Robert S. Piercy, Gunner

18th SOS, Da Nang, 1969-70

I was born in 1934 in Omaha, Nebraska, and lived there until I was 12; then, we moved to Sioux City where I lived, until I entered the U.S. Air Force in Sioux City, Iowa on 28 April 1951.

After basic training, I was sent to Lowry AFB to weapons school; from there I went to McChord AFB Tacoma, WA as a weapons mechanic on F-94A aircraft, in February 1952. I was assigned to the 319th FIS for shipment to Korea aboard the USS Sitkoh aircraft carrier along with 25 F-94B aircraft, we were stationed at K-13 Suwan, South Korea. In April of that year, I was sent to K-2 Korea where I worked on F-84 Fighter-bombers until I returned to the U S. I was at Eglin AFB from then until I reenlisted in 1955, and went back to McChord AFB. In 1959, I was sent to France at Chateauroux AB as a weapons mechanic for the security police. I left there in November 1959 to England AFB, Louisiana. In June 1960, I married and in August, I was sent to Lowry AFB as a weapons instructor. We left there in February 1963 back to McChord again as a weapons instructor in Field Training. We went from there to Bitburg AB, Germany in May 1965 until May 1968. We were assigned to FTD at Langley AFB, until I went to AC- 119 Gunship School in July 1969.

I was assigned to the 18th Special Operations Squadron at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio in September 1969 after combat crew training. From October 1969 to October 1970, I flew on AC-119K gunships as a gunner with the 18th SOS at Da Nang Air Base, RVN. I returned to Lockbourne in December 1970 and served with the 4413th Combat Crew Training Squadron until June 1971.

On 1 July 1971, I retired as a TSgt. from the Air Force. I currently live in Pineville, Louisiana.