• THE VIETNAM CENTER AND ARCHIVE
  • Texas Tech University

 Finding Aid: Ogden Williams Collection Item Number: 15250000000

Association Collection (USOM/Office of Rural Affairs, Saigon)
Location: D103.5A; D103.1B; D030.1; Restricted Access; Photograph Collection; Slide Collection; Negative Collection; Cold Storage Vault; Library; Museum Objects; Oversized Drawers


Scope & Content:

  • Approximately five linear feet of photographs, negatives, slides, museum objects, Ogden Williams' personal files, correspondence, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, Vietnamese currency, essays, Chieu Hoi material, and an oral history interview by Harry Maurer with Ogden Williams document Ogden Williams career in the Foreign Service, particularly his time with USAID, as Director of the Chieu Hoi Program from 1966 to 1969, and as Director of the Vietnam Training Center in Washington D.C..

Biographical Note:

  • Ogden Williams was born on 22 January 1920. From 1942-1946 Williams served in the Army Air Force ferrying aircraft from the United States. Following his tour with the Army Air Force, Williams received his degree and practiced law. From 1951 to 1964 Williams served in various U.S. government positions overseas, including 1956 and 1957 when he was stationed in Saigon. During 1964 Williams was the Director of Field Operations of U.S.A.I.D. in Vietnam. Followed by his service in Vietnam, he became the Deputy Director of U.S. A.I.D. in Tunisia. From 1966-1971, Williams was the Director of the Chieu Hoi program in Vietnam. Following his service in Vietnam, Williams became the Director of the Vietnam Training Center in Washington D.C. In 1974, Williams retired from the Federal Government and returned to Vietnam to try to get some of his friends in Vietnam out before the communist overran the South.

Access Level:

  • Unrestricted

Collection Inventory:

