Finding Aid for the Daniel Dietrich Vietnam War correspondence 2016.131.w.r

Andrew Harman

Center for American War Letters Archives

8/17/2016

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

URL: http://www1.chapman.edu/library/archives/

Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives

Title: Daniel Dietrich Vietnam War correspondence

Creator: Dietrich, Daniel Harvey, Jr., March 28, 1925-August 7, 1990

source: Dietrich, Rebecca "Becky"

Identifier/Call Number: 2016.131.w.r

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Date (inclusive): 1945 April 14 - 1968 December 15

Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Col. Daniel Dietrich, USA, to his wife during the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

Language of Material: English .

Container: Vietnam 1

Container: 16-17

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Rebecca (Becky) Dietrich, 5/22/2014 and 3/9/2014. This is a legacy collection from Andrew Carroll.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type and date:

Series 1: Second World War correspondence
Series 2: Vietnam War correspondence

Biographical / Historical

Colonel Daniel Harvey Dietrich, USA, was born on March 28, 1925 in Baltimore, Maryland and enlisted in the United States Army in July 1943. He served in Germany until after the war and left the Army in 1946. He re-enlisted in the Army and earned a commission in 1950, eventually earning the rank of Colonel and served once more in the Vietnam War. He was in Saigon during the Tet Offensive of 1968 and continued to serve until his retirement in 1974. Col. Dietrich passed away on August 7, 1990.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Daniel Dietrich War correspondence (2016.131.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Content Description

This collection contains correspondence from Col Daniel Dietrich, USA, to his wife during the Second World War and while stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War. The collection consists of two V-Mail from 1945 and two compact discs of audio recordings made by Colonel Dietrich in 1968. Of interest are recordings made before and during the Tet offensive.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Vietnam.

Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Correspondence

Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Personal narratives, American

Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945

Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Mass media and the war.

Vietnam War (1961-1975) -- Personal narratives, American

World War II

World War (1939-1945)

World War (1939-1945) -- Germany

World War (1939-1945) -- Homefront

World War (1939-1945) -- Protest movements

World War (1939-1945) -- Protest movements -- United States

World War (1939-1945) -- Public opinion

Dietrich, Rebecca "Becky"

box Vietnam 1, folder 1

Series 1, Second World War correspondence 1945 April - 1945 September

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two photocopies of V-Mail sent by Private First Class Daniel H. Dietrich, Jr. to Rebecca Owens, his future wife, during the Second World War. He wrote the first letter while stationed in Germany with Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 406 Infantry in April, 1945. The second letter was written 14 September, 1945 and requests that the people back home complain enough to get the soldiers sent home from their occupation duties overseas.

box Vietnam 1, folder 2

Series 2, Vietnam War correspondence 1968

Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains two compact discs of audio recordings made by Col. Dan Dietrich, USA for his wife while stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War. According to the donor, the audio was transferred to CD from a reel-to-reel tape. Several tracks of interest:

CD 1:

Track 2; Details flight to Camh Ran Bay – about a minute or so in…

Track 6; Beauty of US Embassy (doesn't think highly of Saigon), and the beautiful and personality of a bar maid killed by Military Police fire while crossing a river on the way home, which affected him deeply.

Track 12-13; Jan. 23--Fireworks fired and explanation of those as a pre-Tet celebration and the fear they engender.

CD 2:

Track 8; Jan. 28--Fireworks can be heard in the background, he comments that he is aware that the VietCong are planning to use the fireworks as cover for a largescale offensive, doesn't blame them. Admits how scary it can be. "Makes the 'pucker factor' go up about 300%"

Track 9; Jan. 31—Tet Offensive news reports. Explains that he wants to send this on because of its possible historical value. Long recording of firecrackers but explains that it was the same time as the infiltration of the capital.

Track 15-16; Noise and comments about helicopter air strike about a mile away.