Robert S. McNamara: Oral Histories

Oral Histories are a great way to observe an individual’s actual experiences and perceptions of the war. The interviews are conducted with people after the events have occurred, sometimes right after the event or many years later. Most of the oral histories below show a brief biography of the subject, interview length and a typed transcript. Click on the gramophone icon to listen to the interview on your computer or the PDF icon to read the transcript.

General

  • Interview with William Tilton
  • Interview with James Parks
  • Interview with Frederick Frick
    • Item #: OH0055
    • Frederick Mark Frick Collection
    • Length: 01:58:57 hr/min/sec
    •  (USN) Captain Frick was present aboard the USS Maddox during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident. He served as a Lieutenant, Junior Grade and acted as Division Operations Officer. His duty station put Frick on the bridge, in CIC (Command Information Center) and the radio room. In his lengthy interview,... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Frederick Frick Link to Interview with Frederick Frick
  • Interview with James McLeroy
  • Interview with Michael Morea
  • Interview with Sam Johnson
    • Item #: OH0086
    • Sam Johnson Collection
    • Length: 01:41:23 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) (POW) Congressman Sam Johnson served two tours with the USAF in Vietnam. During his first tour (1965-1966) he served at MACV headquarters in Saigon in the Emergency Action Center. During his second tour (1966-1973) he served in Ubon, Thailand, flying an F-4 on trail interdiction and bombing m... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Sam Johnson Link to Interview with Sam Johnson
  • Interview with James Mulligan
    • Item #: OH0087
    • Jim Mulligan Collection
    • Length: 02:17:17 hr/min/sec
    •  (USN, POW) James Mulligan entered the United States Navy in 1944 at the age of seventeen. He eventually became a fixed wing aviator and flew A-1 Skyraiders and A-4 Skyhawks. In 1965, Captain Mulligan served with CAG9, 76th Squadron, onboard the USS Enterprise in the South China Sea. On March 20, 196... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with James Mulligan Link to Interview with James Mulligan
  • Interview with Harold Vorhies
  • Interview with Richard Marks
    • Item #: OH0146
    • Mr. Richard S. Marks Collection
    • Length: 02:33:28 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) Dick Marks served with the United States Air Force as a navigator on C-130 aircraft. He served two TDY (Temporary Duty) tours in 1965 with the 773rd Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 463rd Troop Carrier Wing, stationed out of Clark Airbase in the Philippines, flying missions throughout South Viet... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Richard Marks Link to Interview with Richard Marks
  • Interview with James Schill
    • Item #: OH0155
    • James Schill Collection
    • Length: 3:53:56 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) Dick Marks served with the United States Air Force as a navigator on C-130 aircraft. He served two TDY (Temporary Duty) tours in 1965 with the 773rd Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), 463rd Troop Carrier Wing, stationed out of Clark Airbase in the Philippines, flying missions throughout South Viet... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with James Schill Link to Interview with James Schill
  • Interview with Michael Mittelmann
    • Item #: OH0172
    • Michael Mittelmann Collection
    • Length: 07:06:30 hr/min/sec
    •  (USA) Dr. Michael Mittelmann was a physician in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1957-1967 and 1983-1995, both Active and Reserve duty. He served as an orthopedic surgeon in the 8th Field Hospital in Nha Trang, Republic of Vietnam, from March 1965 to March 1966. His positions included Chiefs of Orth... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Michael Mittelmann Link to Interview with Michael Mittelmann Link to Interview with Michael Mittelmann
  • Interview with Thomas Norris
    • Item #: OH0191
    • Thomas Norris Collection
    • Length: 1:32:29 hr/min/sec
    •  Thomas Norris discusses his experiences as a prisoner of war from 1967-1973. During this time, Norris was held captive in numerous camps, most notably Hoa Lo (the Hanoi Hilton). A recording of radio traffic of Norris being shot down in North Vietnam can be accessed in the Virtual Vietnam Archive wit... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Thomas Norris Link to Interview with Thomas Norris
  • Interview with George Thatcher
    • Item #: OH0196
    • George R. Thatcher Collection
    • Length: 1:52:14 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) Dr. George Thatcher was drated into the Air Force in 1951. In 1957 he entered OCS to go through pilot training and graduated in 1960. Dr. Thatcher became a B-52 pilot and from 1965 to 1966 he flew Arc Light missions out of Guam and into Vietnam. In 1969 Dr. Thatcher returned to Takhli Royal... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with George Thatcher Link to Interview with George Thatcher
  • Interview with William Charles Moore
  • Interview with Alan Osur
  • Interview with R. E. Dodson
  • Interview with Neal Creighton
  • Interview with Dennis Sullivan
    • Item #: OH0261
    • Gen. Dennis B. Sullivan Collection
    • Length: 02:15:13 hr/min/sec
    •  (USN, USAF, CIA) Dennis B. Sullivan, origianally from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, served (at different times) in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and Central Intelligence Agency from 1950 until 1982. Dennis attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1946 until 1950 and joined the Air Force upon graduation.... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Dennis Sullivan Link to Interview with Dennis Sullivan
  • Interview with Kenneth Kruger
    • Item #: OH0270
    • Mr. Kenneth Stanley Kruger Collection
    • Length: 02:21:13 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) Kenneth S. Kruger, originally from Oakland, California served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958 until 1966. He first went to Southeast Asia TDY in 1964 with the 347th Troop Carrier Squadron, 516th Troop Carrier Wing, Tactical Air Command, stationed in Okinawa. From there, Ken flew missions in... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Kenneth Kruger Link to Interview with Kenneth Kruger Link to Interview with Kenneth Kruger
  • Interview with Anthony Borra
    • Item #: OH0281
    • Anthony G. Borra Collection
    •  (USAF) Anthony G. Borra, originally from Queens, New York City, New York, served in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 until 1970. He spent 22 months in Southeast Asia as a C-130 pilot with the 772nd Tactical Airlift Squadron based in the Philippines (at both Mac Tan and Clark AFB). In country, Tony wa... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Anthony Borra Link to Interview with Anthony Borra Link to Interview with Anthony Borra Link to Interview with Anthony Borra
  • Interview with Frances Hamilton
    • Item #: OH0306
    • Francis Hamilton Collection
    • Length: 1:36:26 hr/min/sec
    •  (Civilian) Frances Hamilton, originally from Ocala, Florida is the wife of former U.S. Air Force pilot Richard Hamilton. In this interview, Frances discusses, among other subjects, life at home during her husband's two tours in Southeast Asia in 1965 and 1970, the spousal support system at home, t... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Frances Hamilton Link to Interview with Frances Hamilton
  • Interview with Raymond Merritt
    • Item #: OH0322
    • Mr. Raymond Merritt Collection
    •  (USAF) Raymond J. Merritt, originally from Portland, Oregon served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1947 until 1950 and in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 until 1979. Ray went to Asia in 1964 assigned to the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan. From... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Raymond Merritt Link to Interview with Raymond Merritt Link to Interview with Raymond Merritt Link to Interview with Raymond Merritt
  • Interview with Cecil Shrader
    • Item #: OH0332
    • Cecil L. Shrader Collection
    • Length: 4:44:32 hr/min/sec
    •  (USA) Cecil Shrader was born in West Virginia and was a 1958 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point. Trained as an armored weapons specialist, Cecil held a field command with a tank company in Korea before going to Vietnam. He commanded an aeroweapons platoon of C Troop, 1/9 of the Firs... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Cecil Shrader Link to Interview with Cecil Shrader
  • Interview with Ronnie Lee Houston
    • Item #: OH0344
    • Ronnie Lee Houston Collection
    • Length: 4:48:16 hr/min/sec
    •  (USAF) Ronnie Lee Houston was born in 1944 in Ozona TX and attended Texas Tech University before entering the Air Force. He completed Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, TX, and Navigator Training at Mather AFB, CA, as well as specialized weapons systems training for F-4 aircraft at Davis Mon... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Ronnie Lee Houston Link to Interview with Ronnie Lee Houston Link to Interview with Ronnie Lee Houston Link to Interview with Ronnie Lee Houston
  • Interview with Edwin L. Oswald
    • Item #: OH0362
    • Edwin Oswald Collection
    • Length: 9:42:59 hr/min/sec
    •  (USN) Edwin L. ('Larry') Oswald was born in Savannah GA in 1945, and graduated from Benedictine High School there in 1963. Larry held a Navy ROTC scholarship at Rice University, and after graduating in 1967 he attended the Navy Supply Corps School at Athens GA. In March 1968 he was assigned to Nav... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Edwin L. Oswald Link to Interview with Edwin L. Oswald
  • Interview with Patricia A. Warner
  • Interview with William LeGro
    • Item #: OH0431
    • Colonel William E. LeGro Collection
    • Length: 35:21:28 hr/min/sec
    •  In this interview Col. William E. LeGro describes his military career, which spanned from 1943 until 1977. Entering the military in 1943 as an enlisted soldier, LeGro served in the pacific duringWorld War II and left the military in 1945. In 1949, LeGro returned to the Army as an officer and retired... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with William LeGro Link to Interview with William LeGro
  • Interview with Gary Noller
  • Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard
    • Item #: OH0444
    • Dr. I. Thomas Sheppard Collection
    • Length: 17:33:51 hr/min/sec
    •  (USA) Tom Sheppard was born in 1930 in Orange NJ and attended the New York State Maritime Academy for two years. He was drafted into the US Army in 1951, completing Basic and AIT training at Fort Dix NJ. He completed Artillery OCS in 1952 and was commissioned as a Regular Army second lieutenant. Tom... (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard Link to Interview with I. Thomas Sheppard
  • Interview with Edward Nixon
    • Item #: OH0534
    • Edward Nixon Collection
    • Length: 40:44 hr/min/sec
    •  Edward Nixon (Civilian) is the younger brother of President Richard M. Nixon, whose administration lasted from 1969 to August 1974. Edward Nixon grew up in Whittier, California, and attended Duke University. Trained as a geologist, Edward has had a life-long interest in environmental matters. (open complete record
    • Link to Interview with Edward Nixon Link to Interview with Edward Nixon
  • Interview with Barry Zorthian
  • Interview with Roy Boehm