A Minnesota PBS Initiative
Not All of Us Went to Vietnam
I enlisted in the USAF as soon as I turned 18 in the fall of 1971, I didn't wait for a draft number, I volunteered. I completed Basic just before Christmas 1971, I had orders for Lowry AFB in Denver to be trained as an Electronic Technician and maintain the Radar & Air to Air & Air to Ground targeting systems. This was about 7 months of training, and I went to school M - F from 6:00 am to noon while others went from midnight to 6, noon to 6, 6 to midnight in order to maximize classrooms and equipment.)
My class started with 15 Airmen, 3 washed out, and eventually 12 of us graduated. We wanted as a class graduated every week, and almost everyone was going to Vietnam - so I assumed I was also going to end up there.
Lowry AFB, Colorado - Air Training Command - Advanced Systems training for Weapons Control for F-4E Phantom Fighter Bombers.
About 90 days before graduating we filled out DOD forms that we called "Dream Sheets" - where do you want to be stationed next documents - as if we had a real choice.
The first question was "Do you volunteer for overseas duty? Yes or No? I selected yes, as I assumed I was not going to avoid going to Vietnam anyway.
The next section said to list up to 6 places you would like to be stationed, so I listed 1) Vietnam, 2) Italy, 3) Spain, 4) Germany, 5) England, 6) I think was the Netherlands - I was sure it didn't matter - I was going to Nam. Of the 12 of us, only one other guy did the same, my other buddies did not volunteer for overseas duty, and listed only stateside bases that had F-4's.
We were all stunned, as Hammond and I were the 2 that volunteered for Vietnam... we were going to Europe, our buddies to Vietnam.
About 2 months later we were informed our Orders would be presented to us the next day - so we spent a lot of time speculating over beer who might go where. The next morning the Squadron XO came in and started reading out orders, saying "Burrows - Vietnam, Rogers - Vietnam, Lawrence - Vietnam" for the first 10 names on his list, the 10 guys who did not volunteer! I was next: "Cocchiarella - Torrejon Spain, Hammond - Frankfurt Germany".
We were all stunned as Hammond & I were the 2 that volunteered for Vietnam, and we were going to Europe, our buddies to Vietnam.
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Torrejon AFB in Spain was home to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, with 3 Squadrons of Fighter-Bombers. We had dual missions, with 2 Squadrons always in Europe and ready to provide close air support to American and Allied Troops if the Soviets came over the boarder, and 1 Squadron rotated to Incerlik Turkey where we stood Nuclear alert in case of nuclear war.
In my 2 years as a part of the 401st TFW, I spent 5 months in Turkey on 30 day rotations - tending to aircraft ready for nuclear war. I also did duty in Aviano Italy, Frankfurt Germany, & Bitberg Germany
I spent my 4th year at Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro NC, and served most of the year as the Avionics Squadron Weekend Duty Sergeant for the 4th TFW. I was injured in an aircraft accident, and broke my wrist, and was sent to Ft. Bragg - home of the 82nd Airborne - for bone graft surgery. And some 3 months later was discharged with a cast still on my arm and returned to MN to attend the U of MN on the GI Bill.
During my time in the States - especially at Lowry, and after I returned from overseas - I was spit at and called a baby killer - a fate most of us in uniform faced during the Vietnam War Era. It was especially hard to return back to my country after 2 years of Cold War, and be called a baby killer.
I remember being called out to the Alert Pad in Turkey for the first time to fix a plane loaded with a nuke, and being watched by our own AF Security Police, and told if I made a wrong move they were authorized to shoot me. I remember sitting in the cockpit aglow in red lights troubleshooting and fixing a plane with a live nuke about 10 feet under my butt, and being closely watched by other armed Americans.
So I returned to MN, and a few days after arriving my Uncle Jim, who was an Army Veteran and St. Paul Policeman, picked me up and we were driving somewhere on the east side of St. Paul. We did some talking while he drove, and he asked my about my arm healing, then he asked me the question I have never forgotten.
Jim said: "Well, you served your country for 4 years, 2 of them overseas, and it sounds like you hurt your arm pretty bad - do you think the country owes you something?" I don't think I delayed in answering - I said: "Yes, I think the country does owe me something."
Jim quickly replied: "No one owes you a damn thing! You did your duty, you served your country, now go out and earn a living. Forget the peace protesters, get your education and earn a living - you did your duty as everyone should."
I was in a bit of shock, I didn't expect that, but I think I really needed that advice - it sure got me out of feeling sorry for myself.
Finally, while I am a "Vietnam Era Veteran" who is proud of what I did in the Cold War effort, I felt that somehow I was less of a Veteran then those who served in Nam.
I have pretty much gotten past that the past few years, perhaps having my son fight in Afghanistan influenced that somehow, but regardless - I am a proud Cold War Veteran who served honorably during the Vietnam Era.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Woodbury, MN
Primary Location During Vietnam: Torrejon, Spain 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Air Force
Dates of Service: 1971 - 1975
Veteran Organization: DAV, WWP
Unit: 401st Tactical Fighter Wing
Specialty: Weapons Control Systems - F4
Story Themes: 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Cold War, Coming Home, Electronic Technician, Enlisting, Family, Lowry AFB, Patriotism, Read, Spain, Torrejon AFB, Turkey