Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Audio Recording Walter L. Washington Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 2nd Corps Support Command
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/3426
Walter Washington saw many of his boyhood friends serve in the infantry, some of them not coming home from the Vietnam War. But he had chosen an ROTC-oriented college education and went into the officer corps. He was stationed in Germany when he volunteered for duty in Vietnam in the closing days of the American presence there. He had the unenviable task of shutting down or transferring control of facilities to the Vietnamese, accounting for inventory, some of which was being stolen. Even though he thinks the war inflicted deep wounds on the U.S. Army, he still believes in the ideal of serving something bigger than yourself.
Walter L. Washington Collection
Interview / Recording
Share
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PlayProblems with closing down facilities in Vietnam. 00:03:02.6 - 00:05:21.0
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PlayParents opposed to joining ROTC; father thought he had sent his son to college to stay out of the war, mother didn't want him serving at all. 00:09:00.0 - 00:09:57.6
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PlayTheft of material he was trying to account for. 00:11:54.5 - 00:12:26.5
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PlayWar's effect on his community back home, his family, and the U.S. Army. 00:14:21.0 - 00:15:22.7
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PlayViews on the war changing in light of his experiences. 00:16:21.6 - 00:17:07.8
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PlayThe ways war can mature a person; need for country to support their men in uniform; the calling of military service. 00:21:18.2 - 00:24:24.4
About this Item
Title
- Walter L. Washington Collection
Names
- Lockhart, Nicole Haynes
- Richard Bland College of the College of William and Mary
- Washington, Walter L.
- Thrower, Kristin
Home State
- Virginia
Headings
- - Washington, Walter L.
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- Black or African American
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 2nd Corps Support Command
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Dates of Service: 1971-1992
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Audio: CD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2007-11-07; 2007-11-07)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2002-11-01)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/3426
Cite as
- Walter L. Washington Collection (AFC/2001/001/3426), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio