Rusty Brockman

Thursday 1 September 2016

What a tragic ending - lost on his last day in Vietnam!

Now, having been classmates, friends, and football players together with Rusty fifty years ago at Millikan, I learn for the first time how our lives had crossed in the Vietnam War.

From his memorial, I just discovered Rusty was serving in the 7th Cavalry, Ist Cav Division in Spring 1972 when he died at Bien Hoa Air Base on his way to the Freedom Bird that would take him home.

As an Air Force Forward Air Controller, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, I was assigned to the 1st Cav Division, directing airstrikes supporting their warfighters from my O-2A aircraft.

Neither Rusty nor I knew we were stationed within a few miles of each other, and I had worked at Bien Hoa several times as the FAC Duty Officer in his Division's Tactical Ops Center. 

From my Vietnam logbook, I note that on the day Rusty died, 25 May 1972, I was flying my 59th combat mission (of 240) in the great siege of An Loc north of Saigon.  Four of my Air Force Academy classmates died in that same battle. 

I was barely three months into my assignment when Rusty had completed his tour, had survived an extremely hazardous mission in an Army Recon Platoon, and was on his way home when a land mine took his life.

My sincere, though belated, condolences to Rusty Brockman's family, friends, and loved ones.

Tim Carey

(Colonel, USAF, Retired)