Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Tommy Clack

Vietnam | C Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division

After his first Vietnam tour, artillery officer Tommy Clack tried to modify stateside training to better prepare soldiers for actual conditions. Returning for a second tour, he insisted on forward duty with a combat unit. (8:53)
Tommy Clack gained a healthy respect for the North Vietnamese Army, who were well armed and used brilliant tactics, including the use of available resources to fashion booby traps. (5:58)
Tommy Clack was taught by John Racine, one of his NCO's, how to find out who was shooting in a firefight and who was just staying out of it. After the battle, you felt the gun barrels of the soldiers on the line. (6:44)
In a letter home, Tommy Clack expressed his worry that something bad was going to happen and it did when his unit engaged the NVA near the Cambodian border. He saw the enemy soldier stand and fire the RPG that changed his life forever. (5:59)
Tommy Clack was out for seven days following his gruesome injury at the Vietnam front. He gradually became aware of missing limbs and a pretty nurse. His memories of an out-of-body experience after he was hit became the subject of a television documentary. (7:34)
When Tommy Clack met Max Cleland, another triple amputee, and saw him get into a car and drive off, he knew he could eventually do it, too. Soon he was taking other veteran amputees on hunting and fishing trips. (3:01)
Tommy Rieman

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

Understanding how the military operated while stationed in Kosovo became essential for Tommy Rieman and it gave him a good first step towards future deployments. Deciding to re-enlist and go to Germany was a very exciting next step for him. (4:39)
During 9/11, Tommy Rieman was on guard waiting to act if necessary, which they ended up having to do for a training mission. Deploying to Iraq was a transition after his time in Kosovo but they were prepared to do whatever they needed to do. (6:14)
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)