Oral history interview with David L. Weiss, [sound recording], 2004.

ArchivalResource

Weiss, David L., 1942-. Oral history interview with David L. Weiss, [sound recording], 2004.

Oral history interview with David L. Weiss, [sound recording], 2004.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/773284051

David L. Weiss, an Omro, Wisconsin native, discusses his service as a radio traffic analyst in the Army during the Vietnam War. He talks about being unable to enlist in the National Guard during the Berlin Crisis and instead enlisting in the Army Security Agency. Weiss comments on being able to sleep anywhere during basic training at Fort Leonard Wood (Missouri) and training as a traffic analyst at Fort Devens (Massachusetts). He describes his work analyzing radio code traffic patterns and states he was a "glorified clerk-typist." Assigned to Vietnam, he talks about being sent over as an "advisor" rather than a soldier, his psychological reaction to the assignment, the airplane trip via Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines, and the buildup activity he witnessed. In 1963, Weiss recalls seeing planes take off to bomb the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia. Stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base with the 3rd Radio Research Unit for his first three months, he describes seeing Saigon, living conditions on the base, and a typical duty day. Weiss mentions receiving copy of radio traffic from the French in Laos until they left the country. He discusses witnessing political disarray, being issued an old, unreliable weapon, accidentally firing a pistol outside the American Embassy, and wearing khaki uniforms. He speaks of James T. Davis, the first Army Security Agency soldier killed during the war. Transferred to Da Nang, Weiss details his airplane's taking a detour to deliver an engine to a Special Forces base in the highlands and helping to push the engine onto the runway under fire. He portrays meeting the journalist Richard Tregaskis. Weiss describes the base facilities in Da Nang, his duty there, and tactics the enemy later developed to throw off direction-finding. He recalls his surprise at seeing local Christmas decorations, his awareness of the Buddhist protests, regularly interacting with Vietnamese civilians at a bar, and the wild drinking habits of the men in his unit. Weiss explains the bartering between military branches in Da Nang for food and weapons, and he characterizes a respected, seventeen-year-old second lieutenant. Reassigned to Phu Bai in February of 1963, Weiss talks about security concerns, getting nervous about his safety as his time in country grew short, and reporting an attack that turned out to be someone's accidentally wandering into friendly night maneuvers. He touches on working with Marines of the Naval Security Group, seeing newcomers go through a phase of psychological reaction dubbed "the crazies," and having a cigar with General David M. Shoup. Weiss analyzes his impressions of the Vietnam War and the capabilities of the United States military. He touches on his homecoming and getting discharged the day before his unit was reactivated to go back to Vietnam.

Sound recording : 2 sound cassettes (ca. 85 min.); analog, 1 7/8 ips.Master sound recording : 2 sound cassettes (ca. 85 min.); analog, 1 7/8 ips.Transcript : 36 p.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center