Jack McCabe:  

I attended St Francis Borgia grammar school and then Holy Cross High School. I couldn't wait to graduate and move on. No matter where it took me. After graduating from High School in 1969, I worked in a factory and then I traveled to Boulder Creek, California where I stayed with my friend Hutch Collier and his family until shortly before my 18th Birthday. I came back to Chicago for my Birthday, and two days later I joined the Army. Basic in Ft. Campbell, KY and then off to Signal School in Ft. Gordon, GA. I was called into the CO's office in June 1970, and he slid a piece of paper across his desk and said: "Sign this, and you don't have to go to Vietnam." I asked why and he said, "Do you have a brother in Vietnam?" I said, "Yes Sir, my brother is in the Marines." He told me that if I signed it, I wouldn't have to go. I told him I would take my chances. I was sent to Vietnam in October 1970 and remained until May 1972. When I arrived in Vietnam, I was assigned to AVEL Central, attached to the 165th Transportation Company at Phu Loi, Vietnam. This was an avionics direct support company, and I worked on the bench on the night shift repairing helicopter radios. I only worked on the bench for a few months. The 128th Assault Helicopter Company needed door gunners, so I volunteered despite my father drilling into my head "never volunteer." So, I flew as a gunner and alternated doing odd jobs with AVEL until August 1971. I started flying with the 128th in February 1971. I flew with several crew chiefs and pilots. My missions included combat assaults, ash and trash, insertions, extractions and bringing out the dead. We flew primarily throughout MR III from the South China Sea into Cambodia. Upon my return from Vietnam, I was assigned to Ft. Huachuca, AZ where I remained until my discharge in January 1973. I attended DeVry during the day and worked at a psychiatric hospital as an aide (bouncer) in the locked unit at night. Great job to have afte...Expand for more