Oral history of Raymond Zieverink
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by John Richter with Sonar Technician Second Class Raymond Zieverink on March 19, 2014. Born on November 16, 1946, Zieverink volunteered for the United States Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army for Vietnam.
After completing basic training, he volunteered for submarine duty and underwent submarine school. In 1967, he was assigned to the USS Lapon, a fast attack nuclear submarine. As sonar technician, he played a key role in tracking underwater activity, listening for enemy submarines, surface ships, and potential threats. He recalls long patrols, including operations above the Arctic Circle and Cold War surveillance missions. He also talks about how life aboard a submarine was both demanding and close-knit, with 18 hour workdays and limited space.
2014-03-19
Oral history of Allen Easterday
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Jeff Fulton with Allen Easterday on February 22, 2013. Born in 1932, Allen Easterday served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, where he was assigned to a destroyer escort as a disbursing clerk.
Easterday shares memories of his early life, enlistment, naval training, and the daily challenges of life aboard a warship. He recounts a harrowing experience when his ship was struck by shore bombardment, detailing the impact it had on him and his crewmates. He also discusses his responsibilities as the ship's disbursing clerk and how his time in the Navy shaped his post-service life.
2013-02-22
Oral history of Frank Surratt
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by John Richter with Staff Sergeant Frank Surratt on March 23, 2014. Born on January 30, 1937, Surratt enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1961 to avoid the draft.
Surratt was assigned to the 108th Training Division in Concord, NC. He specialized in infantry and office management. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, his unit was placed on high alert, preparing for a potential invasion of Cuba. He trained Cuban recruits in battlefield first aid, managing large groups and conducting life-saving medical drills under military supervision.
2014-03-23
Oral history of Bob Robbins
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Caleb Hawkins with Sergeant Bob Robbins on November 25, 2013. Born on July 2, 1986, Robbins enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 2006.
In 2010, Robbins deployed to Afghanistan as part of a route clearance unit, arriving first in Kandahar before moving to Jalalabad. His unit conducted sweeps for explosives and direct interactions with local villagers. After relocating to the Kandahar Province, his mission became more intense, with his team regularly uncovering IEDs. In 2011, while responding to an IED strike, Robbins' vehicle was hit by an IED, injuring his foot and leading to his evacuation from Afghanistan. Robbins was medically discharged and returned to Clemson to continue his education.
2013-11-25
Oral history of Joseph Snyder
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Jeff Fulton with Specialist Joseph Snyder on September 29, 2013. Born on February 10, 1985, Snyder enlisted in the United States Army Reserves with the 323rd Engineer Company.
In 2010, Snyder deployed to Afghanistan as part of a route clearance unit, responsible for detecting and neutralizing IEDs. He describes the intensity of Operation Strong Eagle, during which his unit was ambushed and encountered heavy fire. He served as the lead truck driver and recounts the psychological challenge of navigating IED-laden roads, often witnessing explosions that hit the vehicles behind him while his own truck remained intact. Returning home, Snyder had a difficult time readjusting to civilian life and reenlisted in 2013, wanting to commit to a 20-year career in the Army.
2013-09-29
Oral history of Brian Shamis
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Averi Brice with Petty Officer Brian Shamis on April 4, 2023, in Clemson, SC. Born in September 1973, Shamis joined the United States Coast Guard influenced by his experience being rescued by the Coast Guard after becoming stranded on an island as a teenager.
Shamis enlisted in 1993 and his first assignment was aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Messenger, a tugboat at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. He worked as a fireman's apprentice maintaining ship engines and assisting with ship movements and repairs. He went on to become a machinery technician and transferred to Southwest Harbor, Maine, where he served as boat engineer and boarding officer conducting fisheries inspections. In his final two years, Shamis transitioned to the Coast Guard Reserve in Savannah, Georgia, and then attended Clemson University.
Oral history of Caroline Dawson
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Lindsay Odom with Caroline Dawson on November 16, 2015. Born on March 3, 1921, Dawson served in the American Red Cross from 1943 to 1944, working in hospital recreation at Camp Butner, NC.
