Oral History Interview with James Laughlin
Title
Oral History Interview with James Laughlin
Narrator (written)
James (Jim) Laughlin III
Narrator First Name
James (Jim)
Narrator Last Name
Laughlin
Interviewer
Anne Reed-Weston
Abstract
James Laughlin III, Class of 1964. Oral history interview documenting his service in the United States (US) Army during the Vietnam War. Laughlin recalls his experience in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Dartmouth College; his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve; and his active duty service at the Officers Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia as a combat intelligence officer in the Military Intelligence Corps of the U.S. Army. He describes taking an intelligence crash course at Fort Holabird and arriving in Vietnam to serve in the II Field Force, near Bien Hoa Air Base. Laughlin discusses his experience during the Tet Offensive and his later assignment to the Military Assistance Command in the Mekong Delta. He recalls missions completed, including aerial reconnaissance operations in the IV Corps. Laughlin shares his views of the Vietnam War, his thoughts on government and the role of the soldier in that war as compared to more current wars (Afghanistan and Iraq). He also describes the effect of Agent Orange on him, and the treatment of veterans with other war-related disabilities by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Date of Interview
May 11, 2015
Subject
Dartmouth Alumni
Dartmouth History
Military Service (Army)
Vietnam Veteran
Language
English
Rauner ID
DOH-449
Rights
Interview Audio Source (MP3)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/laughlin_james/laughlin_james.mp3
Interview Transcript Source (PDF)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/laughlin_james/laughlin_james_transcript_final.pdf
HTML
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/laughlin_james/laughlin_james_transcript_final.html