An Oral History with Edward Larner '66
This October 27, 2020 interview with Mr. Edward Larner for the Dartmouth Vietnam Project covers his upbringing and his service during the Vietnam War. It begins with Larner’s childhood memories of growing up in New Hampshire, where he talks about working on his Grandfather’s farm in the summers. Larner then tells about his time at the Deerfield Academy, where recounts several of his most formative social and political experiences.
Larner then gives an account of his time at Dartmouth. This part of the conversation mostly focuses on the time that Larner spent in his fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, his time in ROTC, and how Larner made sense of the era’s volatile politics. Larner also talks about his transformation from a child who idolized the military, to someone who wrote a letter in training stating that he refused to serve in Vietnam because he was morally opposed to the war, though he remained steadfast in his desire to complete his service. However, Larner avoided punishment and was sent to Korea instead.
The conversation then shifts to Larner’s time in Korea, where he was sent because he refused to serve in Vietnam. Larner was first assigned to the 60th Transportation Company as part of a Supply and Support Battalion that was attached to I-Corps. After his Company Commander was relieved, Larner was promoted and took his place before he was eventually transferred over to the Movement Office where he completed his active duty.
The interview concludes with some of Larner’s stories about his friend’s respective Vietnam experiences and Larner’s final reflections on the time he spent in the military.