LocationBoxFolderContents
D103.5A11
"Last Trip to Vietnam (April 4-22, 1975)" by Ogden Williams
2
"The Chieu Hoi Program in South Vietnam, 1963-1971" by J.A. Koch
3
"Chieu Hoi: A U.S. Pacification Program in VIetnam Revisited, 1963-1972" by Jeannine Swift
4
"The Dark Night of the Hmong"
"Journey's End: The Future of the Hmong" by Thaokay Nhiavuthao
5
60 Minutes transcript "Our Secret Army"
6
"Hanoi in My Time" by John Colvin
7
Memo: "Chieu Hoi Operation Memorandum No. 1/69: Administration and Operation of the Armed Propaganda Teams"
Chieu Hoi Program: 1967 Year End Report
"Effects of Tet Offensive on the Cheu Hoi Program"
"Chieu Hoi Returnees During the Tet Offensive"
"The Kit Carson Scout Program 1966-1968"
"Cheu Hoi Division: Sector Plan, 1968:
8
"The Communist Paradise"
9
"The Loss of South Vietnam: Some Facts and Perceptions" by Bui Diem
10
"This is Everday Vietnamese"
11
pamphlet "Hearing before the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs House of Representatives: Use of Chemical Agents in Southeast Asia since the VIetnam War (12 December 1979)
Statement of Thomas D. Davies, Assistant Director, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency before the Committee on Foreign Affairs House of Representatives, concerning Allegations of the use of Chemical Warfare in Southeast Asia
Statement of Mr. Tou Yi Vang before the Committee on Foreign Affairs House of Representatives, concerning Chemical Warfare in Indochina
Statement for the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Evelyn Colber
12
1963 Coup
13
U.S. Delegation-Four Party Joint Military Team
14
"Re-education in Vietnam (A report from Saigon from a graduate)"
15
"The French Experience"
16
Ogden Williams CV and Resume
17
Oral History interview conducted by Harry Maurer with Ogden Williams
18
Ogden Williams Personnel File
19
Republic of Vietnam Medal of Honor awarded to Ogden Williams
20
Correspondence regarding the Chieu Hoi Program
21
Correspondence from Williams at the Vietnam Training Center
22
Correspondence, 1970
23
Correspondence, Personal 1970
24
Correspondence from Williams at the Vietnam Training Center (January-June 1970)
25
Correspondence (July-December 1970)
26
Correspondence from Williams at the Vietnam Training Center (January-June 1971)
27
Correspondence, Personal 1971
28
Correspondence, 1971-1973
29
Correspondence (assorted dates)
30
Correspondence (assorted dates)
31
North Vietnamese paper flag
32
materials removed from scrapbook
33
assorted materials
34
photo enclosures from Vietnam
35
negative enclosures from Vietnam
D103.5B21
Ogden Williams personnel file from World War II
2
Navigator's log book
3
Ogden Williams passports (1962-1997)
4
Material from Ogden Williams time in India
5
New Hebrides material
6
New Yorker magazine article, "Letter from South Vietnam"
7
National Geographic article, " South Vietnam Fights the Red Tide"
8
National Geographic article, "Passage to Freedom in Vientam" (June 1955)
9
Correspondence
10
newspaper and magazine articles
D103.5C31
World War II-related correspondence
2
World War II orders & documents
3
World War II flight book
4
Tunisia USAID documents
5
Tunisia USAID flight log, 1966
6
Vietnam-related correspondence, 1963-1978
7
Vietnam-related correspondence, 1971-1987
8
Miscellaneous Vietnam correspondence
9
Ogden Williams' perspectives on various Vietnam war-related issues
10
Hmong refugee documents
11
"The Kit Carson Scout Program, 1966-1968" prepared by Chieu Hoi Division, MACCORDS Saigon, 18 January 1968
12
"Vietnamese Smorgasbord - Only an Appetizer" - languge skills workbook
13
"Getting to Know Vietnam: Modular Vietnamese" (Pioneer Edition) - Foreign Service Institute, 1970
14
Modular Vietnamese - "Getting Around in Saigon" & Miscellaneous language workbook pages
15
Evaluation & Awards of Ogden Williams in VIetnam
16
Vietnam Documentation [*One document has been photocopied with the original placed in RESTRICTED ACCESS due to personal information]
17
"Vietnam - Vital Issues in the Great Debate", prepared and published by the Foreign Policy Association, 1966
18
60 Minutes: "Our Secret Army" - Produced by Barry Lando, 4 March 1979
19
Vietnam transparencies
20
West Virginia-related correspondence and documents
21
Recollections of service in India and meeting Che Guevara
22
Afghanistan-related documents
23
International Human Assistance Programs (IHAP) correspondence - Chad
24
Israel/Middle East issues correspondence
25
South American-related correspondence
26
Miscellaneous correspondence and documentation
27
Personal records and resume of Ogden Williams
28
Passports
29
Newspaper and magazine clippings, various dates
D103.1B (Oversize)41
Magazines and newspapers
2
Flight Forecast
3newspapers from the New Hebrides 
Vanuaaku Viewpoints (20 September 1979)
Niu Hebridis Art Festivol Nius Leta (October 1979)
Tru Toktok: Journal du parti Federal des Nouvelles Hebrides (27 September 1979)
Nabanga (7 July 1979, 8 September 1979, 22 September 1979, 29 September 1979, 6 October 1979)
D103.1D(Oversized)51
A souvenir photoalbum presented by the director, members and returnees of the Reception Directorate, Chieu Hoi Program, March 1969
2
Preservation photocopies of Ogden Williams' scrapbook of Europe, 1951-1952. The original scrapbook was scanned and then dismantled after to preserve the photographs.
Original pages of Williams' scrapbook of Europe, 1951-1952: Photographs have been removed and separated for preservation.
D030.1 (Oversized)6
Thirteen rolled and/or damaged photographs

Separated Materials:

