This month PBS stations across the country are in the midsts of airing The Vietnam War, a ten-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. The series strives to offer a comprehensive view of the war and the social and political environment of the 1960s. On Gulf Coast Live, we're also offering a unique perspective on the war from a one-time Army combat correspondent.
Punta Gorda resident and WGCU reporter Michael Hirsh shares a first-hand account of his Vietnam War experiences, including audio recordings he made during the war and his work with veterans in the years since. He was a combat correspondent with the Army's 25th Infantry Division at Cu Chi, Vietnam in 1966, where he received the Combat Infantryman Badge. "My Vietnam War—During, After, and Way After" also features Hirsh's fellow army combat correspondent David Kleinberg and an excerpt of his one man show, “Hey, Hey, LBJ”.
Hirsh is a Peabody Award-winning lifelong broadcast journalist, having produced documentaries and specials for PBS, ABC, CBS and HBO. "My Vietnam War—During, After, and Way After" was produced and written by Michael Hirsh. The executive producer and editor was Amy Tardif. Audio editing by Matthew Smith with technical support from Richard Chin Quee.
The first five episodes of the Ken Burns and Lynn Novick series The Vietnam War aired this past week on WGCU at 8 p.m., with the final five episodes airing Sunday through Thursday at 8 p.m. Beginning on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., WGCU is re-airing the first week of episodes back-to-back. All 10 episodes are also online at WGCU.
