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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Army Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
SP 5 Bruce W. Thompson U.S. Army (1967-1970)
PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY?
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My Dad as a young officer.
My biggest influence as far as
joining the Army. |
I dropped out of college in 1966 and was immediately classified 1-A for the draft, which meant that I could have been called to serve at any time. Upon learning that I could choose my MOS if I enlisted, I decided to do that and signed up to join the Army in February 1967. As an Army brat (my father was a career officer who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1962), I had lived most of my life on or around Army posts and always assumed that I would eventually go into the Army.
WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
Basic training at Ft. Bragg, NC followed by advanced training at the US Army Intelligence School at Ft. Holabird, MD. I then went straight to Vietnam in September 1967. I processed through the 90th replacement battalion and got sent, along with three other guys, to Can Tho, in the Mekong
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| Slick coming into Moc Hoa...a desolate place. |
Delta. From there, we were sent to MyTho, where we were told that, "One of you is going to a Special Forces detachment on the Cambodian border." Somehow, I knew that I was the lucky one. Sure enough, they put me on a chopper to Moc Hoa, where Detachment B-41 was located. I got off the chopper and couldn't see a human being in any direction. After a while, a jeep pulled onto the airfield and a Special Forces SFC named Sefers told me to get in and get low, which I did.
I had never been that close to a "Green Beret" before but I discovered that somehow, God had smiled on me and put me in the middle of the best bunch of soldiers I could imagine. They treated me with respect, even though I was a straight leg who had no plans to stay in the Army. I lived with these guys for the next 18 months and could not have been in a better place. I have so much respect and admiration for them, and I am thankful for getting to live in their world for a while. They were so good to me that they even let me win two or three hands of poker during my 18 months with them! After Vietnam, I did a final brief stint at Ft. Bragg with the 15th MI Battalion and I completed my hitch. I never seriously considered staying in before my ETS, but that final stint at Ft. Bragg sealed the deal. I went back to school on the GI Bill while working summers at a steel mill in Baltimore and then found my way to the fire service.
IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
My job in Vietnam was to collect intelligence reports from agents in the field, analyze them for potential accuracy, and then help plan combat operations to act on that data. I was attached to a Special Forces "B" Detachment and we would send a handful of Americans out with South
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| Camp George P. O'Toole |
Vietnamese Army units (most frequently LLDB -- ARVN Special Forces -- or mobile strike "Mike Force" troops who were mostly Cambodians) to search for the enemy. I frequently went on these missions and had many experiences of contact with the enemy, usually local VC outfits. In addition, like most stations in Vietnam, our compound was regularly under mortar and rocket attacks. Since Moc Hoa was a province capital, we were a prime target in the Tet Offensive in 1968, when things got real hairy for a few days. We were very close to the Cambodian border, so the enemy would frequently attack us and quickly retreat back to the sanctuary they enjoyed across the river dividing the two countries.
In addition, we had a couple of airboats that we used to send out along the river. If they drew fire, Cobra gunships that were hanging back along the banks would open up on the enemy positions. The airboats were so loud that Charlie couldn't hear the Cobras. I went on a couple of these missions during my time in Moc Hoa. It didn't take Charlie very long to figure out that firing on airboats was not a great idea, so that was short-lived. The picture is one of the main gate to the B-41 compound, named after Captain George P. O'Toole. He was a graduate of the US Military Academy from Minnesota, and was the CO of A-414 at Moc Hoa, and was killed in action on December 12, 1967. My combat experiences were life-changing inasmuch as I knew that I did not want to relive them. Having lost a few really good friends who died for people who seemed ungrateful and indifferent made my decision to dedicate my life to something other than the military. Having said that, I would not trade those experiences for anything. They are an important part of my life and helped to shape my future.
OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH ONE WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
I only had a few duty stations, so I can honestly say that being with the SF guys in Moc Hoa, RVN, was my favorite. I served with many good officers and men, all of whom treated me well. I lost two good friends, SGT Bill Baer and SFC
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| Rainy Season in the Delta...6 months of quagmire. |
Margarito "Chico" Fernandez, in addition to several others who were not as close, including the aforementioned Capt. O'Toole. When I first got to Moc Hoa there were only about 40 of us. By the time I left they had brought in a few more small units and there were probably about 75 of us by then. It was a great experience for a young man who didn't have much purpose or direction at the time.
