- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Charlie Lewellen
- Creator:
- Bruckner, William Joseph, 1944-
Lewellen, Charlie, 1939-2021 - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center
- Date of Original:
- 2020-12-11
- Subject:
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Atrocities
My Lai Massacre, Vietnam, 1968
United States. Army. Infantry Division, 1st
United States. Army. Americal Division
First Division Museum at Cantigny - People:
- Peers, William R. (William Raymond), 1914-1984
Calley, William Laws, Jr., 1943-
Weber, Willis William, 1937-1965 - Location:
- Saudi Arabia, 23.885942, 45.079162
United States, Georgia, Muscogee County, Fort Benning, 32.43487, -84.93382
United States, Kansas, Riley County, Fort Riley, 39.05833, -96.82155
United States, Texas, Bell County, Fort Hood, 31.13489, -97.77561
United States, Texas, Bell County, Temple, 31.09823, -97.34278
Vietnam, Chu Lai, 15.4422772, 108.587982
Vietnam, Củ Chi, 11.03655, 106.503909497567 - Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Charlie Lewellen recalls his experiences serving in the United States Army during and after the Vietnam War. He describes his sea journey to Vietnam for his first tour with an infantry unit and describes the ambush in which he was wounded. His unit captured the largest enemy stockpile of rice ever recovered and recalls that the rice was manufactured by a company in Houston, Texas. After being transferred to an aviation unit, he served a second tour in Vietnam providing support for Task Force Barker. He describes the events leading up to the My Lai Massacre and recalls monitoring, and then recording, the radio transmissions from the helicopters to the tactical operations center during that day. He later served as Lieutenant William Calley's commanding officer and describes in detail some of his interactions with Calley. He also describes in detail the use of his recordings as evidence in the Peers Commission investigation of the My Lai Massacre as well as his testimony for both the prosecution and the defense in later Article 32 hearings pertaining to the massacre. He recalls his reasons for leaving the military and describes his post-military career as an advisor to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense.
1st Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry; 1st Aviation Battalion; "The Rebels"; 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry; 198th Light Infantry Bridgade; War Zone D; bomb damage assessment; search and destroy; "Willie Pete"; white phosphorus; UH-1 gunship; I-Corps; 48th Main Force Battalion; Viet Cong; DEROS; TOC (Tactical Operations Center); Peers Commission; LZ Dottie; Pinkville; Article 32; "Rocket Alley"; booby traps; fragging; drug use; flechette; Big Red One;
Charlie Lewellen served in the United States Army during and after the Vietnam War. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/820
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:33:50
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
