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Description
Oral History interview of Clifford Smith. Interview conducted by Innes, Gant at Raytheon- Research Park, Orlando, FL.
Log
0:27 Introduction; 1:12 Background information; 1:45 Family military background; 2:12 Work prior to military service; 2:45 Getting drafted; 3:28 Boot camp; 4:00 NCO school; 6:00 Getting to Vietnam; 6:51 First impressions; 7:51 Assignment in Vietnam; 8:45 A typical day; 9:30 Fear factor; 10:14 Equipment; 10:50 Interaction with Vietnamese civilians; 11:30 Three day stand down; 12:45 Description of combat area; 14:25 First experience in combat; 21:20 Nominated for Bronze Star; 21:56 Getting wounded; 25:32 Out of body experience; 27:52 Extent of injuries sustained; 29:50 Getting to the hospital; 32:20 Waking up in the hospital; 32:58 Purple Heart and the will to live; 34:42 Reception back home; 35:30 Transition back to civilian life; 36:18 A breaking point; 37:25 Leadership skills from the military; 38:25 Remaining in contact with other veterans; 39:36 Involvement in veteran groups; 40:15 Closing thoughts; 40:55 Conclusion.
Date of Birth
1949-02-17
Place of Birth
Warsaw (Mo.)
Gender
Male
Race
Unspecified
Home State
Missouri
War or Conflict
Vietnam Era
Status
Veteran
Begin/End date of Service - 1st
1969-04-14
Type
Video; MovingImage
1971-02-19
Entrance into Service
Enlisted
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Unit of Service
12th Infantry; 199th Light infantry Brigade, 4th Battalion, Company C
Location of Service
Vietnam
Highest Rank
Sergeant; SGT
Prisoner of War
Unspecified
Service Related Injury
Yes
Battles
Unspecified
Medals
National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Purple Heart
Achievements
NCO School (only 1% of soldiers asked to go before Vietnam deployment)
Note
Nominated for Bronze star; wounded in combat 6/25/1970
City of Birth
Warsaw
Country of Birth
United States
Interviewer
Innes, Gant
Interview Date
7-7-2014
Location of Interview
Raytheon- Research Park, Orlando, FL.
Subjects
Smith, Clifford W.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives; United States. Army
Collection Description
Contains logs, audio and video recordings of interviews with Central Florida's veterans as part of a history class project for the students at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The UCF Community Veterans History Project(CVHP) started in fall 2010. It collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public the experiences of Central Florida's veterans so that future generations will better understand the realities of conflict. It is a collaborative endeavor supported by multiple departments and offices at UCF. The veterans' histories are archived and made digitally available through the UCF library and selected materials are contributed to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
Contributor Affiliation / Organization
RICHES; University of Central Florida
Contributors
Innes, Gant
Length of Interview
41 Minutes
Publisher
Department of History, University of Central Florida
Type
video
Rights
All rights are held by the respective holding institution. This material is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For permission to reproduce and/or for copyright information contact Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, (407) 823-2576. http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/
Repository
University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
Contributing Project
UCF Community Veterans History Project
Document Type
Interview
Recommended Citation
Central Florida, RICHES of, "Smith, Clifford Wayne interview" (2014). Veterans Oral Histories. 244.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/veteransoralhistories/244