My least favorite duty station was with the 15th MI Battalion at Ft. Bragg. There were several of us just killing time waiting to get out along with a few newbies. There wasn't much to do besides painting rocks and working at the motor pool. The career counselor had to get me relieved from KP to do my re-up interview. He offered me E6, a $10k bonus, and a choice of duty stations; I countered with E8, a $100k bonus, and an annual option to renew or leave. For some reason he kicked me out.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE, INCLUDING COMBAT, DESCRIBE THE PERSONAL MEMORIES WHICH HAVE IMPACTED YOU MOST?
The Tet Offensive in January 1968 had the biggest impact on me when we were attacked with rockets and mortars and then by ground troops who hit us at about 0300. Outposts several hundred yards from our main compound were overrun, but we called in air strikes on the enemy
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| Saigon 1968...near Tudo Street |
and that put a stop to things fairly quickly. A VC squad got up in a tower near our compound and we were subjected to sniper fire for a couple of hours until the snipers were dispatched. On the following day we policed up more than 100 dead VC bodies.
I also have a couple of good memories of Saigon. Our CO believed in letting us get away for a few days every few months, so there were four or five trips to Saigon during my time there to blow off a little steam. I remember hopping on a Caribou or a C-123 to get there and then hitching a flight back with the Air America guys on one of their little puddle-jumpers, or catching a flight on an Otter that was hauling mail.
The only time I can remember having a "flashback" to Vietnam happened many years later while working as a firefighter in Sierra Vista. There was a major auto accident involving two Vietnamese men who were both significantly injured. We called for an air ambulance helicopter to transport the men to Tucson. As we were wheeling the gurneys carrying the Vietnamese men toward the chopper, they were shouting loudly to each other in their native language. Between the sharp sound of the Vietnamese language, the dust and noise of the helicopter, and the adrenaline pulsing through me given the carnage all around, I nearly lost it. I had to take a few minutes to compose myself, and there really wasn't anyone I felt I could talk to about it. Very weird.
WHAT ACHIEVEMENT(S) ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
The achievement of which I am most proud is just surviving Vietnam and growing up some while there. I was very apprehensive about spending a year (or more) with SF guys, who were as professional as soldiers could get, in my opinion. But they showed me respect and patience and I learned a lot about how to treat people from them. I went over there as a young man, sort of a rebel without a clue. I returned with a little confidence and a better view of how to conduct myself.
OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR ANY OTHER MEMORABILIA, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH ARE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
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| Nothing goes above it. |
The Combat Infantryman Badge was my most meaningful award. My father had earned one in WWII and I knew that having earned one in Vietnam put me in a select group of people for whom I had the utmost respect. That blue badge puts us in the warrior ranks and that makes me proud. I still have the CIB decal on my car and I wear a small CIB lapel pin on the rare occasion that requires a suit or jacket. The fact that nothing goes above that badge says it all for me.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
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| Moving out on a search'n'destroy op. |
LTC Wes Herrlein, CO of Detachment B41, 5th SFGA was a leader who wouldn't ask his troops to do anything that he wouldn't do himself. He led from the front and I learned a great deal from him that helped me later in life. Another officer, Captain Rodney Savageau, S2 at Moc Hoa for a while during my tour, was a man for whom I had great respect. He was smart, witty, satirical, and very funny, truly a renaissance man. He taught me a lot about life, and I loved spending time with him.
PLEASE RECOUNT THE NAMES OF FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATION, AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH AND THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH.
The following are friends with whom I served in Vietnam at MACV Advisory Team #85. I have not been able to locate any of them.
Tony Pappas (IL)
John DeLuna (TX)
Ross Bradley (KY)
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Coming home on leave after extending my tour in Vietnam, our plane had mechanical problems in Japan and we were held over in Tokyo for a day. We were packed in taxis and sent from Yakota Air Base to downtown Tokyo, the Hotel New Japan. It was an expensive
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| Major Maggie...before marking her territory. |
joint located right near the Ginza and several of us went out and had a grand time. Most of the guys were ticked off because of their delayed return to the States but, in my case, my leave didn't start until I got home so the day came off my 'Nam time. It was a fun experience but my memory of the night is a little fuzzy, as you might imagine. I touched base quickly with the folks at home and then zipped off to Australia where I spent the rest of the month on a beach in Perth having a great time.
