T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

ABSTRACT

INTERVIEWEE NAME: Isadore G. M. Olinde # 4700.0973

IDENTIFICATION: Vietnam veteran

INTERVIEWER: Robert Talley

PROJECT: Americans in Vietnam

DATES: 4/29/74

FOCUS DATES: Dec. 1, 1971- Aug. 31, 1973; Jan. 14, 1972-June 14, 1972; Jan. 31, 1973-Aug. 17, 1973

ABSTRACT:

Tape 1422

Family life and education; lost appointment to Annapolis because of his eyesight; from patriotic small town; joined Navy reserve in 1970 to avoid being drafted; wanted as short a stint as possible; basic training; placed in charge of catapults and arresting gear; landing on air carrier in South Cina Sea; description of aircraft carrier; weapons aboard carrier; accidents aboard carrier; soldiers from minority groups demonstrating on carrier; discrimination and the Navy promotion process; soldiers trying to get captain replaced because they claimed he discriminated; losers and degenerates in the Navy; learning his job; dangers of working below moving planes; mission of carrier; bombing around Hanoi and Haiphong in 1972; shooting down MIGs; 46 days of non stop bombing; receiving news that war in Vietnam was over; went to combat zone anyway so that they got income tax exemption; bombing in Laos; saw little of Vietnam, mostly stayed at sea; aerial view of Vietnam; visiting Singapore; cleanliness of Singapore; visiting the dirty Philippines; prostitution in Singapore and the Philippines; drugs; posted list of soldiers who died from drugs; anti-drug talks; officers' attitudes toward drug use; waste of military supplies; Navy/Marine interaction aboard ship; citizens of Philippines who serve in US Navy; sailors counting their days to escaping the Navy; pepole who re-enlist; soldiers flying more after war was over; amount of water it takes to launch plane; opinions about US justification for war in Vietnam; anti-war sentiment back home; didn't learn much in the military; most of the soldiers were uneducated; changes in rules for women students at LSU while he was away; inflation while he was in service; culture shock; couldn't live anywhere but America.

TAPES: 1

TOTAL PLAYING TIME:

# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 29

RESTRICTIONS: none