Interview with Vincent DiLodovico, April 21, 2022

Interview Summary

LT Vince DiLodovico Vince DiLodovico enlisted in 1967 in the Army. He graduated from Long Island University also in 1967. He was a business management major —statistics and art minor. His basic training was at Fort Dix. He trained for three months in advanced infantry. Then he went to Fort Knox for three months for recon training. From there he traveled to Fort Benning for six months where he trained as an Infantry Officer. Infantry school was in July 1968. At Fort Knox, Vince was assigned as an officer. There were 550 men in his company, he stayed for eight months. Vince volunteered to go to Vietnam. “I don’t think it fair someone else had to go in my place.” As a 2nd Lieutenant, Vince received an order for Vietnam when he was being considered for Generals Aid. Vince learned about the Vietnamese culture and the environment he was to live in prior to deployment. For example, he learned about yellow and black caterpillars being poisonous in Panama Jungle School. He was in the Jungle School for two weeks prior to deployment. Once deployed, Vince landed in Saigon, Vietnam. He then traveled to Cu Chi which was a base built over VC tunnels, he was stationed here for the first two weeks of arriving in Vietnam. LT DiLodovico underwent two weeks of Vietnamese language school in Vietnam as well. Vince was then stationed across from the navy base (four Americans in the village) in Cửa Việt for his first assignment. His duty was MAT (Mobile Advisory Team) leader. He was a part of the Vietnamization of the war effort to help the Vietnamese. He was stationed here for four months in June 1968. Until the Army sent an official translator, LT DiLodovico used a nine-year-old to help communicate within the village. His team transferred out, but he stayed an extra two weeks to help transition the new soldiers in that position. Following that, he went to Mai Loc and stayed for six months. Then he had orders to move to Quảng Trị which was the headquarters of I-corps. I-corps was located at the northern most region of South Vietnam. It was considered a tactical zone the ARVN used. LT DiLodovico was stationed there for two months. There were IV corps in total. He was sent home in May of 1970. He flew back to Drexel Hill, PA.

Interview Keyword

Parents Siblings Sister Military history military Fort Dix Long Island University enlisted Fort Knox Fort Benning US History Bachelor Business Army MAT Mobile Advisory Team I Core III Core Mai Loc US Army US Navy Base oral history interviews Vietnam War Vietnam Vietnam veteran Vietnamese culture Saigon Vietnamese language school Quảng Trị Quang Tri Panama Jungle School Cu Chi Cửa Việt Cua Viet Vietnamization Flag Bombs Klicks Tiger ARVN

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