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Tom Kirk

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It was a great relief to return home, even with the rampant anti-war sentiment in the country. Helicopter pilot Tom Kirk knew he didn't want an active Army career so he found a reserve Medevac unit and stayed there 25 years. (5:44)

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It was decades after his Vietnam tour that Tom Kirk got the call again. He was flying for a Reserve Medevac unit that was mobilized for Desert Storm. They were based in Riyadh and their helicopters had to be modified to deal with the sand. The Americans also had to deal with Saudi customs and social mores. (7:40)

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There are a lot of myths about Vietnam. Tom Kirk blows holes in some of the popular misconceptions and explains how the so-called "loss" had nothing to do with the quality of the soldiers. When he was mobilized years later for Desert Storm, he was proud he could still contribute. (6:14)

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Like many veterans, Tom Kirk enjoys getting together with his comrades from the war. He recalls how, after a day flying over the Mekong Delta and getting shot at, a cold beer and some rock and roll made it seem like it never happened. Then it was the Rolling Stones. Later, in Desert Storm, it was AC/DC. (4:58)

Tom Morrissey

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He had one eye on a future as an airline pilot and another on the present where the draft was coming for him. Tom Morrissey enlisted in the Army because it was the only branch that would let him go to flight school without a four year degree. (5:04)

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After basic training, Tom Morrissey was off to flight school where the pressure was intense. It was designed to make you fail so they would only wind up with the best pilots. He and some buddies made a side trip to a rock festival where they were the only ones with shaved heads. (5:22)

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The heat poured into the plane when the door opened on the tarmac in Vietnam. Then, Tom Morrissey experienced the chaos on the streets as he made his way through the assignment process. He was a new helicopter pilot and he wound up at the 117th Assault Helicopter Company which was based near Long Binh. (6:21)

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His first flight in Vietnam was memorable. Huey pilot Tom Morrissey was taken up for a check ride with the unit's instructor pilot and while they were warming up the chopper, a mortar round destroyed another aircraft in it's revetment. They immediately went searching for the enemy without a crew chief or door gunners. (6:06)

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Huey pilot Tom Morrissey would try to have some reason to land at Nha Be because the Navy had good food. As long as we're fueling up we should get some lunch, right? He would ferry SEAL teams to the Mekong marshlands but that was only one of his jobs. His unit was given many different tasks including combat assaults and incursions into Cambodia. (5:42)

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When Tom Morrissey arrived at the 117th AHC the unit had a terrific commander who was well liked and respected. He eventually moved on and his replacement was the exact opposite. He was self-promoting and sowed division in the company. (4:56)