Summary Information
William Rettenmund Papers and Photographs
1965-2007
WVM Mss 1231
0.6 linear ft. (2 archives boxes and 3 oversized folders) of papers, 0.4 linear ft. (1 archives box, 1 flat box, 2 negative sleeves, and 3 slides) of photographs.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)
Papers and photographs pertaining to the service of specialist William Rettenmund, a Verona, Wisconsin resident who served as a flight crew chief and gunner with the 162nd Assault Helicopter Squadron during the Vietnam War. The manuscripts include military records, letters, identification and membership cards, newspaper articles, certificates, and ephemeral materials collected in Vietnam. His military papers include service records, orders issued while in Vietnam, special citations and nominations for medals and awards, and maintenance inspection forms for helicopters. The letters are primarily those written by Rettenmund to his parents, grandmother, younger siblings, and a few friends. Most of the letters were written to his parents and discuss things such as the welfare of the family, life in the Army during basic training, and discussions on the conditions in Vietnam. Two letters (April 5, 1966 and July 13, 1966) describe his involvement in two helicopter crashes due to pilot error, and discuss how he reacted to the crash and helped others to safety. A few letters have drawing done by Rettenmund, including one of his friends in basic training (June 26, 1965) and one of Santa Clause, with his reindeer pulling a helicopter 'sled' (December 21, 1966). The letter from Doug Murray, writer of the comic series The 'Nam, was written in response to a letter Rettenmund wrote about the comic. In the letter, Murray thanks him for the compliments and says that he was always glad to see helicopters arriving on the battlefield. The newspaper clippings include an oversized article on Rettenmund's service that reprints portions of two of his letters home. There are also clippings of anti-war poems and a quote from William Tecumseh Sherman saying 'War is Hell,' along with a humorous article about a serviceman trying to buy a soda in Vietnam. His ephemeral materials include two propaganda pamphlets distributed to convince the Viet Cong to surrender, and holiday menus from Thanksgiving meals. A particularly interesting item is a membership card for the Domain of the Golden Dragon, an honorary club given to servicemen who cross the International Date Line on a ship. Also included are his personal accounts written for the Madison, Wisconsin Deadly Writers Patrol, and also include a poem he wrote and dedicated to the men of the 162nd. The writings provide detailed accounts of his missions and experiences during the war, elaborating on his support and rescue missions, being wounded, and describing life in the Army during the war. Rettenmund also worked exstensively with the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in identifying the Huey helicopter in its Vietnam War display. A newspaper article pertaining to his investigative work, along with photographs of the helicopter during its service in Vietnam, are included in the collection. Most of the photographs in the collection are identified and include images of Rettenmund in basic training, in Vietnam, and at postwar reunions with former crewmen and families. The Vietnam images provide aerial shots of the terrain, villages, and military operations while flying missions. There are three photographs taken by Rettenmund while out on a mission that show aerial strikes taking place in the distance. Another image shows infantry engaged in a battle while his helicopter provides cover fire. Because of his work as a crew chief, the collection includes a number of images of helicopter maintenance and damage assessment. One very interesting image includes Rettenmund walking away from one of the crashes he mentioned in a letter to his parents. The collection also contains the scrapbook of Russell Rettenmund, a cousin of William's who served in Vietnam, too. Russell entered the service in 1964 and was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment while in Vietnam. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings about the service of Russell, his brother Richard who also served in Vietnam, as well as William. It also includes photographs of Russell and fellow servicemen relaxing during basic training and while in Vietnam. A particularly interesting article in the scrapbook is one in which Russell gives his opinions on protesters of the war. In it he says that he was 'all for free speech, but not when it threatens the national security.' The collection includes service records for both Russell and Richard, two photographs taken by Richard while in Vietnam, and five additional photographs taken by Russell.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss01231 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
William Rettenmund was born on April 15, 1944 in Black Earth, Wisconsin. He enrolled at Madison Area Technical School after high school in 1962, and graduated with a degree in Commercial Art two years later. Rettenmund worked for a year in the field prior to being drafted into the Army in 1965. He was one of four Black Earth High School classmates to be drafted and sent to basic training at Fort Knox. However, he was the only one to go to Vietnam. After completing basic training, Rettenmund was sent to Fort Rucker, Alabama to learn helicopter maintenance, and from there attached to the 162nd Assault Helicopter Company in Fort Benning, Georgia.
After receiving maintenance training, Rettenmund was selected to be one of twenty-three crew chiefs in the 162nd where he was educated in crew maintenance and how to shoot an M-60 machine gun on support missions. The 162nd was eventually selected to be sent to Vietnam in early 1966 to provide support for the 1st Infantry Division. Prior to leaving, Rettenmund was allowed two weeks leave for Christmas in 1965, and managed to visit with his family before being sent overseas. His unit traveled to Vietnam on the transport ship U.S.S. Pope, stopping briefly in Hawaii before arriving in Vung Tau, Vietnam and then proceeding to the home base of Phouc Vinh.
