Interview with William J. Newman, Vietnam veteran. CCSU Veterans History Project

Interview conducted by Eileen Hurst. William Joseph Newman joined advanced ROTC at John Carroll University and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in August 1961 and then trained as a transportation officer at Ft Eustis, VA. In March 1962, he was assigned to the 17th Transportation Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division in Korea. He served for 13 months as the CO of an Armored Personnel (APC) Company on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The company participated in tactical training with infantry. It also trained for amphibious landings from Navy LST's. Lt Newman then transferred to the 333rd Intelligence Unit at Ft Eustis, VA. The unit surveyed port and transportation facilities on the East coast and Great Lakes and prepared a report for military use of port related facilities. In August of 1964 1st Lt Newman was assigned to the 5th Corps HQ Frankfurt, Germany as the CO of the 92nd Transportation Company. In April 1966 Captain Newman was ordered to Ft. Lewis, WA where he joined the 8th Transportation Group. The unit was shipped to Vietnam in October 1966. The unit and its equipment landed at Da Nang and then traveled to Qui Nhon where its equipment was offloaded. The 8th Group was assigned to the 27th Transport Battalion. Its task was to transport fuel and material from the coast to the central highlands in support of 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Cavalry at Anh Ke. Highway 19 from the coast to the central highlands was the transport route. The undermanned and lightly armed convoys were a frequent target of VC and later NVA units. In response to substantial losses the units developed armored Gun trucks, which served as convoy escorts. (see: http://academic.uofs.edu/faculty/gramborw/atav/guntrucks.htm ). Capt. Newman rotated out of Vietnam in Sept 1967 after which he left the service. He has been active in VFW matters since leaving the Army.
Coverage 1961-1967

Category:

Education

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• CCSU
• VHP
• Vietnam War
• veteran
• interview
• oral history
• Interactive transcript