Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Tedosio Louis Samora Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 519th Military Intelligence Battalion
- Location of Service: North Carolina; Saigon, Vietnam
- Highest Rank: E-5
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/5877
As part of a Mexican-American family with a strong tradition of military service, Tedosio Samora felt an obligation to volunteer for the Army. Enlisting in 1965, he expected to serve stateside in an administrative capacity--but instead was assigned to a military intelligence battalion working out of Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon. While he enjoyed the landscape and people of Vietnam, the omnipresent violence of life in a war zone--and the violent attitudes of his fellow servicemen--pushed him toward drug and alcohol addiction. Years later, he found solace in returning to Vietnam as a civilian.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
Share
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PlayReaction of his family to his enlistment; memories of basic training. 00:02:28.6 - 00:05:28.5
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PlayFirst impressions of Vietnam; day-to-day life working on military intelligence; incident in which a bus he was riding in hit a Vietnamese civilian. 00:07:49.0 - 00:16:33.1
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PlayProblems that he and his three brothers had upon returning from Vietnam; disagreements; alcohol and drug abuse; going to Alcoholics Anonymous; coming out to his brothers. 00:35:34.1 - 00:42:11.1
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PlayReturning to Vietnam as a civilian; seeing some of the same locations in which he served; realizing that the war had ended for the Vietnamese; effects of service on his life. 00:42:47.9 - 00:52:48.9
About this Item
Title
- Tedosio Louis Samora Collection
Names
- American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER)
- Ballard, Lara
- Samora, Tedosio Louis
Home State
- California
Headings
- - Samora, Tedosio Louis
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- Other
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 519th Military Intelligence Battalion
- Location of Service: North Carolina; Saigon, Vietnam
- Highest Rank: E-5
- Dates of Service: 1965-1967
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2003-06-06)
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-06-06; 2003-06-17)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/5877
Cite as
- Tedosio Louis Samora Collection (AFC/2001/001/5877), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video