Will Hanson enlisted in the Army in 1967 after his first year at Harvard Business School. Following basic training, completing AIT as a clerk-typist, and OCS, he completed armor school at Fort Knox, where he received his commission in armor. He then served in a training brigade for a year, did a jungle course in Panama, and deployed to Vietnam in 1969 at the age of 25. He joined Delta Troop, 2/17 Cav, 101st Airborne at Camp Eagle in I Corps. Hanson remembers quick initiation in airborne combat, the perils of friendly fire, the importance of foxholes, the mission of the ready reaction force, his time as a combat platoon leader, and a fragging incident in his platoon (“… some of the members of the platoon viewed him as a parade ground sergeant, and not somebody that was protecting them in the field. And so that was an eye-opener for me"). He recalls providing security for downed aircraft, enjoying quality R&R in both Bangkok and Sydney, and rebuilding a school. He contrasts his time as a reconnaissance platoon leader with his time as a civil affairs officer. And he tells of his experience at Hill 916, part of the fight for Hamburger Hill. Hanson half-jokingly claims his biggest regret in Vietnam was missing the Bob Hope show at Camp Eagle, at Christmas (or New Year’s) 1969, due to a hangover.