Willie James Maffett's interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center
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- Опубліковано 11 кві 2021
- We welcome your comments on this interview at VeteransHistoryProject@AtlantaHistoryCenter.com
Catalog number: VIS 201.0695
In this interview, Willie Maffett recalls his experiences serving in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. He describes growing up in rural Alabama and his father's gentle leadership. He remembers attending segregated schools and how his father organized the first bus service for African American school children in their community. He attended college as a student athlete, but dropped out to earn enough money to continue attending and recalls getting his draft notice. He enlisted in the Army in order to secure his choice of duty stations and describes the induction center and his subsequent basic training in great detail. He recalls his first assignments in Germany, serving as a truck driver and as a courier. He remembers getting orders to Vietnam and describes his duties there, training Vietnamese soldiers to manage US Army maintenance records on their vehicles and heavy equipment. He recalls the Vietnamese people who worked in Army camps and how they were sometimes treated by US troops. He describes an incident when a Vietnamese woman hid him and his friends from North Vietnamese troops, saving their lives. He remembers racial tensions in Vietnam and the propaganda used by the North Vietnamese to encourage African American troops to rebel. He expresses his feelings about his service and his pride in being a Vietnam veteran.
To those Americans who served abroad, despite their treatment at home, you have my utmost respect.
Thank you for your service. A fellow Vietnam Veteran I Corp. Phu Bai/Hue/Khe Sanh 1967-1969
Welcome Home! Thank you for your service! 🇺🇲
I was stationed at 606th ord 1967-68
Welcome home fellow vet
Great Interview".."Appreciate that the interviewer".."allowed the Veteran to ruminate and take his time without excessive interjection"!!" Great Job"!!
Wow!!! Mr. Maffett nailed this one. Very nicely done, sir! I have watched many interviews with Vietnam vets, conducted by many different entities, and this one is one of the best. I was 14 when the U.S. left Vietnam so I can only experience what they went through vicariously through interviews like this one. This puts things in a very real perspective and I, again, thank Mr. Maffett for his perspective. Thank you sir for this!
15:34
Thank you Mr Moffet for your memories and your Service. I was in VN - Tonkin Gulf USS America 72-73. I wonder if you ever wished you had enlisted in the Navy? BTW - don’t pay any attention to the comment saying it wasn’t about race - oh yes it was!
it is always about race.
Incredible story. And thank you for serving.
I spent a year in Baumholder 1961-1962.Berlin crisis era. Great explanation of the VN war sir.
Thank You for your service SIR’
Thanks for your service and Welcome Home Sir ❤️🙏🇺🇸🌹
Appreciate your Service"..",,Mr Moffat".."A Bad Dude You Were"!!
I have listen to many of these interviews and yours is among the best. I have some pictures and videos I could share with you.
When I hear about how these men were treated when they came home. I just get sick to my stomach…
I just could never figure out how the people could be so ignorant and stupid. Looking at the way things are now with the media and politics.
I get it. These guys are hero’s. All of them
He thought KP was for patrolling the kitchens 😭😅
I love him sharing his own story and thank him for it. He seems like a kind and gentle man and we’re all lucky that he had the courage to serve our country. Bless him🫡🇺🇸
Thank you for unwavering service USA.
As much as I love the story of this man , but in Germany they drive on the same side of the road as in America ( Right side ), and the steeringwheel is on the same side as in the U.S. ( Left side), so I did not get that part of his story ( only in the U.K. and Ireland they drive on the other side and have steeringwheel on other side) !
I drove deuce-and-halfs in Germany for 2 years and never saw left side driving.
Fascinating.
MY MAN
Welcome home brother . I was a medic 68-71 and before I started medical AIT . I was selected to do a drivers schools for medics at Camp Bullis . On that "night " driving , you forgot . If you could only see one bar on the rear lights in front of you , you were too far back ! Two was just right , and three was too close :D Fort Rucker was Aviation AIT and pilot training . I was also in the FRG brother . I hated " Flick'n and Graf ' !! Yep , landed into RVN at CRB also . Same alert and hitting the bunker . I headed down to lll Corp though . There are two sides to the racial issues that happened in RVN . I had to go back to Long Binh one time for supplies . There were lots of brothers running around in large groups wearing Black Power fists , dapping and voicing their hate for whites . Also , there was resentment by others who had to go out and blacks didn't . Non- whites would die or get maimed in place of brothers who refused . It is way more than one sided of an issue . Stay strong brother !!
Lord please bless his nightmares and allow him to get off medications. Also, please preserve his life, we need him big time, healthy. Let these years be golden here on earth, and the ones to come platinum. Please bring more of these to attention and allow Americans to be able to use the info well. Not just here, but around the World of Yours. And ours. Amen.
They drive on the same side in germany
They drive on right side of road
6 commercials in 5 minutes
I don’t mean to be rude, but is he ok he’s speaking in such a slow careful way. I mean it hard to listen to him
Mr. Moffett suffered a stroke and is in recovery
Assume soldier
I will be nice. Having grown up in a Military family.I was raised to treat every one with respect.
I find a little added words to show disrespect to how Black people were treated.
Sorry. This is about VN. . Not about race relations.
I don’t believe his story.
You have a right to your opinion. Greetings from Africa
What profit would he make by lying and why would he when what he said was true all of it
Your white?
I guess you are qualified judge..you aren't treating this gentleman with respect that you were taught. They would not be taking his story if it wasn't true...but I don't know everything you do.
Thank you sir for your service! God bless you!
Zzz 😴