The Richard M. Sharp Photograph Collection contains 220 photographs documenting Sharp’s experiences serving in the Vietnam War with the 84th Engineer Battalion. Sharp served in Vietnam from 1966-1968, and he may have spent time in an American military camp near the city of Qui Nhon. Photographs show everyday life in the camp, including Sharp and his fellow soldiers at work on various construction projects and relaxing off-duty. Photographs also show a large crowd of soldiers watching performers onstage during a USO show. The collection includes photographs showing some of the Vietnamese civilians that the soldiers encountered, including children and a woman identified by Sharp as “a certain Vietnamese friend of mine.” In addition, photographs show views of the Vietnamese countryside, including a local village, rocky coastline, and a beach. Some photographs are identified, although most are not.

Sharp presented the photographs in three colorful albums purchased in Vietnam. The albums have been disassembled, and the photographs they contained are stored separately from the physical albums.