Guide to the Paul H. Mobley Vietnam War Collection

Title: Paul H. Mobley Vietnam War Collection

Date (inclusive): 1965-1966

Collection number: Bernath Mss 201

Creator: Mobley, Paul H.

Extent: .2 linear feet (1 half-size document box)

Repository: University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Department of Special Collections

Physical location: Del Sur

Language of Material: Collection materials in English

None.

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Paul H. Mobley Vietnam War Collection. Bernath Mss 201. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Purchase, 2006.

The collection is contained within an album of photographs, leaflets, and various ephemeral items relating to the service of First Lieutenant Paul H. Mobley with the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam in 1965-1966. There are twelve black and white photographs, mostly of members of the infantry unit performing various activities and related scenes in the field (gathering of troops, a display of an arms cache, bodies collected in a clearing, a view from out a Huey helicopter door etc.). There are also two newspaper clippings (one from the New York Times from February 1, 1966 and another (not identified but seemingly from Maryland where his family resided) that describe an incident when Mobley's unit was involved in a friendly fire incident and came under attack by forces of the South Vietnamese Army. There are six propaganda leaflets issued by the South Vietnam National Liberation Front, describing (among other things) the futility of the war and calling on U.S. troops to abandon the war effort and demand their return home. Others cite anti-war activities in the U.S. and list names of war and draft resistors. There is also a Thanksgiving 1965 menu (with a message from General William C. Westmoreland), and a pair of epaulettes.

Lt. Mobley was born in Provo, Utah, attended Brigham Young University and graduated with honors from the University of South Carolina. During his tour of duty in Vietnam, Mobley received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. He continued his military career with the 7th Infantry Division in South Korea. He later served as an agent in the U.S. Secret Service and, on retiring, worked as a master firearms engraver in Chesapeake, Virginia. Paul Mobley died in December of 1997.

Biographical information on Paul Mobley was obtained via http://gazette.net/ (Maryland Community Papers Online).