Oral history interview with David F. Hosking [sound recording], 2004.

ArchivalResource

Hosking, David F., 1944-. Oral history interview with David F. Hosking [sound recording], 2004.

Oral history interview with David F. Hosking [sound recording], 2004.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/757934751

David F. Hosking, a Clay Hill, Wisconsin native, discusses his service in the Army during the Vietnam War and his career in the National Guard. While working for Oscar Mayer after high school, Hosking talks about his awareness of the war and being drafted. He discusses basic training at Fort Leonard Wood (Missouri), airframe repairman training at Fort Eustis (Virginia), having orders to Germany cancelled, and being assigned to go to Vietnam with the 604th Transportation Company. He touches on the reaction of his family, having ten days of leave, and duty guarding the laundry room on the troop ship during the ride over. Hosking describes his first impressions upon arrival in Qui Nhon, setting up camp in Pleiku, and tricks for making tents resistant to monsoons and shrapnel. He portrays his attitude upon arrival as "we'll just do what we gotta do" and how it changed to frustrated later in the war. Hosking touches on working with aircraft sheet metal and later being promoted to head of the sheet metal shop. He speaks of being encouraged by a friend to be a door gunner and volunteering with the 119th Assault Helicopter Company. Hosking explains he made an agreement with a different friend to extend their overseas service three months, although his friend ended up being wounded and sent home early. Hosking portrays a typical day in the sheet metal shop, the crude equipment, and the types of helicopters they patched up. He talks about duty as a door gunner, watching the troops jump into the drop zone, and dropping brass on the tin roof of a bar as a practical joke. He provides examples of the ingenuity of American troops in improvising with equipment. Hosking addresses being under fire as a door gunner and describes the conflicting emotional reactions he had during combat and close calls. He tells of his first time seeing a minigun, coming under sniper fire while on guard duty, and mortar attacks. Hosking recalls seeing two Montagnard tribesmen turn themselves in for helping mortar the base; the Montagnards explained their families had been held hostage, and the two identified Viet Cong members working construction inside the base. He tells a story of a friend's brother being killed and talks about seeing Bob Hope and Ann Margaret, who came to perform USO shows. Hosking describes his contact with Vietnamese civilians, including a mama-san, reflects on not trusting any of them to not be Viet Cong, and tells of recognizing them among the dead Viet Cong after attacks. He touches on the procedure for rescuing downed helicopter crews, recalls a funny story about the failure of some Hawaiian troops to cook a pig, and states the aircraft parts supply was inadequate. Hosking talks about food, the quality of his officers, and his awareness of what his missions were. He states the worst day was when he heard that China had entered the war. Hosking comments on R & R in Bangkok, transportation back to the States, and his homecoming to Wisconsin. He examines his opinions about protestors and about his own experiences. He tells of being tracked down by a friend from service, working for the Madison Vet Center, joining American Legion post 313 in Black Earth (Wisconsin), and retiring from the National Guard. Inspired by the activity of a Madison aviation unit, Hosking talks about joining the National Guard with the intention of flying for a few years and staying in for over twenty years because he enjoyed the camaraderie. He touches on his experiences in Iraq: brutal sandstorms, well-cared for equipment, and door gunner duty on Blackhawk helicopters. Addressing the two wars, he briefly compares the inability to identify the enemy and contrasts the casualty rates. Hosking explains his respect for other veterans and their families, and he highlights the special camaraderie between Vietnam War veterans.

Sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 55 min.) : analog, 1 7/8 ips.Master sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 55 min.) : analog, 1 7/8 ips.Transcript : 31 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center