MF224 Maine Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project

Follow

• 

  Warren S. Smith, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 3

  Warren S. Smith

  Warren S. Smith, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Norridgewock, Maine, June 26, 1999. Smith briefly reviews his background as the son of an American World War II Veteran and English war bride, growing up in Skowhegan, Maine, knowing around age 13 that he would be entering the military after high school graduation, and enlisting in October 1962. Smith explains he attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama and had to go to the library too look up where Vietnam was located when he received his orders. He talks about being assigned to the 611th Transport Company in Vung Tao, flying helicopters for special forces and troop transports, flying into combat and coming under fire, ARVN soldiers living their entire lives at war, and being assigned to UTT Helicopter Company. He discusses his “John Wayne” attitude going in before watching friends killed and being shot himself and describes his experiences in combat. Smith tells of leaving the service in 1965 but feeling restless and unsettled and returning to Vietnam as a civilian chopper pilot in 1968, one day after the start of the TET offensive. He describes getting in trouble for not writing home after his mother sought Red Cross to find out if he was alive. He speaks about his perspective on protestors, the war, and American policy. Text: 36 pp. transcript, 3 pp. administrative. Audio: mfc_na4497_01A & mfc_na4497_01B, mfc_na4497_02A. Time: 01:50:03. Restrictions: No restrictions

  Listen:

  Part 1. mfc_na4497_01A
  Part 2. mfc_na4497_01B
  Part 3. mfc_na4497_02A

• 

  Frank Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier, Part 1

  Francis C. Soares III

  Francis C. “Frank” Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier on June 22, 1999, in Augusta, Maine. Soares speaks about his early life; joining the U.S. Army in 1965; attending boot camp at Fort Dix; applying for Officer Candidate School and being accepted while in infantry training; wanting to go into Special Forces and ending up in helicopter training before having his orders changed to report back to Fort Knox, Kentucky to form the new 7th Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment; becoming a cavalry scout using LOHs, light observation helicopters (OH6A); deploying to Vietnam as a squadron; the experience flying the squadron’s equipment across the U.S. and hitting bad weather in the Rocky Mountains. Soares recalls the day he discovered that the troop transport ship USNS Upshur he sailed on to Vietnam became TS State of Maine, the training ship of Maine Maritime Academy; and talks about his experience shipping out from Long Beach, California; offloading into landing craft that went ashore on a public beach at Vung Tau. He discusses the mystique of serving in a cavalry unit and the fact the unit’s first fatalities were two cooks who over pumped the gas stoves causing an explosion that resulted in fatal burns. Soares describes the work he did as a scout; the Widow’s Village at Long Linh; his memories of Duc Hoa; the first time (of six) he was shot down with an observer onboard and many personal combat anecdotes; becoming an attack pilot, and eventually becoming a platoon leader. He speaks about the qualities and flying abilities of different helicopters in combat; the Tet Offensive and being assigned as the Robin Hoods; knowing men who flew helicopters during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon; flying in the battle to retake Cholon, the Chinese sector of Saigon; protecting freighters coming up river from the South China Sea and Navy river boats; the difference between Army living conditions and Navy living conditions; how the song Walk Away, Renée by The Left Banke triggers flashbacks to being at a Navy base. Soares recalls a door gunner having a psychotic break and attempting to clear a jammed gun to kill the flight crew; his job as an attack pilot to draw fire without being shot down; discovering 400-500 North Vietnamese massing on the Cambodian side of the national boarder for an assault and calling in the coordinates to have artillery dropped; flying missions right up to the minute it was time for him to head to Bien Hoa to depart; and life after the war. Soares explains that “one of the most important jobs a soldier has to do…it’s their job to bring the boys home again and…back into society.” Text: 40 pp. transcript. Time: 01:50:51.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4502_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4502_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4502_02A

