Francis (Bud) McGrath oral history interview

Oral history interview of Francis C. “Bud” McGrath, Class of 1964, for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. McGrath shares details about his childhood in Massachusetts and later his transition to Dartmouth. He explains how he began as an engineering major but quickly began looking for a new major and became an English major. He discusses his participation in Alpha Theta fraternity, the Newman Club, and played on the hockey team. He describes his involvement with the Army ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps]. McGrath explains how he went directly into the Army after graduation. McGrath discusses why he selected to take a regular commission and his time spent in the Army. McGrath tells how he began in Germany for two year, went to Fort Huachuca in Arizona to train soldiers going to Vietnam, and finally was sent to Vietnam for one year beyond his initial commitment to the military. He discusses his job as a company commander and what his experience was in Vietnam. McGrath shares how he became disillusioned and untrusting of the Army during his year in Vietnam. He describes his transition back to the United States after his tour in Vietnam and. how he became involved in antiwar activities as a graduate student at the University of Texas, Austin. McGrath describes his career path after graduate school. McGrath describes his involvement with Professor Edward Miller’s course at Dartmouth.