Fifty-one years ago, beginning in January 1968, the Tet Offensive changed the course of the Vietnam War.
Until The War on Terror, aka The Global War on Terrorism, the Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America or simply the American War, had the longest US combat force participation (17.4 years).
This conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975, with U.S. involvement ending in 1973, claimed more than 58,000 American lives and the climate to which those returning to the United States from this war was far from favorable.
“Welcome home” was not a common greeting to someone who served in this war. And yet, many of those who served went on to become successful CEOs, business owners, doctors, and teachers – and raise families that knew little, if anything, of their service.
Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame recipient, Bob Ford, who flew over a thousand missions in Vietnam was one who was forward-thinking in his transition and continues to work to change the negative narrative around those who served in Vietnam.
You can listen to his compelling podcast interview on The Military Wire with Mike Schindler.
In his gripping memoir, Black Cat 2-1: The True Story of a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot and His Crew (Brown Books Publishing Group), Bob Ford delivers a vivid portrait of camaraderie, danger, and survival. From July 1967 to July 1968, Ford flew over one thousand missions in Vietnam.
On November 3, 2018, Ford was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and was awarded the Major General Douglas O. Dollar Distinguished Public Service Award. Named for the founder of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame, the award recognizes exemplary public and community service and support of veterans. Ford has funded college educations and student expenses for needy families; placed computers in schools; and donated bicycles for Christmas Santa drawings. In September 2017 he donated a Huey helicopter to the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City for permanent display. Ford’s decorations include the Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters with one for Valor and the Bronze Star Medal.
A gifted storyteller, Ford shared his experiences in a StoryCorps segment recorded in Oklahoma City in March 2018. In September 2018, Ford narrated the audio book version of Black Cat 2-1, available now on Audible/Amazon and iTunes.
For more information, visit http://www.blackcat2-1.com/ You can view Ford’s book trailer here: BLACK CAT 2-1.
The Military Wire, hosted by Mike Schindler, interviews some of America’s most elite men and women who have served this country in hopes that you the listener will gain an “ah-ha” moment that will help you move your life forward.
Mike is a US Navy Veteran, an award-winning author, and has been featured on Yahoo Finance, the Boston Globe, NY Post, USA Today, Q13 Fox, and numerous other media outlets discussing why today’s Veterans are truly one of America’s Greatest Assets. Mike is the author of two highly endorsed books, “Operation Military Family: How Military Couples are Fighting to Preserve their Marriages,” and “U.S. Veterans in the Workforce: Why the 7% are America’s Greatest Asset.”
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