David R. Bockel's interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center

VIS 201.0566
In this interview, Major General (Ret.) David R. Bockel relates his experiences in the Army during the Vietnam War. He reflects on his childhood, his birth in Dallas, moving to Chicago and Jacksonville, Florida, and attending college at the University of Alabama. His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Russia and Rumania and his father was born in London, England. He relates that he attended ROTC classes at the University of Alabama because they were required courses at land-grant colleges. He describes his training, journey to, and arrival in Vietnam. He details his duties as well as conditions there. He tells of meeting his cousin in Vietnam. He explains how he brought back a Chinese type-53 carbine, obtained during Operation Junction City. He chronicles his career in the Army Reserves after his return from Vietnam. He tells of a trip to Normandy for memorial ceremonies with the 90th Division. He relates what it was like on September 11th, 2001, when he worked at the Pentagon.