Randy Childers

Born in Worthington, MN in 1947
U.S. Army Vietnam War Veteran

Randy Childers was 20 years-old when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967. His first year in the military was spent in Denver, Colorado, training for his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) in medical equipment repair. From the Rocky Mountains, Childers was shipped to the Army’s Landstuhl Field Hospital in Germany where he worked his same MOS.

In June of 1969, Childers left Germany for Vietnam and was assigned to the 45th Portable Surgical Hospital. The Army medical facility was in a Forward Combat Area in Tay Ninh Base Camp in South Vietnam. “I did repairs to the medical equipment and I also ordered medical supplies,” he remembered. “I would help carry the wounded soldiers from the in-coming choppers.”
Childers recalls the base camp where the field hospital was located was quite large, “about the size of Truman, MN,” he said. “Because we were near the frontlines, we drew a lot of attention for the V.C. (Viet Cong). The base was subject to frequent attacks by enemy rockets and mortar fire,” he added.
By June of 1970, Childers had completed his war duty and headed back to the States to be discharged. He returned to the area and in 1974 moved to Fairmont to start his career with 3M. He retired from 3M after 27 years of employment.

Portrait of a Veteran Photo and Story © 2019 Joseph Kreiss Photography