On the recordOctober 27, 2015
I wish to honor Thomas Rockroads, Jr., a veteran of the Vietnam war. On behalf of all Montanans and all Americans, I would like to thank Mr. Rockroads for his service to our State and to our Nation. It is my privilege to share Thomas's story for the official Senate Record. Thomas Rockroads, Jr., was born on December 21, 1948, in Crow Agency, MT. His father worked in sawmills in both Kirby and Lame Deer and was a ranch hand and coal miner in Lame Deer. His mother worked for many years at the Northern Hotel before coming home to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. He spent his childhood in Busby and attended Busby High School until joining the Army his junior year. In September of 1968, he volunteered for the Army Airborne Infantry, and by September of 1969, he found himself jumping out of helicopters and into the highlands of Vietnam. Thomas was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which was stationed in the hot, humid Tiger Mountains of Vietnam's Central Highlands. Their responsibilities included rescuing and evacuating ground forces, as well as setting up perimeters for operations. They were right in the thick of things, and, as Thomas once put it, ``If there was a hot spot where reinforcements were needed . . . we were there.'' On more than one occasion, this proved to be an important but harrowing position to be in. One night, when the brigade was charged with setting up a perimeter on a hillside, Thomas and his comrades felt particularly concerned.…
