Catalog Number: VIS 201.0765
We welcome your comments on this interview at [email protected]
In this interview, David B. Wallace shares his experiences serving in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. He remembers his process of joining the Navy, the path he took into the Swift Boat program, and becoming a deck officer. He recalls stories about Joan Baez, and the film Tora! Tora! Tora! He describes his first impressions of Vietnam including the smell and heat. Wallace discusses his involvement in different marine-based operations including river patrol, troop insertion, harassment and interdiction fire, and medical evacuations. He talks about an incident with the Viet Cong, attempting to save a villager's life, and his attitude afterward. He describes Swift Boat crew positions and responsibilities. He remembers coming home to hippies and protesters. He recalls his postwar life, his marriage, careers, reunions, and rescuing a Swift Boat from Malta.