Process Paper
I learned about Colonel David H. Hackworth from his autobiography. The book, Steal my Soldier’s Hearts focused on Hackworth’s time with the Hardcore Battalion in the Vietnam War. I was impressed with how Colonel Hackworth cared for his troops, striving to be effective while always keeping foremost in his mind, sustaining as few casualties as possible. Another topic I considered was WWII veteran Louis Zamperini’s time as a POW because I thought it was interesting and I could relate it to the modern-day problems at Guantanamo Bay Prison. I chose Colonel David Hackworth over Mr. Zamperini because Hackworth seemed to a have a more critical impact on today’s military.
I started researching online sources and getting books through RiverShare, an online library catalogue. One of the books I accessed was, Hazardous Duty. This book was Hackworth’s personal account of his time as a war correspondent. Next, I researched primary online websites to gain a broader background about Hackworth’s life and the impact of his leadership. I used the Davenport Public Library’s Richardson-Sloane Special Collections for magazine and newspaper accounts. I am interviewing Vietnam and Desert Storm soldiers. I am also awaiting a reply from Colonel Hackworth’s widow. I was able to watch two interviews with Colonel Hackworth online and listen to a radio interview. I also accessed opposing opinions of Colonel Hackworth and his career. The documentary Two Days in October gave me background on the Vietnam War’s impact on our country.
I chose a Weebly website because it was a new experience. I did a historical paper last year and saw similarities between a website and paper. I enjoyed the aspect of having to hook the audience but I wanted to be able to share the visual impact of images and footage. I researched how to make a timeline, edit pictures, put in borders, scan photos from books, and edit videos.
Colonel David H. Hackworth fits the theme “Leadership and Legacy in History” because of his effective leadership of his units and how he led the way for military reform through identifying “bad leaders and practice” in order to support the troops. Hackworth, an orphan, saw “The Service” as his family. In 1946, Hackworth received his initial training under Captain Steve Prazenka who taught him how to effectively lead soldiers. Hackworth proceeded to lead two outstanding units in Korea and two in Vietnam. By 1971, Hackworth was outraged by poor leadership and spoke against the Army through Issues & Answers, a TV broadcast. This cost Hackworth his career, but brought transparency to issues impacting the effectiveness of Army protocols. Hackworth then became a correspondent covering U.S. military operations bringing attention to problems he witnessed. Colonel David Hackworth, despite damage to his personal reputation, left a legacy of effective personal leadership and the importance of military reform and amelioration*. Today, Hackworth’s Stand For the Troops Foundation is his legacy which promotes effective leadership and supplying of the troops, as well as support for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and counseling.
*amelioration: the act of making something better; improvement
I started researching online sources and getting books through RiverShare, an online library catalogue. One of the books I accessed was, Hazardous Duty. This book was Hackworth’s personal account of his time as a war correspondent. Next, I researched primary online websites to gain a broader background about Hackworth’s life and the impact of his leadership. I used the Davenport Public Library’s Richardson-Sloane Special Collections for magazine and newspaper accounts. I am interviewing Vietnam and Desert Storm soldiers. I am also awaiting a reply from Colonel Hackworth’s widow. I was able to watch two interviews with Colonel Hackworth online and listen to a radio interview. I also accessed opposing opinions of Colonel Hackworth and his career. The documentary Two Days in October gave me background on the Vietnam War’s impact on our country.
I chose a Weebly website because it was a new experience. I did a historical paper last year and saw similarities between a website and paper. I enjoyed the aspect of having to hook the audience but I wanted to be able to share the visual impact of images and footage. I researched how to make a timeline, edit pictures, put in borders, scan photos from books, and edit videos.
Colonel David H. Hackworth fits the theme “Leadership and Legacy in History” because of his effective leadership of his units and how he led the way for military reform through identifying “bad leaders and practice” in order to support the troops. Hackworth, an orphan, saw “The Service” as his family. In 1946, Hackworth received his initial training under Captain Steve Prazenka who taught him how to effectively lead soldiers. Hackworth proceeded to lead two outstanding units in Korea and two in Vietnam. By 1971, Hackworth was outraged by poor leadership and spoke against the Army through Issues & Answers, a TV broadcast. This cost Hackworth his career, but brought transparency to issues impacting the effectiveness of Army protocols. Hackworth then became a correspondent covering U.S. military operations bringing attention to problems he witnessed. Colonel David Hackworth, despite damage to his personal reputation, left a legacy of effective personal leadership and the importance of military reform and amelioration*. Today, Hackworth’s Stand For the Troops Foundation is his legacy which promotes effective leadership and supplying of the troops, as well as support for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and counseling.
*amelioration: the act of making something better; improvement