Another incident I recall was when Martha Raye came and spent a couple of days with us. She had a special relationship with Special Forces troops. "Major Maggie" had quite a bit to drink one night and accidentally relieved herself in a vinyl woven chair, which allowed most of the liquid to drip through to the floor. She later autographed the floor next to the puddle: "Martha Raye [euphemism for urinated] here." True story.
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
After getting out of the Army and going back to school, I joined the fire service, first in Maryland in 1974 and then in Arizona from 1981 until 2007. I retired after 33 years, having served as Fire Chief of the Sierra Vista Fire Department for 22 years. The fire
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My official SVFD photo,
probably about 2006 |
service was similar to the Army in terms of camaraderie and brotherhood, which is why I enjoyed it so much. I was an active board member of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association for about 20 years and served as President of that association in 1992. In 2005, I was fortunate enough to be inducted into the Arizona Fire Service Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Mesa. This is a testament to the men and women of the Sierra Vista Fire Department, who had more to do with my success than I did.
http://azfiretraining.org/Hall_of_Fame.html
During the 22 years that I led the department, Sierra Vista did not suffer a single fatality due to fire. That's another reflection on the department, not me personally, but it is something of which I am extremely proud.
WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I have been a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Combat Infantryman's Association. I wasn't active in either one and let those memberships lapse. I guess I've never been much of a joiner.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER?
The military taught me a great deal about respect for authority, being accountable for my actions and putting the needs of the organization ahead of my personal goals. Much of my leadership style in the fire service developed from what I learned from leaders I encountered in the Army (both
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| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rubbing of SGT Bruce Wayne Thompson |
good and bad). One other thing to add here: Shortly before coming home from Vietnam, I got a letter from my parents saying that two of my high school buddies had stopped by the house to inquire about me. My folks assured them that I was fine and would be home soon, and that they had been in touch with me very recently. My friends then admitted that they had heard I had been killed.
Fast forward to 1984, my first visit to the Wall. I don't know what made me do it, but I looked up my own name in the books listing all the casualties of the war. Sure enough, there was an entry for Bruce W. Thompson, who was killed in March 1969 (while I was still there). SGT Thompson and I even shared the exact same middle name, Wayne. That explains why my friends had mistakenly thought I was killed in action. I went and stared at that name for a long time. It haunts me to this day. I often reflect on that name and realize how easily it could have been me. I pray for SGT Thompson's family and hope they could know what a hero he is to me. I'd like to live my life in such a way as to bring honor to his name, and mine.
BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
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| Soldier for Life |
Being in the military sets you apart from a vast majority of your generation. Years, even decades from now many of them will wish they had served the nation as you are now doing. The time spent in the military will forge some of the greatest memories of your life, so enjoy it, experience as much as you can, and make sure that you stay in contact with the friends you are making. You'll never regret it. In short, be proud of your service, don't call attention to yourself and keep off the skyline. And oh yeah, take lots of pictures! One of these days, and it will come sooner than you think, you'll look back on your time in the military as some of the greatest years of your life. I urge you to make the most of them while you can.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
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| TWS and the US Army |
I stumbled upon a veteran on ATWS who had published his memoirs of the Army and Vietnam. His story contained many similarities to my own, and some of them were long-forgotten by me. I'm grateful for the opportunity to read things like that, as well as to make new friends on the site. While I haven't yet connected with people I served with, just connecting with other Vietnam Vets and others has been a rewarding experience. TWS has become my favorite website because it allows me to congregate with people I respect and admire. Military veterans are special people. I am proud to be among them.
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Read Other Interviews in the TWS Voices Archive
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TWS VOICES
TWS Voices are the personal stories of men and women who served in the US Military and convey how serving their Country has made a positive impact on their lives. If you would like to participate in a future edition of Voices, or know someone who might be interested, please contact TWS Voices HERE.
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