September 17, 1966 George Lewis spoke with Barbara and Irby Mandrell upon their return from a visit to Vietnam. The Mandrells volunteered for the Vietnam tour because they wanted to help the morale of the men there. According to Barbara, a former Miss Oceanside, even people who stay at home can do plenty in the morale building department. The family formed a band in Barbara's late teens which traveled overseas and entertained military bases. After marrying in 1967, Mandrell briefly retired, but was inspired to pursue a singing career after watching a performance of the Grand Ole Opry live at the Ryman Auditorium. The Mandrell Sisters Mary Mandrell CBS 8 is the local source for San Diego breaking news and top story headlines. Get the latest local San Diego TV news, sports, weather and more. More from CBS 8: Website: https://www.cbs8.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBS8 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/News8 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbs8