Vietnam Service – United States Air Force
“My first day in Saigon, I was being processed in when my Military Base was attacked by rocket fire. It was quite chaotic as I had not been there long enough to know where the safe zones were located. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt, but I was definitely shaken up. I was stationed in Ton Son Nhut -Saigon, South Vietnam where I was a Staff and part of the 19th Special Operations Squadron. Our mission was to oversee the routine maintenance of the C123 air planes and be prepared for any transport necessary to aide in the war effort such as carrying ammunition to the front lines, transporting troops and bringing the KIA’s so they could be transported back to the United States.
“My second tour of duty, I was stationed at USMAC Thai, in Udon, Thailand from 1974-1975. We were charged with training Cambodians how to perform maintenance on our C123’s.
“You are never really prepared for leaving your family and heading to an unknown fate. War leaves a lasting impact on you that never really leaves you when you come home.”