Scope and Contents

Approximately 2.5 linear feet of moving images, audio material, documents, and a book collected by Major General James C. Smith. The audio recordings include music performances from the 1st Cavalry Division band, lectures on leadership given by Lieutenant General Zais, press briefings, and other programs. The videos include commercial films about the Vietnam War and home movies on Super 8mm and 16mm film. The home videos include footage from all three of Smith's tours of duty in Vietnam and date from 1966 through 1970. The footage includes change of command and awards ceremonies, footage of bases and landing zones (LZs), and the unit activities of the 1st Cavalry Division and the 101st Airborne Division. Of interest is one film showing footage of firebase Brick, Arsenal, Birmingham, Bastogne, and Ripcord from June 1970. Included with the film is a typed analysis of each firebase's defenses with suggestions on how to improve security. The documents and books talk about helicopter unit operations. The materials in this collection date from 1962 through 2000.

Biographical / Historical

Major General James C. Smith was born on September 5, 1923. He began his service to the Army in 1942; he would go on to volunteer and serve in the 1st Air Cavalry Division and the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army from January 1966 to July 1970. Smith began his army career as an executive officer for the 1st Air Cavalry Division in January 1966, and would eventually become a Brigade Assistant Division Commander of the 101st Airborne Division in March 1969. During his 4 year service in Southeast Asia, Smith rose through the ranks from a Lieutenant Colonel to Major General by the time of his retirement in 1981. He was involved in the Hamburger Hill event, as well as many others. After his retirement, Smith belonged to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and worked as a consultant for the Institute for Defense Analysis, where he helped develop different helicopters and army drones.