a preservation legacy inc. 501(C)3 initiative

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Interview with US Army Vietnam Veteran, Leonard "Doc" Brooks, Combat Medic. 25th Infantry Division, 2nd Bn. 27th Infantry Regiment (Wolfhounds) C.R.I.P. Combined Reconnaissance Intelligence Platoon 1967-68. Served in USARMY 1961-1975. Visit Brooks' website honoring "The Mighty 10",  ten soldiers K.I.A. on February 11, 1968. (USArmy records KIA date of February 12, 1968.) Lt. Michael W. Embody; Sgt. Bruce G.  Howerter; Sgt. Donnie Joe Malar; SP4 Ralph E. Peters; SP4 Robert L. Hughes; SP4 Ulysses Stewart; SP4 William F. Joiner; SP4 Robert M. Nix; SP4 Gerald A. Tucker.

Interviewed on 01/30/2022 in Austin, Texas for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. (View Leonard "Doc" Brooks' interview at the Library of Congress.) Interviewer: Susan Caolo  

Interview with US Army Vietnam Veteran, Scott R. Major. Served in Vietnam at US Army Depot DaNang.  November 9, 1967 - July 22, 1971. 

Susan Caolo , anthropologist | ethnographer, conducted interview on September 18, 2024 in Marietta, Georgia inside exhibited YC-141B, Aviation History & Technology Center  www.ahtc360.org . All interview materials are archived and accessible at the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Washington, DC. 

Interview with Jim Mathis, USMC veteran conducted on 12-13-2017 for NPS Kennesaw Mtn. National Battlefield Park and Library of Congress Veterans History Project.Lebanon Operation 1958. 54 minutes. In Memoriam. Interviewer: Susan Caolo

Veterans History Project Interview with Charles "Chuck" Cape, Vietnam US Army Veteran. interviewed 01-15-2020. (see Audio section above, Part 1, audio only)

Part 2, video and audio recorded June 3, 2020 during Covid via Zoom for the Library of Congress Veterans' History Project.  The CHARLES "CHUCK" CAPE COLLECTION at Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.120100/#item-service_history

Interviewer: Susan Caolo, ethnographer / anthropologist

003VHP: Interview with Vietnam War veteran, JAMES R. BLIGH, , U.S. MARINE CORPS. Jim Bligh served in the USMC from 1966-1970. Unit: Kilo Company; 1st Marine Division; 3rd Battalion; 26th Marine Regiment. Vietnam War - I Corps near Da Nang Vietnam. Jim served as Platoon Commander in charge of 30-40 Marines.Two major operations in1969: Meade River and Bold Mariner. Jim was wounded on February 1, 1969. As a result of wounds, he lost his left leg and was retired from the Marine Corps. Jim received Bronze Star with Combat "V" , Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry; Combat Action Ribbon.   Photos shown: Jim's wedding.  Jim's Marine "brothers' Back row standing- Left to right: 2nd LT Chris Carson, he was Kilo's forward observer; 1st LT White, Kilo's executive officer (Both Marines were also wounded by a mine the day Jim Bligh was wounded); Front row Left to right: Jim Bligh; 2nd LT Mike Trominski, Kilo's weapons platoon commander.   Later, after returning from the war, Jim went back to work for UPS in New York and continued a long and successful career as a UPS executive in Atlanta, Georgia.   Interview conducted by Susan Caolo, ethnographer/oral historian, November 30, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. All interview materials are archived and accessible at the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Washington, DC.  Jim Bligh's Collection #AFC/2001/001/112349 https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.112349/#item-service_history

Visit: www.loc.gov/vets

050VHP: Interview with WWII and Korean War Veteran, RICHARD P. STROUD SR., LT. JG; Richard served in the USNAVY from Oct. 6, 1947 to June 30, 1961. He volunteered at age 17, went through GUNNERY school, got his combat aircrew wings and was getting on an aircraft carrier just as WWII ended. Then signed up for the HOLLAWAY V5 Program;  Flight training at Pensacola, FL; got his GOLD WINGS as Ensin. Went to VS-32 AIR ANTI SUBMARINE SQUADRON 32 at Norfolk, VA. was scheduled to go to Korea in 1950, but then FBI selected him for a COVERT MISSIONS on US East Coast where Russian Submarines were violating the 12 mile International Zone. STROUD's 24 plane squadron flew 24/7. Richard flew from aircraft carrier 100+ Take Offs and Landings and 500 nights,  searched 950,000 miles.    Interview conducted by SUSAN CAOLO on Friday, April 21, 2023 in Acworth Georgia and contributed to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Washington D.C.  Link to R. Stroud's Collection: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.125243/#item-service_history

