Melvin “Kent“ Sharp’s interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center

We welcome your comments on this interview at VeteransHistoryProject@ Catalog number: VIS In this interview, Kent Sharp recalls his service in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. He describes being drafted in 1969 and explains his knowledge about and attitude toward the war at that time. He remembers his training and describes his first impressions of Vietnam and his first assignments. He comments on the food and living conditions there and describes an incident where he became stuck in the thick mud of the Delta while on patrol. He remembers the camaraderie among his unit and recalls friendships he made with those of different backgrounds and ethnicities than his own. He comments on the Vietnamese people and remembers incidents where his sniper squad used booby traps to capture enemy weapons and kill enemy troops who were scavenging their abandoned camp. He recalls his return home as a painful experience and reflects on his military service and how it infor