John Hartman attended Brown University on a NROTC scholarship and graduated with the Class of 1964. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United State Marine Corps the same day he received his Brown diploma. He went immediately after graduation to The Basic School (TBS) at Quantico, Virginia and graduated in December 1964. He met his wife Carol during the fall of his senior year at an event at Wheaton College. They were engaged in the spring of 1964 and married on January 3, 1965.
The Hartmans moved to Pensacola, FL in February 1965 where John attended the Marine Corps flight school. He learned to fly H-34 helicopters and graduated from flight school in February 1966. He was then assigned to the Marine Corps Air Facility in New River, North Carolina where he learned to fly H-46 helicopters and was briefly a member of the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261. During 2 weeks in October 1966 he endured Survival School in Bridgeport, CA where they were taught how to survive in the wilderness.
He arrived in Vietnam in February 1967 and was assigned to the I Corps military zone - the zone that bordered North Vietnam - with Da Nang as the largest city. He became a member of the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 (HMM-165) which flew H-46 helicopters and was stationed in Ky Ha, Vietnam. He flew 420 missions and earned 21 Air Medals during his time with HMM-165. The H-46 helicopter they flew had a design flaw that unpredictably caused the helicopter’s fuselage to break apart during flight with catastrophic effects usually resulting in the death of everyone on board. Hartman’s HMM-165 squadron did not experience any of these sudden structural failures but it made flying dangerous missions in the H-46 helicopters even more frightening.
In September 1967, he was reassigned as an Assistant Operations Officer (Helicopter) in the Operations Section of the Wing Commanding General’s staff located at Wing headquarters in Da Nang, Vietnam. The assistant operations officers were responsible for planning, scheduling, monitoring and readjusting as needed the daily helicopter operations of the Wing throughout the I Corps military zone. On March 8, 1968 he left Vietnam and returned to Pensacola, Florida and served as a helicopter flight instructor at the Naval Air Basic Training Command. He stayed there until he was honorably discharged on December 31, 1969.
After he left the Marine Corps he went to law school and had a career as a lawyer. He lives in Newcastle, Maine.
This collection contains a typed memoir written by John H. Hartman for his children and grandchildren about his experiences during the Vietnam War. He titled it: “Once a Marine - 1 June 1964 to 31 December 1969.” The memoir starts with his Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship at Brown University then discusses his training in the United State Marine Corps as a helicopter pilot, his experiences during his tour of duty in Vietnam flying H-46 helicopters as a member of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 (HMM-165), his return the the United States and his service as a helicopter flight instructor, and finally his transition to civilian life. Hartman also gives his opinions about the strategic and tactical decisions of the Vietnam War and the lessons that should have been learned.
The basic task of the marine helicopters during the Vietnam War was to haul troops and supplies wherever and whenever they were needed. Hartman gives an excellent description of a typical day and the basic procedures for the missions that they flew. His missions were dangerous and he was lucky to be injured only once by a sniper bullet that came through the windshield and narrowly missed his head. Hartman also describes each of the other pilots that he served with and tells anecdotes about his experiences with them. The men included are:
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There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
John Henry Hartman (Class of 1964) memoir relating to the Vietnam War, AMS.1U.H13, Brown University Library.
This collection contains 1 folder.
Donated by John Henry Hartman in 2012.
Part of the Vietnam Veterans Archive (Brown University).
This typed memoir was written by John H. Hartman for his children and grandchildren about his experiences during the Vietnam War. He titled it: “Once a Marine - 1 June 1964 to 31 December 1969.” The memoir starts with his Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship at Brown University then discusses his training in the United State Marine Corps as a helicopter pilot, his experiences during his tour of duty in Vietnam flying H-46 helicopters as a member of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 (HMM-165), his return the the United States and his service as a helicopter flight instructor, and finally his transition to civilian life. Hartman also gives his opinions about the strategic and tactical decisions of the Vietnam War and the lessons that should have been learned.
Once a Marine : 1 June 1964 - 31 December 1969 by John Henry Hartman, 2009 October
Once a Marine : 1 June 1964 - 31 December 1969 by John Henry Hartman, 2009 October
Letter - John Hartman to Connie Worthington sending a copy of his memoir, circa 2012 August
Letter - John Hartman to Connie Worthington sending a copy of his memoir, circa 2012 August
Letter - Connie Worthington to Prof. Elizabeth Taylor regarding John Hartman's memoir., 2012 September 7
Letter - Connie Worthington to Prof. Elizabeth Taylor regarding John Hartman's memoir., 2012 September 7