Return to Vietnam
Memories Day 11, March 16, 2017
This is not a chronicle of the activities, I just thought I would share my personal reflections of returning to Vietnam after 48 years.
I began my career with the Alabama State Troopers when I became a State Trooper Cadet on October 10, 1966. Two weeks after my 18th birthday. I went on military leave from the Department and entered the U.S. Army to attend flight school to become a helicopter pilot. Nine months later, upon graduation from flight school, I was enroute to Vietnam. I arrived in the Delta and was assigned to the 121st Assault Helicopter Company based in Soc Trang. The famed Soc Trang Tigers. I was twenty years old. I did not realize it at the time, but I had embarked on a journey that would shape my future.
Major John Cloud, Chief of the Alabama Highway Patrol, corresponded with me, to check on my well being. He would send me pictures of helicopters and told me as soon as I could return to the State Troopers, they would buy me a helicopter.
I spent the next 8 months flying with some of the greatest, bravest men I ever knew. They were very patient with me and taught me the skills I needed to survive as a combat helicopter pilot. On February 22, 1970, while flying with my roommate, Ed Skuza, I was shot in the leg. Ed broke off contact with the enemy and flew me to the Navy hospital and after several surgeries to my leg, I was medevaced to Japan and then through the military progression, back to the USA. I was sent to Lyster Army Hospital at Fort Rucker.
Last year I saw an opportunity to revisit Vietnam and decided to make the trip. I called our good friends, Jerry and Mary Ann Hankins, to see if they wanted to make the trip. They said yes and here we are.
I must say that after leaving Shanghai and flying back into Vietnam at night gave me a weird feeling. I found myself looking for tracer fire or other signs of a battle raging below me. Everything was peaceful. I found this was more of an emotional journey for me than anything else. I was thinking of my classmates from flight school who did not come back. I was thinking of the members of my unit that had perished and others that were gravely injured and were affected for the rest of their lives. I was thinking of Captain Billy T. Hatfield of Eufaula. Uncle Billy was my father's brother. He was a Green Beret and was killed in action in Vietnam. I did not realize the anguish and worry that my family experienced when I left for Vietnam. I have always regretted that
I thought to myself, is this a trip I needed to take? I don't know. Vietnam has always been a part of my life. It has been a part of Linda's life, also. We are going to Arizona next month to attend the annual reunion with the members of the Soc Trang Tigers that I served with. I will ask them.
This is not a chronicle of the activities, I just thought I would share my personal reflections of returning to Vietnam after 48 years.
I began my career with the Alabama State Troopers when I became a State Trooper Cadet on October 10, 1966. Two weeks after my 18th birthday. I went on military leave from the Department and entered the U.S. Army to attend flight school to become a helicopter pilot. Nine months later, upon graduation from flight school, I was enroute to Vietnam. I arrived in the Delta and was assigned to the 121st Assault Helicopter Company based in Soc Trang. The famed Soc Trang Tigers. I was twenty years old. I did not realize it at the time, but I had embarked on a journey that would shape my future.
Major John Cloud, Chief of the Alabama Highway Patrol, corresponded with me, to check on my well being. He would send me pictures of helicopters and told me as soon as I could return to the State Troopers, they would buy me a helicopter.
I spent the next 8 months flying with some of the greatest, bravest men I ever knew. They were very patient with me and taught me the skills I needed to survive as a combat helicopter pilot. On February 22, 1970, while flying with my roommate, Ed Skuza, I was shot in the leg. Ed broke off contact with the enemy and flew me to the Navy hospital and after several surgeries to my leg, I was medevaced to Japan and then through the military progression, back to the USA. I was sent to Lyster Army Hospital at Fort Rucker.
Last year I saw an opportunity to revisit Vietnam and decided to make the trip. I called our good friends, Jerry and Mary Ann Hankins, to see if they wanted to make the trip. They said yes and here we are.
I must say that after leaving Shanghai and flying back into Vietnam at night gave me a weird feeling. I found myself looking for tracer fire or other signs of a battle raging below me. Everything was peaceful. I found this was more of an emotional journey for me than anything else. I was thinking of my classmates from flight school who did not come back. I was thinking of the members of my unit that had perished and others that were gravely injured and were affected for the rest of their lives. I was thinking of Captain Billy T. Hatfield of Eufaula. Uncle Billy was my father's brother. He was a Green Beret and was killed in action in Vietnam. I did not realize the anguish and worry that my family experienced when I left for Vietnam. I have always regretted that
I thought to myself, is this a trip I needed to take? I don't know. Vietnam has always been a part of my life. It has been a part of Linda's life, also. We are going to Arizona next month to attend the annual reunion with the members of the Soc Trang Tigers that I served with. I will ask them.
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