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“HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS AND NORTH DAKOTA'S SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN VIETNAM” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S4938-S4940 on July 9, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS AND NORTH DAKOTA'S SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR
LIVES IN VIETNAM
Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, once again we find ourselves on a Thursday afternoon doing some final business before everybody returns home to meet with their constituents and do that work. I must say how much I appreciate your kind words and your attention when we have been talking about those North Dakotans who were killed in action in Vietnam.
This week the Senate commemorated that 50-year anniversary, and I know there are so many Members who care deeply. I know the Presiding Officer is among those Members. So I thank the Presiding Officer for his attention and his appreciation for the sacrifices of the men who I talk about weekly.
I rise today to speak about the men from North Dakota who died while serving in the Vietnam war. We are currently in a 13-year commemoration period honoring the veterans of the Vietnam war. I had the privilege to learn from families of North Dakotans who died in the war about their loved ones--who their loved ones were and who they hoped they would be.
Before speaking today about some of the 198 North Dakotans who didn't return home from Vietnam, I publicly thank Dave Logosz for his service to our State and our Nation.
Dave is a Vietnam veteran from Dickinson. Dave had plans to become a mechanical engineer and enroll at Dickinson State University in art and engineering. After his first quarter, he decided to enroll in NDSU instead, but he was drafted before classes in Fargo began.
In 1969, he landed in Vietnam in the Army's 25th Infantry Division as a sniper. He says that his year in Vietnam was a long, tough one. He was injured more than once while serving there.
After David returned, he suffered from post-traumatic stress, but he didn't admit it until several years ago. He says the VA counseling that he has received has made a huge difference for him.
After his service in Vietnam, Dave worked for over two decades at the Dickinson plant until it closed, and then he worked for the North Dakota Department of Transportation. He says he is happily retired now.
Dave belongs to every veterans service organization he knows of. A few years ago, he and his wife hopped on Dave's Harley and rode from coast to coast on a veterans memorial bike ride. They ended their trip at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, DC--among a total of over 68,000 motorcycles and 911,000 people who were there. There Dave saw for the first time the name of his fellow soldier, Carl Berger, also from North Dakota.
Dave was with Carl when he was killed in Vietnam, and Dave carried Carl off the battlefield. Dave said that the experience of seeing Carl's name and visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall was emotional and heartwarming, and it gave him an idea. To give something back to his own community, Dave decided to build a veterans memorial honoring all servicemembers from Stark County.
So 3 years ago, inspired by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, DC, he began with his idea for a memorial in Dickinson. He expects to have the memorial completed this summer.
The city of Dickinson donated space for the memorial park, and the memorial will consist of concrete and Vermont granite, listing the names of every person from Stark County who has served in the military since the Civil War and will include space for future names.
The entire memorial is 100 feet in diameter, includes 14 granite benches, and hundreds of bricks that individuals can personalize. Local artist Linda Little sculpted a 6-foot-5-inch bronze statue of a soldier saluting the panels of names.
I really can't wait to see this memorial when it is completed and to thank Dave for his vision and hard work.
Now I wish to talk about Carl Berger and 10 other North Dakotans who gave the ultimate sacrifice during their service to our country.
Carl Berger, Jr.
Carl Berger, Jr., a native of Mandan, was born August 23, 1948. He served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. Carl was 21 years old when he died on April 3, 1970.
Carl was the youngest of 13 children who grew up on the family farm. His nieces and nephews remember him as their fun-loving uncle. Growing up, Carl attended high school at the Richardton Abbey and played the French horn.
Carl's siblings remember having fun on their farm herding sheep and working together in the fields with the cattle and chickens. His sister Marian said that Carl was a genuine hard worker, and she is grateful that her children had an opportunity to know a man as wonderful as their Uncle Carl.
Carl was killed in Vietnam less than 2 months after starting his tour of duty.
The family cherishes the memories of that last Christmas they all spent together before Carl went to Vietnam. Carl's parents were devastated by his death, but they were also very proud of their son, who served their country. Carl's funeral was held during a blizzard, but despite that bad weather, the church was full.
Laurence Zietlow
Laurence Zietlow, a native of New Salem, was born August 30, 1928. He served as a sergeant major in the Army. Laurence was 39 years old when he died on October 3, 1967.
Laurence's desire to join the Army was so strong that he enlisted before graduating from high school. During his graduation ceremony, his diploma was given to his mother, Sophie Zietlow.
Prior to serving in Vietnam, Laurence also spent tours of duty in Japan, Germany, and Korea. Laurence's sister Leone said that a lot of Laurence's friends have told her how great a guy he was and that he would have given the shirt off his back. Laurence's sister Helen told her local newspaper that he didn't talk about many experiences from Vietnam, but he did describe buying gifts for Vietnamese children living in orphanages.
Laurence was killed in Vietnam when a landmine exploded near him. He was recognized with several awards, including the Air Medal, the Military Merit Medal, the Gallantry Cross with Palm Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star.
