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American Heritage Center, Military History Subject Guide: Vietnam War

This guide serves as a brief overview of some of the collections held by the American Heritage Center relating to the topic of military history.

Vietnam War Quick Facts

Time Period: 1954-1975

North Vietnamese: North Vietnam, Viet Cong

South Vietnamese: South Vietnam, United States, South Korea, Thailand

Military Casualties:

North Vietnam: 1,100,000

South Vietnam: between 200,000 and 250,000

United States: 58,200

South Korea: 4,000

Thailand: 350

Civilian Casualties: As many as 2 million on both sides

 

Image: Senator Gale McGee's Visit to Vietnam, 1966, Coll. 9800, Gale W. McGee Papers, AHC. 

Information from Encyclopedia Britannica

Vietnam War Collections

Joseph Castro Papers, 1937-1970

Acc. #9081

In 1937, Joseph Castro enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He was stationed in North China from 1945-1946 and in Okinawa from 1961-1962. In 1969, Castro retired with the rank of Major.

The collection contains Castro's military records, correspondence, photograph albums, and other items from his military career. 

 

Floyd F. Dominy Papers, 1934-1970

Acc. #2129

In 1959, Floyd Dominy was appointed Commissioner of the United States Bureau of Reclamation and served in that position until 1969. Dominy's son, Charles, served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the Vietnam conflict.

The collection contains correspondence between Dominy and his son Charles while Charles was training and serving in Vietnam.

 

Johanna Gostas Papers, 1968-1973

Acc. #5497

Johanna Gostas served as the Wyoming coordinator for the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia. During the Tet Offensive, her husband, U.S. Army Major Theodore W. Gostas, was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese and was not released until March 1973. Johanna worked with national and state POW/MIA groups during the Vietnam War and served as a representative to a 1971 conference on P.O.W. treatment.

The collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other materials on groups related to Gostas' work as well as correspondence from other P.O.W. wives and families.

 

Donald Kirk Papers, 1965-1984

Acc. #9097

Donald Kirk was a journalist who covered South-East Asia for the Chicago Tribune during the Vietnam War.

The collection contains files on the Vietnam War and Asian affairs that Kirk kept for his work.

 

Gale W. McGee Papers, 1959-1976

Acc. #9800

Gale McGee served as a Wyoming Senator from 1959 to 1977. McGee supported involvement in the Vietnam War, foreign military aid to stop communism, and other issues of the time.

The collection contains documents relating to McGee's tenure as senator, including documents on issues he supported such as the Vietnam War.

 

Cao Ky Nguyen Papers, 1965-1987

Acc. #890

During the Vietnam War, Nguyen served in the Vietnamese Air Force and became commander after the 1963 overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem. In 1971, he attempted to become president of Vietnam but failed to win the election.

The collection contains correspondence, recordings, manuscripts and other materials about Nguyen's career as an important member of the South Vietnamese government and its military forces.

 

Ronald Steinman Journals, 1966-1968

Acc. #5744

Ronald Steinman served as a journalist for NBC in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

The collection contains journals of news stories Steinman wrote for NBC News in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1966-1968.

 

James Mitchell Swan Manuscript, 1982

Acc. #11172

James Swan served in the Vietnam War after being inducted into the U.S. Army in 1968. He wrote various letters to his family about his experiences in Vietnam which were assembled into an unpublished manuscript by his mother after his death in 1971.

The collection contains a photocopy of the unpublished manuscript, "I Don’t Believe in War at All: Personal Letters of James Mitchell Swan."