Billy Cox - 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
Billy J. Cox<br />United States Air Force <br />Captain<br />Vietnam War<br /><br />Billy Cox attended Texas A&amp;M, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He described it as an "academy-like experience" in which he lived with his unit, wore a uniform seven days a week, and marched to meals while earning his degree. He graduated from the four-year architecture program with a degree in environmental design.<br /><br />He joined the service and attended Officer Candidate School. Billy served in the reserve ROTC program at Texas A&amp;M and was commissioned as a second lieutenant immediately upon graduation. He had a "very unmilitary career" focused on architecture and engineering.<br /><br />His first duty assignment was at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas, a pilot training facility. There, he served as a base architect in the base engineering division. He was responsible for maintaining structures, pavement, and underground utilities. He also served on a crash survey team that investigated aircraft accidents by mapping debris fields to help determine the cause of the crash.<br /><br />His second assignment was at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, a major U.S. Air Force installation and home to the 81st Training Wing. At Keesler, he continued his work as a base architect. He worked with the civilian community through the local planning commission to manage traffic patterns and base-community developments. He was also part of "Prime BEEF" (Base Engineer Emergency Force), an expeditionary unit trained to rapidly deploy and build airfields anywhere in the world.<br /><br />His final four years were spent at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He joined the staff of the Air Force Institute of Technology as an assistant professor of architecture, teaching architecture and building construction in the school of civil engineering. He was a member of the specialized Army Cold Region Engineering Lab, traveling to the Arctic Circle to study how extreme cold affects building materials and construction techniques.<br /><br />After serving nine years, Captain Cox decided in September 1982 to pursue a civilian career and was honorably discharged. He currently volunteers at the San Diego Zoo, helping prepare "panda bread" for a panda that can no longer chew bamboo.
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Billy Cox - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
Billy J. Cox<br />United States Air Force <br />Captain<br />Vietnam War<br /><br />Billy Cox attended Texas A&amp;M, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He described it as an "academy-like experience" in which he lived with his unit, wore a uniform seven days a week, and marched to meals while earning his degree. He graduated from the four-year architecture program with a degree in environmental design.<br /><br />He joined the service and attended Officer Candidate School. Billy served in the reserve ROTC program at Texas A&amp;M and was commissioned as a second lieutenant immediately upon graduation. He had a "very unmilitary career" focused on architecture and engineering.<br /><br />His first duty assignment was at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas, a pilot training facility. There, he served as a base architect in the base engineering division. He was responsible for maintaining structures, pavement, and underground utilities. He also served on a crash survey team that investigated aircraft accidents by mapping debris fields to help determine the cause of the crash.<br /><br />His second assignment was at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, a major U.S. Air Force installation and home to the 81st Training Wing. At Keesler, he continued his work as a base architect. He worked with the civilian community through the local planning commission to manage traffic patterns and base-community developments. He was also part of "Prime BEEF" (Base Engineer Emergency Force), an expeditionary unit trained to rapidly deploy and build airfields anywhere in the world.<br /><br />His final four years were spent at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He joined the staff of the Air Force Institute of Technology as an assistant professor of architecture, teaching architecture and building construction in the school of civil engineering. He was a member of the specialized Army Cold Region Engineering Lab, traveling to the Arctic Circle to study how extreme cold affects building materials and construction techniques.<br /><br />After serving nine years, Captain Cox decided in September 1982 to pursue a civilian career and was honorably discharged. He currently volunteers at the San Diego Zoo, helping prepare "panda bread" for a panda that can no longer chew bamboo.