• 

  Frank Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier, Part 2

  Francis C. Soares III

  Francis C. “Frank” Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier on June 22, 1999, in Augusta, Maine. Soares speaks about his early life; joining the U.S. Army in 1965; attending boot camp at Fort Dix; applying for Officer Candidate School and being accepted while in infantry training; wanting to go into Special Forces and ending up in helicopter training before having his orders changed to report back to Fort Knox, Kentucky to form the new 7th Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment; becoming a cavalry scout using LOHs, light observation helicopters (OH6A); deploying to Vietnam as a squadron; the experience flying the squadron’s equipment across the U.S. and hitting bad weather in the Rocky Mountains. Soares recalls the day he discovered that the troop transport ship USNS Upshur he sailed on to Vietnam became TS State of Maine, the training ship of Maine Maritime Academy; and talks about his experience shipping out from Long Beach, California; offloading into landing craft that went ashore on a public beach at Vung Tau. He discusses the mystique of serving in a cavalry unit and the fact the unit’s first fatalities were two cooks who over pumped the gas stoves causing an explosion that resulted in fatal burns. Soares describes the work he did as a scout; the Widow’s Village at Long Linh; his memories of Duc Hoa; the first time (of six) he was shot down with an observer onboard and many personal combat anecdotes; becoming an attack pilot, and eventually becoming a platoon leader. He speaks about the qualities and flying abilities of different helicopters in combat; the Tet Offensive and being assigned as the Robin Hoods; knowing men who flew helicopters during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon; flying in the battle to retake Cholon, the Chinese sector of Saigon; protecting freighters coming up river from the South China Sea and Navy river boats; the difference between Army living conditions and Navy living conditions; how the song Walk Away, Renée by The Left Banke triggers flashbacks to being at a Navy base. Soares recalls a door gunner having a psychotic break and attempting to clear a jammed gun to kill the flight crew; his job as an attack pilot to draw fire without being shot down; discovering 400-500 North Vietnamese massing on the Cambodian side of the national boarder for an assault and calling in the coordinates to have artillery dropped; flying missions right up to the minute it was time for him to head to Bien Hoa to depart; and life after the war. Soares explains that “one of the most important jobs a soldier has to do…it’s their job to bring the boys home again and…back into society.” Text: 40 pp. transcript. Time: 01:50:51.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4502_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4502_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4502_02A

• 

  Frank Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier, Part 3

  Francis C. Soares III

  Francis C. “Frank” Soares III, interviewed by Kellie Pelletier on June 22, 1999, in Augusta, Maine. Soares speaks about his early life; joining the U.S. Army in 1965; attending boot camp at Fort Dix; applying for Officer Candidate School and being accepted while in infantry training; wanting to go into Special Forces and ending up in helicopter training before having his orders changed to report back to Fort Knox, Kentucky to form the new 7th Squadron of the 1st Cavalry Regiment; becoming a cavalry scout using LOHs, light observation helicopters (OH6A); deploying to Vietnam as a squadron; the experience flying the squadron’s equipment across the U.S. and hitting bad weather in the Rocky Mountains. Soares recalls the day he discovered that the troop transport ship USNS Upshur he sailed on to Vietnam became TS State of Maine, the training ship of Maine Maritime Academy; and talks about his experience shipping out from Long Beach, California; offloading into landing craft that went ashore on a public beach at Vung Tau. He discusses the mystique of serving in a cavalry unit and the fact the unit’s first fatalities were two cooks who over pumped the gas stoves causing an explosion that resulted in fatal burns. Soares describes the work he did as a scout; the Widow’s Village at Long Linh; his memories of Duc Hoa; the first time (of six) he was shot down with an observer onboard and many personal combat anecdotes; becoming an attack pilot, and eventually becoming a platoon leader. He speaks about the qualities and flying abilities of different helicopters in combat; the Tet Offensive and being assigned as the Robin Hoods; knowing men who flew helicopters during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon; flying in the battle to retake Cholon, the Chinese sector of Saigon; protecting freighters coming up river from the South China Sea and Navy river boats; the difference between Army living conditions and Navy living conditions; how the song Walk Away, Renée by The Left Banke triggers flashbacks to being at a Navy base. Soares recalls a door gunner having a psychotic break and attempting to clear a jammed gun to kill the flight crew; his job as an attack pilot to draw fire without being shot down; discovering 400-500 North Vietnamese massing on the Cambodian side of the national boarder for an assault and calling in the coordinates to have artillery dropped; flying missions right up to the minute it was time for him to head to Bien Hoa to depart; and life after the war. Soares explains that “one of the most important jobs a soldier has to do…it’s their job to bring the boys home again and…back into society.” Text: 40 pp. transcript. Time: 01:50:51.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4502_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4502_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4502_02A

