Oscar Bruno: A Proud Indiana Ranger

By Al Rodriguez, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

Before interviewing Oscar Bruno, if you would have asked me if a National Guard Infantry Company fought in the Vietnam War and earned more medals in 1969 than any other infantry company, I would have said no. That National Guard unit was the 151st Infantry Regiment, Company D, the Indiana Rangers. Oscar was a Medical Corpsman in Company D.

Oscar was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but was raised in Muncie, Indiana. He is the oldest of four children, three boys and one girl. His brothers served in the military also.  He graduated from Muncie Central High School in 1964 and enrolled in Ball State University. To pay for school, he worked full-time on the midnight shift at the Ball Brothers Company.  Working midnights and going to school during the day was especially hard so he dropped one class. This meant he was no longer considered a full time student. Within weeks, he received a draft notice.  He joined the National Guard so he could stay close to home and his future wife, Audrey, who he met at Ball State.  Oscar and Audrey were married on August 5, 1967. Their son Donuel was born August 18, 1969.

Oscar was sent to Fort Knox in Kentucky for Basic Training and his Advanced Individual Training as a Medical Corpsman. The Medical Corpsman training was a three month course learning how to triage medical emergencies, treat illness/injuries and administer drugs. He was then assigned to the 151st Infantry at Muncie, Indiana. Since this was a time of war, the National Guard would meet for a weekend twice a month instead of once a month as usual. During one of these meetings, they were told if they volunteered for airborne training they would be allowed to stay in Muncie.

Oscar was sent to Fort Benning in Georgia for airborne training, jumping out of many types of aircraft. He said it rained a lot of the time while he was there. After he finished his airborne training, he was transferred to the Greenfield Indiana unit. 

Company D was then sent to Panama for jungle training. When they returned from jungle training per special order by President Johnson, the 151st Company D, a National Guard unit, was federally activated.  They were sent to Fort Benning by convoy for their specialty training. This was part of a seven month training course.  At Fort Benning, they were branched off for Vietnam specialty training. Oscar received more medical corpsman training. Also, the unit went to Ranger, pathfinder and jumpmaster training along with others.  As a side note, at the same time Company D was training, the mock Vietnam village was used in the John Wayne movie, The Green Berets, that was being filmed at Fort Benning. One parachute had malfunctioned in Company D’s jump and John Wayne asked Oscar if his parachute had malfunctioned and he told him “no sir.” 

Oscar wrote to his brother Jimmy who was about to return from duty in Vietnam and jokingly asked him to volunteer for another six months to see if that would keep him from going there. His brother said no.

Company D received a 30 day leave and was ordered to report back at Christmastime, 1968. They immediately flew from Fort Benning to Vietnam in two C-141’s, one for the Rangers and one for their equipment, stopping in Alaska, Clark AFB in the Philippines and Japan.  Because of the International date/timeline, they arrived in Bien Hoa,Vietnam the day after Christmas, 1968. To acclimate to the Vietnam heat, the Indiana Rangers were supposed to do several runs with an experienced non-Ranger Sergeant.  The Rangers were used to running long distances so it wasn’t a problem.  A few members of Company D were also sent to Commando School. 

In the Indiana Ranger’s first combat mission, Oscar’s best friend was killed. Enemy fire killed him and caused the elephant grass around them to catch fire. When they were evacuated they had to leave his body behind. They went back the next day to recover the body and were amazed that his body and gear didn’t burn. The elephant grass burned to within a foot surrounding him.

As the senior Medical Corpsman, Oscar set up the Company medical ‘hooch’ with beds, a refrigerator for medications and an aid station for minor injuries and illness. There was also a medical bunker where they went when the enemy shelled the compound. He told me at times he could point his camera in any direction and capture an explosion. Since they didn’t have a doctor assigned to the company, Oscar assumed many of those duties. That’s where he got his nickname of “Doc. He said that everyone went to the medic with any problems, medical or not because Medics were good listeners. He witnessed and as a Medic ran to help with a helicopter crash. Unfortunately, the crew and the 8 personnel aboard, mostly officers, were killed. 

