Gerald Walker was attached to the Gerald Walker was a member of the U. Gerald Walker was a member of the U. Air Force’s “Ranch Hands,”” The 12th Special Operations Squadron, known by the “defoliators.” These men operated C-123s in defoliation operations across all regions that were S. Vietnam from their base in Bien Hoa. Following the conflict, only a single C-123 was transported into Wright Patterson Air Force Base to be exhibited in the museum of air. The plane was dubbed “Patches,” because of the over 500 holes for bullets inside the aircraft.
Gerald Walker was born September 6, 1946, in Ramer, Alabama. He was the son of Ruben Walker and Lucy Faulk Walker. He was fifth of five children. The family relocated from Andalusia, Alabama, in 1955. Gerald went to Andalusia schools. He graduated at the age of Andalusia High School in 1964. He was employed at the Alatex shirt manufacturing plant for around an entire year before he joined the Air Force.
On August 15, 1965 Gerald began basic instruction in the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Further training was completed on Chanute AFB in Illinois before being transferred for Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, Louisiana. In Barksdale, Gerald was trained as an “life Support Specialist.”His job was to maintain and inspect the survival equipment.
Gerald Walker was deployed to Vietnam from Travis AFB California, in 1968. The unit he was in was”Ranch Hands” or “Ranch Hands,”the Air Force’s 12th SOS at Bien Hoa. In the early days, Bien Hoa was the largest Air Force base in the world, and it was also the main helicopter base used by U. S. forces in Vietnam.
During his time in Bien Hoa Walker traveled to various bases of the military in Vietnam making sure that all emergency and life support equipment was in good working order. Sometimes, Walker’s Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Rex Stone was able to allow him fly in spraying missions.
Walker remembered his home at Bien Hoa “The only building with air conditioning for the enlisted was the NCO (non-commissioned officers) Club. We lived in a constructed sand-bagged structure called”hooch. It could sleep 27 people and the top was covered with poles. It was possible to see huge rats scurrying around. After eating, you needed be sure to wash clean of any smells from food as the rats could bite you in the late at night. If you got bitten and had not been examined for rabies, you’d have to go through an array of Rabies vaccinations…We used malaria tablets every day or one large tablet which worked for a whole week. The tablet with the largest size was more likely to induce vomiting.”
Walker remembered his experiences at Bien Hoa “In 1968 the base was frequently assaulted by Viet Cong. There was also danger from snipers who were hiding in the close jungle…Casualties that occurred in the field were treated at Long Binh, then evacuated to Bien Hoa for further transport to Yokota Air Base in Japan or Clark AFB in the Philippines …. Patients who required urgent medical attention were taken to various hospitals throughout the States and the United States, for example: Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland and Walter Reid Army Hospital in Washington, D. C.”
On September 28, 1968 Walker received a transfer in September 1968 to Jungle Survival School near Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. After eight months in Bien Hoa, Walker had been promoted to Staff Sergeant. Following the completion of the training, Walker returned to Bien Hoa and was able to instruct courses in jungle survival as well as refresher courses at several base locations throughout Vietnam. Walker was transferred for transfer to Da Nang after eight months at Bien Hoa. In Da Nang, he performed similar tasks to those who were at Bien Hoa. After four months in Da Nang, Walker decided to pursue a career in his Air Force.He came back home to the States in the month of August 1969, after which he was posted to McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas, which was the home of the 381 st Titan Missile Wing.
at McConnell, Walker helped maintain the safety suits worn by maintenance personnel and those who refuel. The oxidizer and fuel employed by the Titan missile had a high degree of toxic. Personnel who fuelled and defueled the Titan inhaled the mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. Their equipment’s safety was dependent on airmen like Walker.
After a time in McConnell, Walker was sent to Barksdale AFB for a year before being assigned to Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Walker recalls Hawaii to be one of the most enjoyable places he was a part of. He was promoted to Tech Sergeant during his time at Hickam.
Then, from Hawaii, Walker was sent to Homestead AFB, Florida, where he remained for three years before being elevated to the rank of Master Sergeant. In the following three years, he was at Homestead Walker was transferred back to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona in 1980. He helped establish Life Support Program at Davis-Monthan AFB in the very first instance. He also was part of the team to establish Electronic Warfare Operations aboard the EC-130. In the course of three years, he got appointed to the inspector general’s staff located at Langley AFB, Virginia. Langley AFB was the Headquarters of the Tactical Air Command. Walker was a life support inspector on various bases, working with members of the inspector general’s staff. At Langley, Walker was promoted to Senior Master Sergeant [E-8].
The year 1986 was the time that Walker moved in 1986 to Torrejon AFB near Madrid, Spain. He was subsequently assigned as the Wing’s Life Support Supervisor and also trained Life Support Specialists in The Air Force Wing. Walker was also a part of the Wing’s self-evaluation group as they travelled on to bases operating forward in Incirlik, Turkey and Aviano AFB in Italy. Walker was elevated to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) during his time in Spain.
In the following two years, after serving spent in Spain, Walker was assigned to Homestead AFB where he cross-trained as a police officer in the military. He retired from Homestead in September of 1990 aged 44 after more than 25 years in active duty. He was presented with five Air Force Commendation Medals, as well as the Meritorious Service Medal.
Following his retirement of the Air Force, Walker worked security for The Wackenhut Corporation on the Metrorail in south Florida. In 1995, he moved into Andalusia, Alabama, where was employed by Shorewood Packaging Corporation for five years. Then, in 2001, he accepted the position in Ft. Rucker Army Air Base where he worked as an individual life support contractor for civilians. After 2009, Gerald Walker retired.
Gerald got married and met Helen Odom Dubose in 2002. Helen was a mother to two boys, Dennis Tina as well as Darrin [Jennifer] Ol’Neal and Gerald had a daughter named Terese Mike Jagels. There are five children as well as six great-grandchildren. Gerald and Helen are currently residing in Andalusia.
John Vick
The author would like to thank Gerald Walker for sharing his story.
Sources: Wikipedia, af.mil, and history.com [Sources: History.com, af.mil, Wikipedia]
Special note from the author in 1961 the president John F. Kennedy authorized the spraying of herbicides over the crops and forests that were part of South Vietnam [Operation Trail DustThe operation was called Trail Dust. The aim was to clear plants and the canopy of jungle that provided protection for troops of the Viet Cong and N. Vietnamese Armies and also to stop crop plants from being cultivated to supply the enemy. Between 1961 and 1971, U. S. forces applied 19 million gallons worth of chemicals 2-5 T (also known by the name of Agent Orange] at 50 times the usual concentrations in agriculture. The purpose behind the spray may be well-intentioned but the results were a disaster on people in South Vietnamese people and the American combatants. They were exposed dioxins (known carcinogens) inside Agent Orange that left a legacy of cancers as well as other physical and mental ailments which are still prevalent.
The article Gerald Walker, Chief Master Sergeant, U. S. Air Force, Vietnam War was first published in The Andalusia Star-News.
