My uncle, my great uncles, both of my grandfathers. 01:06.630 --> 01:10.455 - I left Ohio as a tanker, basic training. 01:10.455 --> 01:12.950 Wanted to be a tanker 'cause my uncle was a 01:12.950 --> 01:15.270 with Patton as a tanker. 01:15.270 --> 01:18.850 I had the pleasure of escorting trucks 01:18.850 --> 01:20.480 during the Teamsters strike, 01:20.480 --> 01:25.170 the riots in Youngstown, Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland, 01:25.170 --> 01:27.203 so it was a trying time. 01:28.410 --> 01:32.750 - [J. R.] What we as reservists do is incredibly important. 01:32.750 --> 01:34.590 I also think that it's important 01:34.590 --> 01:36.790 that units know who their soldiers are 01:36.790 --> 01:39.057 and know what their talents are. 01:39.057 --> 01:40.203 ♪ What we leave behind ♪ 01:40.203 --> 01:41.939 ♪ Save that for the black and white stripes ♪ 01:41.939 --> 01:43.942 (group singing) 01:43.942 --> 01:46.920 ♪ To the can to check my style ♪ 01:46.920 --> 01:48.540 - I've been singing with the military probably 01:48.540 --> 01:50.860 for as lng as I've been in the military. 01:50.860 --> 01:53.850 My very first unit, they needed someone to sing the anthem. 01:53.850 --> 01:56.230 I said, "Hey, I sing," and the commander was 01:56.230 --> 01:59.830 like, "Eh, I'm not sure. Let me get a little snippet." 01:59.830 --> 02:02.377 After singing, she pulled me aside and said, 02:02.377 --> 02:05.160 "We've heard of the Soldier Show and we think you 02:05.160 --> 02:06.290 should audition for it." 02:06.290 --> 02:08.930 Sent them a video of me performing at the Apollo 02:08.930 --> 02:12.090 and went out there, didn't really expect much, 02:12.090 --> 02:15.050 sang my song, and they said, "Okay, you've been selected 02:15.050 --> 02:17.268 so this is your new duty station." 02:17.268 --> 02:20.197 ♪ I got off track and made the state ♪ 02:20.197 --> 02:23.658 ♪ That slid my way to that place ♪ 02:23.658 --> 02:25.503 ♪ Where souls get lost ♪ 02:25.503 --> 02:27.282 ♪ Lines get crossed ♪ 02:27.282 --> 02:30.275 ♪ And the pain won't go away ♪ 02:30.275 --> 02:35.275 - That was pretty much my intro into active duty army life. 02:38.140 --> 02:41.540 Thinking back to the opportunities that my father 02:41.540 --> 02:44.790 and my grandfathers had, they did not have as many 02:44.790 --> 02:46.630 opportunities as I have now. 02:46.630 --> 02:50.950 It's pretty amazing to see the growth within the society 02:50.950 --> 02:55.220 and just within the military as an organization. 02:55.220 --> 02:58.040 I think that it's pretty special to be a part 02:58.040 --> 02:59.370 of such a legacy. 02:59.370 --> 03:02.681 It's something that I can share with my father, 03:02.681 --> 03:04.125 that bond. 03:04.125 --> 03:08.202 ♪ I said that I want to be a solider ♪ 03:08.202 --> 03:11.452 ♪ So I can be like you ♪ 03:12.901 --> 03:16.480 - I'm First Lieutenant J. R. Phelps and Black History Month 03:16.480 --> 03:19.160 to me means remembering that I'm the granddaughter 03:19.160 --> 03:23.180 of a Red Ball Express soldier and that I continue his legacy