Current data for Contributor

Smither, James (Interviewer)

Current data for Creator

Groothuis, Larry

Current data for Date

2011-06-17

Current data for Description

Larry Groothuis was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1943. He was drafted into the Army late in 1966. During basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he was selected to go to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for training as a teletype operator, and from there was sent to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he served until late in 1967, when his communications company received orders for Vietnam. The unit went by ship, arriving in Vietnam in January, just before the Tet Offensive. His unit initially coordinated communications between the 1st Cavalry Division and other units while based at An Khe, but soon moved north to Phu Bai, and Groothuis was promoted and put in charge of the communications net for all of I Corps. He remained at Phu Bai for the rest of his tour, but made regular trips to other bases by helicopter with his company commander, and also periodically traveled with road convoys simply to get off the base. The base itself was relatively secure, but subject to regular mortar and rocket attacks, one of which killed one of his friends, and periodic sapper attacks.

Current data for Source

Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)