Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:52 | Growing up in Texas in a family with military history, Brice Barnes had a desire to enlist to help the world be a better place. Going into the Vietnam War, he understood and sympathized with the idea that the U.S. was looking to help the Vietnamese be better off.
Keywords : training enlistment difficult grunt Communism anti-communism Vietnam government
Leaving out of Travis Air Force Base, Brice Barnes remembers the stoic nature of the men he travelled over to Bien Hoa. Transitioning into the climate of Vietnam, he had a lot to get used to.
For new soldiers in Vietnam, more training was imperative to get them ready for the changes they would face in country. During a mission, Brice Barnes found a huge weapons cache that they were worried might be more heavily guarded than they expected.
Brice Barnes remembers having to talk sternly to some of his soldiers in order to ensure order within camp. After an incident at the Tet Offensive, he went through what he calls the longest day of his life, as he had to deal with an incredibly complicated situation.
Brice Barnes remembers his liking for Diane Warren's music and how it came to be a part of his time in Vietnam. As he and his battalion had to move around Vietnam, it was often very tough to move around due to poor road conditions.
Brice Barnes remembers his first operation providing security for Medical Civilian Action Program and the bartering he did with some Vietnamese children. After the Tet Offensive, he remembers having to deal with a lot of the bureaucracy that came with the ongoing war.
Brice Barnes remembers having a dinner with a Vietnamese Chief during the Tet celebrations, which led to a good relationship throughout the war. Coordinating with local agriculture was important for him as he tried to get help for the Vietnamese people.
After being transferred from Vietnam to Thailand, Brice Barnes returned home for the first time. Fortunately, he did not encounter protesters and felt welcome to be back in the United States.
After his first deployment, Brice Barnes was stationed in Thailand and then retired as a civilian in the Army National Guard. During Desert Storm, his unit was mobilized to provide support for training for that conflict.
Brice Barnes remembers some of the most important things he gained from his time in Vietnam. Though it was challenging at times, there was a lot to be gained from serving there.
