Scope and Contents

Approximately 3 linear feet of materials documenting Vladimir Broz's U.S. Army service as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. The materials include artifacts; a pilot log book; air facilities data; safe conduct passes; propaganda leaflets; an ID card; clippings; award certificates; photographs and images; Vietnam Veterans celebration parade instructions; a yearbook; maps (including fragments); and posters. The materials are dated predominately 1963-1975 and 1985.

Biographical / Historical

Vladimir R. Broz was born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia in 1939. He volunteered for the United States Army in 1962 and served a total of four years and nine months including one year in Southeast Asia. Broz was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC with the Combat Engineer Company as a topographic surveyor and then the Homestead Airforce Base. Broz then served in Munich and Ansbach, Germany with the 504th Aviation Battalion. Later he was stationed in Fort Benning to prepare for his next station at Lane Army Heliport in Qui Nhon, Vietnam where he served as a Huey Gunship Pilot for the 161st Aviation Company Scorpions. He then was transferred to the 119th Aviation Company in Pleiku. Broz was discharged in 1966 at the rank of CW-2. He received various awards including an air medal, a national defense service medal, and a Vietnam Service medal.

He then went on to serve as an Air America Pilot for eight years based in Saigon, South Vietnam and Udon, Thailand. After his service as a captain and copilot Broz joined the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and Air America Association. Broz then became a commercial helicopter pilot to oil rigs in the Persian Gulf, North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and New Jersey. He continued his pilot career as a corporate helicopter pilot for West Chester, NY, and Teterboro, NJ. Broz then became a helicopter pilot for Weatherstone, and a Director of Flight Operations for East-West Air.