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Jim Wicker

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Their German guards were scared of the SS and terrified of being sent to the Russian front, recalls Jim Wicker, a downed American pilot. The war had reached their homeland and Patton soon reached the prison camp where he was interred. He was liberated. (5:01)

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After the war, former POW Jim Wicker opted to remain in the Air Force and took his bride to a new overseas post in Japan. After that, he served in a variety of ground jobs and finished his career back in the pilot's seat, flying for the Strategic Air Command. (4:49)

Jimmie Spencer

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After the battle of the Ia Drang Valley, the word went out. Infantrymen were needed and Jimmie Spencer answered the call. Pulled from the 101st Airborne, he arrived in Vietnam and was overwhelmed by the exotic culture and underwhelmed by the poorly organized replacement depot where he waited for assignment. (6:06)

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Jimmie Spencer was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Air Mobile when he arrived for his first tour in Vietnam. He was designated as a forward observer, which means he always had a radio. With that and his Ranger tab and his NCO rank, he went on practically every patrol the unit did. (5:03)

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The cargo parachute worked well as a tent until the monsoons started. That's when Jimmie Spencer and his buddies had to move into a real tent. Life at the base camp meant daily pills for malaria, rusty beer cans, and at first, no showers. (4:14)

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Despite minimal contact with civilians during his first tour of Vietnam, Jimmie Spencer developed a great curiosity about their culture. On his second tour, he was an advisor to the Regional and Popular Forces, local civilian militias, which was perfect for him. He was dismayed, however, at the callous attitude toward them held by most Americans. He was also grateful that the racial divisions in society back home did not penetrate to the unit level in the field. (6:08)

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A main activity during down time at the An Khe base camp was movie time. Gunsmoke episodes were big, with an occasional sniper bullet aimed at the screen. As soon as the men heard These Boots Are Made For Walking, it became the theme song for the 1st Cavalry. (3:26)

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He was never in a big battle, but there were plenty of firefights on the long patrols. Jimmie Spencer describes his first combat encounter, in which they lost men to accidents before they even encountered the enemy. This led to changes in a number of procedures as they became more experienced. (8:39)

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For Jimmie Spencer, the best day of his Vietnam experience was the day he was promoted to staff sergeant, a validation of his effort. The worst day was the ambush when he listened to the screams of a wounded enemy soldier for hours as he waited for dawn. (6:45)

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When he returned from Vietnam, Jimmie Spencer did not experience the abuse that many returning veterans faced, but between his two tours, he was turned away from a bar in South Carolina, of all places. Later in his career, he was looking forward to an organization day for families on base at Fort Bragg when Hollywood protestors caused the event to be cancelled. (6:45)