Vietnam War veteran and Capital Electric ooperative member Wes Vettel and his wife Linda, live northeast of Bismarck. Wes served as a fixed-wing U.S. Air Force pilot, flying out of
Phan Rang, South Vietnam, and Thailand in 1971 when he was 24 years old. He later flew B-52 bombers
out of Guam, starting in 1973. He left the Air Force as a captain in 1974.
In South Vietnam, Wes was an O-2B psychological operations (PSYOP) pilot, dropping informational
leaflets and using the plane’s loudspeakers to offer relief to North Vietnamese soldiers. The
message offered them the opportunity to leave extremely undesirable conditions for better ones
American forces could provide.
Wes experienced dangerous conditions on many flights.
“I was flying at an altitude of about 2,000 to 3,000 feet and got caught in a wind downdraft. By
the time I was able to regain control, I was approximately 100 feet above the jungle. These are
moments you don’t forget,” he says.
“One of the most difficult aspects of the war was that it was very difficult to tell the difference
between the forces we fought with and the enemy forces. In fact, there were times enemy soldiers
would work with us during the day and fight against us at night,” he says.
Providing aid to other veterans
Approximately 95% of those veterans on the ground returned home with some level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The stories of those suffering from PTSD are numerous, and it takes time and understanding to help all who need care.
“My goal is to help improve these soldiers’ lives by encouraging them to share their feelings openly to begin the healing process. There is a contingent of veterans helping others in this way and many times it proves to be successful. The families of these soldiers have also suffered and need support as their relationships continue to heal,” Wes explains.
Read the full article about his service to his country in the November issue of North Dakota Living magazine, available here: https://capitalelec.com/content/north-dakota-living