Name/Title
Tony Herrell, Vietnam Veteran in Special OpsEntry/Object ID
2024.41.209Scope and Content
Oral History Synopsis:
TONY HERRELL (65): Local Businessman Relates Vietnam US Army Special
Operations Group Experience
Interviewer: Steve Sheridan
Tony Herrell, a local convenience store owner, describes the reasons for his 1966 enlistment in the U.S. Army and his subsequent decision to volunteer for the high-risk Special Operations Group (SOG). The secret war operations he experienced, often took him behind enemy lines and anonymously across neighboring borders and into
major fire fights.
Tony was born in Arkansas and grew up in Holland, graduating from Holland High. After a brief stint with Davenport College he concluded that classroom learning was not his learning style and he enlisted, leaving his mother a short note. For what seems to be the most significant three years of his life, he volunteered for tough assignments and built a collection of comrades with whom he keeps up to this day. His stories about
close calls and good luck during his covert operations are compelling. Even more interesting are his reflections on the residual emotional affect of this experience on his life afterwards. Steve Sheridanʼs interview delves deeply into this experience.
This is a video that would give a high school U.S. History class first hand insights into the complexity of this controversial war. Itʼs also a tribute to the unsung and often abused soldiers who served in Vietnam.Cataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2024.41Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionCredit Line
To view this recording, scroll down to the bottom of this entry and click the blue web link.
This video was created by Saugatuck-Douglas History Center volunteers or was donated to the Center in a good faith effort to preserve local history. If you feel this content should not be available to the public — or have additional information that will add context to this interview — please contact the SDHC Archives at archives@mysdhistory.org.Create Date
November 9, 2024Update Date
November 9, 2024
