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12 High Desert Warrior www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin
April 1, 2016
From WELCOME HOME, page 1
“It’s way overdue, but it’s here, we’re doing it and thank fought beside them in that battle, and I stand beside you Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, said he was attending the Fort
God we’re doing it now [for] you, who served honorably,” today to fight the other battles trying to get the medical care Irwin event for the first time and loved it.
Galloway said. that you were promised and sometimes have a great deal of
difficulty obtaining. “I have never seen anything like it,” said Whetstone, who
Galloway spoke solemnly of the Soldiers he witnessed came from St. George, Utah.
die and receive wounds at Ia Drang. He said 80 were killed “Thank you for your service on behalf of a country that
and 130 wounded. too easily forgets the true cost of war and who pays that price. A Veteran, who traveled from Katy, Texas, said the event
I say thank you for your service, welcome home, God bless was bigger than he expected. John Alford, who enlisted in
“And what I knew when I left that battlefield was – I you and God bless your families, and God bless every active the Army while living in Houston and served in Vietnam,
owed such a debt to those men, who laid their lives down duty Soldier, Marine, Sailor and Airman around this world 1960-70, with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment also
so that I might live,” Galloway said. “I have spent 50 years deployed in over 120 countries.” thanked the community here for the celebration.
now since that battle trying to repay that debt by telling the
stories of our Vietnam Veterans. I stood beside them and Doug Whetstone, an Air Force Veteran who served in “This is amazing … this many Vietnam Vets together in
one place. You never see that,” Alford said.
Doug Whetstone, an Air Force Veteran who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970,
salutes during the national anthem at a “Welcome Home” event for Vietnam War era
Veterans. He traveled to Fort Irwin from St. George, Utah.
Motorcyclists participated in a parade honoring Vietnam War era Veterans at Fort Irwin, The National Training Center command team of Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin and
March 19. Command Sgt. Maj. Edison Rebuck – and their families – applaud Vietnam War era
Veterans riding on a military truck during a parade here, March 19.
For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil
