Robert Goodell oral history interview

The Scope and Contents note of this oral history was originally generated by feeding the electronic transcript into OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4o on 2024 July 9. It was then reviewed and edited by a human.

Oral history interview with Robert Goodell, Dartmouth Class of 1958, for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project. Goodell begins by discussing his upbringing in Rumson, New Jersey, and the values instilled by his parents. He recounts his time at Dartmouth, where he earned a bachelor’s in English and MBA from Tuck School of Business as part of a five-year program. He describes his experience in the Navy ROTC at Dartmouth, participating in summer cruises that provided practical naval training. Goodell discusses his experience in the Navy following graduation, where he served as a supply officer on the USS Henderson, managing supplies and personnel. He reflects on his shore duty in Long Beach, California, and early insights into the Vietnam conflict from a roommate who served as an advisor there. Goodell discusses his civilian career at Procter and Gamble and his observations of Vietnam War protests in the San Francisco Bay area. He reflects on the ideological tensions of the time and expresses his belief that his military service was crucial in preventing the spread of communism.