Interview, Robert Rapone, USA

Robert Rapone (b. 1947) was born in Batavia, New York, and enlisted in the United States Army on August 20, 1966. He completed his military training at Fort Dix, in New Jersey, and Fort Benning, in Georgia. He specialized as a paratrooper, infantryman, and in demolition. Rapone was sent to Vietnam in February 1967 and was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He served in Vietnam for 2 years and achieved the rank of E5, Army Ranger. Rapone was wounded multiple times during the war and received two Purple Hearts. He was honorably discharged from the Army on August 20, 1969. After leaving the military, Rapone lived in Caledonia and Rome, New York, before eventually settling in Rochester, where he went to work for Kodak in 1974. Registered as a disabled veteran, Rapone did woodworking for the Genesee Country Museum after leaving his job at Kodak in 1984.

In this interview, Rapone discusses his missions and combat experiences in Vietnam, sharing that only three men from his unit survived the war. He describes the danger he faced as a “tunnel rat,” scouting tunnels and setting explosives, and recalls his involvement in the 1967 Battle of Dak To, during which 200 American soldiers were killed in action. Rapone also recalls being in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1968. He describes injuries he sustained during the war and notes that when he got out of the Army, he felt the public’s resentment towards him for being a veteran. Rapone reports that he felt he was doing the right thing for his country by fighting in Vietnam and he feels that his experiences in the war gave him a greater appreciation for life.