Section 1: Bob Nicholson discusses growing up on Staten Island. World War II loomed large in his childhood via family members’ stories, parades, and the television show, Victory at Sea.  

Section 2: Bob enlisted in the Air Force in 1963 and attended Officer Training School. He recalls that his training included very little information about Vietnam. 

Section 3: Bob discusses his time in Vietnam, stationed at Da Nang. He mentions the stress of being under rocket fire in his barracks. In total, Bob flew 137 missions—100 over North Vietnam, and 37 within South Vietnam. He describes some of his more dramatic missions, including bombing a steel factory in which he had to do “one pass and haul ass.” As a pilot, Bob dropped a variety of ordnance, including low-altitude bombs on foreign troops, rockets, cluster bombs, and sometimes napalm. Bob also explains the air-refueling track—in which planes refueled in the air; this was done to avoid surface-to-air detection by the enemy.

Section 4: Bob reflects on the Vietnamese people he met and the range of American experiences in Vietnam. He describes Vietnamese people as hardworking and stellar at volleyball. He also recalls feeling fortunate in Vietnam, compared to both Vietnamese hardships and the Marines who desperately needed days at the beach to recharge between missions.  

Section 5: Bob recalls seeing the C-123 planes in their hangar at Da Nang. He flew alongside the planes and saw Agent Orange being dispersed.  

Section 6 : Bob discusses positive memories of his time in-country, including R&R trips, days at the beach, and the beauty of Hue and other sights as he flew over Vietnam. 

Section 7 : Bob concludes his reflections on his time in Vietnam. He used a tape recorder to send audio tapes to his wife and recalls purchasing souvenirs while in Hong Kong on R&R.  

Section 8: Bob addresses his post-service life. The relationship in his life most changed by his service was with his wife; Bob recalls that their divorce was connected to the fact that she wasn’t enthusiastic about military life. Bob then discusses two encounters he had while in uniform: one in San Francisco and one in Manhattan. He describes feeling “invisible” in the San Francisco airport but celebrated by World War II-generation New Yorkers. 

Section 9: An emotional Bob Nicholson reflects on the Wall in DC. Overcome each time he has visited, Bob conveys the magnitude of seeing the immortalized names on the wall. 

Section 10: In this final section, Bob notes that he has not been back to Vietnam. He acknowledges that the country has changed, reiterating his affection for Vietnamese people, who he notes are “go-getters” and proud of their culture. Reflecting on representations of the Vietnam War, Bob is not fond of any Vietnam War films or books, preferring the World War II-themed Patton as a war-related film.