Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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David Barocio

Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) | 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

It was a long drive to Kandahar Province. Medic David Barocio's battalion was finally at full strength and had their own mission. When they got there, the first thing they did was park their vehicles and walk everywhere. It was much safer. (Caution: strong language) (5:33)
They got to the Arghandab Valley in winter so they got to know the locals and the terrain. The fighting season would start in the spring. David Barocio recalls that, as the vegetation grew into a lush state, it became impossible to see the enemy. It was easy to find the Americans, though. (Caution: strong language) (8:41)
They had been lucky. Not only had David Barocio's unit avoided IEDs but, when they did run across one, they avoided calamity. By that point he had a Afghan buddy, a kid named Abdul who was like his little brother. Like many others in the US military at this time, they were often frustrated by the rules of engagement. (Caution: strong language) (5:47)
Medic David Barocio felt bad for the Afghan kids who were caught up in the war. They were running into IEDs just like the soldiers. At one point, after a lot of firefights with the Taliban, he got rid of his fear by adopting a startling mindset. He was already dead. (Caution: strong language) (7:37)
It started small and grew into a company sized event. One of the platoons ran into a Taliban ambush and the others rushed to respond. Medic David Barocio had to leave his breakfast and get there quick. It was there that he saw his first amputee. Part 1 of 2. (Caution: strong language) (6:44)
As he was trying to tend to the wounded in the middle of a firefight with the Taliban, medic David Barocio suddenly felt really bad. It was the beginning of heat stroke, right when he had to function at a high level. Part 2 of 2. (Caution: strong language) (6:50)
David Brown

Vietnam | 82nd Airborne Division

David Brown met a man in a pool hall who had Jump Wings on his chest and he knew he had to get some of those. Volunteering ahead of the draft, he went to jump school after basic and got his own wings despite the trepidation he felt when he saw the raggedy plane they would use. After a year of spit shine and Brasso with the 82nd Airborne, it was time for Vietnam. (4:35)
The heat and the smell, that's what you first noticed about Vietnam, says David Brown. He got a little relief from the heat when he was sent to the countryside and spent most of his time under the canopy in the jungle. He was out there so long that he was momentarily baffled when he sat down at a table in a mess hall after a long trek. Tablecloths? Silverware? This was nice after the malaria and the leeches. (4:35)
David Brown can't remember anything about his first battle, but he'll never forget the second one, Hill 823. The men had to jump from helicopters onto the hilltop. Soon, they were surrounded as the enemy who fled during the bombardment came back up the hill to reclaim it. A long, sleepless night followed, with American gunships keeping up a constant barrage of bullets. (7:03)
There was no radio contact with the 2nd battalion on Hill 875 and losing contact with an American unit could only mean really bad news. To get there and find out what was happening, David Brown's unit had to walk in, a long trek through more dead bodies than he had ever seen. The answer to what had happened was very unsettling, and he was even more unsettled when he heard something huge crashing through the trees. (5:46)