North Dakota's last Vietnam Veteran pilot retires.

It's a day 35 years in the making.

Colonel Gerald Heinle served in the military since 1969.

He flew more than seventy-one hundred flight hours in his careerincluding one thousand combat hours in Vietnam.

Heinle spent a year in Vietnam flying daily missions in a Charlie-model gunship with the 135th Assault Helicopter Company.

He's earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the fifth highest Army decoration, and the Air Medal with V for valor.

(Col. Gerald Heinle/ Last Vietnam Vet. Pilot) "If you didnt enlist or go to school you were going to get drafted so I tried a little bit of both and decided to enlist. There were good times and bad times. we remember the good times and try to forget the bad times."


Heinle's passion for military service has spread into his family.

He has two daughters currently serving the country.

Melissa has been in the national guard for fifteen years today.

And Marne has been in the guard for thirteen years. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list