Welcome
The Vietnam Air War Oral History Archive
Dedicated to preserving the experiences of those who participated in the air war over Vietnam
Dynamic & Meaningful Collaboration
The Vietnam Air War Oral History Archive is designed to capture the experiences of those who participated in the air war over Vietnam in a way that is deep and historically accurate, while providing those interviewed with comfort that their experiences will be preserved.
AREAS OF FOCUS
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
Understand the context of how airmen arrived in Vietnam - family, faith, education, and perceptions of military service prior to the war, along with motivations to join the war effort.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
Understand the training and development pipeline, operational assignments prior to the war, and with the benefit of hindsight - the adequacy of training and pre-war assignments to prepare for the fight.
MISSION & OBJECTIVES
EARLY LIFE & EXPERIENCES
MISSION & OBJECTIVES
Understand the mission and objectives, the differing mission sets employed in Vietnam, changes in approach, lessons learned over the course of the war, and reflections on the ability to achieve the mission and objectives.
EQUIPMENT & TACTICS
EQUIPMENT & TACTICS
MISSION & OBJECTIVES
Understand the platforms, equipment, and munitions used during the war, their efficacy in achieving the mission and objectives, and changes to the use of airframes or munitions over the course of the war.
LIFE IN VIETNAM
EQUIPMENT & TACTICS
LIFE IN VIETNAM
Understand life in country - getting to and from Vietnam, infrastructure and travel, quarters, meals, hospitals or healthcare, communications, R&R, friends, and other memorable aspects of living in Vietnam.
AFTER THE WAR
EQUIPMENT & TACTICS
LIFE IN VIETNAM
Reflections on the significance of the war, lessons learned, feelings towards the war then and now, and personal reflections on the war in Vietnam.
HOW WE WORK
The Vietnam Air War Oral History Archive is a privately-funded, non-profit [501(c)(3)], educational corporation. The founders and operators of VietnamAirWar.Org are an all-volunteer force who receive no compensation for their time or efforts.
All donations are used to support the administrative overhead and expenses associated with maintaining the foundations archive, and continually expanding our oral history archive for generations to come.
About Us
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Scott founded VietnamAirWar.Org to capture and chronicle the lives and experiences of those who fought in the air war over Vietnam. While in graduate school, he participated in the Pearl Harbor and Iwo Jima oral history projects.
Scott served in active Army assignments, including infantry, special operations, and intelligence roles in the 1990's.
Vern Hammett - Technical Advisor
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Vern is a former Air Force aviator whose career includes flying more than 25,000 hours across 13 different airframes. He is a former F-4 pilot who flew 222 missions over Vietnam in addition to serving as a T-37 instructor pilot after the war.
A journalism graduate of Texas Tech, Vern is a retired Captain from Delta Airlines who actively works on the Vietnam Air War oral history archive.
Alan Steinbrecher - Legal Advisor
Scott Blanchette - Founder and Archivist
Alan Steinbrecher - Legal Advisor
Alan is a former Naval Aviator. He served as a carrier-based F-8 pilot, flying 177 missions over Vietnam. He later flew the F-4 in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a Captain.
Alan is a career attorney with 40 years experience in business, product, and aviation litigation. A past President of the California Bar, he provides both technical
Alan is a former Naval Aviator. He served as a carrier-based F-8 pilot, flying 177 missions over Vietnam. He later flew the F-4 in the Naval Reserve, retiring as a Captain.
Alan is a career attorney with 40 years experience in business, product, and aviation litigation. A past President of the California Bar, he provides both technical and legal advice to the Vietnam Air War oral history archive.