This week’s Veteran is Charlie Thomas, who served in the U.S. Army from 1965 – 1989. He attended
Sam Houston State Teachers College (SHSU) and graduated in 1965, before he entered the service as an Army fixed-wing aviator flying the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk during his first tour in Vietnam from 1968-1969. He was tasked under Marine Corps control, and supported Marine missions. The Mohawk is a twin-turboprop observation and light attack aircraft, and most never associate it with Vietnam or Korean service. Thomas used the aircraft in a battlefield intelligence role, collecting photographs and electronic surveillance for enemy detection. It is an odd shaped aircraft, with bubbled windows to allow for easier viewing of ground targets and taking of photos. On Thomas’ second tour in 1972-1973, he was assigned to the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, or Hueys, as well as OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopter, on missions for a war that for the United States was winding down, but for those boots on the ground in Vietnam like Charlie it was still dangerous, because he made frequent long range patrol missions which often required radio silence due to the close proximity to the enemy. Charlie has been stationed at Briggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss, Texas; Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia; as well as at Schwäbisch Hall, and Heidelberg in Germany. All of his assignments involved aviation brigade and airfield operations. Following his service, Thomas worked with El Paso Natural Gas, flying their jets and turboprops for pipeline operations. Good Luck Charlie, and Congratulations on being MCNs ‘Veteran of the Week’.