CWO3 Charles Browning graduated from Bowling Green High School in 1965 and joined the Army in 1969, where he was trained to be a helicopter pilot. He deployed to Vietnam in 1970. He flew the UH-1 Iroquois into scores of combat assault missions to either insert or extract infantry soldiers who were actively engaged in combat operations, MEDEVAC, or on resupply missions.  He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions during Operation Lam Son, the largest helicopter assault operation of the war. In addition, he was awarded the Bronze star and 26 Air Medals.