Voices of the Past Speak to the Future Veteran’s Oral History

Project

Army Heritage Center

Foundation

1960: Early Cold War and Lead

to Vietnam War Background

Lt Col (Ret) Clarence BouchatSilver Springs Veterans Memorial Committeebouchatc@hotmail.com

Silver Springs Veterans Memorial

- OHP Veterans Liaison- Mission:

- Honor veterans’ sacrifice - Motivate others to service

– local to national- Post Oral History on web

- Interview of veteran- Reflection Piece

- Volunteer Opportunities

http://www.sstveteransmemorial.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page1.html

America in 1960- People - population: 179 million - 41% rural - life expectancy: 69 yrs - new: polio vaccine

- US Economy Dominates

- Economy size: $2.4 trillion, or $13,414 /person - 11% farmers, 33% factory workers—30% women - 43% graduate high school, only 8% college - car: $2100, gas: 17c/gl, teacher earns: $4800/yr - new: 2000 computers in use throughout USA

America in 1960 - Entertainment: - Music: The Twist

- Movie: Dr Strangelove ‘64 - TV: Flintstones - new: Dominoes Pizza-Politics in change - JFK youngest president - Alaska and Hawaii become states ‘59 - Cold War – Sputnik ‘57, Castro ‘59, Berlin ‘61 -- Vietnam – 800 advisors in ‘60, 16,000 in ‘64 - Civil Rights – Greensboro Woolworth’s sit-in

OHP Veterans Background - Combat Veterans - 7 Cold War, 4 Vietnam vets

-- 6 Army, 4 AF, 1 Navy -- subs, airborne, fighter pilot

-Only 10% in combat - medical, maintenance, trainer

-Between WW2 and VN - America changing rapidly - Great technological advances - America leads the world in everything - Exercises; Wars are small, limited, many, global

OHP Veterans Today - Today how old is a soldier who was 19 in 1960? - not as technology savvy as you - plagued by old age aliments, or old war wounds - may be irritable: not as strong or independent - some will confuse events, 50 years later - some may become incapacitated or die

TSgt Richard C. Smith, US Army, WWII

Interacting with Veterans- Be patient and accommodating - ask about training, duties, what it meant to serve - be prepared, respectful, reliable, punctual - for some this will be first time talking about war - communicate often – use postal mail too!

- Start with prepared questions then ad lib- Use AHEC overview questions given to you- Record music from that era and play to start meeting- Ask to see photos or memorabilia and ask questions

Any Questions?

Clarence Bouchat, veteran’s laision bouchatc@hotmail.com 717-691-7239