now an exempt from an interview with the oral history project director kelly craiger as he describes the history and importance of the project. >> we can always go back and look at the cold impersonal documents. the national archives and read the after action reports. all of the reports, but it doesn't really tell us what a wartime experience is like for an individual. like for an individual, whether they served in combat or a support capacity. you can't begin to understand, we as a society can't begin to understand our history until we understand and listen to the people who lived through and helped shape that history. >> 40 years after the first full-scale engagement between u.s. troops and the peoples army of vietnam, the vietnam archive at texas tech university in lubbock interviewed soldiers. it was after thiz battled in 1965 that the north vietnamese forces began to engage in guerrilla warfare. the americans prevailed but at a heavy cost. next an interview with tony nadal. the only commander with vietnam combat experience. this is about 50 minutes. >> tony, i'd like to start wi

an excerpt of oral history project kelly craiger as he describes the history and importance of the project. >> 40 years after the full scale engagement between u.s. rooms and people's army of vietnam the vietnam archive at texas tech university in lubbock interviewed veterans from the battles. it was after the battles waged in 1965 that north vietnamese forces grant engaging in guerrilla warfare. the americans outnumbered by the north vietnamese army prevailed but it was at a heavy cost. up next, an interview with the medal of honor recipient captain ed "too tall" freeman, helicopter pilot who flew his helicopter in to help deliver ammunition, supplies and to rescue wounded soldiers. >> a video or history interview with major ed freeman. we are commemorating the 40th anniversary. thank you for doing this. i want to ask you about your memories of your days and if you could before we get to some of the specific things that happened, can you tell me about your training for those type of conditions and i know talking about the pilots had you to throw things out the door and improvise. can you

now kelly craiger describes the history and importance of the project. >> we know the very controversial, divisive conflict occurring at a time where there are many difficulties in the united states on the home front and we also know that unfortunately, many vietnam veterans were not welcomed home the way our society has welcomed home returning veterans from previous wars and as we sue now in the 21st century. regardless of the views of the war, and they differ widely, one theme that is constant among our service personnel is their pride in the service to the country. >> 40 years after the first full scale engagement, the vietnam archive at texas tech university in lubbock interviewed veterans from the battles. it was after these battles waged in november 1965 that north vietnamese forces began engaging in gorilla warfare ri gorilluer. enrique pujals was a second lieutenant in the fall of 1965. his platoon got into the fight at landing zone x-ray where his men were first hit with friendly fire. up next, experts there his oral history interview. immediately following this 30 minute progra