Max Wayne Torrence's interview for the Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center

Catalog number: VIS 201.0452
In this interview, Max Torrence recalls his history in the U.S. Army. He describes his father's service in WWII and how he met Max's mother. Torrence enjoyed sports and remembers a normal, happy childhood. After high school, he attended college, but didn't enroll for a second year and was quickly drafted. His parents weren't pleased, but his father's advice was to "do your best." He recalls basic training and his entry into Officer Candidate School. After his first tour, which was stateside, he was interested in helicopters, but in order to attend flight school, candidates had to go to Vietnam. He describes flight school and relates that they were taught "just enough about instrument flying to keep out of trouble." He was later able to get his full instrument rating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He shows a photograph of his helicopter, gives a detailed description of its specifications and abilities and describes the different conditions under which he flew. He recalls the morale of the troops. In aviation units morale was high, but he mentions racial issues in the area of Long Binh. After his tour, he was sent to a Skycrane unit in Germany, the only one in Europe. He did a lot of public relations and air show flying, including in London. He also participated in some recovery work in the North Sea. After Germany, he spent time in a field artillery unit and then attended Command General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth (Kan.), followed by an assignment in a recruiting command. He was later transferred to the Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) while it was still in Atlanta (Ga.). He discusses his retirement from the Army and subsequent career in mortgage banking. He displays a helmet bag with patches on it. Torrence ends the interview by stating that veterans should write their own legacy, not the media, and that he is doing it for his sons and grandchildren.