In March 1967, I arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon, South Viet Nam, and was assigned to the 19th Air Commando Squadron.  I was an assistant Crew Chief on the C-123K aircraft and we flew missons throughout the Southern part of  South Viet Nam.  In July 1967, I was part of a group from our squadron sent to  Nakhon Phanom, Thailand (NKP). We supported the "Candlestick Mission",  which flew flair support for the fighters over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, crossing thru Laos and Cambodia.   This was very good duty as we only had three  C-123B's  to take care of.    After only 2 months we were sent back to our squadron at Tan Son Nhut and  back to the reality of war.

In late January 1968 the TET offensive began.  Our base, along with most installations and cities in South Viet Nam, came under constant rocket attacks 24 hours a day.  In February 1968, our C-123's were moved to Phan Rang Air Base, for better protection and I spent my last week "in country" there.

On March 1, 1968, I caught a Military hop on a C-141A headed for Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.    Most everyone flew in and out of "country" on chartered civilian airlines, but most of those flights had been suspended at that time because of the constant attacks on the base.

My next PCS was Forbes AFB, Kansas, where I was assigned to the 1st FM Squadron. After two years at Forbes, I was discharged and I moved back home to Lubbock Texas.    In March of 1972, I reenlisted and was assigned to the 316th TAW at Langley AFB, Virginia.  There I worked as an Aero Repair mechanic on the C-130E acft.     Three years later I got orders for my 2nd tour to Viet Nam and, after declining  the "opportunity", was honorably discharged .

After my active duty career, I worked at Reese AFB, Texas,  (Civil Service) for 15 years, on the T-37 & T-38 aircraft.  In my 22 years associated with the U. S. Air Force , I worked on C-47, T-29, C-123K, C-130E, T-37B and T-38A acft.