My Grandfather was in WW1. My dad was in the Canadian Army during WW2, and my mom was in the British Air Force. I had 2 uncles in the Army During WW2.
I was in USAF from 1966 to 1989. I was military police for my first 4 years and then cross-trained into c-141 Loadmaster. I was stationed as military police at Eglin AFB, Florida from 1966 to 1967, NKP, Thailand 67-68, Plattsburg AFB, New York 1968 to 1969 and then cross trained to Aircraft Loadmaster. I was assigned to the 76th Military Airlift Squadron from 1970 to 1979. Then I was assigned to the 443rd Technical Training Squadron as an instructor for airdrop of personnel and cargo in 1982. I was assigned to the 20th Military Airlift Squadron from where I retired in 1989. Both the flying squadrons were in Charleston AFB, South Carolina and the training squadron was at Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
I enlisted because the draft was coming, and I wanted a choice of assignment. My worst service experience was bringing Human Remains back from Vietnam. They were stacked up from the front of the plane to the back all 70 feet. It most certainly changed me. It was like live for today because tomorrow it might be over with. The war changed me the way I perceive people. I don’t think my personality change afterwards. I have lot of good memories and lot of bad ones too. I still stay in touch with a bunch of Army helicopter gunners and their crews, the 334th Armed Helicopters who made me an honorary member.
The homecoming was bad there were protesters at the airport. The police escorted us through a private entrance. Two weeks before the war ended, I was flying in 7,105 Howitzer into Bie Hoa. Then in the midst of it all, we were doing baby lifts out of Nam and people lifts from Nam to Guam.
As far talking to my family, the subject has never come up. We do not talk much about the past. My son Doug is pictured on the right with my grandson in the middle, and was in the Navy from 1991 to 1999. He was an Engine man on the USSTaylor FFG50 from 1991 to 1993 and an Aviation Boatswain’s mate -Launch/recovery from 1993 to 1999. Doug was also on the USS Saratoga,USSJF Kennedy and served in Desert Storm, Desert Shield,1992 to 1993. The USS Taylor was Based out of Charleston,SC and the USS JF Kennedy was base out of Jacksonville, Florida.
I guess it’s all history now.
~ Glen Murdock, Vietnam Veteran
We are grateful to Glen for sharing his story with Comes A Soldier’s Whisper where we are all connected.
God Bless all who serve and keep us safe.
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