Memorial

I suppose everybody has a friend or family member who has served in the Armed Forces. If we trace our genealogy we probably have ancestors who fought in the Revolution, the Civil War or any of the other conflicts we have had around the world. I want to tell you about my uncle.

He was a Green Beret in Vietnam. He played football in high school and was given a scholarship to play football at Utah State, mainly he says, because he was playing against Phil Olsen and blocked him all night. Phil was the younger brother of the legendary Merlin Olsen. My uncle loved football but he wasn't any good at studies he said, so with the writing on the wall he enlisted in the Army rather than be drafted.

While in Basic Training one of the officers thought my uncle might be a good candidate for Officer Candidate School. He applied, was accepted and came out a 2nd Lieutenant. Knowing he was heading to 'Nam, he wanted all the training he could get so he applied and went through Airborne Ranger training. He still thinks the best thing in the world is walking out of the back end of a C 130 at 30,000 feet.

Next he wanted to try Special Forces and came out of that with a Green Beret and as a Captain. He was trained in underwater demolition among other things. At age 22 he was in Vietnam, on the DMZ with 6 US Non-coms and 600 South Vietnamese to command. It was indeed a long way from Brigham City. My uncle received a Bronze Start along with other decorations for his service. He hasn't told me much, but I know the experience of Vietnam is still with him to this day.

One Christmas season while he was there he was due to have leave. He was told his leave was canceled. Then it was decided he could go. He flew all day and all night through the Philippines to get to Okinawa. There was his new wife, Aunt Peggy. He walked in the door at about midnight surprising her, because she understood his leave was canceled. What a surprise! They had Christmas together. It doesn't seem like much of a story, but as he was relating it to me, tears were flowing down his cheeks and he was fighting his emotions to stop sobbing as he recalled the moment.

As a young man, I was in 8th or 9th grade, I recall meeting Peggy for the first time. We received a phone call at our home. My uncle was on the phone and he was at the airport and wondered if we could pick him up. We went to get him. He came walking out to the car with this woman. She seemed nice. He said, "Oh, by the way, I'd like you to meet my wife." Mom and Dad were surprised. We drove them to Brigham to see his Mom and Dad, my grandma and grandpa. They were surprised to hear for the first time their youngest son got married.

I currently have 2 nephews who have served or are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Here's to Tony and Dave. I know Dave sneaks around in the rocks and bushes trying to get intel and such. He received a Bronze Star in Afghanistan. No, he won't tell many stories. Tony flies Blackhawks. He doesn't say much either, but I know he flew VP Cheney, Sen. McCain and Jessica Simpson while he was on his last tour.

So on this particular Memorial Day weekend I want to give tribute to my Uncle Jon, and though him all the Veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces. A Green Beret. A Vietnam Veteran. A Husband and Father who has experienced war; bitter war, but has enjoyed for all of these years a great wife and an American love story.