Oral history of Matthew Brinkley
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Nolan Wilbur with Specialist Matthew Brinkley on March 31, 2023 in Clemson, SC. Born on December 1, 1988, Brinkley enlisted in the United States Army in 2009.
After training, Brinkley became an all-source intelligence analyst. In November 2010, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, as part of Operation New Dawn, serving with the 163rd Armored Regiment. He was tasked with conducting intelligence analysis, monitoring unmanned aerial vehicles, and providing briefings for patrols. He describes experiencing frequent indirect fire attacks, the dangers of counterinsurgency warfare, and the emotional toll of losing fellow soldiers. A particularly difficult moment came while at Victory Base Complex in Iraq, when a roadside bomb hidden in his base's perimeter wall killed two soldiers whom he had briefed before their mission. Brinkley was medically discharged in 2013 and worked in defense contracting and intelligence analysis for several years before deciding to complete his degree. Now a student at Clemson University, he is active in the Veteran Resource Center.
Oral history of Joyce Robinson
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Captain Joyce Robinson on November 10, 2015. Born on August 4, 1920, Captain Robinson served in the United States Army during and after World War II. Inspired by her college classmates entering military service, she pursued officer training and joined the Women's Army Corps. She specialized in languages and intelligence, which led to her assignment in postwar Japan.
Robinson recounts her Japanese training at the University of Michigan and her deployment to Japan during the American occupation. She describes her work in intelligence, managing Japanese staff and monitoring communications for anti-American sentiment. She reflects on the strict discipline under General Douglas MacArthur's command and the Japanese's cooperative attitude. She also discusses her time working in the Pentagon in military intelligence, handling classified documents related to Latin America. After leaving the military, Robinson traveled through South America, working in embassies and private companies where she met her husband, a United States diplomat.
Oral history of Joyce Robinson
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Captain Joyce Robinson on November 10, 2015. Born on August 4, 1920, Captain Robinson served in the United States Army during and after World War II. Inspired by her college classmates entering military service, she pursued officer training and joined the Women's Army Corps. She specialized in languages and intelligence, which led to her assignment in postwar Japan.
Robinson recounts her Japanese training at the University of Michigan and her deployment to Japan during the American occupation. She describes her work in intelligence, managing Japanese staff and monitoring communications for anti-American sentiment. She reflects on the strict discipline under General Douglas MacArthur's command and the Japanese's cooperative attitude. She also discusses her time working in the Pentagon in military intelligence, handling classified documents related to Latin America. After leaving the military, Robinson traveled through South America, working in embassies and private companies where she met her husband, a United States diplomat.