• 

  Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer, Part 1

  Robert L. Towle

  NA4503 Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer in Lewiston, Maine on July 7, 1999. Towle talks about entering the military before finishing high school at the suggestion of a judge who offering one of two options; going into basic training, advanced training, then jump school to prove himself; serving 20 months in the 82 Airborne stateside before being sent to the 509th 82nd Airborne Germany, then to the 25th Infantry in Vietnam. Towle speaks at length about his training experiences; being rendered “a non-person” within 90 minutes of reporting for basic training; compares enlistment with a jail sentence; life in training being “at the whim” of whoever happened to be in charge; and recounts his memories of his basic military training and how his socioeconomic and background attitude shaped his experience. Towle speaks about his pride graduating from jump school and how that accomplishment earned him benefits and status that other soldiers didn’t receive, particularly related to the uniform and the biggest thrill of his life being the moment he received his wings. He recalls being sent to Washington, D.C. to do riot control following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. carrying unloaded M14 rifles while civilian police shot at will; being forced to shoot a man who allegedly came at him with a machete while attempting to loot a liquor store and the emotional turmoil he experienced in the aftermath; being in Germany when the population was anti U.S. military; the power wielded by the military police. Towle discusses his ongoing fear of the Military Criminal Investigation Division and the lack of a statute of limitations for things “that happened over there that you can’t talk about,” including “Zippo raids” and mock VC villages. Towle talks about his work driving a resupply truck and using sandbags to protect the occupants from [improvised explosive devices], the emotional change he experienced between the shooting in Washington, D.C. and shooting men during combat; reaching the point he refused to return to duty and receiving a medical discharge; the psychological impact of losing patriotic idealism, facing the reality of war, and actively blocking social attachment; the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics as psychological warfare; post-traumatic stress; a fireworks display triggering a flashback; going to Togus for treatment; the negative impact of “John Wayne Syndrome” on Vietnam Veterans; the psychological impact of hypervigilance; the lack of military support for returning Vietnam Veterans; returning stateside with no money or ticket home; waiting in airports for days trying to catch a military flight home, “That was my thank you for a job well done.” Text: 42 pp. transcript. Time: 02:18:19.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4503_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4503_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4503_02A

• 

  Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer, Part 2

  Robert L. Towle

  NA4503 Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer in Lewiston, Maine on July 7, 1999. Towle talks about entering the military before finishing high school at the suggestion of a judge who offering one of two options; going into basic training, advanced training, then jump school to prove himself; serving 20 months in the 82 Airborne stateside before being sent to the 509th 82nd Airborne Germany, then to the 25th Infantry in Vietnam. Towle speaks at length about his training experiences; being rendered “a non-person” within 90 minutes of reporting for basic training; compares enlistment with a jail sentence; life in training being “at the whim” of whoever happened to be in charge; and recounts his memories of his basic military training and how his socioeconomic and background attitude shaped his experience. Towle speaks about his pride graduating from jump school and how that accomplishment earned him benefits and status that other soldiers didn’t receive, particularly related to the uniform and the biggest thrill of his life being the moment he received his wings. He recalls being sent to Washington, D.C. to do riot control following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. carrying unloaded M14 rifles while civilian police shot at will; being forced to shoot a man who allegedly came at him with a machete while attempting to loot a liquor store and the emotional turmoil he experienced in the aftermath; being in Germany when the population was anti U.S. military; the power wielded by the military police. Towle discusses his ongoing fear of the Military Criminal Investigation Division and the lack of a statute of limitations for things “that happened over there that you can’t talk about,” including “Zippo raids” and mock VC villages. Towle talks about his work driving a resupply truck and using sandbags to protect the occupants from [improvised explosive devices], the emotional change he experienced between the shooting in Washington, D.C. and shooting men during combat; reaching the point he refused to return to duty and receiving a medical discharge; the psychological impact of losing patriotic idealism, facing the reality of war, and actively blocking social attachment; the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics as psychological warfare; post-traumatic stress; a fireworks display triggering a flashback; going to Togus for treatment; the negative impact of “John Wayne Syndrome” on Vietnam Veterans; the psychological impact of hypervigilance; the lack of military support for returning Vietnam Veterans; returning stateside with no money or ticket home; waiting in airports for days trying to catch a military flight home, “That was my thank you for a job well done.” Text: 42 pp. transcript. Time: 02:18:19.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4503_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4503_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4503_02A

