Interview, Thomas Puff, USAF

Thomas Puff (b. 1952) was born in Rochester, New York, and grew up in in the towns of Greece and Gates. His father was a World War II veteran. After graduating from Edison Technical High School, Puff enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was trained in flight simulator electronics and stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, in Louisiana, where he worked as a Flight Simulator Specialist. Although he never went to Vietnam, Puff’s job was to train the crews that were sent there. He served from 1972 to 1977 and then entered the Air Force Reserve while he attended college. In the late 1980s, he became an active member of Rochester’s Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 20, serving in the honor guard at veterans’ funerals.

In this interview, Puff discusses his reasons for joining the military, working on flight simulators, his attitude toward the Vietnam War, and his work with the local VVA chapter. Puff explains that his sense of adventure led him to enlist in the Air Force and that he thought the military would provide good opportunities for him. He notes that basic training taught him teamwork and illustrates this with a story about helping a fellow recruit pass boot camp. Puff recalls working on flight simulators and explains that he often traveled to other bases to train crews preparing for missions. He says he hopes that he helped save lives by preparing flight crews for different scenarios. Puff reveals that he initially supported the war, but that he began to oppose it as he heard more about combat from returning soldiers. He says he is proud to have served his country and enjoys supporting troops returning from war.