EP 30: What They Don’t Tell You About Being a Door Gunner in Vietnam

In this episode of Ask A Vet, we sit down with Vietnam Veteran Ernest, whose two back-to-back tours as a Huey door gunner took him from avoiding the draft… to becoming the man everyone in his unit depended on. Ernest shares unbelievable stories: being shot down four times, falling 100 feet from a helicopter into a rice paddy, saving his pilot’s life, living 50 yards from the South China Sea, water-skiing in a war zone, and fighting in some of the most chaotic conditions imaginable. Ernest’s perspective on service, survival, friendship, and finally being honored decades later on an Honor Flight is something every American needs to hear. If this episode impacted you, please subscribe and help us continue documenting the stories of the heroes who served. Chapters: 01:10 – Background & Avoiding the Draft 06:30 – Basic Training at Fort Jackson 10:05 – Arriving in Vietnam 12:00 – MOS Changed Overnight After Base Attack 13:35 – Becoming a Door Gunner 16:15 – Building a Hooch by the Sea 18:00 – Water-Skiing in a War Zone 20:25 – Shot Down Multiple Times 23:40 – Saving His Pilot’s Life 27:50 – Missions Across Vietnam 31:00 – Falling Out of a Helicopter 34:45 – First Combat Mission & Melting the Gun 38:00 – Daily Life 45:00 – Re-upping & Serving a Second Tour 48:30 – Coming Home to Hostility 50:20 – The Honor Flight That Finally Healed Something 54:40 – Life After the War & Reflections If you or a Veteran you know has a story that should be heard, we'd love to hear from you at humanographyproject@gmail.com. 🎖️ Curious Humanography is proud to partner with Utah Honor Flight, helping veterans visit memorials built in their honor. To learn more or support their mission, visit UtahHonorFlight.org and honorflight.org. If this story moved you, please consider liking, commenting, and subscribing — it helps us continue sharing stories that deserve to be heard.