Books:New Hebrides: Efate.
 New Hebrides: The Road to Independence.
Photographs:VA040994-VA041427.
VA041790-VA041804.
VA049431 - VA049514: approximately 500 photos of Vietnam and surrounding areas.
 VA051423 - VA051516: 96 photographs of Europe 1951.
 VA051517 - VA051563: 47 photographs of Germany, 1953.
 VA051564 - VA051590: 27 contact/proof sheets.
 VA051591 - VA051623: 32 photographs of India.
 VA051624 - VA051944: 321 photographs of Vietnam.
 13 rolled/damaged photographs [Located in Box 6 in Collection Inventory].
 VAN012450-VAN015022: negatives of Vietnam and surrounding areas.
 VA064133 - VA064168.
Slides:VAS033641 - VAS033645: Hmong children.
 VAS033638 - VAS033640, VAS033646, VAS048455 - VAS049409.
 132 general Vietnam slides.
 30 slides of 1971 trip to Vietnam & India.
 27 slides of escape from Vietnam, 1975.
 33 slides of Macau, China, 1978.
 78 slides of Thailand and China, 1978.
 49 slides of China, 1978.
 27 slides of New Hebrides, 1979.
 39 slides of a 1981 fair.
 435 miscellaneous slides.
Maps:Regional Aeronical Chart (Iceland) (stored in map section 12, drawer 15).
 U.S. Army Air Forces Special Air Navigation Chart: Newfoundland to Northwest Africa (stored in map section 12, drawer 15).
 New Hebrides Condominium Des Nouvelles-Hebrides (stored in map section 12, drawer 15).
Posters:Chieu Hoi (stored in map section 12, drawer 15).
Museum Objects:1525museum3046: PAA Ferries Inc pin.
 1525museum3047: USAID Medal.
 1525museum3048: Ogden Williams' dog tag.
 1525museum3049: Chieu Hoi pin.
 1525museum3050: Foreign Service Institute (VTC) pin.
 1525museum3051: Pin with a water buffalo head.
 1525museum3053: PAA Ferries Inc pin.
 1525museum3054: 25 years of government service pin.
 1525museum3055: Small USAID pin.
 1525museum3056: 5 Dong coin.
 1525museum3057: Unidentified colorful pin with yin and yang and two lions.
 1525museum3058: German Rentenmark.
 1525museum3059: Eastern Construction Company plaque.
 1525museum3060: Jeppesen navigational plotter.
Electronic Media:1525EM0387: Scans of Ogden Williams' scrapbook of Europe, 1951-1952.
Moving Images:1525VI1959: First trip to Vinh Long 1963.
 1525VI1960: Pleiku II.
 1525VI1961: AP Bac drilling April 1962.
 1525VI1962: Buddist #2.
 1525VI1963: People in Saigon May 1964.
 1525VI1964: March-June 1963 Helicopters in Dalat, 1st Busshist Silent Demonstration.
 1525VI1965: 1963 View from Apartment.
 1525VI1966: Vinh Long Operation May 1963.
 1525VI1967: Saigon Buddhist and Catholic demonstrations May 1964.
 1525VI1968: November 1 Revolution morning after (1963).
 1525VI1969: 1963 Saigon funeral, birds and street scenes.
 1525VI1970: Pleiku National Day.
 1525VI1971: Trip to Phu Bai.
 1525VI1972: Ogden Williams on tour at Hien Vuong.
 1525VI1973: 1968 trip to Phi Yen.
 1525VI1974: Bad.
 1525VI1975: September-November 1963 coup.
 1525VI1976: May 1964.
 1525VI1977: Tay Ninh June 1964.
 1525VI1978: Trip to Phu Bai.
 1525VI1979: Vinh Binh trip.
 1525VI1980: House July 1965.
 1525VI1981: Landing at Hhan Son Nhut.
 1525VI1982: Saigon.
 1525VI1983: Kids in movies in Saigon.
 1525VI1984: Saigon Parade, November 1967.
 1525VI1985: Overthrow of Diem, Vietnam 1963.
 1525VI2398: Tokyo (8mm film) [D143.1].
 1525VI2394: Mexico - Cholula, Cancun - Tape 1 (8mm film) [D143.1].
 1525VI2400: Mexico - Cholula, Cancun - Tape 2 (8mm film) [D143.1].

Digitized Materials

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