Robert Waldron: Time in the Military
About Robert Waldron
My Grandfather is always looking to give back, he is either in a food pantry, soup kitchen or any sort of place where you can give back. He is also always traveling with his wife to new places or places they love.
Did you always want to join the AirForce or did you want to do something else and why did you choose the AirForce?
Bob Waldron always wanted to be a pilot of some sorts whether it was in the Navy or the AirForce as his father was in the Navy during WW2. While he was in College there was a draft for you to be assigned to be in the Army during the would have to leave college and join the Army, you were not always sent to Vietnam. “I joined the AirForce ROTC to not be drafted [to the Army] and have to leave college. Besides, I always wanted to fly.”
What was it like being in the AirForce and what did you do?
While he was in AirForce training they flew 3 different planes to test the skills of each individual person with each plane. They would train with a small private propeller plane, a G37, and a T38 supersonic plane, everyone would fly the same plane. They would do different tests such as flying in formations, landing and taking off to see who and who couldn’t fly. “While I was in the AirForce I would fly cargo routes carrying people, ammunition, food, pigs, ducks, cows and chickens for the native people in Vietnam who were our friends.” After he was in Vietnam he was stationed in Guam were occasionally he would do bombing runs over North Vietnamese territory.
What was it like in Vietnam during the War?
It was pretty calm when he was in Vietnam. Everyone was assigned to Vietnam for 1 year. “In Vietnam we stayed in a hotel where a Vietnamese lady would take care of us and make us dinner.” “We would usually wake up and go [through Rice paddies] to the base and fly in and out of air fields sometimes on grass, dirt and undeveloped areas… we would rarely get shot at.”
““I had always planned on being a pilot in the Navy or AirForce as I always wanted to fly”
“
-Robert Waldron
Did being in Vietnam for 1 year change your viewpoint on politics and war?
While he was in the military he was on the military's side of things. He never experienced the anti side of things in America. On the base though, most of the people were very upset at how defensive the South Vietnamese were. The Americans would occasionally do bombing runs over North Vietnamese territory but that was it.
Did you ever go back to Vietnam and what was it like?
“Yes I went to Vietnam a few years ago… and when we landed in Saigon I saw where the planes I would fly would land and be parked but just 50 years later.” When they would go from the Hotel to the Airport when he was in Vietnam it was all Rice Patties but now it is all developed buildings.
“Being in the military prepares you for future jobs.”
