Alven Earl Reynolds, Gunner

71st SOS, Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa, 1969

I was born at Abilene, Texas in 1942. My hometown was Boise City, Oklahoma where I graduated from Boise City High School in 1960. I attended Oklahoma Panhandle State University in 1960-61. There were no career opportunities for me in a small Oklahoma town, so I joined the United States Air Force in Amarillo, Texas on 25 October 1963.

I served in the 71st SOS and the 17th SOS as an aerial gunner. I was stationed at Nha Trang with the 71st from January to early June 1969 and then was assigned to the 17th SOS Shadow Flight at the same location. In early August 1969, I moved with the 17th to Tuy Hoa and remained there until I rotated to the states in December 1969. I will always remember the great friendships established with my fellow-crewmembers.

I retired from the USAF as a Chief Master Sergeant at Nellis AFB, Nevada on 29 February 1988.