Thomas Wells

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All the bad stuff happened at the bridge. You rotated between three posts in the small Iraqi town and for the men of Blackhawk 1-9 Cav, the bridge was where you didn't want to be. Thomas Wells remembers that place well and he also remembers trying to keep good relations with the locals, whom he always tried to treat with respect. (5:51)

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It was the worst incident of the deployment. At a bridge in a small Iraqi town, a car bomb took out three soldiers. Thomas Wells pays his respects by recalling them from better times. (3:38)

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Thomas Wells interacted with a lot of Iraqi children but there were two in particular that he found very charming. He would give them candy and money and the last time he saw them, they got a significant parting gift. (2:45)

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Ali was taking an immense personal risk. If he was identified as an interpreter for the Americans, he and his entire family could be assassinated. Thomas Wells reveals what happened to Ali. (2:17)

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What did they do during down time? As in every war, young men looked around for something to drink. Thomas Wells laughs as he recalls what they came up with. Since it was the dawn of the digital age while they were in Iraq, they had a lot of music and movies on personal media. (4:10)

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When his unit returned from Iraq, there was a big ceremony and formation with families waiting. Thomas Wells had no one there, but he had a great homecoming when he finally got to Omaha. He regards the men he served with as heroes and hopes they feel the same about him. (Caution: strong language.) (6:23)

Tim Orr

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His father was very disappointed. Tim Orr wasn't doing well at college and was about to lose his student deferment. Knowing that his dad was a Marine veteran, maybe becoming a Marine himself would smooth things over. (4:29)

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His Marine MOS out of boot camp was 0331, machine gunner. Tim Orr finished his infantry training and flew off to Vietnam where an overwhelming bad smell smacked him in the face as he walked off the plane. Soon he was standing lone 2 AM watch in the bush. (6:19)

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The Marines in the machine gun squad were great guys. They welcomed Tim Orr into the fold when he arrived in Vietnam and he has kept in touch with some of them through the years. (3:19)

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It was relentless for the Marines. Tim Orr remembers the cycle well. Go into the bush and dig in. Set up ambushes at night and patrols during the day. Then move to another spot and repeat. When the regiment was sent home early, he volunteered to stay as a part of a special unit which moved into a village and stayed there, protecting the villagers from the VC. (5:20)