While in Vietnam, Rettenmund's crew flew on troop carrying helicopters, escorted by gunships, on missions dropping off infantry soldiers. Most of the time the landing zones were not hot areas and were not shot at, but on occasions they did lose helicopters to enemy fire. He was involved in two helicopter crashes during his tour, both a result of pilot error. In both cases the crew was not seriously injured. Rettenmund was awarded the Air Medal and 22 oak leaf clusters for meritorious achievement, and was awarded the Purple Heart after being hit by shrapnel during a mission. He was awarded two valor awards for his actions while serving in combat. He also noted that his unit had high moral and felt that he did his duty by serving.
Rettenmund retuned from Vietnam in January, 1967, and was discharged from the Army later that year. He returned to Wisconsin, joined the American Legion, and worked in the marketing department of Oscar Meyer for 32 years. He wrote accounts of his time in Vietnam for the Deadly Writers Patrol, and also wrote a poem dedicated to the men who served with the 162nd in Vietnam. Rettenmund also recorded an oral history interview with the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in 2006 (OH 861).
Russell Rettenmund was born on July 6, 1942 in Black Earth, Wisconsin. He was drafted in 1964 and served with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment in Vietnam. Russell was the first Wisconsin soldier to return home from service in Vietnam. He was killed in a car crash in 1975.
Richard Rettenmund was born on November 19, 1944 in Black Earth, Wisconsin. He was drafted in 1965 and served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command in Vietnam. He died in 1970 after being discharged in 1967.
Scope and Content Note
The William Rettenmund Collection is divided into five series: Papers, Still Images, Rettenmund Cousins, and W.V.M. Huey Helicopter Display.
Papers (1965-2002) document William Rettenmund's service with the Army during the Vietnam War, particularly through his letters home and his postwar memoirs. The letters are primarily written to his parents, William and Agnes. Some letters were written to his siblings, Earl and Sally, his grandmother, and his friend, Harry Turk. The letters take a neutral theme and do not go into any detail of combat. They generally consist of Rettenmund asking about the family and describing daily maintenance he performed on helicopters. He does mention several times the number of days he has left in his tour, and at one point even says that he will be glad to see 1967 (October 12, 1966). Even though he did tell his parents about being involved in two crashes (something he later said he regretted doing), Rettenmund does not mention in his letters about being wounded or encountering enemy fire while on missions. The letters written to his parents from other relatives and friends include some discussion as to how Rettenmund was doing during his tour. The collection also contains a letter written to him by his parents that provide news from the family and wish him love, and one letter from his friend, Charlie Amble, who was also serving in the Army during the same time. One interesting letter was written by a fellow soldier still in Vietnam named, David, to Rettenmund after he had returned to Wisconsin in 1967. In the letter, David informs Rettenmund on those soldiers who had been killed or wounded since he had returned to Wisconsin. Rettenmund included personal notes on the letter for clarity. Rettenmund's memoirs, written for the Madison based Vietnam veterans group The Deadly Writers Patrol, contain more information about his experiences in Vietnam and are a particularly strong part of the collection. In them, he provides more details pertaining to his thoughts on Vietnam when he first arrived, how he spent a typical day, and his combat experiences. These reminiscences are in contrast to the more subdued tone Rettenmund presented in his letters home. He also goes into detail about witnessing fellow soldiers being wounded and killed in action in his memoirs. The letters that were written by other individuals to his parents all have some connection to Rettenmund's service in Vietnam, mainly through a sentence or two asking about any news about his well being.
Still Images (1965-2006) consist mainly of photographs taken by William Rettenmund while serving in the Army. A few images document him just before he left for basic training and just after he arrived back in Wisconsin after completing his tour of duty. Four images show a party that was thrown in Black Earth for Rettenmund and three other friends who were all drafted at the same time. Also included are images taken from his trip to Vietnam onboard the U.S.S. Pope. Rettenmund mentions in one letter that he was sick during the journey and spent a majority of time below deck on his bunk, and one image shows him lying in his bunk and looking somewhat ill. Some of the photographs were sent home by Rettenmund in letters to his parents. Those that were identified as ones he sent home have been marked to their corresponding letters. There are also several photographs of postwar reunion photographs that Rettenmund attended. The images show Rettenmund posing with veterans of his unit and also with the family members of comrades who were killed in action. The negatives and slides consist of identified images in the photographic collection, and have been linked to their corresponding photograph.
Rettenmund Cousins (1965-2006) consist of material pertaining to William Rettenmund's cousins, Russell and Richard Rettenmund, during their service in Vietnam. The scrapbook of Russell Rettenmund includes a mixture of newspaper clippings and photographs documenting his service. The newspaper clippings include articles written about his service, the service of his brother Richard, and the service of William. The photographs document his service in Vietnam mainly through images of him and fellow servicemen relaxing and joking around. It also includes an image of him at a formal presentation apparently taken after returning home. Also included are the service records for both Richard and Russell, as well as a newspaper article about Russell being the first Wisconsin Vietnam veteran to attend an American Legion function. A few loose photographs pertaining to both cousins are also included. One photograph from Richard's service includes an image of a helicopter flying overhead and is labeled 'As close as I got to Bill.'
