Life changes led man to military service
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NILES -- Joe Schoolcraft-Burkey and Dean Martin grew up in different eras, but in the same Steubenville neighborhood.
Martin and Schoolcraft-Burkey left the familiar surroundings and comfort of their childhood homes and neighborhood to join the military. Martin served in the Army during World War II. Schoolcraft-Burkey spent 32 years serving his country in the Air Force.
Joining the military after high school is a major life transition for anyone, but for Schoolcraft-Burkey, the transition was even more profound. He lost his mother while he was a high school senior. At age 17, he chose to leave home and enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Because he was under 18, written consent from his father was required. He went to a combined recruiter’s office and took the Armed Forces Qualifying Test. The Air Force recruiter said he could choose any of the four areas they offered, so he chose the computer training path.
After his first-ever trip on an airplane, Schoolcraft-Burkey landed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he completed basic training. He completed six months of advanced technical computer training in Sheppard, Texas. He then went to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, where he spent a year and experienced another first: a visit to a beach.
His next year-long assignment, from February 1967 to February 1968, was in U-Tapao, Thailand, first in the 377th Combat Support Group and the second year in the 437th Combat Support Group-Republic of Vietnam.
"The B-52s that were bombing North Vietnam flew out of U-Tapao. We were in support of the B-52s and the KC135s, which were the refuelers. We would refuel them mid-flight because they could not make it all the way back," Schoolcraft-Burkey said.
“I had a unique experience when we landed in February 1968 at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon, on our way back to pick up guys from Vietnam, when I was coming from Thailand. It was during a Tet Offensive. They were mortaring the airstrip while we were landing. I was 18 years old. I thought 'this is crazy.' That was the first Tet Offensive," Schoolcraft-Burkey said.
He said the 1968 Tet Offensive occurred during the Lunar New Year when most of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam was on leave. The North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong launched a surprise attack, targeting both military and civilian command and control centers throughout South Vietnam.
"Most guys will remember these Tet Offenses. One was in '68 and one was in '69," Schoolcraft-Burkey said.
He was then sent to Charleston Air Force Base from February 1968 to November 1968.
"Thailand was a beach and Charleston was a beach, but I did not care to stay there. As soon as I landed, I put in a request to go back overseas. They sent me to Vietnam. I had to extend my time there. So, I put in a total of four years and four months, instead of just four years," Schoolcraft-Burkey said.
He was in the Republic of Vietnam from November 1968 to November 1969.
"When I landed there, I was assigned to the customs control area at Tan Son Nhat Air Force Base, which was the original French airport. I was a security police augmentee. The French airport was a front for the CIA, so the CIA would fly their missions out of there. In customs control, we had to make sure that people were not smuggling money or drugs out of Vietnam, both American military and civilian non-Americans," he said.
While serving in customs control, a couple came through. He was a Captain in the U.S. Army he and was with an Asian woman, who also was an Army Captain. They had four duffel bags with them, which Schoolcraft-Burkey said was very unusual. They were attempting to go back to the United States.
"We did a little checking, and we found out that this captain had fake orders for her to go back with him. He was allowed to go back because his time was up, but he must have met this woman in Vietnam. He got her a fake ID, and she was posing as a captain in the U.S. Army. They had four duffel bags full of marijuana. Nobody came to a tour in Vietnam with their wife. We thought they probably went to Long Binh Jail, for drugs and falsifying documents, which is the worst place you can go in Vietnam."
When he returned to the U.S., Schoolcraft-Burkey stayed out of the military for 12 years, until a friend suggested he come over to the Army Reserve in Farrell, Pa. He took the suggestion, and in 1980 worked for the battalion commander in the Field Delivery Pipeline Unit in Farrell for two years. He was never promoted in those two years, so he decided to go back into the Air Force in 1982.
"I went to the battalion commander and said 'I am going back to the Air Force. They are going to keep my rank.' They hated to lose us, but I explained that they have not treated us Vietnam guys very well. 'You keep promoting these young guys and we have 20 years of experience. We never get on the promotion roster.' The battalion commander called me the next day and said he was promoting me to an E-5. I left anyway," Schoolcraft-Burkey said.
He was in the Air Force Reserve at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station from July 1982 to July 2010, where he retired from the position as a first sergeant.
Joe Schoolcraft-Burkey
AGE: 78
RESIDENCE: Niles
SERVICE BRANCH: Air Force
MILITARY HONORS: 2 Air Force Commendation Military Merit Awards, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Reserve Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Cluster, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Small Arm Expert, Air Force Overseas Medal with Two Oak Clusters, Air Force Neo First Sergeant PME Graduate, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
OCCUPATION: Retired Economic Development Specialist
FAMILY: Wife, Sherry; daughters, Jennifer and Carrie; 7 grandchildren