David Drummond - A Vietnam Veteran's Story: Living with Purpose & Possibility
Here's what to expect on the podcast:What are some of the physical and emotional challenges that veterans face during the war?How can veterans continue to serve their communities and make a positive impact?What advice do veterans have for others who are struggling to find passion and purpose in their lives?How do veterans typically feel when they revisit the country they were assigned to during their military service?And much more! About David:I was born on 10 June 1947 in Preston, England, and moved to the USA with my parents at four. I became a naturalized US citizen in 1961. I lived in Jersey City, NJ, North Bergen, NJ, and Westwood, NJ, and presently reside in Manalapan, NJ.I attended public school in New Jersey and graduated from Westwood HS. I received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering in 1969. Through AFROTC, I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the USAF. I graduated from pilot training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi, in 1970. I was assigned to C7A (Caribou) training in Abilene, Texas. I completed global survival school in Spokane, Washington, and jungle survival training at Clark AFB in the Philippines.I then proceeded to Cam Ran Bay, Vietnam, to join the 535 TAS for my 1 st tour in Vietnam. After leaving Vietnam, I was assigned to the B52Ds at Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth, TX. I joined the 20th Bomb Squadron, and after aircraft qualification, I was then deployed back to SEA. I was based in both Guam and Utapao, Thailand. I was shot down on 21 DEC 1972, during a bombing raid against Hanoi, North Vietnam. The mission was our third on the fourth day of the Linebacker II missions. Our target was the Railyards in the city of Hanoi. Two SAMs hit us, and the entire crew bailed out safely. My crew was the only B52 crew to be shot down to have all its crew return alive to the USA. I was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese and held until the end of the war in March 1973.I was held in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” and another prison camp called the “Zoo.” My Awards include the Bronze Star with “V,” 2 DFCs, 2 Purple Hearts, 4 Air Medals, POW Medal, and Vietnam theater ribbons. I separated from the AF as a Captain in 1973. After repatriation, I separated from the AF and started a flying career with American Airlines. I was laid off several weeks later and went to work for Bell Helicopter Company as a flight test engineer testing experimental helicopters. Three years later, I returned to American Airlines and retired as a B777 Captain after a 30-year career. I was also trapped and survived the DuPont Plaza Hotel fire in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on New Year’s Eve 1989, where 99 people were killed. I now lead a quiet life in Manalapan, NJ.I have been married to Jill, a clinical psychologist, for 54 years; Jill completed a book entitled “Allies in Healing: A Couples’ Toolkit of Resources for Recovering from Combat PTSD,” Which is our experience dealing with PTSD as a family. It is available on Amazon. We are both avid ballroom dancers. We have one son, Ian, who lives in Miami, Fl.I am currently involved in recovering and burying the cremated remains, Cremains, of Military Veterans and their spouses, which have been abandoned in funeral homes. I am a member of Manalapan Township's Veterans Committee, which helps veterans in need, and I helped create the Township’s Veterans Memorial. Connect with David Drummond!Manalapan Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee website: https://manalapanveterans.org/Cremains Project at Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 12 website: https://www.vvachapter12.net/cremains-project.htmlCheck out Jill Drummond's book, Allies in Healing: A Couples' Toolkit of Resources for Recovering from Combat PTSD, on Amazon! https://amzn.to/43A6bje Connect with Candice Snyder!Website: https://hairhealthvitality.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candice.snyderInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/candicesny17/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/ICAN Institute: https://vl729.isrefer.com/go/mindandbody/PassionPurpose22/
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