Darrell D. Prestridge - 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
United States Navy Non-designated Airman Vietnam War Darrell was born on September 20, 1954, in San Luis Obispo, California, and grew up in Oxnard, where he graduated from high school in 1972. He has two sisters and one brother. From a young age, he was fascinated by naval aviation and the idea of flying planes off ships. Darrell enlisted in the Navy in 1972 right after high school. He went to boot camp at the Recruiting Training Center in San Diego, then attended a two-week Fleet Preparation School at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee, where he learned about various aviation ratings. He received orders to the USS Oriskany (CV-34), and after a brief leave, he traveled to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He was then briefly stationed on the USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) to be transported to the USS Oriskany. Darrell served in the G division, where his main duties involved bomb assembly and moving munitions with “12 Charlie” skids to the flight deck elevators. During his two-year enlistment, he participated in two Westpac deployments, including combat operations off the coast of Vietnam at Yankee Station. He enjoyed visits to ports in Yokosuka, Japan, while the ship underwent repairs, as well as visits to Mombasa, Kenya, and Hong Kong. He also became a “Shellback” at the Equator. Darrell completed his service and was honorably discharged on May 22, 1974. Airman Darrell Prestridge received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Afterward, he initially worked for the government at the Seabee base in Port Hueneme for three years, in a job environment he disliked. In late 1977, he moved to Reno, Nevada, to work in the casino industry until 1979, when he returned to Southern California.
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Darrell D. Prestridge - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Navy Non-designated Airman Vietnam War Darrell was born on September 20, 1954, in San Luis Obispo, California, and grew up in Oxnard, where he graduated from high school in 1972. He has two sisters and one brother. From a young age, he was fascinated by naval aviation and the idea of flying planes off ships. Darrell enlisted in the Navy in 1972 right after high school. He went to boot camp at the Recruiting Training Center in San Diego, then attended a two-week Fleet Preparation School at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Millington, Tennessee, where he learned about various aviation ratings. He received orders to the USS Oriskany (CV-34), and after a brief leave, he traveled to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He was then briefly stationed on the USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) to be transported to the USS Oriskany. Darrell served in the G division, where his main duties involved bomb assembly and moving munitions with “12 Charlie” skids to the flight deck elevators. During his two-year enlistment, he participated in two Westpac deployments, including combat operations off the coast of Vietnam at Yankee Station. He enjoyed visits to ports in Yokosuka, Japan, while the ship underwent repairs, as well as visits to Mombasa, Kenya, and Hong Kong. He also became a “Shellback” at the Equator. Darrell completed his service and was honorably discharged on May 22, 1974. Airman Darrell Prestridge received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Afterward, he initially worked for the government at the Seabee base in Port Hueneme for three years, in a job environment he disliked. In late 1977, he moved to Reno, Nevada, to work in the casino industry until 1979, when he returned to Southern California.