Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Tommy Rieman

Operation Iraqi Freedom | Company B, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne

Getting dropped off in a Landing Zone was nerve-wracking for Tommy Rieman and his company. Patrolling the area was dangerous but they had proper protocol to keep themselves safe. (6:15)
After a mission, Tommy Rieman and his company also took time to debrief with each other and other members of the Army. When they returned to Kuwait, they reached a deal with a UAV company to get a ride back to their unit. They ended up surveilling the Iraq-Iran border where there was lots of activity. (6:31)
Out on a surveillance mission, Tommy Rieman and his company faced IEDs and RPGs that ended up wounding him and killing some of his friends. After the Quick Reaction Force was able to extract them, he was able to recover from his injuries and enjoy one of the first hot meals since he was deployed. (5:41)
Getting a medical evacuation in Iraq was cathartic but he managed to recover and had a good team behind him to save his life. Returning home was a real challenge as he had to cope with everything that had happened. (6:37)
A unique opportunity, Tommy Rieman was asked to be the model and main character of America's Army, a video game dedicated to depicting American service. Touring around the country representing the game was good for him. (5:23)
Tony Coalson

Vietnam | 201st Aviation Company, 1st Field Force

He'd gotten his private pilot's license through Army ROTC, but it was in helicopters that they wanted Tony Coalson to be trained. He wasn't real excited about that until he got in one. It was in training that a grim sense of humor began to form among the close knit pilots. (5:35)
In flight school, every day was a new day, always a new procedure to learn. Helicopter pilot Tony Coalson remembers learning slope landings and connects that to the first time he actually used one in a combat situation. It was during the Tet Offensive, on the lawn of a beautiful resort hotel built by the French. (5:55)
Helicopter pilot Tony Coalson felt lucky when he was placed in the 201st Aviation Company instead of being thrown into the replacement circuit. He was sent to Vietnam on a troop ship, a practice that was soon to be abandoned. The trip was uncomfortable, but very interesting. (7:42)
The anxiety increased as the troop ship approached Vietnam. Once ashore, Tony Coalson was sure they would be ambushed at any minute. In reality, they were in a very safe part of the country. As the aviation company settled into their base at Nha Trang, they had no idea that they had drawn one of the best assignments they could get. (7:18)
Tony Coalson's helicopter unit flew all of II Corps, a fourth of the entire country, unlike dedicated combat units, which only flew in their little slice of Vietnam. He recalls his first combat related mission, in which he delivered an assessment team right in the middle of one of the biggest battles of the war. Part 1 of 2. (6:54)