RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR SERVICE — More than a dozen local veterans of the Vietnam War stood to be recognized at an observance of Vietnam Veterans Day organized by the Follansbee Chamber of Commerce and Emrys Watkins American Legion Post 45 Saturday. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — Of the hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans who returned from the war, many were the targets of name-calling and discrimination, at worst, or received a lukewarm welcome from the general public at best.

The Follansbee Chamber of Commerce has been working to make up for that through advertising in local media and, on Saturday, a program recognizing local veterans for their service at Emrys Watkins American Legion Post 45.

“There’s no doubt the Vietnam War was one of the most deadly wars. In fact, over 3 million people (including service members and civilians) were killed during the 20 years it went on,” Chamber President Debbie Puskarich told attendees.

She noted that of 58,267 American troops whose names appear on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, 8,283 were 19 years old, 103 were 18, 12 were 17 and five were 16.

Puskarich added three sets of fathers and sons appear on the monument, and 31 sets of parents lost two sons each. She said 997 were killed on their first day there and of 244 who were awarded the Medal of Honor during the war, 153 appear on the wall.

Puskarich noted the casualties listed on the monument include eight women serving as nurses at a time when servicewomen weren’t engaged in combat operations.

She said while public support for the war diminished, it wasn’t the fault of the Americans who were deployed, including some who were drafted and some who enlisted, but all making sacrifices to serve their country.

Puskarich presented to Post 45 leaders proclamations from Gov. Jim Justice, U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-Wheeling; and U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; recognizing the veterans for their bravery and patriotism.

Local Vietnam War veterans were given a chance to read the proclamations personally and received a standing ovation after being called to stand and be recognized.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. also presented a declaration of Vietnam Veterans Day approved by him and Follansbee Council, and Puskarich presented a banner proclaiming the observance to be flown outside the post.

National Vietnam Veterans Day was established on the 50th anniversary of the official withdrawal of troops from Vietnam through a proclamation signed by President Barack Obama in 2012 following bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Joe Donnelly of Indiana.

At the request of the Vietnam Veterans Day Coalition of States Council, President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, which calls for U.S. flags to be raised on the date.

It’s not the first time the chamber has worked to recognize the Vietnam War veterans.

In 2017, it was one of many local organizations enlisted by the U.S. Department of Defense to aid it in recognizing more than 8.7 million veterans who served abroad and at home from Nov. 1, 1955, (after U.S. military advisers had been sent to Vietnam) to May 15, 1975.

Working with Vito’s 2, the chamber held a spaghetti dinner at which about 70 veterans were each presented a lapel pin bearing an American bald eagle, elements of the U.S. flag, six stars representing the nations that fought in the war and the words, “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.”

The Vietnam War Commemoration pins still are available and information can be found at www.vietnamwar50th.com.

Following the program, several veterans reflected on their service.

Follansbee native Louie Headman said as a driver in the Army’s 1st Infantry Division’s Supply and Transportation Battalion, he was among many who brought large quantities of ammunition and other supplies to troops in convoys of up to 50 trucks.

Headman said Viet Cong guerilla fighters would fire handheld rocket launchers at them in an attempt to block their delivery.

He said even when another truck was struck, “You couldn’t stop. You had to keep going.”

Rich Puskarich, Debbie’s husband of 40 years, acknowledged he saw combat regularly as a member of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and was involved in ambushing the delivery of supplies to enemy troops.

Asked what it was like, he said, “If you’ve ever run real hard and your heart is beating really fast, that’s what it’s like. You do what you’ve got to do.”

Puskarich, who was 19 at the time, said, “A lot of good soldiers fought in that war and a lot of good ones died. I’m proud to have served with those guys.”

He recalled after returning home, being interviewed for a job at a local steel mill and being turned away by the interviewer, who revealed his belief that Vietnam veterans were drug addicts.

He and Headman were among many who remembered Joey Perito, a 21-year-old Follansbee native who was killed by a land mine while serving in Vietnam.

He is among 17 local casualties of the war whose names are listed at the Brooke County Veterans Memorial Park at Brooke Hills Park.

Butch Kearns, who served in an Army artillery unit from 1970 to 1972, said of the recognition, “It’s wonderful. It’s great somebody is finally recognizing our service because there wasn’t any when I came home.”

Kearns, one of many who were drafted, said while he didn’t remember negative comments being made to him, he does recall strange looks and very little said to him upon his flight home to the Pittsburgh Airport.

W.W. Craft of Wellsburg, who served in the Army’s 1st Infantry Division from 1967 to 1968, said when he’s asked what it was like to engage in combat, “I tell them it’s not as glorious as it looks on TV. It really isn’t.”

Craft recalled flying into an Oakland, Calif. airport following his discharge. Still in uniform, he stepped into a bar, where he was refused service and asked to leave because he was 20, below the legal drinking age.

“The voting age was 21. We came back to this country and couldn’t drink and couldn’t vote,” he said.

Craft said he wouldn’t want others to share his wartime experiences.

“I hope nobody else has to do it. I’d like to see all war eliminated. I’d just like to see everybody getting along and having fun,” he said.

Jeffery Hawkins, a native of Mingo Junction and president of the Steubenville chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Support Group, was a yeoman aboard the USS Coral Sea and involved in the legal procedures of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

Asked if he received negative attention for his service, he said, “There were a lot of guys who experienced that but I didn’t experience that much.”

Hawkins said local veterans may have fared better than others because Ohio Valley residents are generally supportive of the troops.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)