Orlo Steele oral history interview Digital Version Available

The Scope and Contents note of this oral history was originally generated by feeding the electronic transcript into OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o on 2024 August 19. It was then reviewed and edited by a human.

Oral history interview with Orlo K. Steele for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Steele recounts his early life and education, growing up in California and attending Stanford University. He details his decision to join the Marine Corps following graduation and his eventual commissioning as a Marine Corps officer. He describes assignments in Okinawa, Japan and as a series officer at the San Diego recruit depot, where he oversaw training after a tragic incident at Parris Island. Steele details his deployment to Vietnam in 1967, including his involvement in the Tet Offensive and intense fighting in Hue, highlighting the high morale among Marines despite heavy casualties. He reflects on his time at Dartmouth as a Marine Officer Instructor, navigating the anti-war sentiment and the controversy surrounding ROTC on campus. Steele also discusses his close bonds with fellow Marines and the post-war challenges faced by the military, noting eventual improvements in recruitment and standards.