There is a mystique about being a Marine pilot. You actually believe that youre invincible. (Audio Interview, 32:36)
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Ed McGaa
War: Cold War; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Marine Corps Rank: Major Place of Birth: SD
Born during the Depression on the impoverished Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Ed McGaa saw a lot of young men join the military in search of a better life. He joined the Marines and served in Korea just after the truce ending the hostilities was signed. He used the GI Bill to go to college, and then a military recruiter persuaded him to re-enlist. This time, he trained as a Marine pilot for service in Vietnam, where he flew 110 missions, as many as five of them in a 24-hour stretch. McGaa went on to become a published author, exploring in works of fiction and nonfiction the history and contemporary experiences of his people.