- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Rodney Peterson
- Creator:
- Bruckner, William Joseph, 1944-
VerHoef, Sue Hardy
Peterson, Rodney Lewis, 1947- - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2022-02-07
2022 - Subject:
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--African Americans
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Draft--United States
Basic training (Military education)--United States
Purple Heart
United States. Army. Airborne Division, 101st - People:
- Hồ, Chí Minh, 1890-1969
- Location:
- Guam, 13.47861, 144.81834
Japan, Mount Fuji, 35.362799, 138.730781
Japan, Yokohama-shi, 35.444991, 139.636768
United States, Alabama, Calhoun County, Fort McClellan, 33.71076, -85.73733
United States, Alabama, Madison County, Huntsville, 34.7304, -86.58594
United States, California, Solano County, Travis Air Force Base, 38.26845, -121.93373
United States, Georgia, Muscogee County, Fort Benning, 32.43487, -84.93382
United States, New Jersey, Burlington County, Fort Dix, 40.02984, -74.61849
United States, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, 40.6501, -73.94958
United States, South Carolina, Richland County, Fort Jackson, 34.04757, -80.83335
Vietnam, Biên Hòa, 10.9569454, 106.8536492
Vietnam, Vũng Tàu, 10.34599, 107.08426
Vietnam, Đà Lạt, 11.9402416, 108.4375758 - Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Rodney Peterson recalls his experiences serving in the United States Army Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. He discusses his upbringing in New York, his high school experience, and working at his uncle's record store after graduation. He remembers getting his draft notice, liking the discipline of basic training, and the process of going through jump school. Peterson recalls his first impressions of Vietnam including seeing fire fights from above, the smell, and the thickness of the air. He describes getting acclimated to war, his duties, and learning different tactical maneuvers. He details his combat experience including the operation in which he was injured and received a Purple Heart. He talks about his recovery and the experience of lying next to injured Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army soldiers in the hospital. He discusses his family and life after the military.
Jump school; Advanced Infantry Training; Blanket party; Grenadier; Walking point; Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP); Booby trap; LZ; Mini Tet;
Rodney Peterson served in the United States Army, Airborne Division during the Vietnam War. - External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/915
- 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:
- 1:08:05
- 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:
-
