”This is a f—d up war. But it’s the only war we got.” That is a quote I heard many times in my early career with the US Air Force. Undoubtedly, combat experience can enhance a military career. After all, that’s what the military is all about. In my 30-year Air Force career, I spent only one year, 1969-1970, in actual flying combat. I was assigned as an EC-47 navigator in a combat recon role, at Tan Son Nhut AB near Saigon. I was well recognized by the Air Force for my service that year. A Distinguished Flying Cross and four Air Medals, among other service medals, were far more than enough for me.
However, saying I only served one year in Vietnam, though true, totally understates the impact of Vietnam for me.
As a matter of fact, Vietnam was the central focus of my Air Force service for far more than that one year. Let’s talk about 1963-1973.
My first experience in spring, 1963, was a classified airlift mission to a place I never heard of called Danang. I was the C-130 navigator. Not many folks knew we had a presence there. We landed on a PSP runway (kinda temporary), and were met by a green beret officer, who oversaw the cargo being unloaded. On the ground less than an hour, then off to the safe environs of Clark AB, Philippines. The pace of Vietnam airlift missions continuously increased to the point in 1965 at which, we had a continuous flow of C-130 then C-141 (bigger and faster) missions from Charleston to Alaska to Japan then to somewhere in southeast Asia. That continued for me until I left Charleston AFB in late 1967 for Ohio State University where I was assigned to earn my MBA in about 1 and 1/2 years and then serve at least 6 more years in Air Force financial management. BUT. Not until I paid my dues with a one year tour at Tan Son Nhut in reconnaissance. Yay.
So—- I survived my year in Nam, returning stateside in summer 1970, to a place called the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center (AFAFC) at 3800 York Street in Denver, Colorado. You see, navigation and financial management have much in common. We both make a detailed plan and then deviate from it.
What do you think my specific job was at AFAFC? Managing the pay accounts of over 300 MIA and POW Air Force members in Vietnam. So Nam was still my primary focus for another 3 years.
One of the proudest periods of my career was to be involved with Operation Homecoming, the return of our POWs from Vietnam, in 1973. The Air Force finance world I was a part of met and briefed every returning POW on their pay and how we helped their family during their absence. With very few exceptions, the feedback from them was extremely positive. They had heard through their POW grapevine that the Air Force was managing their pay and working closely with their families to ensure pay was not a matter of concern. I’m so glad I could be a part of that. Enuf.