Charles Eugene Pollock - 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.

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United States Army Sergeant First Class Vietnam War Charles was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 30, 1940, but moved to California when he was two years old. He grew up in the small farming community of Arvin, California, where he graduated from high school in 1958. Between graduation and enlistment, he worked local agricultural jobs, including driving tractors and working in grape fields. Charles enlisted in the Army in 1961 on a “buddy basic” with his nephew. He completed basic training at Fort Ord, California, and attended his second eight-week training for his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in armored tanks at Fort Hood, Texas. His first duty station was in Baumholder, Army Base, Germany, also known as “the Rock”, which he described as a “hellhole”, it being miserably cold all the time. He served there for three years before briefly leaving the service to get married. After re-enlisting in 1965, he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Although he had to drop rank from Sergeant to Private First Class to re-enter, he quickly regained his rank while training approximately 500 draftees through basic and advanced training. He wore “many hats” during this time, serving as an artillery mechanic, battery armorer, and range instructor. In September 1966, he was deployed to Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the 4th Infantry Division. For the first six or seven months, he served as a gunner on an M109 Paladin, a 155mm self-propelled howitzer, firing rounds around the clock. Later, he transferred to a headquarters battery as a section chief, operating ammunition trucks to different gun sites. Charles retired from the military in 1982 after serving over 20 years. He was honorably discharged and received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, five Good Conduct Awards, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, along with other unit and personal awards. He returned to Bakersfield, California, and started working for Sears. He later transferred with the company to Santa Maria, California, where he lived for 27 years. While working at Sears, he also worked in security and hospitality, spending 15 years as a night auditor at a hotel before finally retiring at age 72.
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Charles Eugene Pollock - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Army Sergeant First Class Vietnam War Charles was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 30, 1940, but moved to California when he was two years old. He grew up in the small farming community of Arvin, California, where he graduated from high school in 1958. Between graduation and enlistment, he worked local agricultural jobs, including driving tractors and working in grape fields. Charles enlisted in the Army in 1961 on a “buddy basic” with his nephew. He completed basic training at Fort Ord, California, and attended his second eight-week training for his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in armored tanks at Fort Hood, Texas. His first duty station was in Baumholder, Army Base, Germany, also known as “the Rock”, which he described as a “hellhole”, it being miserably cold all the time. He served there for three years before briefly leaving the service to get married. After re-enlisting in 1965, he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Although he had to drop rank from Sergeant to Private First Class to re-enter, he quickly regained his rank while training approximately 500 draftees through basic and advanced training. He wore “many hats” during this time, serving as an artillery mechanic, battery armorer, and range instructor. In September 1966, he was deployed to Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the 4th Infantry Division. For the first six or seven months, he served as a gunner on an M109 Paladin, a 155mm self-propelled howitzer, firing rounds around the clock. Later, he transferred to a headquarters battery as a section chief, operating ammunition trucks to different gun sites. Charles retired from the military in 1982 after serving over 20 years. He was honorably discharged and received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, five Good Conduct Awards, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, along with other unit and personal awards. He returned to Bakersfield, California, and started working for Sears. He later transferred with the company to Santa Maria, California, where he lived for 27 years. While working at Sears, he also worked in security and hospitality, spending 15 years as a night auditor at a hotel before finally retiring at age 72.