"When you do something, as our instructors used to say, that an infinitesimal number of people have done, it's quite exhilarating." (Video Interview, 21:15)

James Lee Berry

James Berry [2008] War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Navy Unit: LST (Landing Ship Tank) 1048 Service Location: San Diego, California; Pensacola and Key West, Florida; Hawaii; Guam (Mariana Islands); Da Nang, Vietnam; Tennessee; Thailand Rank: Commander Place of Birth: MO

Commissioned as an Ensign in the Naval Reserves in 1954, James Berry served for one year on an LST in 1956 before deciding "there must be a faster form of transportation." So he signed up for Naval Flight Training and got his wings a year later. Berry became a jet fighter pilot. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, he was based in Key West, where his mission was to intercept unauthorized planes; Russian Migs often challenged their air space. Later, he flew with various fighter squadrons off aircraft carriers. Beginning in 1968 he was based out of Da Nang, Vietnam, flying 50 combat missions. He did go down in enemy territory in August 1969 and received injuries from a parachute entry into trees. Berry retired in 1979 after 25 years of service.