Mark Ciccone is a Vietnam veteran, where he served 12-month combat tour as an officer in the US Army Rangers. During his tour in Vietnam, Mark led infantry units through heavy combat in the jungles of Vietnam. 

In our conversation, Mark shares remarkable stories of the Tet Offensive, what it was like to come face to face with a 10 foot king cobra while walking point in the jungle, and his last mission, taking place less than 2 weeks before he was scheduled to come home, where he was asked to lead  group of Southern Vietnamese troops during a two day mission that resulted in then Colonel Frederic E. Davision, who would go on to become the US Army’s 1st ever black Major General, to land his helicopter during the operation just so he could shake Mark’s hand to thank him for the way he was leading his team during the mission

Mark shares with us how his entrepreneurial spirt lead him and a friend to start Surfer Supplies, the first surfing supply store on the east coast in OCNJ, how he became the owner of the dominate helicopter service during the radio traffic war’s in the 1990’s.

We get into what led Mark to become a pilot and how he became the pilot to the rich and famous. Mark has flown President Gerald Ford, Phil Collins, Mick Jagger and Tina Turner. 

Mark and I also discuss how he became the personal pilot to the then owner of the Philadelphia Eagles Leonard Tose, his time of being the helicopter pilot ABC TV’s show Dirty, Sexy Money, where he got to fly and hang out with Donald Sutherland and why he decided it was time to finally retire at 75 after being asked to fly the artist Pitbull home from the Vegas strip at 2am.

This was an amazing to have a conversation with a person who has said “Yes!” to just about every opportunity ever presented to him. Regardless of if he knew the answer or had any idea how he would succeed, or sometimes even survive.

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We have a bunch of cool interviews, like this one, to come.

Enjoy my conversation - with Mark Ciccone – Army Ranger, Vietnam Veteran, pilot to the rich and famous, entrepreneur, family man, and a great friend.   

And remember… “Life is built, not born…”

Mentioned In this Episode:

TV Show: Dirty, Sexy, Money Trailer

Blog Post: Seth Godin on "Buzzer Management"

US Army 9th Division

US Army Major General Frederic E. Davision