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Lee A. Chilcote, Class of 1964, Thayer Class of 1965. Oral history interview documenting his entrance into the Marine Corps; Officer Training School at Quantico, Virginia, in 1965; deployment to Vietnam from 1966-1967 and participation in various operations (notably: Operation Georgia and Operation Hastings); involvement afterwards in the Greek Cypriot War; and return to the United States. Chilcote describes his experience at Da Nang Air Base in An Hoa, Vietnam, and on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
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J. Donald Cohon. Class of 1965. Oral history interview with the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Cohon describes his childhood in Hartford, CT, and later being sent to the Taft School. He shares his challenges as a Jewish student at an Episcopalian boarding school. Cohon also describes the challenges he experienced growing up with an alcoholic father. He describes his Dartmouth experience to be that of the “traditional Dartmouth man.” Cohon describes his many activities as a Dartmouth student. He was an English major, was president of the fraternity Chi Phi (later named Chi Heorot), was a member of the Dragon Society, and played lacrosse under coach Aiden H. “Whitey” Burnham. Cohon describes his experience teaching English to students in White River Junction as a practicum for his English major. Cohon discusses applying to the Peace Corps and the International Voluntary Services (IVS). He chose to go to Vietnam to teach English with IVS. Cohon describes becoming very interested in learning Vietnamese and was placed in a town called Vũng Tàu. Cohon shares that after Vietnam he moved to the High Hope Farm in Plainfield, NH. He explains how he lived there for a few months and then received his draft notice. Cohon discusses enlisting in the U.S. Army Security Agency where he learned Mandarin and was then sent to Taiwan. He shares that after the Army he attended University of Southern California for his graduate and Ph.D. work in clinical psychology. His post-doc work was completed at California Pacific Medical Center where he began his Vietnamese speaking psychology work. Cohon discusses the various work he has done in his career to support Vietnamese refugees and other refugees with settlement.
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Vietnam veteran and alumn Warren Cook describes his experience in Vietnam and his perception of the socio-political climate of the time. Cook further discusses his stance on the conflict as well as his perception of the Vietnamese while on-ground.
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Cooke, George Interview Abstract
1. Cooke Family’s Cultural Context and Early Childhood
2. Choosing Dartmouth
3. Pastimes at Dartmouth/NROTC
4. Social Change and Popular Culture While at Dartmouth
5. Orders to Vietnam
6. Working with the South Vietnamese Army
7. Broad Conditions in Vietnam/Horrors of War
8. Witnessing the Fall’s “Dress Rehearsal”
9. Life After the War
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Douglas V. Coonrad, Class of 1967. Oral history interview documenting his college experience, including participation in the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) (specifically climbing) and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC); flight training and his time on an air base in Da Nang, Vietnam; his service in the Philippines; and the effect of the Vietnam War after returning to the United States. Specifically, Coonrad discusses his job as a lawyer and community member, dealings with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and as a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) counselor. He shares his perspective on leadership and government throughout and following his service.
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Cooper, Randall Interview Abstract
1. Adolescence
2. Coming to Dartmouth and NROTC Courses
3. Select Experiences from NROTC
4. Assignment to the USS Zellars and Graduation
5. Assignment to the USS Du Pont
6. Leaving the Navy and Final Thoughts
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William L. Cooper, Dartmouth Class of 1966. Cooper discusses to what extent religion and academic rigor held his attention in college. Drafted after college, he was told to report to duty in March 1967. Cooper was stationed and trained in Fort Knox, and instead of becoming a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps, he became a chaplain’s assistant. He went to Germany in 1967 and was on a base of the 3rd Armored Division, and then transferred to the joint command base. Cooper remained in Germany for one year, and once released from service, Cooper went to law school. He began at Wayne State University, and then transferred to University of Michigan Law School and graduated in 1972. Cooper then attended library school at the University of Pennsylvania. Cooper discuses his successive jobs and retirement to Virginia.
