Robert P. Kelemen

Robert P. Kelemen is a Vietnam War veteran who served in the US Army from 1967 to 1970. He was drafted at age twenty-two, but decided to enlist so he could choose what branch he served in. Kelemen opted to serve with the Military Police (MP).

Kelemen completed Basic Training at Fort Dix, and then went to Fort Gordon to complete Advanced Individual Training as a MP. His first duty assignment was at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Kelemen recalled stories of cadets giving the MPs trouble, including the night they stole a cannon from the campus grounds and tried to dump it in the Hudson River!

After his time at the United States Military Academy, Kelemen was sent to Vietnam in 1968. He explained that he “didn’t think too much of it” when he heard the news, and that his mother was more afraid than him. Kelemen departed from Fort Lewis in Seattle, Washington and landed in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He recounted his first impressions of Vietnam, explaining that he expected to be handed a weapon and immediately dropped into the fight, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, Kelemen saw soldiers water skiing in the bay. He recalled questioning if he was in the right place and thought to himself, “Is this a war zone…What are we doing here?”

After staying briefly in Cam Ranh Bay, Kelemen was sent to Battalion headquarters in Pleiku. From there, he was assigned to A Company at Camp Eagle in Phu Bai, the most northern base in South Vietnam before the demilitarized zone. There, Kelemen provided security for the base, working at its gates and headquarters building. He also patrolled QL1, a road that ran down the coast of Vietnam. Kelemen would patrol the fifty-mile stretch between Da Nang and Hue.

Kelemen explained that during his time in Vietnam, he never felt afraid. He always believed he would return home and just tried to make the best of the situation. Thus, Kelemen decided to treat his time in Vietnam as a learning experience, using it as an opportunity to connect with locals, learn the language, and do some sightseeing. He recalled getting an exclusive tour of the Citadel in Hue from a local resident. Additionally, Kelemen explained his attitude toward his work, stating, “I looked at it a bit differently I think than most, because I tried to find humor in a lot of the things I did.”

Despite his nonchalant attitude, Kelemen faced some near-death experiences. His base in Phu Bai was subject to rocket attacks, one of which happened close to where he worked at the Headquarters building. He explained that if the guard who came to relieve him of his post was a few minutes early, Kelemen would have been walking right where the rocket hit.

Kelemen stayed in Phu Bai for nearly the entirety of his deployment, and after he returned to the States, he was sent back to Fort Gordon to serve as an instructor at MP school. From there, he was sent to Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where he served out the remainder of his commitment. Kelemen was discharged in May of 1970 and accepted a job working in public services. In the years following his discharge, he did not join any veterans’ groups, but wrote a document recording his time in Vietnam.

Kelemen’s service awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service medal with 4 Campaign Stars, two Overseas Service Bars, the Marksmanship Medal (pistol) and the Expert M-4 Rifle Medal. 

Additional Resource:

• “Memories” document by Bob Kelemen