Gene Freeland
Judge Advocate - Army

Hello fellow Veterans. I graduated from high school, began to work for the Post Office and got married in December 1961. In October of 1966 along came our Uncle Sam and invited me to join the U.S. Army. During Basic I signed up for a three year enlistment and chose the A.I.T. school for Aircraft Armament Repair that took me to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in early 1967 for 15 weeks or so. My next stop took me to Fort Riley, Kansas until I received orders for Vietnam. I reported to Oakland on December 30, 1967 and arrived in Ben Hoa January 2nd or 3rd, 1968. My orders assigned me with the 1st Aviation Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division at Phu Loi. Since my training was on Helicopter Armament systems I was assigned with the Gun Ship Platoon called the "Rebels Armed Helicopters”. During my year with the Big Red One I was given Flight Status and flew occasionally as a ‘Door Gunner’ with around 125 hours in Huey Gunships. After returning to the states in January 1969 I finished out my three years back at Fort Riley. I returned to the USPS retiring in July 1998.    'You can REST when you die'.  Anonymous