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Preferred Citation:

C.K. Mahakian Vietnam Notebook, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Biographical Information:

LT COL in United States Marine Corps.

Scope and Contents

Handwritten diary and one typed letter by Karnig "Carl" Mahakian dating from November 23, 1966 to December 20, 1966.  In it Mahakian describes the people of Vietnam and the conditions.  From it, Mahakian used his notes to develop the script for the United States Marine Corps documentary, "County Fair" (1967), which was a military operation in Vietnam.  The operation involved the clearing of all residents from their villages in search for Vietcong, weapons, and contraband.  The villagers were then registered, provided food and medical attention, and then allowed to return to their villages.  The letter is to Mahakian's wife, Lillian dated December 8, 1966. In his letter, Mahakian vividly describes the capture and subsequent dealings of a Vietcong prisoner.