Biographical Information

Name:

Hector Rafael Ponton

Date of Birth:

1936

Place of Birth:

Corozal, PR

Gender:

Male

Race:

Hispanic

Home State:

LA

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War or Conflict:

Cold War Era, 1945-1991

Status:

Veteran

Dates of Service:

1952-1988

Entrance into Service:

Enlisted

Branch of Service:

Army

Unit of Service:

National Guard; 3rd Armored Rifle Battalion, 51st Infantry; V Corps; 2nd Battle Group, 39th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division

Location of Service:

Germany; Washington; Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Nicaragua; Denver, Colorado; Far East; Korea; South America; Middle East

Prisoner of War:

No

Service Related Injury:

No

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War or Conflict:

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Status:

Veteran

Unit of Service:

3rd Battalion, 13th Regiment, 9th Vietnamese Infantry Division, Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG), Vietnam; 2nd Bn, 503rd Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade; G3, 7th Infantry Division; 7th Army

Location of Service:

Vietnam

Highest Rank:

Corporal

Prisoner of War:

No

Service Related Injury:

No

Service History Note:

Ponton served two tours in Vietnam, first as an advisor in 1962 - 1963, and the second in operations in 1970.

Collection Information

Type of Resource:

Video: VHS [1item]--Oral history interview

Manuscript: Transcript [1item]--Transcription of video recording

Video: Digital Betacam [1item]--Digitized Copy

Interviewer:

Lisa L. Beckenbaugh 

Donor:

Terry L. Beckenbaugh

Donor Affiliation/Organization:

McNeese State University

Collection #:

AFC/2001/001/17195

Subjects:

Ponton, Hector
Cold War Era, 1945-1991 -- Personal Narratives
United States. Army.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives

Cite as:

Hector Ponton Collection (AFC/2001/001/17195), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress