Oral History Interview with Daniel D. Nixon

Title
Oral History Interview with Daniel D. Nixon
Narrator (written)
Daniel D. Nixon
Narrator First Name
Daniel
Narrator Last Name
Nixon
Interviewer
Angela Noppenberger
Abstract
Daniel D. Nixon. Class of 1955. Oral history interview for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Nixon describes his childhood growing up during the Depression in California and Pennsylvania. He shares how his family physician was a Dartmouth graduate and encouraged and sponsored him to attend Dartmouth. Nixon discusses his academic transition to Dartmouth as a difficult one. He shares his feelings about the college and his continued close relationships with his fraternity brothers from Tau Epsilon Phi, a Jewish fraternity during him time. He discusses his time in medical school at the University of Pittsburgh and various residencies and internships in oncology and hematology. He describes his time in Vietnam as a participant in the Berry Plan. He discusses basic training at Fort Sam in Texas, and Fort Ord in California. He describes his path to how he eventually ended up in Vietnam in August 1966. He shares how he was sent to Cam Ranh Bay to work at the 6th Convalescent Center. Nixon describes his experience as a military doctor while in Vietnam. He shares how he was later sent to setup the 12th Evacuation Hospital at Củ Chi Base Camp. Nixon discusses why he was sent home early on compassionate leave. His wife, Tamara Nixon, briefly speaks to the interviewer about her experience corresponding to her husband while he was serving in Vietnam. Nixon describes how he was sent to work at Valley Forge Army Hospital outside of Philadelphia, when he returned from Vietnam. Nixon shares his feelings about antiwar protestors and his sense of duty and pride to have served his country. Nixon returns for a second interview to discuss his experience with the VA hospital, exposure to Agent Orange and diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease.
Date of Interview
February 18, 2016
Subject
Dartmouth Alumni
Dartmouth History
Medical Service
Military Service
Language
English
Rauner ID
DOH-493
Rights
CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0
Interview Audio Source (MP3)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/nixon_john/nixon_john.mp3
Interview Transcript Source (PDF)
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/nixon_john/nixon_john_transcript_final.pdf
HTML
//rcweb.dartmouth.edu/DDHI/histories/nixon_john/nixon_john_transcript_final.html

Transcript