Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:21 | Growing up in the Midwest in a military family, Rick Bates joined the Air Force with the desire of flying fighter jets. He had to learn quickly to prepare himself for the intensity of navigating these huge machines.
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Getting stationed in Southeast Asia, Rick Bates was asked to graduate survival school early due to a shortage in pilots. He was assigned to fly combat missions very quickly after settling into Ubon Air Force Base.
Rick Bates remembers what to look for when spotting enemy anti-air forces. Taking fire, especially from Surface-to-Air Missiles, was always nerve-wracking but he learned how to properly evade them.
Rick Bates remembers one of his most memorable missions over North Vietnam. Taking enemy fire that took off the right wing of his airplane, he and his flying partner had to eject to save their lives. Getting captured upon landing would set into motion their time as prisoners-of-war.
Keeping a positive attitude and a sharp mind while captured was essential to staying alive as a prisoner of war. Spending time in the Hanoi Hilton, Heartbreak Hotel and Little Vegas was difficult but they found ways to work through the hard times.
After several months as a POW, Rick Bates remembers being released and feeling relieved after they flew to a base in the Philippines. Returning home and getting some leave, he decided to stay in the Air Force and finished out his career flying the F-4.
