Vietnam War Pilot Serving in Iraq Has Seen Many Changes (VIDEO)

Tim King Salem-News.com

An Oregon National Guard officer talks about his life as a Vietnam War helicopter pilot still serving in the military, currently deployed in Balad, Iraq in an air support role.

CWO 4 Barry Brown with the Oregon Guard in Balad, Iraq
Photo and video by Tim King Salem-News.com

(BALAD, Iraq) - The world was different in 1969 when Barry Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army with a goal of flying helicopters. His dream was realized, and it led to Barry serving ten months as a Huey pilot in Vietnam.

Today, still serving the military, this time in Iraq, the veteran aviator has watched the development of military rotary aviation evolve from the infamous Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, known throughout the military as the Huey, to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk of today.

Along with the changes in aviation, have been many changes in society. Coming home from Vietnam was an extremely different experience for service members compared to those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today's society is generally more accepting and respectful, and Barry Brown has watched this evolution evolve also.

Brown says spending a year in a non-flying role in Iraq is a difficult change for a veteran aviator like himself, but he adds that he is glad to be able to serve in a related role and believes his years spent flying are a great asset in supporting those who do.

He sat down with me to talk about his life in the Army and the Oregon National Guard, and the changing impressions that the experiences have left him.

This interview was recorded in September, 2008 at Camp Anaconda, Balad, Iraq, where Mr. Brown is serving in an air support role with Oregon's 2/641 Aviation Support Group.

WATCH THE VIDEO NEWS REPORT BELOW:

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Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com