Living Histories
To Honor, Educate and Preserve our History by Remembering and Honoring our Veterans.
Vietnam Army Ranger Tales
Vietnam Army Ranger Tales By Phil Mayrand Not all that happens in war is sad/grim/ugly. In 1969 while I was in Co. F, 75th. Inf. Rangers, several Ranger LRP (Long Range Patrol) Teams were sent TDY (temporary duty) to Tay Nihn. We were treated like 'redheaded...
I found this letter to Daddy in his files
I found this letter to Daddy in his files. It is from Mrs. Harriet Towers dated February 2, 1958. The postal service delivered mail then without all the “codes” they need now. Daddy knew “everyone” in the county and had written Mrs. Towers about selling property in...
A Tank Commander’s Story and the Luck of the Draw
There is a group photo on my wall, from my wife’s side of the family. It was taken a couple of years before Sy Smolen died. In the photo are 31 people, including Sy, who sits in the middle leaning on his cane. But for three factors—the right landing beach, an Army...
Bill Hudson Silent Warrior
The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas has the goals of honoring veterans, educating young and old, and preserving our proud history. Joni Pavlik, a museum volunteer, helps achieve these goals with her interview of a veteran and his story below. Bill Hudson grew...
David B. Grant: Phantom Pilot and Prisoner of War
On June 24, 1972, U.S. Air Force Captain David B. Grant was flying a mission from Thailand into conflict-ridden North Vietnam when his F-4 Phantom took a direct hit and exploded.
John Barker: Flying F-4 Phantoms Over Hanoi
Vietnam Veterans Series John Barker served two tours in Vietnam in 1967 and 1972, flying bombing raids in F-4 Phantoms in the Hanoi area. Below, in his own words, is Barker’s Vietnam story. I received my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in May 1965. A year...
Wendell “Ray” Alcorn: Seven Years a Prisoner of War
Vietnam Veterans Series By Michel Robertson Ray Alcorn grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. He served 30 years in the U.S. Navy including seven years as a prisoner of war. His last assignment before retirement as a Captain was as Dean of Students at the...
James Boatwright: Supporting Fellow Marines on the Ground
Vietnam Veterans Series James Boatwright: Supporting Fellow Marines on the Groundby Michel Robertson When asked about his tour in Vietnam, Purvis James Boatwright, Jr. responds with a mixture of enthusiasm and regret. During the war, Boatwright was a Captain in the...
Vietnam: Two Eras, Two Kinds of Warfare
Andrew “Gunny” Boyko joined the Marines in 1964 and was sent to Vietnam in August 1965. Reflecting on his time, Boyko notes that it was as if he went to two different wars. When he was in Vietnam from 1965-1966, the enemy was a guerrilla organization that did not...
USMC Tunnel Rat Urges PTSD Victims to Seek Help
Vietnam Veterans Series USMC Tunnel Rat Urges PTSD Victims to Seek Help By Michel Robertson USMC Tunnel Rat Urges PTSD Victims to Seek Help Building tunnels and forts with his friends in the swamps near Georgetown, S.C. offered young Earl “Flynn” Trimnal excellent...
The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas
21 East Main Street
Brevard, North Carolina 28712
Call: (828) 884-2141
Admission: FREE
Open: Tues-Sat, 11am to 3pm
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