Current data for Contributor

Smither, James (Interviewer)

Current data for Creator

Van Dreumel, Michael

Current data for Date

2012-04-25

Current data for Description

Michael Van Dreumel was born in 1943 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and lived there until he graduated from high school in 1961. He then went to California to train as a aircraft mechanic, after which he worked at several commercial airlines before receiving his draft notice in 1964. Once he received his draft notice, Van Dreumel went through basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky before joining an aviation section at Fort Benning, Georgia outfitted with six OV-1 Mohawks. When Van Dreumel first joined the section, it belonged to the 11th Air Assault Division but only a couple of weeks after his arrival, the section switched to the 1st Air Cavalry Division, which was then deployed to Vietnam. He spent his tour at An Khe working on Mohawks and other observation aircraft. Once Van Dreumel's tour came to an end, he rotated back to the United States and finished his enlistment as part of the 5th Mechanized Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Current data for Source

Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)