Section 1: Richard Chelchowski grew up in a military family, living in various locations in the US and Europe before attending high school in Lincoln, Nebraska. He attended ROTC while at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1968. In terms of the Vietnam War seeping into campus life, Richard recalls a strong Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) presence, as well as a fellow UI student burning a draft card.

Section 2: Richard joined the Air Force in 1968. He received extensive training in aircraft maintenance before going to Vietnam. Richard’s father, who war career military, received orders first, prompting Richard to request an assignment in Vietnam so they could serve in country at the same time. 

Section 3: Richard arrived in Vietnam in March 1969 and served at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. He survived a rocket attack on his first night in the barracks. Richard vividly recalls subsequent experiences in Vietnam, from the rain during monsoon season being “like a wall”—and occasionally leaving fish behind—to the smells in Saigon. Richard was the maintenance supervisor of an aerial reconnaissance squadron. His crew would complete repairs on RF-4 aircraft all night so the planes could launch at 5 AM each day.  In terms of those he served alongside, Richard mentions a conscientious objector and notes that women didn’t start serving as crew chiefs until after his tour. 

Section 4: Richard shares his impressions of Vietnam, including the people, culture, and animals. He recalls seeing Vietnamese people sleeping near an administrative office—undisturbed by the “huge” rats crawling all over them. Richard also mentions a dog, Buster, who lived on base, and would ride on transport buses and fight the rats. Richard does not think he experienced culture shock in Vietnam, noting that he had traveled extensively as a teenager, but underlines the anxiety of a warzone in which it was impossible to know which Vietnamese people were loyal.  

Section 5: In terms of Agent Orange exposure, Richard flew on planes that, while not actively spraying the chemical, were sometimes used for that purpose. He wasn’t concerned about Agent Orange at the time but notes his subsequent health complications are probably connected to his exposure while in country.   

Section 6 : Richard shares positive memories from his time in Vietnam, including his R&R trip to Australia and occasions when he saw his dad in country. Richard had easy access to beer and other amenities on base—he even had his own mini fridge in his bunk. He vividly recalls the sense of excitement and freedom he felt when he left Vietnam for R&R in Syndey. Back in Vietnam, Richard remembers his father (who served in country at the same time) visiting him at Tan Son Nhut. The senior Chelchowski, well-connected in the military, arrived laden with steak, shrimp, and other luxuries.  

Section 7 : Richard addresses a wide range of topics in this section, from small pleasures (listening to his Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio) to the loss of a close family friend. Richard begins by discussing some of the women he wrote to during his time in Vietnam. He regularly exchanged letters with his mother, who sent him cookies throughout the year, as well as cake mix and icing for his birthday. Richard had a girlfriend when he deployed to Vietnam, but didn’t hear from her for the first three months of his tour. When she eventually wrote to him, it was to say that she now planned to marry someone else. Richard was in country for President Nixon’s visit to Vietnam in 1969 but didn’t see the president or experience any disruptions to his work. Finally, Richard shares memories of his good friend Glenn Lee. Glenn, who served in Vietnam as a pilot, was shot down and declared MIA over Cambodia.  

Section 8: Richard discusses his life after Vietnam, including time spent in the Air Force in Thailand, as well as more recent efforts to help fellow Vietnam veterans who struggle with PTSD.

Section 9: Richard has not visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC, but has been to the Traveling Wall. He describes finding his friend Glenn Lee on the wall and making a rubbing of his name in remembrance.  

Section 10: Richard has not been back to Vietnam but would like to visit. He recalls additional memories from his time in country, highlighting the hardships experienced by Vietnamese soldiers, who received disparate medical care compared to American service members. In closing, Richard addresses popular representations of the Vietnam War. He highlights the film Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) but notes that Hollywood tends to create sanitized depictions of the Vietnamese countryside.