• 

  Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer, Part 3

  Robert L. Towle

  NA4503 Robert L. “Bob” Towle, interviewed by John J. Springer in Lewiston, Maine on July 7, 1999. Towle talks about entering the military before finishing high school at the suggestion of a judge who offering one of two options; going into basic training, advanced training, then jump school to prove himself; serving 20 months in the 82 Airborne stateside before being sent to the 509th 82nd Airborne Germany, then to the 25th Infantry in Vietnam. Towle speaks at length about his training experiences; being rendered “a non-person” within 90 minutes of reporting for basic training; compares enlistment with a jail sentence; life in training being “at the whim” of whoever happened to be in charge; and recounts his memories of his basic military training and how his socioeconomic and background attitude shaped his experience. Towle speaks about his pride graduating from jump school and how that accomplishment earned him benefits and status that other soldiers didn’t receive, particularly related to the uniform and the biggest thrill of his life being the moment he received his wings. He recalls being sent to Washington, D.C. to do riot control following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. carrying unloaded M14 rifles while civilian police shot at will; being forced to shoot a man who allegedly came at him with a machete while attempting to loot a liquor store and the emotional turmoil he experienced in the aftermath; being in Germany when the population was anti U.S. military; the power wielded by the military police. Towle discusses his ongoing fear of the Military Criminal Investigation Division and the lack of a statute of limitations for things “that happened over there that you can’t talk about,” including “Zippo raids” and mock VC villages. Towle talks about his work driving a resupply truck and using sandbags to protect the occupants from [improvised explosive devices], the emotional change he experienced between the shooting in Washington, D.C. and shooting men during combat; reaching the point he refused to return to duty and receiving a medical discharge; the psychological impact of losing patriotic idealism, facing the reality of war, and actively blocking social attachment; the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics as psychological warfare; post-traumatic stress; a fireworks display triggering a flashback; going to Togus for treatment; the negative impact of “John Wayne Syndrome” on Vietnam Veterans; the psychological impact of hypervigilance; the lack of military support for returning Vietnam Veterans; returning stateside with no money or ticket home; waiting in airports for days trying to catch a military flight home, “That was my thank you for a job well done.” Text: 42 pp. transcript. Time: 02:18:19.

  Listen:

  Part 1: mfc_na4503_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4503_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4503_02A

• 

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 1

  Roy Zarucchi

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr. at Troy, Maine on July 10, 1999. Zarucchi talks about his background growing up in an Oakland, California household where Italian was his first language, his view of the military, the draft, and "cannon fodder," his first job teaching English and Latin after graduating from college and facing the news that a pending salary increase would be conversely proportional to his low wages, making the decision to enter Air Force officer training school. He discusses basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, opting to go into navigator training, being assigned to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor. He talks about being assigned to the 609th Composite Air Commando Squadron in Thailand where he served as a bombardier and navigator. He reflects on witnessing death in a detached way from the air and flying 163 night missions. Text: 39 pp. transcript, 2 pp. administrative. Total time: 02:09:50

  Listen
  Part 1: mfc_na4473_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4473_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4473_02A

• 

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 2

  Roy Zarucchi

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr. at Troy, Maine on July 10, 1999. Zarucchi talks about his background growing up in an Oakland, California household where Italian was his first language, his view of the military, the draft, and "cannon fodder," his first job teaching English and Latin after graduating from college and facing the news that a pending salary increase would be conversely proportional to his low wages, making the decision to enter Air Force officer training school. He discusses basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, opting to go into navigator training, being assigned to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor. He talks about being assigned to the 609th Composite Air Commando Squadron in Thailand where he served as a bombardier and navigator. He reflects on witnessing death in a detached way from the air and flying 163 night missions. Text: 39 pp. transcript, 2 pp. administrative. Total time: 02:09:50

  Listen
  Part 1: mfc_na4473_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4473_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4473_02A

• 

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr., Part 3

  Roy Zarucchi

  Leroy D. “Roy” Zarucchi, interviewed by Stephen D. Rees, Jr. at Troy, Maine on July 10, 1999. Zarucchi talks about his background growing up in an Oakland, California household where Italian was his first language, his view of the military, the draft, and "cannon fodder," his first job teaching English and Latin after graduating from college and facing the news that a pending salary increase would be conversely proportional to his low wages, making the decision to enter Air Force officer training school. He discusses basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, opting to go into navigator training, being assigned to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor. He talks about being assigned to the 609th Composite Air Commando Squadron in Thailand where he served as a bombardier and navigator. He reflects on witnessing death in a detached way from the air and flying 163 night missions. Text: 39 pp. transcript, 2 pp. administrative. Total time: 02:09:50

  Listen
  Part 1: mfc_na4473_01A
  Part 2: mfc_na4473_01B
  Part 3: mfc_na4473_02A