James Robert Torbert's interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center
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- Опубликовано: 25 мар 2020
- We welcome your comments on this interview at VeteransHistoryProject@AtlantaHistoryCenter.com
Catalog number: VIS 201.0595
In this interview, Jim Torbert recalls his service as an Army assault helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. He describes growing up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, where he and his family were very active in the Baptist Church. He recalls his involvement in sports in school, explains his reasons for joining Army ROTC in college, and comments on the reaction of his family. He recalls his first duties in an Army diesel engine locomotive repair shop and his later advanced helicopter training. He remembers his first impressions of Vietnam and describes the different types of missions in which his unit participated. Their primary duty was to support the 5th Special Forces (Green Berets) and he describes their procedures for inserting and recovering troops. He remembers an incident when he retrieved a crippled helicopter and describes some of the equipment the Special Forces team used, including using mirrors to communicate and a "Maguire Rig" to evacuate wounded soldiers. He remembers his return home and explains his reasons for leaving the Army.
Loved your story…. Brother 3rd Marines in VN? You all were my heroes.
Welcome Home. Thank you for your service and sharing your experiences. Be Blessed 🇺🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇸⚓️⚓️
Thank you. Great man. Reminds me of my veteran dad.
I am a 68 yo Navy Veteran who salutes every Vietnam Veteran I encounter
❤ listen up folks! This was a wonderful history of special forces operations… I was a forward air controller in the Air Force 1966 to 1967 and this is what we did… I worked with Air Force Army Vietnamese you name it helicopter pilots they were all beyond belief. Everything this gentleman related was totally accurate…. Thank you very much for your service and your devotion!
Great interview!
great interview..where are all the views...such a pity..
Well, if the content was regarding transgenderism or gay pride parades, there would be millions of views (or so it seems).
A big hello from Ft Worth. Tx. And Minneral Wells. Go Horned Frogs And WELCOME HOME SOLDIER!!!!!!!!
Thank you James!
Thank you for your amazing courageous service hi completely appreciate the way you told us your experiences you brought your time in Vietnam to life thank you for telling all of us it helps us in so many ways to appreciate you and you’re a complete professionalism again thank you
VERY INTUITIVE
I agree. It’s the best way to get the war stories out. Thank you sir!
Very interesting
Nice zoom job with the camera of the pictures don't you know how!??!!
Things fell in place for him. He grew up in a nice family situation, had athletic ability and got his college paid for. Nice way to start. Some of us had to pay our own way through college and were not gifted in athletics. He got to fly planes and got the "gentleman's tour" of Vietnam. Nice way to let this guy show off all his good fortune and luck.
Why disparage his experience? His story is unique as everyone’s story is. He did his duty and didn’t sit at home. Helo pilots were the BEST and certainly did far and beyond any of us could ever imagine. “Gentleman’s Tour?!” Seriously? The background of which you smirk at isn’t material to what he did over there. I salute Lt. Torbert!
One of the most complete interviews that I have watched.
Let not the basic facts get lost "for posterity". This man, and everyone else, did NOT belong in Vietnam in the first place. It was not America's fight, it was not his fight. It was an Asian conflict on the Asian continent. Vietnam never attacked American territory or Americans. The US never had the guts and integrity to declare war on Vietnam...even though it lost 60,000 men there and beat the sh*t out of the country for 10 years. The US committed war crimes against the Vietnamese people...AND against its own US officers (fragging).
The US military lost the Vietnam war...along with the political powers and lack of support of the American people. These men aren't victims or misunderstood and under appreciated. They came out with their lives....call it even.
If they say they were fighting for America and/or Vietnamese freedom in any way, shape or form...that is a complete falsehood. The honest veterans tell you what they ended up fighting for...getting their a$$ out of Vietnam alive... and the guy next to them. That last sentence pretty much summarizes the Vietnam war in a nutshell.
did you go to vietnam and get your $$ and mate out of there alive.?