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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


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