Ann Kelsey

Ann Kelsey had just received her Masters in Library Science from UCLA when she was recruited by Army Special Services to run libraries in Vietnam. Kelsey grew up in a military town in California, so witnessing anti-war protests at UCLA intensified her empathy for the soldiers in Vietnam. Kelsey was eager to go to Vietnam and provide the soldiers with books, records, movies and any distraction that could help the soldiers escape their difficult reality. Kelsey was heavily involved in the creation of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Fund, and dedicated herself to reuniting Army Special Services women and creating a community of women Vietnam veterans. She recalls her various experiences during the war, and how her life today still heavily influenced by it.