in Uniform in the 1960s: A Prelude to Vietnam

In September 1968, William Bill McCormick boarded a Flying Tigers Airlines plane at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, headed for the 174th Ord. Det. in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.But before his twelve-month tour of duty overseas, Bill spent the previous months Stateside, having volunteered for service in the Army in October of 1967.Here then, are Bill’s fondest memories from basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, through his time in AIT at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and the 227th Ord. Det. (AR). I hope in the following pages to show what it was like to be in the service during the late sixties. The absolute despair that seemed to develop when there was only one thing to do, and that was your duty. The almost certainty of duty in Vietnam and the repressive harshness of duty Stateside had a lot to do with it. There was just no way out…If it brings back bad memories for you, I am sorry about that. -Bill McCormick