Patricia Coats - 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
Iowa Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Vietnam War Pat Coats graduated from Mercy College of Health Sciences' nursing program before joining the Air National Guard in September 1959. While she waited for a seat at the officer orientation course in June, she was mentored by two Senior Master Sergeants, Nelson and Edwards. They taught her basic military skills, such as saluting and marching, so she “would put on a sharp look as the only nurse in the unit.” Captain Coats was assigned to the 132nd TAC (Tactical Air Command) Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. She spent her entire 29-year career with this unit. Initially, the unit drilled and trained at its home base in Des Moines before deploying. Although her unit was not activated for deployment to Vietnam, she and a detachment were sent to the Royal Air Force base in Lincolnshire, England. Her unit was the first American unit assigned to the base since World War II, and it deployed there in the late 1970s. Captain Coats also served as part of a small detachment of two nurses in Panama. During this time, she had a harrowing experience when her group accidentally drove into a high-security compound belonging to Manuel Noriega and was forced to back out by the guards. She returned to England at Lakenheath Air Force Base for summer exercises with the regular Air Force. During her final deployment there, she stayed in RAF quarters in London near Green Park. She also deployed to various bases, including Biloxi (Mississippi), Mountain Home (Idaho), Alpena (Michigan), and Tomah (Wisconsin). Lieutenant Colonel Coats served as the unit’s Chief Nurse for the final 10 years of her career, retiring in 1988 after 29 years of service.
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Patricia Coats - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
Iowa Air National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Vietnam War Pat Coats graduated from Mercy College of Health Sciences' nursing program before joining the Air National Guard in September 1959. While she waited for a seat at the officer orientation course in June, she was mentored by two Senior Master Sergeants, Nelson and Edwards. They taught her basic military skills, such as saluting and marching, so she “would put on a sharp look as the only nurse in the unit.” Captain Coats was assigned to the 132nd TAC (Tactical Air Command) Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. She spent her entire 29-year career with this unit. Initially, the unit drilled and trained at its home base in Des Moines before deploying. Although her unit was not activated for deployment to Vietnam, she and a detachment were sent to the Royal Air Force base in Lincolnshire, England. Her unit was the first American unit assigned to the base since World War II, and it deployed there in the late 1970s. Captain Coats also served as part of a small detachment of two nurses in Panama. During this time, she had a harrowing experience when her group accidentally drove into a high-security compound belonging to Manuel Noriega and was forced to back out by the guards. She returned to England at Lakenheath Air Force Base for summer exercises with the regular Air Force. During her final deployment there, she stayed in RAF quarters in London near Green Park. She also deployed to various bases, including Biloxi (Mississippi), Mountain Home (Idaho), Alpena (Michigan), and Tomah (Wisconsin). Lieutenant Colonel Coats served as the unit’s Chief Nurse for the final 10 years of her career, retiring in 1988 after 29 years of service.