"And I think the only guy in that plane who was depressed was me. Because what I realized when I left-- and that's why it's my worst day-- is I who was qualified to take care of my people had left my people in the hands of less qualified people. I had left my platoon to the vagaries of war. And I was not there to take care of them. And I was very sad."
Description of Interview:
Thomas Kaulukukui graduated from with a degree in education from Michigan State University in 1967, and got married the same year. He was drafted in May 1968. After basic training at Fort Knox, AIT at Fort Polk (Tiger Land), NCO school and jump school at Fort Benning Georgia, and a short stint as a drill sergeant at Fort Gordon, Kaulukukui deployed to Vietnam in August 1969. He was assigned as a platoon sergeant in A Company, 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. Kaulukukui discusses leadership lessons, usually being “the smallest guy in the entire company,” the rigors and responsibilities of being a platoon sergeant, the fact that he cultivated no friendships, good leaders, bad leaders, life on LZ Uplift, red dirt, rice paddies, hawk team strategy, "I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane," black-black racial tension, and the importance of the band of brothers.
Key Words: draft, Fort Knox, Fort Polk, non-commissioned officer candidate school, Fort Benning, jump school, Fort Gordon, Tiger Land, airborne, martial arts, A/3/503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, hawk team strategy, 3rd NVA Division
Key Names: Sergeant Major Abraham Mailolo, Peter, Paul and Mary, Mr. White, Lieutenant Ed McIntyre, Martin Luther King, David Kahulakula, Edward Knight
Unit:
A Company, 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade
Service Location:
II Corps, Binh Dinh Province, LZ Uplift
Read the Complete Transcript of this Interview.