In addition to his mother and siblings, Laurence was survived by his three children: Larry, Terry, and Kristi.
Kenneth ``Kenny'' Johner
Kenneth ``Kenny'' Johner enlisted while living in Noonan, and he was born on December 29, 1946. He served in the Marine Corps' 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. Kenny died on March 21, 1967. He was only 20 years old.
Kenny was the third of 15 children. He enlisted in the Marines right after graduating from Noonan High School. He and two of his brothers, Gene and Jerry, made North Dakota history as the first three brothers in the State to enlist in the Marines at the same time. Two other brothers, George and Brian, also joined the Marines later.
Their mom Helen says the oldest three boys were so close that one wouldn't even go to prom if the others didn't.
Regarding his service in Vietnam, Kenny told his mother many times,
``God has a different plan for me. I am on a special mission and I won't be here very long.''
In Vietnam, a few days before Kenny was scheduled to travel to Okinawa to meet his brother Gene for R&R, Kenny was wounded. About 3 weeks later, Kenny died from his wounds.
In appreciation for the sacrifices he made, Kenny's family has named a nephew and a grand-nephew after him.
Ronald ``Cookie'' McNeill
Ronald ``Cookie'' McNeill was born March 29, 1949, and he was from Mott. He served in the Marine Corps' 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was 21 years old when he died on August 4, 1970.
Ronald was one of four children and everyone called him Cookie. He got the nickname Cookie as a baby because his older brother Rick couldn't say Ron, so he named him Cookie and the name stuck.
Rick said Ronald loved hunting and fishing, and Rick remembers the times the boys were playing hockey together on a nearby river and ended up with 11 stitches between the two of them.
Ronald joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating from high school. He died less than 3 months after starting his tour of duty in Vietnam.
In addition to his siblings, Ronald left behind his wife Beverly and their son Barry.
Douglas Klose
Douglas Klose was from Jamestown, and he was born June 14, 1947. He served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Douglas died on October 27, 1968. He was 21 years old.
Douglas--or Doug, as he was known by many--grew up on a dairy farm. He had five siblings. According to his sister Barbara, when he was young, Douglas walked around the yard picking up ``treasures'' and stored them in his pockets. Douglas's uncle gave him the nickname
``Hunk of Junk'' because he always had junk in his pockets.
Douglas's appreciation for his family farm extended into college. He attended NDSU and studied animal science. According to his adviser who always spoke highly of him, Douglas did very well in college.
His two sisters, Barbara and Renee, remember how soft-spoken and helpful Douglas was. Renee, the youngest in the family, was Douglas's pet. He always looked out for her and he was a very loving brother.
In his free time, Douglas liked to drive around in his father's 1962 Chevrolet Impala that had a high-performance engine. His brother Dean remembers that Doug and his brothers would race the car down the street, putting the other cars in Jamestown to shame.
Dean remembers Douglas being so strong he could lift a John Deere 620 tractor with the loader attached to it. For fun, Douglas used his extraordinary strength to compete in gymnastics.
Douglas had plans to start his own farm outside of Jamestown when he returned from Vietnam, but he was killed when a grenade exploded near him.
Gregory Lunde
Gregory Lunde was from Westhope. He was born December 8, 1946. He served in the Marine Corps' 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division. Gregory was 21 years old when he died on February 6, 1968.
Gregory had one sister, Toni. She said she called him Greg and that he was always happy and clean and meticulous. She is thankful to him for caring for her after their mother died when Toni was 13.
After high school, Greg attended business school in Minneapolis to prepare himself to return to Westhope and help his father run a meatpacking plant.
Toni loved the care packages Gregory often sent her from Vietnam. He thought he was pretty funny when he mailed Toni a kimono and joked she would have to lose some weight to fit into it.
Gregory was killed in Vietnam when he was shot while riding on a tank.
Gerald ``Gerry'' Klein
Gerald ``Gerry'' Klein was born April 29, 1946. He was from Raleigh, ND. He served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Gerald died May 4, 1968, just days after he had turned 22 years old.
He was the oldest of five children, and his family and friends always called him Gerry. He grew up on the family's farm. His siblings said that while growing up, Gerald spent free time either working on the farm or on the family car.
While Gerald was home on leave, he became engaged to his girlfriend. After completing his service in Vietnam, he planned to live on the family farm with his future wife.
His brother Bob said that Gerald was a strong, brave man who wanted to be happy. His family appreciates the letters he sent them while serving.
The day he died, Gerald was injured but chose to continue fighting. Shortly after, he was shot and killed. He would have only had a very few weeks left of his service in Vietnam.
I want to thank the Bismarck High School 11th graders and Gerald's family who have shared with us these facts about Gerald's life.
Florian Kuss
Florian Kuss was from Strasburg, and he was born December 28, 1946. Florian served in the Army's 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. Florian died January 5, 1968, just days after he turned 21 years old.
