Section 1: Bob Patterson was born in South Bend, Indiana, in 1947. His father worked as a plumber and pipe fitter for Bendix Corporation. Bob’s father served briefly in the Korean War before he was discharged for being blind in one eye. Bob did not grow up watching a lot of TV, as his family didn’t own a television set until he was a teenager, however he remembers shows like Father Knows Best (1954–1960). In terms of film, Bob remembers John Wayne for his cowboy roles, adding that he thought Wayne was “pretty cool.”

Section 2: Bob discusses his enlistment in the Army and basic training. While he was originally drafted into the Army, Bob was able to choose his MOS after fortuitously having his neighbor proctor his ASVAB test. In exchange for choosing his role, he agreed to serve for a third year. Bob believes that his boot camp experience differed from that of other recruits both because he was two years older than most recruits and because he grew up with a demanding father. Bob’s reaction to drill instructors yelling and screaming was measured. He remembers “weaker” recruits who were deliberately targeted for “toughen[ing] up” responding by “shaking in their boots.” Bob recalls, this experience “set in my mind that I wanted to be a drill sergeant one day, too, and later on I was.” Between basic training at Fort Leonard Wood and deploying to Vietnam, Bob received additional training at Fort Gordon. 

Section 3: Bob arrived in country in October 1968. He encountered several NCOs he had known at Fort Gordon; he remembers that they were happy to see him and shared useful advice. Bob’s first impressions of Vietnam included its sour smell and wet climate. Bob joined the 52nd Signal Battalion, where he had two distinct roles. Bob’s first role in Vietnam, began with an assignment to drive the colonel and ended with him working for General Trefry. Although Bob initially would have preferred to work in the communications area, he found the brass likable and respectful. The perks of his job included sleeping in a wooden building with air conditioning rather than a hooch. Bob’s second role in Vietnam, also in the rear, was as a battalion flight coordinator. His job was to get supplies to outlying sites. Bob remembers those he served alongside including not only diverse Americans but people from a range of countries, including Korea. Bob also recalls American women in the warzone, including a girl he knew from home who worked with the USO.

Section 4: Bob shares memories from his time in country, including witnessing Vietnamese poverty and encountering the enemy. The pervasive poverty of wartime Vietnam was striking to Bob. He remembers giving extra money to the mamasans who cleaned his room, adding that because of his generosity, they were especially accommodating of his requests. He also remembers locals sifting through American trash for usable material like wrapping paper. Bob didn’t have a girlfriend in Vietnam; he is equivocal about whether he witnessed prostitution in country. In terms of culture, Bob notes that he tried Vietnamese kimchi, an experience that stood out from the American foods he ate, including baked goods his family sent from home. Bob adopted a puppy while in country and was later told that the dog “became somebody’s meal.” Finally, Bob also witnessed the enemy on two specific occasions: an incursion on base in which two dozen enemy soldiers were killed and an incident when Vietnamese prisoners of war were taken into the woods by infantrymen and Bob never saw the prisoners again. 

Section 5: Bob was sprayed with Agent Orange while traveling with the colonel. He initially thought it was rain, however, the colonel advised that they should “take a good shower and get ourselves cleaned up.” Bob recalls that he felt off for the next few days, as if he was coming down with the flu. He speculates that, at the time, the colonel knew about the dangers of Agent Orange. The spraying took place on a roadside while talking with Vietnamese people. At the time, Bob did not know what Agent Orange was and only realized retrospectively that he was sprayed. Looking back, he believes that it caused some of his medical problems. 

Section 6 : Bob discusses a range of memories and impressions from his time in country. He reiterates his view of the war—that he would rather fight on someone else’s land than his own. Bob remembers specific friends he served alongside, including Andy, an African American driver, and recounts meeting Andy’s wife years later. Reflecting on whether he expected to survive the war, Bob explains that his dad taught him two things, both of which he used in Vietnam. The first was the necessity of making split-second decisions; the second was that there are three ways to come home from a war—“you can come home walking, you can come home injured, or you can come home dead.” Bob adds that when faced with a gun pointed at you, it is imperative to shoot first.  

Section 7 : Bob shares positive memories from his time in country, including keeping in touch with friends and family, as well as comforts he enjoyed via the PX and USO. Bob communicated with several people back home, including his parents, the girl who lived next door, and another girl he knew before he went to Vietnam. On base, Bob recalls listening to music on the radio and buying a camera and a record player from the PX. He also saw a Bob Hope show in Vietnam, as well as a “girl band” that played every 90 days at the 4th Corps. 

Section 8: Bob reflects on the war’s impact on his life. He notes that his time in country made him appreciate life in the United States. He continued to serve in the military and remembers a small number of servicemembers stateside who did not support the war, “down-playing it” and asking, “why were we there?” Bob emphasizes that, to him, that was a “politics-type decision by them and I believed in our country and I believed our leaders knew what they were doing.” Bob reflects on serving in the military until 1990, during the transition to an All-Volunteer Force. He notes the increasing presence of women in the military and their ability to do many roles that men can do. In the years after Vietnam, Bob was an instructor in Signal School in the US and in Germany. To this day, Bob likes talking to other veterans about the war and hearing their stories. His views on the war have not changed since returning home in 1969. He reiterates that he would “rather fight in their country than ours” and that American leadership knew what they were doing.

Section 9: Bob has not been to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC but has visited the replica. He knows one person on the Wall.

Section 10: While Bob has not been back to Vietnam, he would like to visit the country today to travel around and take in its beauty.