Oral History Interview with Hank Billings
Title
Oral History Interview with Hank Billings
Narrator (written)
Hank Billings
Narrator First Name
Hank
Narrator Last Name
Billings
Interviewer
Matt Libre
Abstract
Henry (‘Hank’) Billings was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 21st, 1941. He has three siblings, two older sisters and one younger brother who served in the National Guard. After graduating high school, Hank attended Wentworth College, Northeastern University, and UMASS Amherst in ROTC to study economics and history. After graduating in 1964, Hank deferred service to hitchhike around Europe for a year before arriving at Fort Benning, GA in April of 1965 for Basic Infantry Training. He continued on to Fort Holabird, MD where he trained as an intelligence specialist, and joined the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Arriving in Saigon in December of 1965, Hank served in the research and analysis branch at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. While there, Hank worked as an expert on, and wrote reports about, B52 bombing efficacy, Cambodian incursions, and Vietcong soldier morale. Returning from Saigon, Hank finished his duty as a first lieutenant at Fort Devens, MA. After service, Hank participated in antiwar protests, and attended UMass Amherst for graduate school in education, eventually becoming a teacher. Hank returned to Vietnam in 2001 for a country bicycling tour.
Date of Interview
August 19, 2020
Subject
Military Service (Army)
Protest/Antiwar Activism
Vietnam Veteran
Language
English
Rauner ID
DOH-619
Rights
Interview Audio Source (MP3)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/billings_hank/billings_hank.mp3
Interview Transcript Source (PDF)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/billings_hank/billings_hank_transcript_final.pdf
HTML
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/billings_hank/billings_hank_transcript_final.html