Baxter L. Jones - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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Vietnam War

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during the Vietnam War

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series
Please email

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.

Copyright © 2025 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
US Air Force Sergeant Vietnam War Baxter was born on April 3, 1947, at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He moved away from New Jersey when he was old enough and grew up mainly in Texas. He left high school during his senior year to join the military. Baxter enlisted in the Air Force in Texas on June 19, 1967. He chose the Air Force because he believed it was the best branch for his goal of becoming a K9 handler. He completed basic training and Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) at Lackland Air Force Base. Since he already had experience working with dogs, his training focused specifically on K9 skills. Air Force K9 teams have traditionally used several types of dogs and specialized roles, including sentry, patrol, and scout duties, as well as narcotics and explosive detection, often with specialized breeds for specific tasks. Airman Jones was paired with a German Shepherd named Blue and stayed at Lackland AFB for seven more months of training before deployment. His first duty station was Vietnam, where he served for one year from January 69 to January 1070. He was part of a specialized K9 unit that operated as an independent “base on a base” and reported to their own major. His main duty involved escorting Army and Marine patrols into the jungle to gather intelligence on Viet Cong (VC) movements. During one engagement, he held off the enemy with an M60 machine gun and 500 rounds of ammunition, allowing his unit to retreat safely. In another significant incident, he used his dog, Blue, to track down and locate a missing, wounded Army soldier. While carrying the soldier on his shoulders back to the base, Jones was shot three times. One bullet remains lodged near his spine because it is too dangerous to remove. On July 27, 1970, after over three years, Sergeant Jones was honorably discharged due to his combat injuries. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign bronze star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. After leaving the Air Force, Baxter Jones moved to Thailand, where he lived for 14 years. During that time, he met and married his wife, Sa Ann Bonpin.
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Baxter L. Jones - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Air Force Sergeant Vietnam War Baxter was born on April 3, 1947, at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He moved away from New Jersey when he was old enough and grew up mainly in Texas. He left high school during his senior year to join the military. Baxter enlisted in the Air Force in Texas on June 19, 1967. He chose the Air Force because he believed it was the best branch for his goal of becoming a K9 handler. He completed basic training and Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) at Lackland Air Force Base. Since he already had experience working with dogs, his training focused specifically on K9 skills. Air Force K9 teams have traditionally used several types of dogs and specialized roles, including sentry, patrol, and scout duties, as well as narcotics and explosive detection, often with specialized breeds for specific tasks. Airman Jones was paired with a German Shepherd named Blue and stayed at Lackland AFB for seven more months of training before deployment. His first duty station was Vietnam, where he served for one year from January 69 to January 1070. He was part of a specialized K9 unit that operated as an independent “base on a base” and reported to their own major. His main duty involved escorting Army and Marine patrols into the jungle to gather intelligence on Viet Cong (VC) movements. During one engagement, he held off the enemy with an M60 machine gun and 500 rounds of ammunition, allowing his unit to retreat safely. In another significant incident, he used his dog, Blue, to track down and locate a missing, wounded Army soldier. While carrying the soldier on his shoulders back to the base, Jones was shot three times. One bullet remains lodged near his spine because it is too dangerous to remove. On July 27, 1970, after over three years, Sergeant Jones was honorably discharged due to his combat injuries. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign bronze star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. After leaving the Air Force, Baxter Jones moved to Thailand, where he lived for 14 years. During that time, he met and married his wife, Sa Ann Bonpin.