Grand Valley State University — Ripcord Oral History Project
GVSU Veteran Interviews
Ripcord veterans interviewed by Dr. James R. Smither of Grand Valley State University — the firsthand accounts that formed the foundation of The End of the Rope
Over many years, Dr. James R. Smither of Grand Valley State University conducted in-depth interviews with veterans of the Battle of Firebase Ripcord. These interviews — preserved in the GVSU Digital Collections and on YouTube — became the foundation of his book The End of the Rope: The Ripcord Campaign and American Disengagement in Vietnam, released May 1, 2026.
Each interview is a firsthand account of the battle from the men who were there. Click any link below to hear their stories. Dark green buttons open the GVSU Digital Archive. Red buttons open YouTube video interviews.
To learn more about the book, visit our End of the Rope page — Association members may order at a 50% discount.
140
Veterans Interviewed
102
GVSU Archive Interviews
52
YouTube Video Interviews
16
Both GVSU & YouTube
All 140 veterans
| Veteran | Unit | Interview Links |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander, Floyd | B/2-319 , A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Alioto, Michael | B/1-501 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Aronson Marc | B/319 Field Artillery | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Barrowcliff, Robert | A/159 ASHB | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Bashford, Lindon | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Bond, Bruce | 58th Inf Scout Dog | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Bort, Frank | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Brady, Bruce | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Buffington, Jerone | C/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Buhr, Paul | A/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Campbell, James | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Campbell, William (Tex) | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Chiarelli, Mike | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Connelly Joseph | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Cooper, Dale | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Corradetti, David | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Cox, Anthony | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Critchlow, Anthony | HHC-2/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| David, Kenneth | D 1/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Day, Harold | D/2-17 Air Cav | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Delagrange Merle | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Delfino Frank | HHC/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Doyle, Richard | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Drury, Richard | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Faine, Steven | HHC/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Fieser, Lawrence | A & C 1/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Flanburg, Rex | D/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Fowler, John | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Freeman, Leigh | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Gilbert Freddie | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Glennon, Martin | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Graham, Robin | HHC 2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Gunn, Steve | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hahn, Rick | HHC 2/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hand, William | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Handley, Terry | D 1/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hansmann, Paul | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Haris, James | HHC/ 2-506Surgeon | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Harrison, Ben | HHC CO 3rd Bde | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hawkins, Charles | A/2-506, C/2-506, HHC | ▶ YouTube |
| Hawkins, Chuck Part 1 | A/2-506, C/2-506, HHC | ▶ YouTube |
| Hawkins, Chuck Part 2 | A/2-506, C/2-506, HHC | ▶ YouTube |
| Heath, Bill | A/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Hennessy, Michael | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hills, Frank | 58th Inf Scout Dogs | ▶ YouTube |
| Hines, Ray Part 2 | 2/319 Arty | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Hines, Ray Part 1 | 2/319 Arty | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Hodges, Terry | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Holmen, Chuck | A/159 ASHB | ▶ YouTube |
| Holthausen, Don | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Hudson, Ron | A Btry 1/39th FA | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Ireland, Dale | C/159 ASHB | ▶ YouTube |
| Jimmy Howton | Pathfinder | ▶ YouTube |
| Joyce, Jim | 1/506 Recon | ▶ YouTube |
| Kenyon, Dave | B/326 Engineers | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Kiefer, Don | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Kiekintveld, Gregory | B/326 Engineers | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Kirschner, Gunther | D/2-506 | |
| Kohmetscher, Norman | B/2-501 | ▶ YouTube |
| Kuennen, John | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Lane, Dale | A/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Layton, Robert | B/2-501 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Leibecke, Robert | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Letica, Michael | B/101 Avn Bn Kingsmen | ▶ YouTube |
| Lewis, William | B/158 ASHB | ▶ YouTube |
| Lieb, Charles | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Lockwood, David | A/2-11 Arty | ▶ YouTube |
| Lund, John | 2/501 Recon | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Lyssy, Walter | 2/506 HHC | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Mackey, Michael | C/159 ASHB | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Manthei, Steve | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Marshall, Frank | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Marshall, Frank 2nd Interview | A/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Marshall, Frank 3rd Interview | A/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Martin, Al | A/ 2-11 FA | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| McCormick, Ted | B/1-327 | ▶ YouTube |
| McCoy, James | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| McCrory, Ron | E/2-506 Mortars | ▶ YouTube |
| McVay, Douglas | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Meloro, Peter | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Meyer, JP | 159 ASHB | ▶ YouTube |
| Meyer, Uwe | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Mihalko, John | E/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Miller, Noel | A/2-17 cav | ▶ YouTube |
| Minias, Joseph | C 2/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Mitchell, David | D/2-501 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Montgomery, Rick | B/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Moore, Leonard | min-cav | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Moyer, Jerry | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Murphy, George | B/2-320 Arty | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Nelson, Bruce | 2/319 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Newman, Tim | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Pack, Thomas | B/2-319 Arty | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Pautz, Brian | A/159 ASHB | ▶ YouTube |
| Peacock, Thomas | D/2-506, A/2-501 | ▶ YouTube |
| Peters, Ben | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Phillips, Gregory | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Pioche, Jacob | C/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Pioche, Jacob | C/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Poloski, Stanley | B 2/319 Artillery | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Puffer, Doug | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Pullen, Steve | B Trp 2/17 Cav | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Reilly, John | HHB 2/11 FA | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Renner, Michael | A/2-11 FA | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Roach, James | D/2-506 C/3-187 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Rodgers, Jerry | 326th Med Dustoff | ▶ YouTube |
| Romig, Robert | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Senft, Peter | HHC/2-506 S2 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Shuttleworth, Fred | E/2-506 mortars | ▶ YouTube |
| Skaggs, Wayne | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Skinner, Marc | D/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Slaughter, Everett | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Smith, Joe | B/326 Engineers | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Smith, John | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Smoker, Bob | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Snyder, Dave | A/2-11 Arty | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Spaulding, Fred | 3rd BDE S3 AIR | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Spruill, Wayne | D & E /2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Stam, Jeff | HHQ/1-501 | ▶ YouTube |
| Straub, Chris | D/2-501 | ▶ YouTube |
| Tamburini, John | 2/319 FA | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Tarbuck, Robert | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Tauer, Dale | D/1-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Tipton, Charles | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Tolson, Phil | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Van Cleve, Charles | B/2-319 C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Van Hout Craig | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Vasquez, Isabelino | C 2/506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Virgilio, Ron | D/2-506 | ▶ YouTube |
| Wallace, Bob | C/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Wallace, Steve | B/2-506 | |
| Whipple, Bruce | E/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Whiteis, Rauland | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Widjeskog, Lee | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview▶ YouTube |
| Wilcox, Jeff | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| William Williams | B/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Worrall, Bob | B/2-501 | ▶ YouTube |
| Yearwood, John | B/2-17th Cav | ▶ YouTube |
| Yonts, David | A/2-506 | 📄 GVSU Interview |
| Zahn, Ron | A 2/11 FA | 📄 GVSU Interview |