There were seven children in his family. Florian's two brothers, Victor and Frank, also served their country in the military.
Florian grew up working on his family's farm, where they raised dairy cows, chickens, pigs, wheat, oats, corn, and alfalfa. Florian's plan after completing his service was to return to the family farm and continue his farming career.
His brother Art said the family appreciates the time Florian spent taking care of their sick father before Florian was drafted. Their father died less than a year after Florian was shot and killed in Vietnam.
Florian's sister Betty said Florian's death caused a hole in the family that will never be filled. They think about Florian all the time.
Florian was awarded the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Bronze Star for Valor in recognition of his service and sacrifice.
Darel Leetun
Darel Leetun was from Hettinger, and he was born December 24, 1932. He served as a pilot in the Air Force. Darel was 33 years old when the plane he was flying was shot down on September 17, 1966.
Growing up, Darel enjoyed sports, 4-H, and spending summers at his aunt's farm near Fessenden. He was the oldest of four children, and his siblings appreciate how he cared for and supported them and their mother after their father died when they were all young.
Darel's family said he got along with people well and had great leadership skills. His sisters Janelle and Carol said Darel never put himself first.
Right after graduating from NDSU, Darel spent time teaching about agriculture in India. He then joined the Air Force and was stationed in England, Japan, and Vietnam.
In Vietnam, Darel completed nearly 100 flying missions before his plane was hit by ground fire and crashed. The Air Force presented Darel with many awards, including the Air Force Cross, in recognition for his extraordinary heroism that day. His Air Force Cross citation read, in part:
Captain Leetun led a mission of F-105 Thunderchiefs against a heavily defended high priority target near Hanoi. Undaunted by intense and accurate flak, deadly surface-to-air missiles, and hostile MiGs, Captain Leetun led his flight through this fierce environment to the crucial target.
On the bomb run, Captain Leetun's Thunderchief was hit by hostile fire, becoming a flaming torch and nearly uncontrollable; however, Captain Leetun remained in formation and delivered his high-explosive ordnance directly on target.
After bomb release, Captain Leetun's plane went out of control and was seen to crash approximately 10 miles from the target area.
Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Captain Leetun reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Over 39 years later, in 2005, Darel's remains were identified, and he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Darel's widow Janet, son Keith, and daughter Kerri have been honored to hear from airmen who flew with Darel who told the family that Darel was one of the best pilots they ever flew with.
Darel's son Keith was just 6 years old when his father died. But through providence, Keith has been connected to his father. He is especially grateful for the day in 1992, at a Virginia golf course, when he met his father's wingman from the final mission. That wingman's name is Mike Lanning. When Mike learned that Keith was Darel's son, Mike said:
Your dad was the heart and soul of the squadron. He was my mentor and best friend.
Mike and Darel's siblings have all told Keith that Darel was always going to bat for people until the day he died. Darel was not scheduled to fly that day but did so because another man couldn't.
Keith is currently writing a children's book highlighting how something as bad as his father's death could turn into something positive, such as learning about and telling inspiring stories of heroes.
Ralph McCowan
Ralph McCowan was from Trenton. He was born April 26, 1948. He served in the Army's 41st Artillery Group. Ralph died April 3, 1968, a few weeks before he would have turned 20.
There were nine children in his family, and his father, brothers, sisters, uncles, and nephews also served our country in the military. Ralph's brother, Gene, said service to our country was deeply rooted in their family.
Ralph told his family he wanted to be a warrior and do his part. He was an unassuming man who had a love for horses and a love for people. Gene said Ralph had a short life but a good one.
Ralph served for 69 days in Vietnam before he was killed at his fire base camp. The family cherishes their memories of their last Christmas together in 1967.
Valarian Lawrence Finley
Valarian Lawrence Finley was born November 17, 1947. He was from Mandaree. He served in the Marine Corps' Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Valarian was 21 years old when he died in May of 1969.
Valarian was the third youngest of 13 children born to Louise and Evan Finley. Valarian's family and his friends called him Gus. He had plans to run a cattle ranch after returning home from Vietnam.
Valarian's siblings are grateful for Valarian's fellow marines reaching out to visit them about Valarian and his heroic death and how he saved their lives.
Valarian was killed 1 week before his tour of duty was scheduled to end, on his brother Bobby's high school graduation day.
Bobby also served in Vietnam. Bobby was drafted and served in Vietnam shortly after Valarian was killed. He is now suffering from cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.
Valarian was included in the 1969 Life Magazine feature titled ``The Faces of the American Dead in Vietnam: One Week's Toll.'' That article listed 242 Americans killed in 1 week in connection with the conflict in Vietnam. Life Magazine published photos for almost all the men killed and wrote the following in that article:
More than we must know how many, we must know who. The faces of one week's dead, unknown but to families and friends, are suddenly recognized by all in this gallery of young American eyes.
My intentions for speaking about the North Dakotans killed in Vietnam are similar. We must know more than how many, we must know who.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
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