Project of the Skyline College/North San Mateo County Oral History Archives, Skyline College Library
Student project for LSCI 110 – Digital Oral Research Project, Skyline College

 Legacy yet to be written: Mark Miranda III

Click here to read the research essay, “Legacy yet to be written”, by Matthew Miranda

Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an April 2005 interview by Matt Miranda with Mark Miranda III, who is a Vietnam Veteran and is now a U.S. Customs Supervisory Inspector.


Mark Miranda III in the middle w/ his sons at his side.

Table of Contents:
1. Background Information
2.
Joining the Marines

3. Marine Corps. Training

4. Transition to Vietnam

5. Deep in the heart of Vietnam

6. Closure to Vietnam

7. Final thoughts of a life changing experience

 

Segment 1
Background Information
(71 KB)
Basic information on Miranda

 

Mark Miranda stands with his parents & siblings after graduating from camp Pendleton

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 

Segment 2
Joining the Marines
(272 KB)
Call of duty around the corner, Vietnam War escalates.
”It was either join or be drafted…”

 

Mark Miranda at graduation from camp Pendleton



Back to Table of Contents

 

 

Segment 3
Marine Corps. Training
(275 KB)
Upon joining the United States Marine Corps,

Mark endures Marine Corps boot camp.

 

After completing the hardships of boot camp, Mark is now apart of the 2070 Platoon.” This is Mark’s family now…”

Mark is in the third row from the top, 9th Marine (starting from left to right)

 

These roughnecks were like brothers to my father as they watched out for each other.

 

This was the bunk that Mark had. The bunk was no hotel suit, but was sufficient for down time.

 


    

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 

Segment 4
Transition to Vietnam
(460 KB)
Transitioning to Vietnam for duty consisted of leaving the U.S. to stop in Japan. In Okinawa Japan, Mark made out his will and last testament before he was shipped to Vietnam.

 

Demilitarized Zone; port of entry and drop off for military supplies

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 

Segment 5
Deep in the heart of Vietnam
(663 KB)
A description of Vietnam and the duties performed by the soldiers

 

A market in a poor Vietnamese village in Dong Ha

 

These are two Vietnamese boys my father came across on his recon missions;

My father befriended these boys by trading them some bubble gum in return for a can opener

 

 

Mark is seen here fishing with grenades.  After the underwater explosion, many fish floated to the surface, while the local villagers gathered the fish for food.

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

Segment 6
Closure to Vietnam
(168 KB)
Mark gives his views and insights on the Vietnam war.

 

“Mark stands by his jeep that he use’s to transport the General he is assigned to protect”

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 

Segment 7
Final thoughts of a life changing experience
(647 KB)
Mark here gives his final thoughts of all the hardships he has endured, and where it has landed him today.

Inspector Miranda is seen here greeting a Russian official as he and the rest of the U.S. Customs inspectors clear the ship to enter at its port of entry in San Francisco, California.

 

 

Inspector Miranda has just completed a mission where he and other fellow Customs officers successfully arrested a heroin smuggling cartel and his accomplices.

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

  

 

Image sources: Images provided by Mark Miranda III “Any use of these images is prohibited!”

 

Links to Related Subjects
http://www.marines.com/default.asp

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/

http://www.vietnamwar.com/

http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/

 

 

 

 

*These audio files may be played with Windows Media Player or Real Player.
To download a free copy of Windows Media Player, click here.
To download a free copy of Real Player, click here.


last revised: 5-24-05
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
These materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit the author and cite the source as: North San Mateo County Oral History Archives, Skyline College Library. All commercial rights are reserved. To contact the author, or send comments or suggestions, email: Eric Brenner atbrenner@smccd.net