Vietnam War Interview Forum

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>What were you involved in in the Vietnam War (ex: military, navy, army nurse, protester etc.)?

Army infantry.

>If you served in the military or navy, what was your rank/title (sergeant, captain etc)?

I went from Private to Sergeant

>Prior to going to war, what were your feelings about the war, and did these feelings change over time?

My feelings resulted from years of fearing the Communist during the Cold War.  The evening news showed the Communists to be brutal and extremely aggressive in South Vietnam.  I didn't want to go fight them, but I felt an obligation to serve my country.

>What were the living conditions like in Vietnam, & how did they differ from that in the United States?

They were very primative.  We were out in the jungle most of the time.  There were no privies, we ate C rations, didn't get a shower for weeks, slept on the ground, no tents, no air mattresses, no cots, rain or shine we used a light poncho liner to sleep in.

>Did you have any "down-time" in the war? If so, what did you do to entertain yourself?

Most "down time" was spent in small fire bases carved out of the jungle.  There were no movies, no booze, no girls, and no PX.  We could read/write letters, listen to tunes on radio Vietnam, play cards, eat, sleep, smoke and joke, try to forget the last mission and prepare our minds to go out and do it agein.

>Did you or any of your fellow men bring keepsakes from home? What were they, & what was the significance of them? Do you feel they ever helped you out of any tough situations & if so how/why?

My finacee gave me a ring and a silver dollar to remember her by.  Both were stollen while I was out in the jungle.

>What was your first experience in combat like? Was anyone injured? Were you afraid? Was it successful?

We air assaulted into a large clearing and were fired on as we landed.  Our platoon took point that day and Woods, another FNG, was ordered to walk point and I was set on flank.  Woods walked up to a VC bunker unknowingly and was killled before noon.  I was very sceared but tried to help as much as I could.  Three other guys and I carried on of the wounded back down the trail to be medivaced out.  A short round landed ten feet behind me and the other three guys went down with wounds.  Later that evening, I pulled out a canteen to find it empty.  A piece of shrapnel had ricochetted off my canteen cup and drilled the canteen next to it.  

I thought with over 350 days to go, how will I ever make it?

>Did you win any medals during your time at war? If so, tell the stories associated with winning those awards.

They gave me a Bronze Star and a Silver Star, mostly for staying alive.

>Did you ever have a near-death experience during the war? Were you ever injured? What was that like and what do you remember thinking about before you knew you were going to live?

I took over point and lead the columh every third day we were in the jungle.  The survival rate of a point man were about six missions.  For many reasons I kept that job for about six months.  There were many times that God simply interviened and kept me alive when things should have gone the other way.

At one point, I thought death would be quick, simply a transission from this life to the next.  I was still terrified though.  

>What experience in the war had the greatest impact on you? Why was this memory so influential & important?

I lead our company into a terrible ambush where my entire squad was killled and half our company was medivaced.  I felt guilty for years thinking I had missed something that might have prevented us from being ambushed.

>How did your experiences in the war impact your transition to normal life? Was it difficult or easy, & why?

I was not "normal" when I came home.  Normal people don't have the experiences I did and couldn't identify with what happened.  I couldn't explain things in terms they could understand either.  It was confusing and difficult.  I tried to bury all my memories and return to life as it was before I left.  That's what everyone expected.  I married my fiancee, finished college, got a good job, built a new home and went to church every week.  It all seemed shallow and empty somehow.  My values in life had changed but I couldn't admit it for years, I wanted to be normal and lived in denial that I'd changed for years.

>How did you react when you learned you were going to war in Vietnam? How did you react when you learned you were going back home (was this before or after the war had ended?)?

I was scared of the unknown in war, then I was scared of the memories of war I would bring home.

>Thank you for your time!

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