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Cooper, Douglas Interview Abstract:
1. Childhood in Ohio and Time at Dartmouth
2. Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI
3. First Tour on the USS Morton and the “Third” Gulf of Tonkin Incident
4. Second Tour
5. Law School and Civilian Life
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Abstract coming soon
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Couser, William Interview Abstract:
1. Growing Up in New England
2. Time at Harvard and Dartmouth Medical School
3. Tour in Vietnam
4. Civilian Training and Career
5. Final Thoughts
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Vietnam veteran and alumn William Couser describes his experience in Vietnam and his perception of the socio-political climate of the time. Couser, who served as a physician for the Army’s 1st Air Cavalry Division, further discusses his stance on the conflict as well as his perception of the Vietnamese while on-ground.
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Robert M. Cox Jr. Class of 1965. Oral history interview for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Cox discusses growing up in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. He describes how he discovered and decided to attend Dartmouth College. While a student at Dartmouth, Cox participated in Rugby and the Freshman Rowing team, joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and learned to fly. He joined the Navy Reserves prior to attending graduate school at Kent State. After one year of graduate school Cox joined the Air Force and began his training at Lackland Airforce Base in Texas where he became a Lieutenant. He was sent to power plant school at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Cox describes his time on assignment at the Yokota Air Base in Japan. He was the social chairmen for the squadron and was head of maintenance for the aircrafts. Cox was promoted to a captain and spent three years in Japan. When Cox returned home from Japan he worked for his father in his retail stores. Cox describes his experience working with his father and later his career in the fashion and shopping center development industry.
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Richard (Rick) Crabtree was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, on November 12th, 1946. His father was a WWII veteran and Tuck student, and Richard’s first home was Middle Fayerweather dorm. Crabtree has three younger brothers. Crabtree graduated from Staples High School in Westport, CT in 1965 and continued on to Pierce College in Southern California. He was soon drafted by the Bridgeport, CT draft board and signed up to be a two-year naval reservist in late 1965. After completing basic training at the San Diego Naval Recruit Training Center (class 669), Crabtree then continued on to Balboa Naval Hospital for Class A Navy Corpsmen training. From there, Crabtree went to Oakland Naval Hospital to work on a neurosurgery ward, before being transferred to Camp Delmar Field Medical Service School at Pendleton Base Camp. In March 1967, Crabtree flew from Travis Air Force Base to Da Nang, Vietnam, where he joined Kilo Company 3rd battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, as part of Operation Desoto in Duc Pho working as a corpsman. Moving to Dai Loc a few months later, Crabtree sustained a severe injury on September 7th, 1967, with permanent spinal damage. Returning after 6 weeks, Crabtree remained in Vietnam for much of the Tet Offensive before returning home in March of 1968. After working briefly as a corpsman in Guyana in 1968-1969, Crabtree then returned to Colorado to work as a police officer. Crabtree has suffered serious PTSD and has been on full VA disability compensation since 1999 for effects stemming from his injuries incurred while in Vietnam.
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Cross, Lon Interview Abstract:
1. Growing Up in Independence, MO
2. Time at Dartmouth
3. Joining the Army and Basic Training
4. Choosing to be a Ranger
5. Serving in Korea
6. Later Posts, Teaching, and Retirement
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Long history of patriotism and military service on his fathers side of the family. Dates back to 1635 in New England.