(addl.: Operation Song produced "Good Co Pilot"  on YouTube, to honor STROUD'S miraculous landing on his aircraft carrier during a Category Four Hurricane. https://youtu.be/lV3r2Mg3QEA

038VHP: Interview with Vietnam War veteran, ANTHONY "Tony" GASPER, Captain, U.S. MARINE CORPS. Tony served in the USMC from Dec. 21, 1968 to May 31, 1975.  

Dec. 1968 to July 1969:The Basic School, Class 6-69 ( Hotel Company) Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA. July 1969-Oct. 1969 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (Platoon Commander), 1st Marine Division, Republic of Vietnam.  Feb. 1970-Oct. 1970: Headquarters Company (S-3 Watch Officer), 1st Marines Division, Republic of Vietnam. Oct. 1970-Dec. 1972: Officer Candidate School (Staff officer), Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA.  Dec. 1972 -Nov. 1974: 3rd Battalion (Company Commander twice, then S-4), 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC. Nov. 1974-May 1975: 2nd Motor Transport Battalion (Company Commander), 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC. 

Tony is an active member of The Marine Corps League - L/CPL SQUIRE "SKIP" WELLS Detachment #647 in Marietta, Georgia ( www.mcl647.org ) Renamed to honor L/Cpl Squire "Skip" Wells who was a native of Cobb County, Georgia. He was one of the 5 servicemen killed in the terrorist attack on the reserve center in Chattanooga, TN on July 16, 2015.   Tony and his wife, Betty, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. Their son is a USMC veteran who served two tours in the Iraq War.  Their grandson is currently serving in the USMC. 

Interview was conducted by Susan Caolo on April 18, 2023 in Marietta, Georgia and is archived and accessible at the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Washington, DC. 

(Interview 2 of 2) 042VHP VINCENT "VINNIE" ESPOSITO, U.S. MARINE CORPS, KOREAN WAR. February 6, 1951-March 1952. Areas of Service: Korea; Albany, Georgia. Rank: Sergeant. Medals / Awards: Korean Service Medal; National Defense Service; Korean Defense Service; Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation; United Nations Service Medal; Republic of Korea War Service. Birthplace: St. Albans, New York. 

Interview conducted by Susan Caolo, April 21, 2023 in Acworth, Georgia. Interview contributed to the Library of Congress  Veterans History Project in Washington D.C. for current and future generations. Visit: www. loc.gov/vets 

028VHP  EARL PORTER III, US ARMY,  Captain / Ranger / 1st - 64th Combined Arms Battalion; 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. Operation Iraqi Freedom (2010); Operation Enduring Freedom (2012); Locations: Mosul, Iraq; Kandahar, Afghanistan; Ft. Benning, Ga.; Ft. Steward, GA.   Medals / Service Awards: Afghan Campaign Medal w/ Campaign Star; Bronze Star; Army Commendation Medal (3x)/ Global War on Terrorism / Iraqi Campaign Medal/ Overseas Service Ribbon/ Nato Medal. Special Duties: Rifle Platoon Leader; Ranger Tab; Parachutist Badge; Expert Infantryman Badge; Scout Platoon Leader (AFG); Senior Platoon Trainer Post-military, Porter established a non-profit organization, Something Outta Nothing to raise support and awareness about veterans suicide. Visit: www.son.vet  This interview was conducted by Susan Caolo at the Library of Congress on December 2nd, 2021 and archived at the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Washington, DC.  

BE SURE TO READ EARL'S IMPORTANT  ARTICLE : https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2023/06/one-way-to-mitigate-the-risk-of-post-traumatic-stress/

Paul Hampton West, USARMY, 1st Lt.;  Korean War; Heartbreak Ridge; 

Company E, 14th Infantry Regiment; 25th Infantry Brigade

Interview Excerpt 14 minutes with daughter, Myra Cox: Interview with Paul Hampton West Jr., US Army, Korean War. Conducted on 03/06/2020 in Acworth, Georgia for the Library of Congress Veteran's History Project. Visit: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.120094/

 Interviewer: Susan Caolo

Library of Congress Veterans History Project: www.loc.gov/vets