Daniel D. Nixon oral history interview

Oral history interview with Daniel D. Nixon, Class of 1955, for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Nixon describes his childhood growing up during the Depression in California and Pennsylvania and shares how his family physician was a Dartmouth graduate and encouraged and sponsored him to attend the college. Nixon discusses his academic transition to Dartmouth as a difficult one. He shares his feelings about the college and his continued close relationships with his fraternity brothers from Tau Epsilon Phi, a Jewish fraternity during that time. He discusses his time in medical school at the University of Pittsburgh and various residencies and internships in oncology and hematology. Nixon tells of his time in Vietnam as a participant in the Berry Plan. He discusses basic training at Fort Sam in Texas, and Fort Ord in California. He describes his path to how he eventually ended up in Vietnam in August 1966. He shares how he was sent to Cam Ranh Bay to work at the 6th Convalescent Center. Nixon describes his experience as a military doctor while in Vietnam. He shares how he was later sent to setup the 12th Evacuation Hospital at C? Chi Base Camp. Nixon discusses why he was sent home early on compassionate leave. His wife, Tamara Nixon, briefly speaks to the interviewer about her experience corresponding to her husband while he was serving in Vietnam. Nixon describes how he was sent to work at Valley Forge Army Hospital outside of Philadelphia, when he returned from Vietnam. Nixon shares his feelings about antiwar protestors and his sense of duty and pride in having served his country. Nixon returns for a second interview to discuss his experience with the VA hospital, exposure to Agent Orange and diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Nixon died on January 18, 2021.