Oral history interview with Robert Drummond, [sound recording], 2006.

ArchivalResource

Drummond, Robert, 1947-. Oral history interview with Robert Drummond, [sound recording], 2006.

Oral history interview with Robert Drummond, [sound recording], 2006.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/757936351

Robert Drummond, a Chicago, Illinois native, discusses his Vietnam War service with the 264th Transportation Company. Drummond discusses dropping out of high school, his motivations for enlisting in the Army, and the reactions of his family and friends. Sent to basic training at Fort Polk (Louisiana), he mentions disliking the snakes and states bulls and cows were allowed to wander camp. He speaks of being sent to pole climbing school for a week before being reassigned as a stevedore in the newly-formed 264th Transportation Company at Fort Eustis (Virginia). Drummond describes flying overseas on a C-130 and arriving in Cam Ranh Bay (Vietnam). At Cam Ranh, he discusses the routine of loading and unloading ships out on the water, military life, an unloading mishap, and the types of cargo he handled. Drummond states, "It wasn't like a part of Vietnam, you know. It was just like being here in the stateside." He describes participating in Operation Oregon: setting up an ammunition dump on the beach at Duc Pho, standing watches in his camp, and hearing battleship artillery rounds pass overhead. Drummond touches on seeing his wife while on R&R in Hawaii and trading with a Republic of Korea Marine for a carbine. Drummond details the ammo dump catching fire, running for safety, and losing all his possessions in the fire. He states, "Some of the guys didn't even have clothes with them because they had been down there swimming in the ocean." After starting to set up a new base, Drummond recalls someone scrounging for ammo in the old base site causing another explosion by accidentally triggering some dead rounds. He tells of another, similar loss of possessions after an airplane accidentally dropped a bomb near the loading area. Drummond explains that the only object to survive in the whole company area was a prayer book from his footlocker, which he later donated to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. He touches on his homecoming, having a furlough, and assignment to a maintenance battalion at Fort Riley (Kansas), where he was in charge of the pallbearers and did military funerals all over the state of Kansas. Drummond states the hardest duty he had while in service was presenting flags to the next-of-kin of deceased soldiers. Sent next to a maintenance company in Karlsruhe (Germany), he describes duty operating a rough terrain forklift. He comments on the tendency not to talk about experiences in Vietnam. After being discharged, Drummond states he was no longer satisfied to work in a factory, so he got a job with United Airlines at O'Hare Field loading and unloading planes while using the GI Bill to go to engineering school at night. He discusses his activities with VFW Post 1318, including being on the Madison Area Firing Squad for military funerals.

Sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 47 min.); analog, 1 7/8 ips.Master sound recording : 1 sound cassette (ca. 47 min.); analog, 1 7/8 ips.Transcript : 28 p.Military papers : 0.1 linear ft. (1 folder)

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center