Guide to the Harold F. Chorney (Class of 1961) oral history and papers relating to the Vietnam War, 1958-2011

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2016

Collection Overview

Title:	Harold F. Chorney (Class of 1961) oral history and papers relating to the Vietnam War
Date range:	1958-2011
Creator:	Chorney, Harold Franklin
Extent:	0.25 Linear feet
Abstract:	This collection contains the 2011 oral history interview of Harold F. Chorney (Class of 1961) by Professor Elizabeth Taylor and supplementary biographical materials as part of the Vietnam Vets Oral History Project. His recollections concentrate on the years 1957 to 1976 and include Brown University days as proctor of Plantation House and Air Force ROTC, survival school training, flying for the Military Air Transport Squadron transporting cargo, Air Evacuation, “embassy runs,” 37 Vietnam missions, some combat, and his reserves duty at L.G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts. Chorney also describes his diagnosis with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A short segment at the end of the oral history interview recounts growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (circa 1949-1957) as a son of immigrant parents from Ukraine and Bessarabia.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	AMS.1U.C12

Scope & content

This collection contains the 2011 oral history interview of Harold F. Chorney (Class of 1961) by Professor Elizabeth Taylor and supplementary biographical materials. The materials are arranged into three series:

Series 1. Oral history: This series includes the 2011 oral history interview as part of the Brown Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project, and completed questionnaires with biographical facts, experiences and personal perspectives. His recollections concentrate on the years 1957 to 1976 and include Brown University days as proctor of Plantation House and Air Force ROTC, survival school training, flying for the Military Air Transport Squadron transporting cargo, Air Evacuation, “embassy runs,” 37 Vietnam missions, some combat, and his reserves duty at L.G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts. Chorney also describes his diagnosis with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A short segment at the end of the oral history interview recounts growing up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (circa 1949-1957) as a son of immigrant parents from Ukraine and Bessarabia.

Series 2. Photographs: This series contains scanned images of Chorney from 1958 to early 1960s in uniform, and an undated (circa 2008) image of Chorney in his flight jacket with squadron patches.

Series 3. Article: This contains an article in which Chorney recalls the founding of the financial planning profession. It was published as the cover story “Hal Chorney: Twenty five years after 1984” in The Register, February 2010 which is the publication of the Official International Association of Registered Financial Consultants.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Chorney, Elaine Cranshaw
• Czech, Felix
• Emerson, David, 1916?-1998
• Packer, William J.
• Taylor, Elizabeth S. (Beth)

Subject Organizations

• Brown University--Student life and customs
• Brown University. Air Force ROTC.
• Brown University. Class of 1961.
• United States. Air Force ROTC.
• United States. Air Force. Military Air Transport Service.
• United States. Army Air Forces.
• Vietnam Veterans Archive (Brown University)

Subject Topics

• Airplanes--Piloting
• Banking law -- United States
• Banks and banking
• Financial planners
• Financial services industry
• Flight navigators
• Flight training
• Independent regulatory commissions
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Aerial operations, American
• Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American

Geographical Names

• Pawtucket (R.I.)--personal narratives--20th century

Subject Topics

• Military

Arrangement

• Series 1. Oral history
• Series 2. Photographs
• Series 3. Article

Biographical/Historical note

Harold "Hal" Chorney grew up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and graduated from Brown University in 1961. He trained as a pilot with the Air Force in Waco, Texas, and became a transport navigator for the Military Airlift Transport Squadron, often carrying cargo and troops to Vietnam. The hardest parts of his service were losing service friends who were shot down and the horrific sights while he flew air evacuations. He remembers he “flew many soldiers over to Vietnam in one piece and flew them back in body bags or coffins … or as multiple amputees...Some of our passengers from Cam Rahn Bay, with head injuries, died as we would climb to altitude. They would slump over in their wheelchairs as if they were sleeping. Some of the injured wanted to kill themselves because they did not want the people back home to see them the way they were.”

After active duty Hal moved with his young family to Rhode Island, where he taught 9th grade math at Woonsocket Junior High School from 1967 to 1976. He also joined the reserves and flew with them in summers and on school vacations. Because he had flown 6,000 hours, he became a flight examiner in the reserves. The war never left him. “It took me years to find out that I felt guilty for bringing troops over in one piece and back in body bags. My teaching of young guys who were entering the service only exacerbated the guilt.” He talks about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Over time, Hal became an expert in financial services. For over 50 years he has assisted banks, insurance companies, attorneys and other financial professionals in the appraisal and disposition of gold and silver, rare coins, rare postage stamps, jewelry and other collectibles. He has also assisted individuals and financial professionals by drawing up portfolios to include tangible assets and at times in acting as their agent in the acquisition of these tangible assets.

His articles have been published in Life Insurance Selling, Fiduciary Legal Report, Success Plans, Financial Profiles, Financial Services Advisor, The Inspirator International, The Register, and The Financial Planning Encyclopedia. He is the author of the book What Happened to the Golden Frogs?

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Harold F. Chorney (Class of 1961) oral history and papers relating to Vietnam War, AMS.1U.C12, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Gift of Harold F. Chorney in 2012.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Barbara Ambos.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2016-01-06
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

Part of the Brown University Vietnam Vets Oral History Project.

Inventory

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