Catalog Number: VIS 201.0552
In this interview, Jeffery T. “Bic” Bickerton recalls his time as a U-1A Otter crew chief and co-pilot in Vietnam. He remembers his childhood, accompanying his father to work at the company business in Manhattan. His mother had polio when she was pregnant with his younger brother, so the other children were sent to live with friends and relatives. He lived with his grandmother and then with a family friend who was in the Air Force in Alabama. He discusses the influence this family had on him, especially his desire to fly. He describes being drafted and how he got into Army aviation. He recalls his training and entry into Vietnam; his brother returned from Vietnam the day he left the United States. He describes conditions in Vietnam and his duties. He tells stories of missions and how he was sent home when his father died. He explains his philosophy on the war in Vietnam and describes how his brother never recovered from his experiences in Vietnam. He details his post-war career and family.