Australia, New South Wales, Randwick, Coogee Beach, -33.92065, 151.25829United States, Alabama, Dale County, Fort Rucker, 31.34282, -85.71538United States, Alabama, Pike County, Troy, 31.80877, -85.96995United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018Vietnam, C? Chi, 11.03655, 106.50390949756692Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, 10.7758439, 106.7017555Vietnam, SaigonSoiset, Roger; Hilliard, TonyAdkinson, Michael H., 1944-2011-10-20In this interview, Mike Adkinson recalls growing up in rural Troy, Alabama, in a house situated between the houses of both sets of grandparents. He enlisted in the Army and attended Airborne School and Ranger School. After applying for Special Forces he was ordered to attend flight school because the Army needed helicopter pilots for the escalating conflict in Vietnam. He served as a gunship pilot with the 11th Aviation Battalion in Cu Chi from 1966-1969. Adkinson describes the day to day operations of his unit and recalls several fellow soldiers who had a significant impact on his life. He recalls his reasons for extending his tour in Vietnam twice and comments on the value of military service for training and leadership.Mike Adkinson was a United States Army gunship pilot during the Vietnam War.Keywords: "Slick" (UH1-D)video/quicktimehttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Veterans History Project oral history recordingsVeterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History CenterVietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, AmericanUH-1 (Helicopter)Troy University (Troy, Ala.)United States. Army. Aviation Battalion, 11thAtlanta Vietnam Veterans Business AssociationBangalore torpedoesCobraCamp AlphaM-60gunshipsOral history interview of Michael H. AdkinsonMovingImage