- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of Charles L. Singleton
- Creator:
- Bruckner, William Joseph, 1944-
Singleton, Charles L., 1947- - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2020-01-17
- Subject:
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American
Vietnam War, 1961-1975--African Americans
Pheidole megacephala
Montagnards (Vietnamese people)
United States. Army. Cavalry Division, 1st - People:
- Smith, William Thomas, 1948-1969
Babcock, Robert O.
King, Martin Luther, Sr., 1899-1984 - Location:
- Cambodia, 13.0, 105.0
United States, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, 40.6501, -73.94958
United States, South Carolina, Dorchester County, Summerville, 33.0185, -80.17565
Vietnam, Nha Trang, 12.2431693, 109.1898675 - Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
- Type:
- MovingImage
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, Charles Singleton recalls his experiences serving in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. He remembers growing up on a farm in South Carolina and describes his education and family members and ancestors who served in the military, including a cousin who was killed in action in Vietnam. He recalls teaching junior high school in Brooklyn, New York and being drafted. He remembers his training; getting orders to Vietnam; and his impressions upon arrival, including seeing all the body bags at the airport. He describes his unit; how his platoon leader mentored him; and how young his fellow soldiers were. He recalls being in several ambushes and firefights and describes those experiences as well as his interactions with the indigenous Montagnard people and the Cambodian scout with whom his unit worked. He describes going home at the end of his tour and his post-military life and activities. He recalls experiences he had in college at the time of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination and reflects on the racial composition of his unit in Vietnam and how much the men depended on each other.
Stephen Decatur Junior High School (Brooklyn); Phuoc Vinh; Black Virgin Mountain; Saigon; Foster, Eddie; Jones, J. J.; Savath Som (Cambodian scout); Houston, Sam; Brown, Charlie (KIA); "I'm Ready to Talk" (book); 2nd Battalion of the 12th Cavalry; "Shake 'N Bake"; NCO School; walking point; "shackle"; Fire Base Nancy; Claymore mines; firefight; reconnaissance; Tactical Operations Center (TOC); conscientious objector; HBCU; race; self-segregation; "big headed ant"
Charles Singleton served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/824
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 2:04:17
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Contributing Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
