Robert "Bob" Adkins
U.S. Army, 1966 – 1969
Bob Adkins is a U.S. Army veteran whose life story reflects both the burdens of war and a lifelong commitment to fellow veterans. Born in Columbus, Ohio, he described himself as an independent child who was always working, roaming, and searching for what came next. At age seventeen, after a difficult senior year in high school, he enlisted in the Army in 1966. Initially trained as an M113 track and light vehicle driver, he was sent first to Germany with the 24th Infantry Division, where he gained the discipline and leadership experience that would later define his service. After attending NCO school, he deployed to Vietnam, where he served with the 1st Air Cavalry Division. During the Tet Offensive and its aftermath, Adkins became a young platoon sergeant leading rotating groups of soldiers on dangerous convoy security missions along Highways 1 and 9, including operations connected to Khe Sanh. He remembered those months as a time of constant danger, responsibility, and survival. Like many Vietnam veterans, he returned home carrying deep psychological and physical wounds and spent years in and out of VA hospitals before finding steadier footing. In later life, Adkins turned those hard-earned experiences outward, becoming active in Vietnam Veterans of America and in burial work through the Missing in America Project and Call to Honor, helping ensure that veterans are remembered with dignity and respect.
Full Interview
Interview Summary
Access the complete transcript here
Introduction (0:46 – 3:07)
Joining the Army, Training in Germany, and Deployment to Vietnam (3:07 – 19:54)
Stories and Standout Experiences of Vietnam (19:54 – 43:52)
Adjusting to Civilian Life (43:52 – 54:04)
Working for the VVA (54:04 – 1:06:41)
Stetson Hat Significance and VA Advocacy (1:06:41 – 1:18:12)