In the military there is a chain of command.  Oscar was senior NCO to the other Medics. Assignments and requests to his men should have come to him first but the company commander bypassed him at every opportunity. Fed up with this treatment and knowing that as a Medic his services were in demand, he asked for a transfer to the 93rd Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, and it was granted. 

At the 93rd he met with the commanding officer who told him that he would receive the respect he deserved there.  A hospital in a combat zone is extremely busy so on his first day, he was assigned to watch over a badly burned helicopter pilot. The doctor didn’t expect the pilot to live and Oscar was to record the time of death. Oscar said this was one of the hardest things he’s ever done, watching the pilot’s agonizing death. Not a great beginning, but promptly he was assigned to the orthopedic ward. He cared for many types of bone injuries where the wounded were either to return to duty or to be medically evacuated for further treatment.

While at the 93rd he volunteered for ‘Dust Off ‘, where via helicopter they would pick up the wounded in the field. He would strap the wounded into the helicopter and then medically assist them. On his last mission, he was able to strap the wounded man in but because they were under heavy fire the helicopter took off and he found himself on the skids. He heard the bullets pinging against the helicopter until he finally got himself inside. He also volunteered for Medcap operations.  These were missions that went out to local villages to treat the Vietnamese for minor infections, injuries and illness.

In October of 1969, Oscar was recalled to Company D at Bien Hoa. He was welcomed back because no one knew why he had left and assumed he had been transferred for military reasons.  Their tour was at an end and they were organizing to return to the U.S.  In November of 1969, they flew to Fort Knox Kentucky to be processed out.  As they processed out they were told that they were involved in sensitive information and not to talk about what they did in Vietnam. The Indiana Rangers were one of the most decorated Companies in Vietnam. Their awards and decorations included, 19 Silver Stars, 123 Bronze Stars, (88 with V for Valor), 101 Purple Hearts, 111 Air Medals and 183 Army Commendation Medals, (29 with V for Valor). 

Oscar’s wife’s Audrey grew up in Gary Indiana;when he went to Vietnam she and their son Donuel moved in with her family. When he processed out they picked him up. On their homecoming, Audrey said that Oscar left for Vietnam without a mustache and came back with one. He said he grew up in Vietnam.   

He moved to Gary and interviewed at U.S. Steel and took the machinist test. He scored very high and was called the next day to become a machinist apprentice. He had two daughters, Alicia, born in 1971 and Rachel in 1982. U.S. Steel had a downturn and after 15 years he was out of work. He then worked for Verson Press Company for another 15 years until it closed. He ended his work career with the Borg Warner Corporation as a machinist/robotic repairman. He was so well liked that they closed the plant on his shift for his retirement party. 

Oscar and Audrey have been married for 55 years. Their family has grown to include 10 grandchildren.  Throughout the years he and his family loved to travel the U.S. especially on fishing trips. When he retired, he bought a fishing boat that they use on lakes near and far. Audrey and his family have been very supportive of his service time. His daughter digitally copied his extensive collection of military pictures. 

Oscar attends Company D reunions every two years. Over the years, Company D has received many honors. The Company D Vietnam picture hangs in National Guard Armories throughout the State of Indiana. The Indiana Military Museum in Indianapolis has a display of Indiana Ranger’s military gear and weapons used in Vietnam. The book Vietnam War Commemoration/A Time to Honor, Indiana version, includes a write-up and pictures of Oscar and other Indiana Rangers. Oscar’s copy is autographed by the author. In 2019, the U.S. Senate honored Company D. Senator Braun issued Senate Resolution 301 honoring the Indiana Rangers. Company D has been credited for reintegrating the National Guard with the U.S. Army after they had been intentionally separated in the Vietnam War. Oscar’s time in Vietnam has caused him health issues that the V.A. is addressing.

Oscar’s been to D.C. a couple of times but is looking forward to experiencing it with Honor Flight. He especially wants to revisit the 6 Indiana Ranger names on the Vietnam Wall.

Doc, enjoy your day of thanks and respect from your grateful country!