Growing up in Gardner Ma, diversity in town –
Applying to Dartmouth
Choate dorms
Freshmen beanies
Coxswain crew
Freshmen teams vs varsity teams
President of Dartmouth rowing club
Beta
Happy as all male school – all male campus culture
Coached freshman crew as a student
Undergraduate Judiciary Committee
ROTC freshman year only
Lived in Casque & Gauntlet
Didn’t know what to do after college so joined peace corps
Honduras
New Mexico for training
Honduras – setup a clinic – went to Caribbean to setup a track & field event for kids
Organized student protests while at Michigan
Marched in Belzoni Mississippi
Freedom Now movement to Black Power movement - At the event in Greenwood Mississippi
Got in touch with PBS Eyes on the Prize series – they wanted to know about transition to Black Power – only white witness they could find
Protesting the war
Dinner with McNamamara
Worked for Warren Wiggins in Chicago
Wrote a book about the Vice Lords
Got a grant from Rockefeller Foundation to improve life with Vice Lords
Returned to Mass and began working for the state/governor
Worked at Dartmouth in development office
Guilt of not going
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De Regt, John Interview Abstract:
1. Childhood and Coming to Dartmouth
2. Navy ROTC and Campus Political Climate
3. Serving as Gunnery Officer on the USS Sarsfield
4. Service in the Mediterranean
5. Teaching and Civilian Life
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Detweiler, Richard Interview Abstract
1. Early Childhood and Coming to Dartmouth with ROTC
2. College Experience
3. Transitioning into the Navy
4. Field Advising in Vietnam
5. Serving as a Naval Race Relations Specialist
6. Graduate School and Joining the Peace Corps
7. Additional Travel and Settling Down
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Do, Cuong Interview Abstract
1. Early Childhood and Leaving Vietnam
2. Adolescence in Oklahoma
3. Time at Dartmouth
4. Tuck and Corporate Career
5. Philanthropy and Final Thoughts
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Donovan, John Interview Abstract
1. Growing Up in Boston
2. ROTC at Holy Cross
3. Initial Impresisons of Vietnam
4. Riverine Warfare
5. Losing Faith in Vietnam and Subsequent Reading
6. Post-Navy Transition Period
7. Working in Education and Outdoor Programs
8. Consulting in Southeast Asia and Philanthropy in Vietnam
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Eagan, Jeff Interview Abstract:
1. Growing Up in Milwaukee, WI
2. Dartmouth Experience and Growing Political Consciousness
3. Occupying Parkhurst and Finding Activism
4. Post-Grad Career in Community Organizing and Environmental Policy
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Charles Gregory Eden. Class of 1966. Oral history interview for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Eden describes growing up in Nebraska in a series of small towns until high school when he attended school in Omaha. He describes being focused on academics in high school. Eden discusses being a very involved student leader, living in Russell Sage Hall and becoming dorm chairman. He shares his experiences in the Green Key Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, an announcer for the Dartmouth Band, his involvement in the Dartmouth College Radio, president of the Interfraternity Council, Palaeopitus Senior Society, and the Navy Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Eden describes his relationship with president John Sloan Dickey and John George Kemeny. Eden describes how he was selected as the senior class speaker and shares how he got in trouble due to the content of his speech, Dartmouth’s lack of diversity. Eden describes attending flight training school in Pensacola, Florida and basic jet training in Meridian, Mississippi, prior to being sent Kingsville, Texas for advanced jet training. He shares how he was then stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, near Virginia Beach, Virginia. Eden discusses being placed in what was called Attack Squadron 42, which was a Replacement Air Group. Eden describes being in Attack Squadron 85, known as the Black Falcons while stationed in Vietnam. He describes the sophistication of the A6 he flew and what was involved when dropping ordnance. He discusses how he went on to the University of Virginia Law School after he left the Navy. Eden describes working for Kutak Rock LLP, and later becoming an investment banker. Eden describes his involvement in the Society of Mutual Friends at Dartmouth.
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John Everett Jr., Class of 1968. Oral history interview documenting Everett’s naval service as a Junior Officer aboard the USS Gallup in Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam, from 1969-1970. Everett talks about the camaraderie at the Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, as well as the atmosphere aboard the USS Gallup, including incidents of racism. Everett also discusses his ship’s role in the denouement of Operation Market Time, the increasing Vietnamization of the conflict and the impact popular protests in the United States had on morale and resolve. He comments on his reintegration into society, and his personal experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Feltner, Jonathan Interview Abstract
1. Growing Up in Rochester and ROTC at Dartmouth
2. Post-Grad Training at Quantico
3. First Months in I Corps
4. Time as 3rd Platoon Commander and Guarding the Cua Viet
5. Post-War Return to Vietnam
6. Boat People and the S.S. Mayaguez
7. Political Views and Final Thoughts
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Robert Field Jr., Class of 1965. Oral history interview documenting Field’s naval service as a Junior Officer in the Combat Information Center aboard the USS Long Beach, serving in Vietnam from 1965-67. Field describes his experience in the Gulf of Tonkin (Yankee Station), his daily activities aboard the ship, and the increased bombing efforts against the North Vietnamese. He discusses the treatment of Vietnam veterans in the United States.
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Frank, Justin Interview Abstract
1. Early Childhood and Political Consciousness in California
2. Undergraduate Education
3. Med School and Early Activism in Louisville
4. Securing Conscientious Objector Status
5. C.O. Status and Faith, Patriotism
6. Political Engagement and Writing Career in Adulthood