Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Audio Recording Todd B. Walton Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1057th Truck Company; 1618th Transportation Company; Army National Guard
- Location of Service: Iraq; Kuwait
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/38931
Prior to deploying to Iraq with the Nebraska National Guard, Sergeant Todd "Walt" Walton had four years as an Army medic under his belt. Though accustomed to life in the service, Walton's time in Iraq still posed certain hardships, such as leaving his young children and dealing with the oppressive heat and ever-present sandstorms. The challenges didn't end with his return to the States: After so many months in a combat zone, "normal" life came as a shock. Pieces of trash on the street appeared to him as potential homemade explosive devices; the grocery store and kitchen cupboards presented an overwhelming array of choices. His interview offers a glimpse of the disorientation that many soldiers experience at the end of deployment.
Todd B. Walton Collection
Interview / Recording
Transcript
Share
-
PlayCalling his wife to say he was coming home; hearing his wife sound happier than she had in a long, long time; difficulty transitioning to being home. 00:46:55.1 - 00:51:00.2
-
PlayThe shock of coming home; his kids growing up so much in his absence; finding himself scanning rooftops and freeway overpasses for snipers. 00:51:07.3 - 00:59:35.6
-
PlayObserving the changes in Iraq from the time he arrived to the time he left; rise of capitalism after the end of Saddam's reign; coming home and not taking the everyday pleasures of life for granted. 01:11:22.0 - 01:22:45.0
About this Item
Title
- Todd B. Walton Collection
Names
- Miller, Lindsey A.
- Hagel, Chuck
- U.S. Senate/Chuck Hagel
- Walton, Todd B.
Home State
- Nebraska
Headings
- - Walton, Todd B.
- - Iraq War, 2003-2011 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: 1057th Truck Company; 1618th Transportation Company; Army National Guard
- Location of Service: Iraq; Kuwait
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1990
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
Materials
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-05-20)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of audio recording (collected 2005-05-26)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/38931
Cite as
- Todd B. Walton Collection (AFC/2001/001/38931), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- online text