NEWS

A long overdue ‘Welcome Home’

Jessica Denton
Reporter

CAMP PERRY – More than 2.5 million American soldiers served in Vietnam — 58,220 of them became fatalities, never to return to their families.

More than 400,000 returning soldiers were scarred, both physically and emotionally, and were different men and women than when they left. Unlike grand parades welcoming soldiers home and celebrating the end of World War II, many Vietnam-era veterans quietly returned home and began to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Many of them were never welcomed home and were never thanked for their service and sacrifice.

“Welcome Home” and “Thank you” were sentiments echoed by many of the speakers at the second Vietnam Era Veteran Commemoration at the Camp Perry Clubhouse on Saturday morning. For several of the veterans, it was the first time they had ever publicly been welcomed home.

More than 100 people, many of them veterans, attended the event organized by the Ottawa County Veterans Service Office and the Vietnam Era Veteran Commemoration Committee.

Jason Dominguez, assistant director of Ohio Department of Veterans Services, said the lack of welcoming home Vietnam veterans was something he felt very strongly about. He served with the U.S. Marines Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines in Iraq in 2005, and has been the assistant director of the ODVS since 2011.

“You didn’t receive the welcome home you deserved,” Dominguez said. “You didn’t receive the services you deserved, the help you needed.”

Dominguez said many of those taking positions at his office are Vietnam-era veterans and have worked to make sure others are treated with respect and taken care of.

“But it’s because that happened that we have the services we have today, you’ve continued fighting for your brothers,” he said.

Robert “Bob” Klostermeier, who served two tours as a door gunner on a helicopter with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, was the event’s featured speaker.

“We offered our lives most vital years to serve our country,” Klostermeier said. “Many prisoners of war went out one person and came back another.”

Klostermeier spoke about what it means to be a veteran and to bear the visible signs of the things they’ve endured.

“We’re the soldier and the savior, the sword against the darkness,” he said.

“Just a ‘thank you’ can mean more than any medal you can receive,” Klostermeier said.

He ended his speech with a joke and then reminded everyone to “treat each other with the respect and honor you deserve.”

Gary Truman, of the U.S. Veterans Post 7510 read the names of 30 Erie County fallen soldiers as a bell was tolled.

Al Lonz, of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 774, read the names of the fallen from Ottawa County — Thomas Henry Carstens, James Michael Davenport, Clyde Wilson Enderle, David Michael Kesterson, William L. Matthews Jr., Glen Allan Millinger and Antonio Elizondo Ruiz.

There was a new name added to the Ottawa county fallen, as the county discovered Ruiz was not formally recognized since he was killed in action.

Six of the seven families of the Ottawa County fallen were represented at Saturday’s event, compared to only two last year.

The Ohio P.O.W./M.I.A. memorial program presented by Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 brought many of the attendees to tears. A large marble wall listed the names of all Ohioan soldiers killed in Vietnam from 1963 until 1973, when troops began returning.

“You don’t have to be a veteran to understand how important this is,” Phil Dennison, Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 president said. “You just have to care.”

The group’s mission is to bring awareness to the POWs and MIAs during the Vietnam era, as well as support and thank veterans from all wars.

“If just one veteran is forgotten, we have failed them as a country,” Dennison said. “We must never forget the sacrifices they’ve made.”

Chip Wentz served with U.S. Army 3/60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division “Mekong River Raiders” in Vietnam for one year.

Saturday was his first time attending a “welcome home” program and he said he thought it was great tribute.

“It’s the first time I had ever been publicly welcomed home,” Wentz said.

He said he left Vietnam and was back on his front porch within 21 hours.

His wife, Nancy, said she and Chip became quite emotional during Saturday’s program.

“I thought it was wonderful. It’s a shame it’s taken this long,” Nancy Wentz said.

“This really hit home, it stirred up feelings I didn’t know were still there,” Chip said. “It was a great tribute.”

Stein Hospice held a pinning ceremony for all those who served in the military, while the “Agent Orange Quilt of Tears” was on display for visitors to look at. The U.S. Navy Sea Cadets-Firelands Division presented and retired the colors for the event.

jdenton@gannett.com

419-734-7506

Twitter: @jessicadentonNH

Fallen Ottawa County veterans

Fallen Erie County veterans