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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.
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Douglas P. Fusonie. Class of 1958. Oral history interview for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Fusonie discusses his childhood moving around the country. He describes his father Albert T. Fusonie, Class of 1928. Fusonie discusses his relationship to academics and an English major as a student. He describes his four years playing football, his involvement in Beta Theta Phi (now Beta Alpha Omega), and the political climate of the college. He describes how he ended up going to Temple University Medical School, Class of 1963. Fusonie explains the Berry Plan and how he became involved in the Vietnam War. He discusses his surgical residency at Ohio State University and his growing family. Fusonie explains how he was sent to Virginia as chief of surgery at McDonald Army Hospital at Fort Eustis. He discusses his transition to Vietnam and how he was stationed at the 12th Evacuation Hospital at the Củ Chi Base Camp. He describes a few incidents that occurred during his year in Vietnam. He describes how his hospital performed over 5,800 major surgeries during the war. Fusonie shares his feelings about the war and the Vietnam War protesters. He describes the impact of Agent Orange on the terrain and its long-term health risks. Fusonie discusses how he began working in Greenfield, Massachusetts after the war.
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Donald K. Brief, Dartmouth Class of 1954, Dartmouth Medical School Class of 1955, Harvard Medical School Class of 1957. Oral history interview documenting his medical and military service during the Vietnam War. Brief describes his experiences as chief of general surgery at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and at the 24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, Vietnam. He discusses his career and family and the lasting impact of the war.