Marion F. "Sonny" Smith snapshots, 1966-1967.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)
Description
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Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Special Collections - Upon Request | Workroom range 2 section 7 | Library Use Only |
Subjects
LC Subjects
Airborne operations (Military science).
Ambushes and surprises.
Bie̲n HoaÌ⁰ (Vietnam) -- Photography.
Booby traps.
Military training camps -- Vietnam (Republic).
Operation Revenge, 1967.
Smith, Marion F. -- (Sonny) -- 1939-
Soldiers -- Recreation.
Soldiers -- Training of -- United States.
Soldiers -- United States -- Conduct of life.
United States. -- Army -- Military life -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
United States. -- Army. -- Airborne Brigade, 173rd.
United States. -- Army. -- Drill and tactics.
United States. -- Army. -- Parachute Regimental Combat Team, 503rd.
United States. -- Army. -- Parachute troops.
Vietnam (Republic).
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Campaigns.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- History -- Sources.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Jungle warfare.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Photography.
Ambushes and surprises.
Bie̲n HoaÌ⁰ (Vietnam) -- Photography.
Booby traps.
Military training camps -- Vietnam (Republic).
Operation Revenge, 1967.
Smith, Marion F. -- (Sonny) -- 1939-
Soldiers -- Recreation.
Soldiers -- Training of -- United States.
Soldiers -- United States -- Conduct of life.
United States. -- Army -- Military life -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.
United States. -- Army. -- Airborne Brigade, 173rd.
United States. -- Army. -- Drill and tactics.
United States. -- Army. -- Parachute Regimental Combat Team, 503rd.
United States. -- Army. -- Parachute troops.
Vietnam (Republic).
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Campaigns.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- History -- Sources.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Jungle warfare.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Photography.
Other Subjects
More Details
Format
Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material
Physical Desc
98 photographs (snapshots) : b&w.
Language
English
Notes
Organization & arrangement of materials
Arranged in rough chronological order, based upon original order in photograph album.
General Note
Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.
General Note
Researchers are advised that an oral history was conducted with Marion F. "Sonny" Smith in 2007, as part of the Veterans History Project collection.
Restrictions on Access
In library use only. Available by appointment.
Description
Scope and content: 98 black and white snapshot photographs, most, if not all, taken by Gene Paladin and collected by Marion F. "Sonny" Smith. Scenes include soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) in 1966 and 1967 in Vietnam, especially in the area near Bien Hoa. Many scenes are at the location of a special jungle training school, located near Bien Hoa. Images include candid portraits and scenes of soldiers at leisure; but also include scenes during parachute jump training, especially jumps taken from a training tower; jungle training scenes, including an area designed to look like a Viet Cong camp; soldiers wearing camouflage during their jungle training; discovery of Viet Cong weapons caches; a wounded comrade in the hospital; "Operation Revenge" a real mission taken in response to an ambush upon trainees by the Viet Cong; general scenes of life on base and in camp including military personnel, vehicles, supplies, living conditions, and similar subjects. A few images are of civilian village storefronts in Vietnam, particularly laundries. One photograph is of posters encouraging soldiers to take preventive measures against venereal disease, next to an illustration of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers designed to aid U.S. soldiers in recognition of the enemy.
Preferred Citation of Described Materials
Cite as: Marion F. "Sonny" Smith snapshots [photograph no.], Vietnam War series, Veterans History Project collection, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Nashville Public Library does not have intellectual property rights to these materials.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Marion F. "Sonny" Smith;,Gift;,2007;,Acc. 2007.038.
Location of Other Archival Materials
Related materials: Gene Paladin, a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate), who took many of the photographs donated by Sonny Smith, also donated a large quantity of photocopies of some of his photographs. Although they are xerographic copies, some are of high quality. Paladin provides extensive annotations identifying the images, and for this reason, Paladin's materials can be an excellent companion to the photographs donated by Smith. See collection finding aid for further details.
Biographical or Historical Data
Marion F. "Sonny" Smith was born in 1939 in Ohio, and served in both the U.S. Navy (1957-1961) and the U.S. Army (1961-1977). He grew up and went to school in Orlando, Florida and Flint, Michigan. After he graduated from high school in 1957, he decided to enlist in the Navy and was assigned to a destroyer that was based in Norfolk, Virginia and frequently deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1961, he separated from the Navy, and in November of that same year, decided to enlist in the Army to become a paratrooper. After basic training and jump school, he was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate), based in Okinawa. Its mission there was to train in jungle warfare tactics. After spending approximately two years in Okinawa, he was sent back to the U.S. and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. In the late summer of 1966, he was notified that he was going to be reassigned to the 173rd again and deployed to Vietnam for what would turn out to be the first of two tours there. The 173rd was the first ground unit to be deployed to Vietnam and their primary role was a defensive one, to secure Bien Hoa Air Base. Smith served as an instructor at a jungle warfare school, and his specialty was training others to avoid booby traps. Further details about his service are provided in an interview conducted with him by Larry Patterson in 2007, as part of the Veterans History Project.
Language
In English, with portions in Vietnamese.
Cumulative Index/Finding Aids
Finding aid available in repository.
Ownership and Custodial History
In the possession of Marion F. "Sonny" Smith until time of donation to Nashville Public Library. Mr. Smith said that many of the photographs were given to him by his friend, Gene Paladin, who was a fellow member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and a photographer.
Linking Entry Complexity
Forms part of the Vietnam War series of the Veterans History Project collection.
Action
Process;,2007;,Linda Barnickel.
Accumulation and Frequency of Use
No further accruals are expected.
Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Smith, M. F. 1., & Paladin, G. Marion F. "Sonny" Smith snapshots .
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Smith, Marion F. 1939- and Gene, Paladin. Marion F. "Sonny" Smith Snapshots. .
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Smith, Marion F. 1939- and Gene, Paladin. Marion F. "Sonny" Smith Snapshots .
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Smith, Marion F. 1939-, and Gene Paladin. Marion F. "Sonny" Smith Snapshots
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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