Synopsis

              Video Log
Charles Patrick McKone
b. 3/ 17/ 1947
Vietnam Veteran
U. S. Army – MACV- SP
Interviewed by Eileen Hurst on 1/ 29/ 2004
At Central Connecticut State University
0: 00: 10 introduction
0: 00: 58 Vietnam War; U. S. Army Captain; Saigon October 1972 – March 1973
0: 01: 21 drafted ; living in Meriden, CT at the time
0: 01: 47 first days in service; induction in New Haven, CT; then to Fort Jackson, SC; testing; OCS ( Officer Candidate School)
0: 02: 40 Basic Training; Advanced Individual Training ( AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood (“ Lost in the Woods”), MO; 23 weeks in OCS in VA
0: 03: 22 Basic Training & military life
0: 04: 08 AIT training; engineer training; regular Army & the Reserves
0: 06: 07 why Pat selected the engineers
0: 06: 35 OCS training - honor code, discipline training, leadership training; high drop out rate
0: 08: 15 instruction; drill sergeant, Sgt. Powell, in Basic Training
0: 10: 10 mail call ; “ Dear John” letter
0: 10: 56 story about kid from South Dakota who wanted to be the best mortar man in the army
0: 12: 00 OCS; officers more in your face; Lt. Gonzales
0: 12: 34 incident at OCS; at field inspection, Pat and friend were drunk and walked through inspection; got in trouble, but not dismissed from class; restricted to billeting area for next four weeks
0: 15: 23 graduated OCS 2nd Lieutenant
0: 16: 15 1rst Sgt. paying his dollar; opportunity to choose different assignment; signed up for Fort Lee in VA; more training for supply assignment; got married; shipped out to Germany for three years
0: 18: 01 wife joined Pat in Germany; had first baby 10 months later; assigned as supply officer and platoon leader
0: 18: 37 duties as a platoon leader; help train tankers, water purification, training to be battle ready
0: 19: 45 orders to Vietnam; knew it was coming so was ready; leave in U. S. before going
0: 20: 42 arriving in Vietnam; trip over; 4- 5 days at Oakland, then to Alaska, then to Japan, then to Saigon; arrived at Ton Son Nhut AFB ; hot and smelly
0: 22: 01 after a month got his assignment as Company Commander of MACV Special Troops – Military Assistance Command Vietnam Special Troops; supported the MACV headquarters; stationed at Ton Son Nhut; 5,000 people billeted there
0: 23: 35 had Company “ Guidon”; souvenirs – Chinese rifle