Students gather around, eager to hear the stories of Captain Beddingfield, a Vietnam war veteran. He shares his stories, as well as takes pictures with the students. His experiences seem completely foreign to these students, who are around the same age that he was when he served.

Captain Beddingfield, one of the few surviving Vietnam war veterans, visited South Forsyth High School AP Lang classes. These classes had just finished studying the novel The Things They Carried, written by Vietnam veteran, Tim O’Brien. The novel is a collection of linked fictional short stories surrounding the Vietnam war.

After graduating from Western Carolina University, Beddingfield attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and then headed to serve in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Beddingfield served as the infantry platoon leader for Company C, 1/35 Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.  Beddingfield was discharged as a Captain. After serving, he spent his professional career practicing law in Georgia, beginning in 1984, still occasionally practicing today. Decades after the time of his service in Vietnam, he shares his stories of war with students at South.

As he talked throughout the day, he shared different stories of his personal experiences in warfare. This experience allowed the class to talk directly with a Vietnam veteran and compare it to what they read for class.

“Captain Beddingfield allowed us to see the teachings of the novel in a more personal way,” Junior Ethan Barrilleaux exclaimed. “He told us stories the way O’Brien wanted them to be told as alluded to in his novel.”

Throughout his presentation, he showed students images that he took during his time in Vietnam. These pictures capture the stories he shared.

“The most memorable to me was when he told us about the buddies he had in the war,” Barrilleaux shared.

An important theme in The Things They Carried is the power of storytelling. Through Beddingfield’s stories, students were able to directly see this idea and realize it’s importance.

Captain Beddingfield is proud of his time spent serving in the war.

When asked about his most significant moment, Beddingfield responded, “During my time as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam, I did not have a person killed in action. We had some wounded, but none killed.”

The purpose of this experience was to deepen the students’ understanding of the Vietnam war.

Barrilleaux connected to Captain Beddingfield’s presentation saying, “My view of The Things They Carried became much more personal and universal.”

This gave students a more meaningful understanding of the themes discussed in the novel. By talking to veterans, students are able to expand their view of war outside the textbook and humanize the soldiers.

History teacher Brian Fahey said, “Although a first-hand account may contain some bias, it is important to listen to and understand that perspective to get a fuller picture of the impacts of the war. Speaking to veterans gives war a human face, going beyond discussing politics, tactics, and casualty numbers.”

Captain Beddingfield’s presentation was a valuable experience that students are sure to remember. Through his discussion, students were able to expand the themes from The Things They Carried beyond the novel and relate it to the real world.