Growing up during the Great Depression, she experienced a close-knit community that supported one another through hardship. After college, she felt compelled to contribute to the war effort and was recruited into the Red Cross, training in Washington, D.C. at American University. She describes her daily responsibilities coordinating activities for wounded and recovering soldiers, including leading games, showing films, and organizing crafts. She recalls the segregated hospital wards, meeting boxer Joe Louis who visited the hospital to boost morale, and the importance of small comforts, such as Red Cross Christmas packages for the troops.
2015-11-16
Oral history of Miles Nuckolls
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of a virtual interview conducted by Carter Walsh with Staff Sergeant Miles Nuckolls in 2024. Born August 11, 1989, Nuckolls enlisted in the United States Army in 2008.
After completing basic and medical training at Fort Sam Houston, he attended Airborne School at Fort Benning, where he was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy. In November 2009, he deployed to Afghanistan, where he operated as a platoon medic in the Paktika Province. He recalls many night operations and long-range reconnaissance missions and notes that his unit did not suffer any fatalities during the deployment. Following Afghanistan, Nuckolls was reassigned to Fort Bragg, where he worked with an engineer unit, a transition he found frustrating due to its slower operational tempo. In 2014, he returned to Italy, where he participated in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) training missions across 24 countries, working alongside allied forces to improve combat readiness. Leaving the Army in 2017, he soon after began pursuing a history degree at Clemson University.
2024
Oral history of John Brunskill
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Jeff Fulton with Corporal John Brunskill on September 29, 2013. Born on September 14, 1971, Brunskill joined the United States Army Reserves in 2008. He was assigned as a combat engineer with the 323rd Engineer Company and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Brunskill talks about the rigors of basic training at an older age and his role in route clearance missions. As lead truck gunner, he was responsible for convoy security and threat identification. He provides an account of Operation Strong Eagle in which his unit faced an intense ambush.
2013-09-29
Oral history of Robert Blackburn
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Daniel Mack with Staff Sergeant Robert Blackburn on August 27, 2012, in Clemson, SC. Born on March 30, 1979, Blackburn enlisted in the United States Army after 9/11. He was trained as an airborne infantryman, later completing the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
Blackburn talks about his combat experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom, fighting against Saddam Hussein's forces and securing the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk. He describes the shift in warfare as roadside bombs and insurgent tactics became more sophisticated. He speaks on his service in Operation Enduring Freedom, leading joint military operations from Bagram and navigating the harsh terrain and logistical challenges of combat in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Oral history of John McIntyre
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Austin Mall with Staff Sergeant John McIntyre on March 31, 2014. Born on February 2, 1922, McIntyre served in the United States Army during World War II. After enlisting in 1942, he trained as an engineer and led a squad that cleared mines and booby traps following the D-Day invasion.
McIntyre recounts landing on Utah Beach after D-Day, removing explosives set to deter Allied forces, and following the Third Army through France. He helped construct a staging area in Marseille for troops bound for the Pacific, though the war ended before deployment. Returning home in 1945, he used the GI Bill to attend Clemson University, where he studied textiles before opening his own business and caring for his family, with which he returned to Normandy decades later.
2014-03-31
Oral history of James Wall
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by John Richter with Captain James Wall on March 18, 2014. Born on March 18, 1920, Wall served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. After graduating from Texas A&M, he was called to active duty in 1941, initially serving in the War Department before transferring to flight training and becoming a fighter pilot.
Wall talks about flying P-51 Mustangs in combat missions over India, Burma, and China. He describes engaging in dogfights, engaging bombers, and striking enemy supply lines. During a mission in China, his plane was damaged by friendly fire, forcing him to bail out. He was captured by Chinese soldiers and given over to the Japanese and spent nine months as a prisoner of war. He details the harsh conditions of captivity before his eventual liberation at the war's end.
2014-03-18
Oral history of Walter Morgan
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Austin Mall with Petty Officer Second Class Walter Morgan on November 17, 2013. Born on April 30, 1925, Morgan enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943. After completing radio school, radar school and gunnery training, he was assigned to 85th Bombardment Group as a rear gunner and radar operator on Curtiss Helldiver bombers.
