The man I chose to interview was a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam.
His name is Lonnie Quitman Ellis he was born on March 2, 1946 in .
Gaffney, South Carolina and he was an only child. Lonnie has two children .
and is now a collections manager, a resident of Jacksonville, Florida and a big .
Jaguar fan. Lonnie flew helicopters and instructed students in flight school .
during his time in the Army. .
Chris: How old were you when you decided to join the Army?.
Lonnie: I joined the Army on April 12, 1966 when I was twenty years old.
Chris: Did you join the Army before or after the war began?.
Lonnie: The war was already underway and the draft was in effect; this was.
the period after the buildup began.
Chris: Why did you choose to join the Army, why not one of the other armed.
forces?.
Lonnie: As a kid I always favored the Army with a particular dislike for the.
Navy. The Air Force I didn't view as a significant part of the armed forces.
Chris: What did you do in the Army and why did you choose it?.
Lonnie: I enlisted as a private, went to officer's candidate school then to .
helicopter flight training after that. Besides being a pilot I also was a military .
flight and academic instructor for two years between tours in South Vietnam.
and upon returning after my second tour. Being a pilot and fly was always.
something I wanted to do, not necessarily flying in combat though. .
Chris: How long did the whole training process take?.
Lonnie: The entire training process required two years to complete. .
Chris: When you knew you were going to Vietnam how did that make you feel?.
Lonnie: During the whole training process I was aware that that was where I .
was headed. There was some apprehension and anxiety but I was not the only.
one going and that the training would serve me well. Not just in me but there .
seemed to be a feeling of pride in all that were going.
Chris: Where in Vietnam did they send you first?.
Lonnie: The first time I was stationed in Chu Lai which was in I Corp, the.