Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Bill Knowlton

Vietnam | 5th Special Forces Group

Bill Knowlton got a new assignment after working on Revolutionary Development. Sent to Detachment A4, he’d end up joining a group that would fight in the Battle of Nui Coto. The Composition Force made up of Vietnamese and other mercenary groups of Southeast Asia would go up against entrenched NVA and VC soldiers. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (8:34)
Bill Knowlton recalls leading a very successful ambush on a supply line moving through Cambodia. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (4:41)
Bill Knowlton tells some stories about the men he served with during his time with 5th Special Forces and the sort of conditions they had to work through at their camp. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (7:23)
When his tour was ending, the Special Forces camp was being transitioned to be operated by the RFPFs. While they were doing training in the field, a MAC-V group came to be pinned down and Bill Knowlton recalls taking a group of men to pull them out, for which he was awarded the Silver Star. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (4:21)
On his second tour in Vietnam, Bill Knowlton was sent to the 3rd Battalion, where he was tasked with cleaning out ambush sites. He was promoted to Company Commander where he visited his platoons and taught them how to fight. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (5:49)
Bill Knowlton was sent to the Battle of Whiskey Mountain on the outskirts of Phan Thiet. The fighting was extremely close due to the heavy bamboo, and quickly he lost his platoon and squad leaders. He recalls the extreme consequences of this battle, which earned him his second Silver Star. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (9:42)
Bill Knowlton tell the story of a close friend of his, Terry Weaver, who was paralyzed by a flechette round during battle. That didn’t stop him from living a great life after the war. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (6:33)
When Bill Knowlton returned home from Vietnam, he didn’t shy away from letting people know he was a veteran. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (2:23)
Bill Knowlton wants people to know about the caliber of men he served with in Vietnam and how we should hold them in our memory. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas.- https://theveteransmuseum.org/) (5:02)
Bill Livingstone

WWII | 334th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force

He failed his first eye test because of color blindness, but at the next level a sympathetic officer allowed Bill Livingstone to enter the Air Corps. Eventually he did get disqualified from pilot training, but they decided he'd make a fine aircraft mechanic. (5:56)