Synopsis of oral history interview with Nicholas J. Byrne Jr.

              Video Log
Nicholas J. Byrne, Jr.
Vietnam War
U.S. Marine Corps
Born: September 25, 1944
Interview Date: April 14, 2010
Interviewed By: Daniela Signorello
0:01:00 Introduction; USMC; Vietnam War 1965-1968; Lance Corporal
0:01:45 Enlisted in Marine Corps living in Hartford, Ct
0:01:50 Why Nicholas joined the Marine Corps
0:02:26 First days in service; Parris Island SC
0:03:10 Description of training in Parris Island 13 weeks, yellow footprints, uniform haircuts, clothing issued, drill, rifle range,
0:05:50 Drill instructors in boot camp: 3 Instructor’s two sergeants one corporal
0:06:20 How Mr. Byrnes got through boot camp watching the graduation bus
0:06:50 Camp Lejune infantry training regiment; learning field tactics; infantry man
0:07:28 Home on leave receives orders to go to Vietnam
0:07:54 Back to Camp Lejeune, then Camp Pendleton, CA
0:08:06 Okinawa, Japan; receives jungle training
0:08:16 Arrives in Vietnam in January of 1966
0:08:24 What it was first like upon arrival in Vietnam
0:08:41 first sees a Vietnamese man tied up wearing “black pajamas” arrives at base camp
0:09:00 every five days went on long-range patrol, received Recon information
0:09:26 Point man in the pack, head of the group through the jungle
Lower ranks usually held this position, was a marksman in boot camp
0:10:40 March 1966 engaged in first combat, company patrol out of Truly Vietnam
0:11:20 Mr. Byrne and another Marine at a rice patty bank with faces camouflaged sees two Vietcong Mr. Byrne was shot through his soft cover, he shoots back with his M-14 rifle and kills both
0:12:08 Two days later on the same patrol, moving along the brush about 50 Marines the Vietcong spotted them and took fire
0:12:57 Mr. Byrne’s friend Herman was shot in the arm and through the chest
0:13:26 Heard of fallen comrades in the same battalion
0:13:57 Went to Hong Kong on his R&R (rest and recuperation) July 1966
0:14:24 Hears of a friend who was killed
0:15:18 Evacuation, helicopters came up Mr. Byrnes misses the helicopter and a friend is hanging from the helicopter
0:15:56 not constant action on every patrol
0:16:04 does this until end of October 1966
0:16:17 Company commander askes to speak to Mr. Byrnes tells him that his sister passed away and he gets sent home
0:17:20 Rest and recuperation didn’t come home went to Hong Kong
0:18:05 most memorable moments, saw two men fight over a can of peaches, went to clubs, no fighting amongst themselves