Morgan describes his intensive dive-bombing training where he witnessed fellow pilots lose their lives due to the extreme stress placed on aircraft during practice dives. After additional carrier landing training, he was assigned to the USS Shangri-La, a newly commissioned aircraft carrier that saw combat in the Pacific during the final months of the war. He recounts narrowly escaping enemy anti-aircraft fire over Kure Harbor, where his squadron successfully bombed the Japanese cruiser Oyodo and describes the intensity of kamikaze attacks. Morgan also reflects on the dropping of the atomic bombs and their continued operations until Japan's official surrender. He later participated in prisoner of war supply drops and the mass flyover of Japan to demonstrate US air power.
2013-11-17
Oral history of Howard Raines
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Will Hines with Private First Class Howard Raines on July 13, 2013. Born on April 7, 1923, Raines was drafted into the United States Army in 1944.
In early 1945, Raines deployed to Europe, arriving in France before being transported by cattle car train to the front lines in Germany. He was assigned to an anti-tank unit as an ammunition handler for a 105mm anti-tank gun tasked with supporting roadblock positions against potential German tank movements. After Germany's surrender, Raines was stationed in Waiblingen and later Heidelberg, where he spent several months guarding captured SS troops.
2013-07-13
Oral history of Jason Bradley
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Jeff Fulton with Captain Jason Bradley on November 20, 2013. Born on January 10, 1977, Bradley enlisted in the United States Army Aviation branch in 1994. He trained as an AH-64 Apache crew chief and was first stationed at Katterbach, Germany. He then moved to Camp Comanche in Bosnia and describes missions for Operation Joint Guard. After six years of active duty, he left the military in 2000 to pursue an engineering career with General Electric while completing his education.
In 2008, motivated by 9/11 and a desire to contribute as a leader, Bradley re-entered the Army as a direct-commissioned officer in the Engineer Corps. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, where he led a route clearance platoon tasked with detecting and neutralizing IEDs. He describes the intensity of Operation Strong Eagle, in which his unit faced an intense ambush.
2013-11-20
Oral history of Robert Garrett
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of a virtual interview conducted by Averi Brice with Danny Roach on December 15, 2024. Roach shares the story of his grandfather, Robert Garrett, born October 21, 1924, who served in the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II.
Garrett enlisted in the Army at age 17 because he had his birth certificate changed at 14 to allow him to work. He deployed to North Africa and then served all across Europe. During a battle in Belgium, Garrett and six other soldiers suffered a motor attack that killed three and wounded him and two others. Despite his own injuries, he helped evacuate a more severely wounded soldier before returning to combat the next day, earning a Purple Heart for his actions. He also received five Bronze Stars. As part of the Glider Infantry, he described the experience of landing in enemy territory in canvas-covered gliders, often under fire, referring to the bullets ripping through the canvas sounding like popcorn popping.
2024-12-15
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 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.
Oral history of Charles Norton
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Austin Mall with Lieutenant Colonel Charles Norton on April 1, 2014. Born on December 30, 1922, Norton served in the United States Air Force across three major conflicts: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he knew he had to serve in the military and was determined to fly.
Norton recounts the grueling experience of flight training, where instructors pushed cadets to their limits, and his training in jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia and Lawson Army Airfield. He describes the immense relief of finally earning his wings and the heartbreak of seeing others wash out. During and after World War II, he was stationed in Europe, where he helped establish early airline operations. His service continued into the Korean War, and later in Vietnam, where he commanded the 51st Bombardment Squadron, a B-52 squadron, leading bombing missions from bases in Guam.
2014-04-01
Oral history of Harold Koeplin
Clemson University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives A video recording of an in-person interview conducted by Cole Hawkins with Harold Koeplin on November 19, 2013. Born on May 8, 1926, Koeplin was drafted into the United States Army in 1944. He was deployed to Europe in early 1945, arriving just in time to take part in the Battle of the Bulge.
Assigned as a rifleman in Company K, 120th Infantry Regiment, Koeplin fought in the Ardennes Forest and into the Rhineland. On March 24, 1945, while crossing the Rhine River, he was wounded by a mortar shell, along with a fellow soldier. Evacuated to a field hospital in France, he recovered as the war came to an end. After returning home, he pursued higher education at Michigan State University, where he joined ROTC and was commissioned. During the Korean War, he served stateside at Fort Lawton, Washington.
2013-11-19