stories from Vietnam & cambodia

In the final days of April 1975, Major General Robert “Bob” Delligatti, USAFA ’59, led the fixed‑wing airlift at Tan Son Nhut as Saigon fell. From Tiger Ops, he and his team pushed 45,000 evacuees to safety, improvising transport, braving artillery fire, and keeping the line moving until the last aircraft departed.

To understand the true character of the Vietnam War, you have to look beyond troop movements to isolated mountain garrisons. Guided by the insights of USAFA '59 leaders, this account bridges high-level pacification doctrine with the ground-level heroics of Capt. Phil Smothermon at Kham Duc.

Major General Dick Carr, USAFA ’59, shares a powerful “then‑and‑now” account of Vietnam—from his early days as a young pilot in 1963 to his return more than forty years later. His reflections reveal a nation transformed, yet still marked by echoes of the past.

As we observe Agent Orange Awareness Day, we honor the legacy of the USAFA Class of 1959 and the millions of service members who faced the "invisible enemy." Explore the multi-dimensional impact of dioxin, recent VA healthcare breakthroughs, innovative care pathways, and Maj. Gen. Dick Carr’s special tribute event at the Vietnam Wall of Southwest Florida.

In this rare interview, Brigadier General James M. Rhodes, Jr., USAFA Class of 1959, speaks candidly with his grandson about Vietnam, combat missions, leadership, and the lasting weight of service. His reflections offer a powerful window into the lived experience behind one of America’s most complex wars.

In this powerful memoir, General Dick Carr revisits Cambodia’s turbulent past and its enduring spirit. From river communities to the haunting legacy of the Khmer Rouge, he offers a clear, compassionate look at a nation rebuilding itself across generations.

What should have been a simple replacement mission over the Mekong Delta turned into a fight for survival for Bob Oaks ’59. One burst of ground fire, a burning F‑100, a violent ejection, and a hard landing in enemy territory set the stage for a rescue that unfolded like a miracle — carried by wingmen who refused to leave him and emergency training that surfaced at the exact moment he needed it.

General H.T. Johnson didn’t just follow a path; he defined the standard. Explore the memoir of the first 4-star graduate, a man who served as the vanguard for the Class of '59.

In the heat of the Vietnam War, the relationship between the Air Force and the Army was forged in the cockpit of the OV-10 Bronco. As an Air Liaison Officer (ALO) for the 1st Air Cavalry Division, Colonel Don L. Brooks spent his days navigating the complex interface between ground operations and air support. However, as this extract from his book Fly to the Sound of Battle illustrates, sometimes the most dangerous missions weren't the ones involving the enemy—they were the on

On what should have been a routine final sortie, then‑Major James Rhodes found himself defending a downed wingman, engaging enemy patrol boats, and pulling off a split‑second maneuver that nearly ended in the Gulf of Tonkin. His firsthand account captures the razor‑thin line between survival and loss—and the courage demanded of every pilot who flew into North Vietnam.

"Two weeks to the day after I spent four days in that same car, Colonel Rowe was killed in a rain of bullets..." General Dick Carr recounts the incredible and tragic intersection of his life with that of a legendary Special Forces hero.

"A Quiet Flight Turned Deadly" On May 23, 1968, a routine ferry flight for Art Elser (’59) quickly escalated into a life-or-death rescue mission over Quang Ngai. Read his raw account of the Vietnam air war—from the cockpit of an O-1 Bird Dog—and the haunting poem born from its aftermath.