Vet Ink: Tattoos Inspired by Military Service showcases 9 veterans and 3 Active Duty personnel who have ties to Coos County. Historically tattoos have many meanings as well as misconceptions. Traditionally military inspired tattoos depict the story of wars and battles and symbolize lost soldiers or achievements in service.
Vet Ink: Tattoos Inspired by Military Service is an exhibition created to honor the more than 8,000 veterans who reside in Coos County, Oregon and the men and women who serve.
Special thanks to our exhibition team. From L to R: Vinnie Cavarra & David Ford, Inner Sanctum Studios; Aron Tyler, Aron Tyler Photography; Susan Tissot, CHM Executive Director; Larry Watson, WOW arts & exhibits; and Eric Dub, Coast Metal Works, Inc..
Made exclusively for Coos History Museum by Pepper Kim. Click for PDF version.
Vet Ink 2.0 – Online Exhibit
Do you have a military inspired tattoo and missed your chance to participate in our exhibit?
If you want to participate in the online version of Vet Ink, please send an email to membership@cooshistory.org with the following information:
Name, email and daytime phone Branch of Service Title and rank Stations or areas served Story and/or symbolism behind your military inspired tattoo Clear pictures of tattoo(s) and yourself
All submitted tattoos will be posted under the discretion of museum staff on this webpage (just keep scrolling). By sending the information, you agree to have your pictures posted on this public forum and in the museum.
Vet Ink 2.0
Read the stories behind each tattoo by clicking on the tattoos below.
My Purple Heart Story
I was part of 2nd Platoon, Alpha Co, 3/116 BCT deployed to Iraq in 2005. I rejoined the
Oregon Army National Guard in March of 2005 after being out of the Guard for about 18
years. I rejoined specifically to go to Iraq because the 116th had already deployed. I
rejoined in March, went to a drill in April, got activated for active duty in May and left
for 1 month of training. I arrived in Iraq in early June. I was originally slotted to join the
Scout Platoon but was reassigned to 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company upon arrival in Iraq. I
replaced Sgt John Augburn who had been recently killed in the line of duty. He had been
the gunner on the Alpha 2-3 vehicle when it was involved in a traffic incident. The up-
armored HHMV had rolled on its side, killing Sgt Augburn.
I became the 50 cal. Gunner on the Alpha 2-3 vehicle. The other crew members were —
TC – SSG Mayer, Driver – Sgt Polley, Dismount – Sgt Jimenez. Mayer and Jinenez had
been original members of the Alpha 2-3 crew, Polley had been assigned following the
death of Sgt Augburn.
My IED incident occurred on the morning of Oct 2nd, 2005.
Alpha Company was part of a Battalion sized mission to a town south of Kirkuk. We Were supporting a Special Forces (SF) Operation and were
out of our normal AO. We had left FOB Warrior the previous day and been out all night. Following the mission we reorganized
and started back to FOB Warrior on Rt. Cheyenne. Second Platoon (Alpha Company)
was lead element in the return to FOB. I was in 3rd vehicle back when an IED was
detonated on us. We took a direct hit on our passenger (right) side. The armored HHMV
saved the lives of all four of us. SSG Mayer was the most severely injured. He was
ground evacuated back to FOB Warrior.
A suspected bombers nest was found in hills east of the incident. Battalion units did
detain a possible suspect found driving away from the area. I do not know what
happened with the suspect.
Both of my tympanic membranes (ear drums) were ruptured by the IED blast. I also had
a loose tooth and later found out I had suffered a TBI.
I received a Combat Action Badge and a Purple Heart.
My name is Mark Vaughn and I am a retired Air Force Technical Sergeant,. The story behind this tattoo is a dedication to my father who passed away in October of 2015. My father, Retired Master Sergeant Chester James Vaughn was a young Sergeant in 1948 and was a mechanic on C-54’s which were the work horses of the Greatest Humanitarian mission every devised by the United States Military. My father was called up from Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu Hawaii and was sent overseas to Fassburg Germany to work on the C-54’s. These brave men and women who served during the Berlin Airlift saved an entire Country from being overtaken by the Soviet Union when they blockaded all traffic both air and ground into and out of West Berlin cutting off the the Berliners and attempted to starve them into joining East Berlin and becoming part of the Soviet Union. By the end of the Airlift C-54’s were taking off and landing every 3 minutes delivering Coal, and food supplies to the citizens of Berlin. He served the entirety of the Berlin Airlift. After the Airlift he went on to finish 20 years of service to our Great Country. Besides his family, the Berlin Airlift was the proudest time in my fathers life, he had great friends from Germany that say that they owe him their lives and had been invited to Berlin several times to be paid tribute to for saving the city.
After his death, I wanted to find a way to pay tribute to my lifelong hero and the best dad a man could ask for, I had the idea of having a Douglass C-54 flying in front of the Berlin Airlift Memorial which is found in Berlin Germany as a tribute to the men and women who saved that city from Soviet Occupation. The C-54 is taking off in memory of my father taking off into the great unknown upon his departure from this world.
Mark R. Vaughn
TSgt, Retired U.S. Air Force
I am a vet and I served from 1958 to 1962. My rank and job was Aviation Electrician’s Mate, 3rd class petty officer. I was an air crew member and flight electrician specializing in instruments and auto pilots. The aircraft I crewed on was a Lockheed Constellation that was built as a radar surveillance, early warning platform. The planes flew countless hours, around the clock, 365 days a year on patrols next to Russia’s east coast (Kamchatka peninsula) and along the Arctic Circle (DEW Line). In the 50’s through the mid 70’s, we were America’s first line of defense against ICBM missile attacks coming from Russia. My flights flew out of Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California. We were assigned to the Pacific Missile Range. Every time one of our missile’s were launched from Vandenberg AFB, we tracked them all the way to Kwajalein Atoll where they splashed down into the lagoon.
I realize this is not tattoo art but it is “art from the heart”. I found an old 50’s-era aircraft auxiliary fuel tank (drop tank) and hand painted the shark’s teeth and wings on the tank. It is meant to be a tribute to the crew mates I flew with and also the plane. The Navy’s designation for the aircraft was WV-2. All WV-2’s were affectionately called a “Willy Victor”. My specific aircraft, Bureau Number 141309, is now parked at the Flight Museum at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento. We’re all obsolete now – the plane and the crews. Satellites are the Early Warning system in today’s world.