Dartmouth Vietnam Project

Oral History Interview with Francis (Bud) McGrath

Francis (Bud) McGrath

Francis (Bud)

McGrath

Emily Everhard

Francis C. “Bud” McGrath. Class of 1964. Oral history interview for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. McGrath shares details about his childhood in Massachusetts. He describes his transition to Dartmouth. He explains how he began as an engineering major and quickly began looking for a new major and became an English major. He discusses his participation in Alpha Theta fraternity, the Newman Club, and playing on the hockey team. He describes his involvement with the Army ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps]. McGrath explains how he went directly into the Army after graduation. McGrath discusses why he selected to take a regular commission and his time spent in the Army. He explains how he began in Germany for two years, went to Fort Huachuca in Arizona to train soldiers going to Vietnam, and finally was sent to Vietnam for one year beyond his initial commitment to the military. He discusses his job as a company commander and his experience in Vietnam. McGrath shares how he became disillusioned and untrusting of the Army during his year in Vietnam. He describes his transition back to the United States after his tour in Vietnam. He describes how he became involved in antiwar activities as a graduate student at the University of Texas, Austin. McGrath describes his career path after graduate school. McGrath describes his involvement with Professor Edward Miller’s course at Dartmouth.

August 18, 2016

Dartmouth Alumni

Dartmouth History

Military Service (Army)

Political Participation

Protest/Antiwar Activism

Vietnam Veteran

English

DOH-516

//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/mcgrath_francis/mcgrath_francis.mp3

//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/mcgrath_francis/mcgrath_francis_transcript_final.pdf

//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/mcgrath_francis/mcgrath_francis_transcript_final.html