Two years after setting the new standard in war combat documentaries with its Emmy-winning masterpiece WWII in HD, HISTORY shifts its focus to a different generation and to one of the most controversial wars in American history. Vietnam in HD, an epic six-hour docudrama, will immerse viewers in the sights, the sounds and the stories of the Vietnam War in a way no other has done before. Vietnam in HD premieres on HISTORY this fall. Casemate is proud to announce that Art Wiknik, author of Nam Sense: Surviving Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division is one of the veterans chosen to be profiled. We caught up with Art, and here’s what he had to say…..
“After a nationwide search, the History Channel selected thirteen individuals to have their Vietnam War experiences portrayed in this fall’s Vietnam in HD series. I am very proud and humbled to be one of the Vietnam veterans chosen to be profiled. My selection was due in part to my participation in the battle for Hamburger Hill and because I was an NCOC (Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate) graduate, also known as a Shake-N-Bake Sergeant, or Instant NCO. Another plus was that my book Nam Sense provided ample script material for James Marsden, the Hollywood actor who will portray my younger voice.
The six-hour Vietnam in HD series was announced on July 27th at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that was held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. I was invited to take part in the unveiling by appearing on stage for a panel discussion with Susan Werbe (History Executive Producer), Liz Reph (Producer for Lou Reda Productions) and Joseph Galloway (UPI Vietnam War correspondent and author of We Were Soldiers).
After a six-minute trailer clip of Vietnam in HD we fielded questions from an audience of 150 journalists who write about television for print and online outlets in the United States and Canada. Most of the questions were aimed at me and they ranged in subject from the military draft, Jane Fonda, Vietnam War movies, coming home and more. In addition to the panel discussion, Joe Galloway and I were interviewed by several entertainment bloggers. We also did a short spot for CNN and Dish Network that will be used at a later date to advertise the program.
This opportunity to represent the Vietnam War infantrymen is truly an honor. When the television audience sees Vietnam in HD, they will be struck by our passion and realize that we were not the drug-crazed misfits we were so unfairly portrayed as. We cannot change the past but we can change the future. The shameful treatment of returning Vietnam veterans paved the way for the warm send-off and homecoming that today’s military enjoys and I am proud to have been part of that catalyst. As a result, every time I see returning troops cheered on, that is my homecoming too.”
Photos courtesy of Zimbio.com
The Casemate Blog 
One thought on “Wednesday with the Author: Vietnam in HD with Nam Sense author Arthur Wiknik, Jr.”