W.V.M. Huey Helicopter Display (1965-2007) consists of materials indicating that the UH-1 Huey gunship helicopter on display in the W.V.M. exhibit was one that was used by Rettenmund's unit during the Vietnam War. The newspaper article describes the research Rettenmund undertook in identifying the helicopter and how he determined it was one that flew in his unit during his tour of duty. However, Rettenmund did not serve on it because of his service on troop carriers. Also included are five photographs that document the helicopter while in Vietnam. Two images show the helicopter in combat-ready status during the war, and three images show the base where it would have been stationed prior to returning to the United States.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by William Rettenmund, Vernona, WI, 2008. Accession Number: Mss 2008.37; Mss 2008.39; Mss 2008.115; Mss 2009.056..
Processed by Andrew Baraniak in 2009.
Contents List
|
Series: Papers
|
|
|
Subseries: Army Service
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
1
|
Awards and Decorations, 1966-1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
Certificates, 1965-1971
|
|
|
Ov
28
Folder
5-6
|
Oak Leaf Clusters, 1966
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
|
Bill Rettenmund
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
3
|
Cards and Postcards, 1965-1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
4
|
From Charles Amble, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
5
|
From Parents, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
6
|
From Sally Rettenmund, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
7
|
From Theresa, 1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
8
|
To Earl and Sally, 1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
9
|
To Grandmother Rhuland, 1965-1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
10
|
To Harry Turk, 1965
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
11-30
|
To Parents, May 1965-April 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
31
|
To Parents (Ft. Benning), undated
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
32
|
To Parents (Ft. Rucker), undated
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
33
|
To Parents (Vietnam), undated
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
34
|
To Parents (Incomplete), 1965-1966
|
|
|
William and Agnes Rettenmund
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
35
|
From Alice Brants, 1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
36
|
From Carol, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
37
|
From Charles Amble, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
38
|
From David, 1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
39
|
From Lily Wedekind, 1968
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
40
|
From Loretta Thomas, 1966
|
|
|
Ephemeral
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
41
|
Domain of the Golden Dragon, 1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
42
|
Military Conduct Cards , circa 1965
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
43
|
Military Identification Cards, 1965-1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
44
|
Thanksgiving Menus, 1965-1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
45
|
Vietnam Propaganda, circa 1966
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
46
|
Helicopter Inspection Forms, 1966-1967
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
47
|
Helicopter or Incident Report (Rettenmund Crash), 2001
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
|
Newspaper Articles, 1965-1967
|
|
|
Ov
27
Folder
10
|
Oversized Rettenmund Article, 1966
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
2
|
Service Records, 1965-1967
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
3
|
Training Notebook, 1965
|
|
|
Subseries: Veteran Related
|
|
|
Correspondences
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
4
|
From Doug Murry, 1988
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
5
|
From Nancy Rettenmund, 2003
|
|
|
Deadly Writers Patrol
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
6
|
Membership Card, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
7
|
Service in Vietnam Reminiscences, circa 2000
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
8
|
Vietnam Poem and other Reminiscences, circa 2000
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
9
|
Helicopter Drawings, circa 1980
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
10
|
Informational File, Vietnam War, 1997, 2001
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
11
|
Veterans Benefits, 2003
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
12
|
Vietnam Helicopter Crew Member Association, undated
|
|
|
Series: Still Images
|
|
|
Subseries: Photographs
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1
|
Basic and Advanced Training [5] , 1965
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
2
|
Black Earth Farewell Party [4] , 1965
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
3
|
Heading to Vietnam, U.S.S. Pope [2] 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
4
|
Portraits [2] , circa 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
5
|
Postwar Reunions [7] , 1993, 1995, 1998, 2006
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
6
|
Return from Vietnam [2] , 1967
|
|
|
Vietnam
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
7
|
Aerial Landscapes [8] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
8
|
Aerial Military Maneuvers [6] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
9
|
Aerial Strike [3] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
10
|
Combat Assault Image [1] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
11
|
Damaged Helicopters [8] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
12
|
Fellow Soldiers [8] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
13
|
Helicopters [6] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
14
|
Image Prints and Copies [21] , undated
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
15
|
Local Vietnamese [2] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
16
|
Posing [9] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
17
|
Postcards [13] , 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
18
|
Walking Away From Crash [1] , 1966
|
|
|
PhN
3
Folder
117-118
|
Negatives [Negatives of Identified Photographs]
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
21
|
Slides [Slides of Identified Photographs]
|
|
|
Series: Rettenmund Cousins
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
1
|
Scrapbook, circa 1966
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
13
|
Richard Rettenmund, 1967
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
14
|
Russell Rettenmund, 1966-1970
|
|
|
Subseries: Photographs
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
19
|
Richard Rettenmund [3] , circa 1966
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
20
|
Russell Rettenmund [7] , circa 1966
|
|
|
Series: W.V.M. Huey Helicopter Display
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
15
|
Newspaper Article, 2007
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
22
|
Photographs of Helicopter in Vietnam [6] , 1966-1967
|
|
|
