(Master Sergeant Thomas P.”Buzz” Kulick, Vietnam Motion Picture Combat photographer extraordinaire. Sergeant Kulick more than anyone, was responsible for me becoming a photographer. Photo was taken by Sgt. Tyrone Couch in 1974 at 1369th Photo Squadron Vandenberg AFB, California.)
This following post is shared with us by Tyrone Couch.
Master Sergeant Thomas P. “Buzz” Kulick
He was from Columbus, Ohio and served in the Air Force from 3/2/72-3/2/76. He started out as a Morse Code operator at San Vito de Normanni AS in Italy. Then crossed trained in June 1973 at Vandenberg, AFB to be a Combat Motion Picture photographer. After being honorably discharged in March 1976 a month later, I was hired for my first job in television as a news photographer and editor. I worked for stations in Columbus Ohio, Miami Florida, Washington DC, where I was a documentary photographer and won several National awards. I worked for 20 years as an editor for NBC News in Washington DC and retired in 2014. Currently live with my wife Susan in Hagerstown, Md.
Master Sergeant Thomas P. “Buzz” Kulick. Vietnam Motion Picture Combat photographer extraordinaire. Sergeant Kulick more than anyone, was responsible for me becoming a photographer. Photo was taken by Sgt. Tyrone Couch in 1974 at 1369th Photo Squadron Vandenberg AFB, California.
Here’s a story written about Tom Kulick in the Military Times from the Vietnam War:
Motion-Pic Cameraman Closing Out Exciting Tour (Phan Fare, The Phan Rang Weekly, November 1, 1967)
“For Sheer excitement, it is hard to beat the tour now ending for jump-qualified cameraman Staff Sergeant Thomas P. Kulick of the 600th Photo Squadron. Since his arrival here last December, he has flown on 120 combat missions, bailed out into the South China Sea, jumped in the first combat jump to be made by the Army since the Korean War…and shot 12,000 feet of combat film along the way.
Sergeant Kulick heads the combat documentation team of the photo lab, and is a familiar figure aboard the F-100’s of the 35th TFW. “We’re here primarily to document the air war and the Air Force role in Vietnam,” said the 28, year-old native of Waltham, Mass. He spent nine years in the Army, and earned his jump wings at Fort Campbell, Ky. In 1956. – Page 4 The Phan Rang AB News No. 92
“Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, Vietnam… keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 92 “Stories worth telling”
Earlier this year, during Operation Junction City, he jumped, camera in hand, with members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, stationed near Bien Hoa, in the first U. S. paratrooper combat jump since the Korean Conflict. In April he made an unscheduled jump when the F-100 in which he was flying developed engine trouble believed to have been caused by enemy ground fire. The incident occurred in the middle of an air strike, “right between the time we dropped our heavy ordnance and the time we were lining up to strafe.” “We started to get smoke and fume and rumbles,” said the sergeant, “and the lead (pilot) pulled up and said we were on fire. ”In a few minutes, Sergeant Kulick and the pilot were plucked from the sea by an Army helicopter.
A veteran of 11 years of military service, the sergeant has made 71 jumps, including four in Vietnam, and has earned two Air Medals. Once, during a mission in an F-100 of the 352nd TFS, the target turned out to be a rice paddy, but “we get a good secondary explosion out of it!” The combat cameraman is now eager to get home to his wife.”
Editor’s Note: Tyrone Couch is from Columbus, Ohio and served in the Air Force from 3/2/72-3/2/76. Started out as a Morse Code operator at San Vito de Normanni AS in Italy.
Then crossed trained in June 1973 at Vandenberg, AFB to be a Combat Motion Picture photographer. After being honorably discharged in March 1976 a month later, I was hired for my first job in television as a news photographer and editor.
I worked for stations in Columbus Ohio, Miami Florida, Washington DC, where I was a documentary photographer and won several National awards. I worked for 20 years as an editor for NBC News in Washington DC and retired in 2014. Currently live with my wife Susan in Hagerstown, Md.
