Left to Right: Students Leah Worthington, Maggie Burton, Brett Powell, Victoria Musheff, Morgan Willer, Jordan Hardee, Bailey Knight, and Kelly Hogan
On October 25, students from the Masters of History program joined a team of volunteers and employees at the Patriots Point working to reconstruct elements of the museum’s “Experiencing Vietnam” exhibit. Situated in the shadow of the USS Yorktown, the Vietnam Support Base is a true-to-scale recreation of a U.S. Naval Advanced Tactical Support Base, or ATSB, that was utilized in South Vietnam from roughly 1965 to 1971. The exhibit features an impressive collection of rare equipment throughout the camp, including a Mark 1 River Patrol Boat and three “Seawolf” helicopters that were used by the “Brown Water Navy” to support ground forces and defend the critical waterways.*
The history graduate students were among a group of volunteers who assisted in filling hundreds of sandbags used for constructing bunkers around the camp. After building up the camps defenses, the students enjoyed a private tour of the USS Yorktown led by fellow history graduate student, Kelly Hogan. As a Collection Assistant at the museum, Kelly works closely with the Collections Director in acquisition of new materials, as well as the research and development of new exhibits at Patriots Point. Her most recent research of camp mess halls in Vietnam is reflected in the additions made to the Vietnam Support Camp exhibit.
Kelly’s work at Patriots Point is a shining example of the how history graduate students at the College of Charleston are contributing to the local community. Check out our graduate students at work making (or rather, remaking) history:
*http://www.patriotspoint.org/explore_museum/vietnam_support_base/
