Memories Matter: Collecting the Stories of
America’s Heroes

Veterans’ Stories

Donald Lee Hettich

Donald Lee Hettich

Donald Lee Hettich US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Michael Joseph Utter

Michael Joseph Utter

Michael Joseph Utter US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Curtis Woodrow Hutto

Curtis Woodrow Hutto

Curtis Woodrow Hutto US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Donald Lee Hettich

Donald Lee Hettich

Donald Lee Hettich US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Michael Joseph Utter

Michael Joseph Utter

Michael Joseph Utter US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Curtis Woodrow Hutto

Curtis Woodrow Hutto

Curtis Woodrow Hutto US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Jeffrey Allen Hawk

Jeffrey Allen Hawk

Jeffrey Allen Hawk US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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Thomas Pate Huddleston

Thomas Pate Huddleston

Thomas Pate Huddleston US Army Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a UH-1C...

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William Henry Murphy III

William Henry Murphy III

William Henry Murphy III US Navy Location: Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam Memory from a Colleague:  I have a lot of memories of my tour in Vietnam, but the one that hit me the hardest was on November 19, 1967. I was a crew chief on a...

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Earl George Challans

Earl George Challans

Earl George Challans US Army SERVED: 2 Years Location: Vietnam Memory from a Loved One:  Earl Challans, my husband of 50+ years, was born 1945 in Decatur, IL. He volunteered for the draft in 1966, and he asked to be sent to Vietnam. He...

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John David Ponder

John David Ponder

John David Ponder US Marine Corps SERVED: 7 June, 1967 - 5 May, 1968 Location: Phu Dong, South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province Memory from a Loved One:  David was Born, John David Ponder, in Perryville, Missouri to Charles Ponder and Trula...

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Lewis E. Day

Lewis E. Day

Lewis E. Day US Army SERVED: 4 years 22 days and 2 years 10 months (2nd Enlistment) Location: Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Tunisian Campaigns and Yokohama, Japan (2nd Enlistment) Memory from a Loved One:  He...

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Gary J Ernst

Gary J Ernst

Gary J. Ernst US Army SERVED: 11/1966 - 6/1967 Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  Gary was the third of seven children born to Wilfred and Anita Ernst. One of the favorite memories was of Christmastime. Gary would be...

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Harry David Rush

Harry David Rush

Harry David Rush US Army SERVED: 7/10/1967 - 7/3/1969 Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  So proud of your service in Vietnam! Keep on playing that jazz on your shiny trombone. Your brothers will love it!  

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Thomas L Coldren

Thomas L Coldren

Thomas L. Coldren US Army SERVED: 10 years Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  In 1962, I was the S-1 clerk of the 27th Transportation Battalion at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Tom Coldren was a PFC and my assistant at the...

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Harlo Rubach

Harlo Rubach

Harlo Rubach US Army SERVED: November 6, 1956 - November 5, 1968 Location: Korea   Memory from a Loved One:  Harlo was drafted and attended basic training in 1956 in Colorado and attended advanced basic training in Ft. Lee,...

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Carroll Noland

Carroll Noland

Carroll (Jake) Noland US Army SERVED: 1970 - 1972 Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  Jake was part of the Hornets 116th AHC - Yellow Jackets. He was a chief door-gunner in a Huey. After serving in Vietnam, he came back...

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Arnold Ernst

Arnold Ernst

Arnold T. Ernst US Army SERVED: July 20 1918 - September 26 1918 Location: France   Memory from a Loved One:  Arnold trained at Camp Pike National Army in Little Rock, Arkansas before being sent to France. His records say he died...

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Leonard A Nitzsche

Leonard A Nitzsche

Leonard A. Nitzsche US Army SERVED: 8 months Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  PFC Leonard Nitzsche of RR, Ellis Grove, IL was drafted into the Army in August 1969. Leonard attended basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood,...

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Charles W Rader

Charles W Rader

Charles W. Rader US Marine Corps SERVED: 2 years 8 months Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  Lance Corporal Charles W. Rader from Chester, IL was born on March 17, 1945. He enlisted in the Marines on July 21, 1963....

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John L Mattingly

John L Mattingly

John L Mattingly US Army SERVED: March 1941 - October 1945 Location: Europe   Memory from a Loved One:  My father was a technician 5th grade for 22nd General Hospital and Ambulance Driver #699.  

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Cullen J Mattingly

Cullen J Mattingly

Cullen J Mattingly US Army SERVED: 1943 - 1945 Location: South Pacific in New Guinea   Memory from a Loved One:  Cullen was an 18 year old farm boy who had not been any further from home than St. Louis before he was drafted. He...

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Ronald H Bozikis

Ronald H Bozikis

Ronald H. Bozikis US Army SERVED: 1967 - 1969 Location: Vietnam   Memory from a Loved One:  My brother had a football scholarship to Kansas State and the likelihood of playing for Missouri after he was discharged. However, in the...

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Elvin H Mattingly

Elvin H Mattingly

Elvin Mattingly US Army SERVED: February 1945 - November 1946 Location: Japan   Memory from a Loved One:  Part of occupying force in Japan. He earned two overseas bars and a lapel button.  

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Forest C. Myrick

Forest C. Myrick

Forest Myrick US ARMY & US NAVY SERVED: World War II & Korea   Memory from a Loved One:  My Dad was a Seabee in the Navy at age 17 when they landed at Okinawa. He served in the Army in Korea. He never shared about the bad...

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Joseph Bourgouin

Joseph Bourgouin

Joseph Bourgouin US ARMY SERGEANT SERVED: 1954-1957   Memory from a Loved One:  My Dad loved his family and country. He served his country for 20 years. He did not talk about his time in Vietnam or Korea. When he did, we could...

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William Cissell

William Cissell

William F. Cissell US Army SERVED: 1942 - 1945 Memory from a Loved One: He was a great Dad. He was severely wounded in Belgium and spent over a year in hospitals overseas and in the US. He had pain and PTSD most of his life. He did not...

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Ollie L Anderson

Ollie L Anderson

Ollie L Anderson US Army SERVED: 1941 1945 Memory from a Loved One: This is my PawPaw. The best man I've ever known. He was a MP in the Army. He was originally stationed in Pearl Harbor where he met my grandmother. He...

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Phillip Thomas Ives

Phillip Thomas Ives

ARMY
SPECIALIST

SERVED: 1967-1969 (KIA)
-    SILVER STAR
-    BRONZE STAR
-    PURPLE HEART
-    VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL
-    NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL
-    REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL
-    ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
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