Scope and Contents

Approximately one (1) linear foot of audio recordings sent and received by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard W. Sims during his service as a Huey pilot with the 134th Attack Helicopter Company at Phu Hiep from May 1969 to December 1970. Some of the recordings include short letters and notes written by Mr. Sims or his family. The recordings include audio letters home, music, flight recordings, and a recording from a talent show. Also included is the reel-to-reel recording machine used to record a number of the recordings.

Biographical / Historical

Richard W. Sims was born on 10 October 1947 in Jasper, Texas. In 1968 he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army. Between May 1969 and December 1970 Mr. Sims was deployed to Vietnam with the 134th Assault Helicopter Company. He spent 16 months stationed in Phu Hiep, RVN and 2 months stationed in Tuy Hoa, RVN. His MOS while deployed was 100BO, Helicopter Pilot. While in Vietnam, Mr. Sims held the ranks of Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) and Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2). Mr. Sims also served with the General Support II Corps.

After his tour of duty in Vietnam, Mr. Sims was stationed with the 300th AVN Co. in Fort Worth, Texas from 1971 to 1972. In total, Mr. Sims served 31 months active duty and 18 months reserve. He was discharged from duty in 1970 with the rank CW2. Mr. Sims was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal for his service as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

In 1971 Mr. Sims returned to college and eventually found a civilian job as an aircraft electrician at LTV Aerospace. After contract cancellations, Mr. Sims "bounced around" from job to job until finding one as a locomotive engineer at ATSF-BNSF where he worked from 1974 to 2007. Later, Mr. Sims also would attend civilian flight schools. He married in 1977 and has several daughters, and four (4) grandchildren.