William 'Doc' Osgood graduated from the "Green Berets' Special Forces school and served in the 101st Airborne and a Hawk Recon platoon as a medic during the Vietnam War. Later, he flew missions with Eagle Dustoff - air ambulance - into the A Shau Valley and Hamburger Hill. One of his commanding officers was the legendary Col. Charlie Beckwith, creator of the US Army's Delta Force.

After the war, Osgood became a bush pilot and flew aerial firefighting missions as well as not entirely legal flights at night into Mexico bringing in electronics. It paid well, but was dangerous, with several pilots losing their lives. Osgood now lives in Hawaii where he spends his time painting and surfing.