Show Notes
William Fred Aronow served as an officer with D Co. 2/501 Infantry (Delta Raiders) of the 101st Airborne Division from 1967 to 1968. During his tour in Vietnam, Aronow would earn a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, an Air Medal, and various decorations from the South Vietnamese government. He stayed in the Army after the war and retired at the rank of Colonel.
More from The Vietnam Experience
Robert “Dutch” Van Lueween immigrated to the United States from Holland and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966. He served 13 months in Vietnam with Hotel, 2/5, 1st Marine Division as a rifleman before returning to the US in 1967.
Gary Kissling deployed to Vietnam in 1966 and joined the 336th Assault Helicopter Company. As a Huey pilot, Kissling flew various missions during his twelve-month tour, including night operations, air support, and insertion flights with the US Navy Seals. In 1967, he returned to the United States and finished his commitment to the Army flying for a medical unit in Germany.
Thomas “Tim” Groh arrived in Vietnam in October of 1967 and was assigned to Alpa 1/16 of the 1st Infantry Division. He was wounded twice in combat during the Tet Offensive; the second wound, recounted in this video, occurred on February 22, 1968. Groh returned to the United States after his tour and joined the US Postal Service.
Ed Strazzini arrived in Vietnam in September of 1967 and joined the 68th Assault Helicopter Company. Strazzini flew various support missions during his time with the Mustang gun platoon, notably around the 1968 Tet Offensive, before returning to the United States in August of 1968. He volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam as a skycrane pilot, participating in the ill-fated Lam Som 719 incursion into Laos.After Vietnam, Strazzini remained in the Army and completed 23 years of service.
Alan Basham enlisted in the Navy in 1967 and trained as a hospital corpsman with a special emphasis in air-sea rescue and medical evacuation. In Vietnam, Basham was among an elite team of Fleet Marine Force medevac corpsmen (MAG-16 Flying Docs) who flew medevac missions with USMC helicopter crews. After returning to the United States, he left the military and embarked on a career in psychology, training students in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Eastern Washington University for twenty-two years.