Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans

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Barry McCaffrey

Operation Desert Storm | 24th Infantry Division

After his time in Vietnam, Barry McCaffrey spent some time teaching at West Point and enjoyed his time there. After working there, McCaffrey left to live in Europe to work at the headquarters of NATO and then moving back to D.C. to work at the Pentagon. (9:50)
Barry McCaffrey remembers the days over in Iraq and Kuwait for Desert Storm. They were incredibly well-trained and when the time came to act, the 24th Infantry Division was ready. (10:14)
Barry McCaffrey was in charge of rallying the different battalions right before Desert Storm started and he made sure to do it very decisively. Because they had so many months preceding the conflict, the plans were extensively mapped out so that the different units were all prepared. (12:26)
Barry McCaffrey remembers being astonished at the low casualties sustained during Desert Storm and was thankful as soon as they started to take troops out. After his time there, he stepped into a position working for Colin Powell and eventually President Clinton working in the drug policy division. (14:11)
After spending so much time in combat, Barry McCaffrey left with a very definitive outlook on the costs of global conflict. Although trust in the national government is low right now, McCaffrey maintains that a lot of government officials are good people who are just trying to do the right thing by their country. He holds Colin Powell to be the model for a good leader. (15:03)
Barry Purnell

Vietnam | 121st Aviation Company, 13th Combat Aviation Battalion, 164th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade

He was a rebellious teen and in those times, rebellious teens were encouraged to join the Army, so he did. Barry Purnell was headed to West Point Prep School, but he left to get married and was posted to Korea. After he rotated home, he went to Officer Candidate School and then flight school, which punched his ticket for Vietnam. (3:12)
The base was an old Japanese airfield in South Vietnam's southern delta. It was more comfortable than the field and Barry Purnell even bartered for an air conditioner for his room. The helicopter pilot was first assigned to ferry troops, but then he was bumped up to the Armed Platoon, which flew gunships to protect the insertions. (6:36)
You developed a sixth sense, according to helicopter gunship pilot Barry Purnell. Anything out of the ordinary below could be the enemy. He supported South Vietnamese troops and their advisors, protecting the ships which ferried the troops. He offers an explanation of the Viet Cong psyche and he laments the upper hand given the enemy by our own policies. (5:06)
He had been an infantry officer, so Barry Purnell really appreciated the difference in living conditions once he became an aviator. He flew a helicopter gunship supporting South Vietnamese troops down in the southern delta. His longest mission was an insertion into Cambodia, which went surprisingly well. (4:39)
His daily life included letters written home like most soldiers, but helicopter gunship pilot Barry Purnell was able to keep a stereo in his quarters and cook food he acquired from various sources. The life of an aviator has it's advantages. When he was really lucky, he got to eat Navy chow. (2:56)