Pete Mecca was born on January 15, 1947 in Memphis, Tennessee. His father was a World War Two air force veteran, so Pete’s decision to enlist in the air force during the Vietnam War did not come as a surprise to his parents. Pete served in air force intelligence, flying on B-52s and other aircraft. Before his deployment to Vietnam, Pete was involved in the Cold War era MAD flights, on the lookout for potential incoming Soviet nukes. He headed to Vietnam, and was tasked with spotting targets on the notorious Ho Chi Minh Trail, the supply lines that kept the enemy fighting. Pete remarks that his war was different: he didn’t see his friends killed close-up…they just didn’t return one day. He returned from the war, welcomed by family, and into a context that was alien to him, and it took time to readjust, a topic Pete addresses eloquently here. Pete is a gifted speaker, with a vast knowledge of military history. He has written many books and hosts his own radio show: Crestwood students were lucky to be able to zoom with him and Ginny Close in April 2021.
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