They have been largely quiet for 50 years.
Perhaps they’ve marched in a Legion outfit in a local parade. They may have held offices with military groups.
But they came together - locally - for the first time since their return on “The Bird” from Vietnam.
Seventy-five area Vietnam-era veterans gathered to absorb a long-time-waiting recognition at Becker City Park. With family members the assembly reached 125.
The recognition began with short speeches of appreciation by area Mayors Lefty Kleis and Raeanne Danielowski, Sheriff Joel Brott and Veterans Service Officer Bruce Price.
A dozen or so Nam vets got up to speak. They talked of service to country, they spoke of trying to help the Vietnamese. Some spoke of their jobs and locations.
Several are battling Vietnam five decades after coming home. They are afflicted with cancers caused by Agent Orange, the defoliate sprayed by American planes to kill off jungle growth - so they could see the enemy better.
Problem is, some of the stuff landed on our troops, and cancers are the result.
One soldier from Big Lake was quite direct.
“I was killed in Vietnam. AGENT ORANGE,” read Dan Eral’s t-shirt. He served on the USN Broadwater from 1969-72.
Gary Stuart of Big Lake sat quietly at the front of the hall, listening to the speeches. He didn’t get up to talk, but in response to questions, opened up.
Stuart served with the Air Force in their 16th Special Operations group. He was an explosives expert and duty stations from 1966-72 included the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, out of the Gulf of Tonkin.
“In 1970, Agent Orange came,” he said.
He’s near the end of a 40-year career as a road construction engineer with the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.
“Two years ago, there was a radical prostectomy,” he said. He has had radiation treatments for eight weeks.
“It’s still there,” he quietly said.
“Unfortunately, the war will kill more people than are on the (Vietnam Veterans) Wall. But it (service) was just something I did.”
His love for his country remains strong, however.
“In spite of knowing it (Agent Orange) would create problems, I would have served again.”
Cindy Spilde’s t-shirt bore the name and face of her brother, David Kirkday, a Marine killed May 10, 1968.
Cindy, Becker, wanted to be there and counted as a person among the many who’ve lost loved ones.
Sheldon, a Marine serving at Chu Lai, spoke of his experience on mess hall garbage detail.
“The Vietnamese people each day were searching through our garbage. They had always been ripped off by the Viet Cong.”
He went to his commander and asked permission to take all unused mess hall food to the dump - to the people.
“That’s what we were there for! To help the Vietnamese.”
Bruce Price, the energetic county VA director, reminded the veterans his office is there to serve them.
“I was playing Army (back in Ohio) when you guys were going overseas.
“There is no doubt in my mind we are the best force in the world,” he said.
It was greeted with a wide round of applause.
But many veterans don’t walk through his door - or contact him by phone.
“Don’t assume a veteran has benefits,” he said.
“I see a car with a Purple Heart license plate. Don’t assume he has applied for benefits.”
He said 80% of military veterans aren’t accessing their benefits.
But one soldier stood up to speak Price’s praises. John DeMarco, Elk River, an Air Force vet of 1968-72, had post-war ailments not being taken care of.
“The VA Hospital has literally saved my life,” he said. “Without Bruce, none of this would have happened.”
There wasn’t enough room in the park shelter to handle the crowd, so several filtered outside to enjoy their meal in the brilliant sunshine of the afternoon.
(The sloppy joe and trimmings meal was sponsored by several Becker businesses and the Big Lake Spud Fest.)
Bob White of Briggs Lake, served with the 75th Ranger Battalion in the Central Highlands - Pleiku, Dak To and An Khe.
He told of a mission with a four-member long range reconnaisance squad, who were to raid a prison camp housing South Vietnamese (and one American) soldiers. They retracted the soldiers and blew up the camp, after which he felt a burning wound in his stomach.
He’d caught a small rifle arms round, he assumes by richochet, and his finger going through his belly finally proved it to him. He recovered.
Perhaps much better than from his experience in Seattle once back stateside, when someone spit on him.
White, accompanied by his wife, Kathy, spoke outside with Dan Kellas of Monticello, who served on a Navy freight salvage tug, doing downed pilot duty.
Kellas was one of up to 80 sailors on the large bug, 45x210 feet, whose job it was to use magnets to pull disabled aircraft and boats out of shallow waters and sink them offshore. In some cases, materiel was hauled aboard and salvaged.
On occasion, they destroyed Viet Cong boats. His ship earned the Bronze Battle Star for meritorious service. His was an old boat, having served in WWII and the Korean War.
At the next table, Jim Lee, a 1965-68 Navy veteran, reported his experiences in three years on the vessel, the USS St. Paul. His boat was an all-gun heavy cruiser; it took a direct hit starboard.
The greatest share of Nam vets in attendance Saturday were from Becker, Clear Lake and Big Lake. But the opportunity to experience a recognition also drew them from Sauk Rapids and Foley.
Each of the veterans received a wood plaque recognizing their service. “Not forgotten,” were the key words.
Mayors Kleis and Danielowski, in opening remarks, talked of their admiration for America’s fighting forces - and for this late recognition of area Vietnam Veterans.
Sheriff Brott told the veterans that “Yours is a story that needs telling . . . we provide service to our country in your name.
“God bless you.”
The gathering was sponsored by the Becker and Big Lake Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Committees.
