Oral history of Ralph Keith
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an interview conducted by Sheryl Moss with Ralph Keith on April 8, 2024, in Townville, SC. Keith was drafted into the United States Army in 1969 amid the Vietnam War.
Keith deployed to Vietnam in 1970 with the 199th Infantry Brigade. Initially assigned to a line company, he was soon wounded by friendly fire, sustaining permanent hearing loss in his right ear. He was reassigned to headquarters company, where he established forward firebases, constructed defensive positions and managed maps. Keith talks about the harsh conditions of Vietnam from extreme heat and heavy rains to mosquito infestations. Returning to the United States in 1971, Keith pursued his dream of becoming an architect, earning a degree from Clemson University in 1975.