Interview with William R. Black, Jr., June 24, 1985

Interview Summary

William Black describes education and early attitudes toward Vietnam. He describes his entrance into the Marine Corps and his training as a commissioned officer. He describes his first impressions upon arriving in Vietnam, his early combat experiences, and a serious bullet wound he received and the recovery process. He discusses his honesty in his correspondence with his parents. He describes his year of duty on board an aircraft carrier, and he explains his decision to then return to action in Vietnam as a Marines infantryman after a short visit to his home in Paducah, Kentucky. He tells of how he was assigned to an elite Force Reconnaissance unit and shortly thereafter was relieved of duty because he called in an Army unit as backup in a dangerous firefight. He describes how he was given another chance in the field, this time leading a Combined Action company that, despite being the least respected of Marine units, was more effective than any other unit he had seen in Vietnam because of its use of guerrilla tactics. He discusses the reasons for the American defeat, and he concludes with his observations on the treatment of Vietnam veterans and with his belief in the importance of historical preservation.

Interview Keyword

Aircraft carriers Anti-war protesters Combat Peace movements Tactics United States Navy Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American

Interview LC Subject

Anti-war demonstrations Marines Soldiers Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Veterans.

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.