hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 464: The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and guest Clarence F Simpson P3 on hmTv
In Part 3 of The Fog of War and Humanity, host Richard Acritelli continues his powerful conversation with Vietnam veteran Clarence F. Simpson as Clarence recalls landing in South Vietnam at just 19 years old and confronting a world of oppressive heat, relentless rain, and constant danger. He describes building a tent city near Dau Tieng and the Michelin rubber plantation, the reality of living on C-rations, and spending most days away from base on search-and-destroy and reconnaissance missions. Clarence shares striking details about battlefield conditions, medical evacuation, and the long shadow of toxic exposure, including health battles that followed him home and the slow fight for recognition.
The conversation moves to the Cambodian border and War Zone C, where Clarence explains how crossing into Cambodia felt geographically the same, yet carried enormous risk and political consequences. He also offers an unfiltered look at the frustrations of combat, including rules of engagement that sometimes prevented soldiers from firing back, even when under threat. Clarence reflects on what war really becomes in the field: not a grand strategy, but loyalty to the brothers on your left and right and doing whatever it takes to get everyone home.
The episode closes on legacy and service across generations. Clarence speaks as a Gold Star father, connecting Vietnam’s toxins to later conflicts and the suffering of veterans he sees daily at the VA. He then shares a moving family revelation: discovering his Uncle Larry’s hidden history as part of the Tuskegee Airmen effort, a story that opens the door to an even deeper discussion of military service and civil rights in the next episode.