Finding Aid for the Kenneth Piotter Vietnam War Collection 2017.045.w.r

Rob Strauss

Center for American War Letters Archives

07/31/2017

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

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

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives

Title: Kenneth Piotter Vietnam War Collection

creator: Piotter, Kenneth

Identifier/Call Number: 2017.045.w.r

Physical Description: 4.7 Linear feet

Date (inclusive): 1955-1975

Physical Location: Leatherby Libraries, Special Collections, CAWL Archives

Abstract: This collection contains an arrangement of papers, realia, and textiles from Army Sp4 E-4 Kenneth Piotter during his service in the Vietnam War.

Container: Piotter 1

Container: Piotter 2

Container: Piotter 3

Container: Specimen box 2

Content Description

This collection contains an arrangement of military records, photographs, realia, and other items documenting Sp4 E-4 Kenneth Piotter's service in the military and in the Vietnam War. The collection includes military records that span Piotter's entire military career, photographs that Piotter took while serving in Vietnam in 1969, Piotter's military uniforms, his dog tags, and his military medals and certificates.

Items of interest include a 1971 letter from then-Illinois congressman John Erlenborn about the verdict in the case of William Calley, who was convicted in the murder of Vietnamese civilians at My Lai.

Conditions Governing Use

There are restrictions on the use of certain items in this collection and in cases where previously copyrighted material is concerned. Folders in Series 1 must be reviewed by the archivist before providing access because they contain sensitive personal information. Regarding copyrighted material, it is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Kenneth Piotter

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Kenneth Piotter Vietnam War collection (2017.045.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by material type, author, and date. Series 1: Military records -- Series 2: Photographs -- Series 3: Realia -- Series 4: Ephemera -- Series 5: Personal papers -- Series 6: Periodicals-- Series 7: Biographical information

Biographical / Historical

Kenneth Piotter was born in Berwyn, Illinois in 1944. He was drafted into the Army on July 4, 1968, a year after graduating from the University of Illinois. The donor writes in a biographical narrative titled "My Vietnam Experience" that he volunteered for the Army Officer Candidate School so that he could have more time to settle personal matters before entering the service.

Piotter became an officer candidate in the Corps of Engineers and did his basic training at Ford Leonardwood, Missouri.

While Piotter was in advanced training, he learned that he was being assigned to Infantry Officer Candidate School. Piotter writes that the assignment upset him and he asked to drop out of Officer Candidate School. According to Piotter's biographical narrative, the officer in charge told him that he was "making a mistake and I would wind up in Vietnam if I did not take my Officer Candidate orders." Piotter adds that he told the officer that he "would go to Vietnam anyway and would rather go to Vietnam as an enlisted man in the Engineers than an officer in the Infantry."

Piotter served a year in Vietnam beginning in January 1969. He was assigned to the 31st Engineer Battalion in Phuoc Vinh and specifically worked with the 31st Engineer HHC S3 division which, according to Piotter, was "responsible for creating and maintaining engineering drawings of battalion buildings, roads, maps, etc." He also spent time near the Cambodian border in Duc Hue and Song Be. He left Vietnam in January of 1970.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Vietnam.

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

United States. Army.

My Lai Massacre, Vietnam, 1968

box Piotter 1, folder 1-2

Series 1. Military records 1968-2013 1969-1970

Physical Description: .15 Linear Feet(2 folders)

Scope and Contents

This series contains records documenting Piotter's service in the Army. The records span the beginning of Piotter's military service to the end. Documents include an "Order to Report for Induction", a list of soldiers going to Vietnam along with Piotter in January of 1969, Piotter's Advanced Individual Training Proficiency Report, and military pay vouchers There are also certificates that were awarded to Piotter. Additionally, the series contains Piotter's dental records.

Conditions Governing Use

This series must be reviewed by the archivist before providing access because it contains sensitive personal information.

box Piotter 1, folder 3

Series 2. Photographs 1969

Physical Description: .04 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Scope and Contents

This series contains 72 photographs documenting Piotter's service in Vietnam in 1969. The photographs were taken at locations including the Phuoc Binh Base Camp, Song Be, Duc Hue, and near Long Binh. There are images of Piotter, military aircraft, and scenery of the country

specimen-box Specimen box 2, Compartment Compartment 2, box Piotter 1, Uncontainered 2 flags, box Piotter 2, box Piotter 3

Series 3. Realia

Physical Description: 4.3 Linear Feet(3 boxes)

Scope and Contents

Items in this series include Piotter's dog tags, two medals for "Good Conduct" and "Military Merit", two of Piotter's uniforms and a hat, and a Chicago and Illinois state flag.

box Piotter 1, folder 4

Series 4. Ephemera 1969

Scope and Contents

This series contains various items from Piotter's time in Vietnam, including Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner menus for 1969, Vietnamese currency and military payment certificates, a safe-conduct pass, a small card listing "Nine Rules" for soldiers in Vietnam, a small card with a 1969 calendar for Army soldiers, a "Code of Conduct" card, a Geneva Convention Identification card, a card with details on Piotter's "R and R" break in Hawaii, and a luggage tag listing Bien Hoa Air Base.

box Piotter 1, folder 5, box Oversize 1, folder 17

Series 5. Personal papers 1969-2014

Physical Description: .30 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Scope and Contents

This series contains various documents belonging to Kenneth Piotter. They include a 1971 letter from then-Illinois Congressman John Erlenborn, responding to Piotter about the verdict in the case of Lieutenant William Calley, who was charged and convicted of murder in the incident known as the "My Lai massacre." Piotter had apparently expressed his displeasure with the verdict. The letter from Erlenborn includes a personal note and a public news release from his office about the case.

The documents also include a 1969 letter from then-Chicago mayor Richard Daley, presenting a Chicago flag to Piotter. Additionally, there is a homemade collage that includes pictures of Piotter and his wife and other items from his Vietnam service. Items also include a poem from Piotter that he apparently wrote in 1969 and information about a military prisoner.

box Piotter 1, folder 6

Series 6. Periodicals 1969-1970

Scope and Contents

This series includes a December 1969 copy of Tour 365, a publication for soldiers returning home from Vietnam. There is also a July 17, 1970 copy of "The Bayonet, " a newspaper published at Fort Benning in Georgia that features photographs from Kenneth Piotter.

box Piotter 1, folder 7

Series 7. Biographical Information 2009

Physical Description: .30 Linear feet(1 folder)

Scope and Contents

This series contains a seven-page narrative that Kenneth Piotter wrote on July 21, 2009 about his service in Vietnam, including information about how he was drafted and ended up overseas.