The Story of a Vietnam Era Veteran
Explore heartfelt poetry reflecting Vietnam experiences.
About William T. Elliott
William T. Elliott - Vietnam Era Veteran (U.S. Air Force - 1972-1975)
I joined the Air Force in the summer of 1972 in the heart of the Vietnam War. I left the service in the Spring of 75, three weeks before the fall of Siagon. I was sworn in, in Sioux Falls, SD and went through basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. I was on a MAC/SAC support base and worked with C5 cargo planes, C-1
I joined the Air Force in the summer of 1972 in the heart of the Vietnam War. I left the service in the Spring of 75, three weeks before the fall of Siagon. I was sworn in, in Sioux Falls, SD and went through basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. I was on a MAC/SAC support base and worked with C5 cargo planes, C-141 cargo planes, and KC-135 refuelers that were SAC planes used at that time to refuel the B-52s launched out of Thialand so they would have enough range to reach Hanoi, the enemy capitol, that were bombing the heck out of back then. We bombed other points further south too, and we also bomped Laos, althouh we wouldn't admit. After the service I struggled with suicide for 50 years because of the hatred of us back then and was only able to defeat it with the help of God and my wife, 1 civilian hospital, 2 VA hospitals and the emts after taking some pill. But after getting out of Fort Meade where they took me last, God spoke to me and said I could love myself instead of hate myself for my time in the service, and together God and my wife told me the Vietnam War was not my fault. It was then that I began to love myself, and was able to turn my life around and become the poet I am today.
William T. Elliott - Vietnam Era Veteran