National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony to be held in Hillsboro March 29
A program commemorating National Vietnam War Veterans Day will be held Saturday, March 29 at 11 a.m. at the Hillsboro Eagles Aerie 1161.
The event is open to the public, with local Vietnam War veterans encouraged to attend.
Gary Duffield of the Sons of the American Revolution Highlanders chapter will serve as emcee. The ceremony will be led by Greenfield VFW Post 4736 Commander Mark Little, with three guest speakers and Vietnam War veterans from the Greenfield VFW: Raymond Beatty, Richard Counter and Jim Thompson.
Little is a retired 30-year Navy E-9 Master Chief Petty Officer who was assigned in multiple aviation units and aircraft carriers. He deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq and received the Bronze Star for combat actions. Little works for the Federal Aviation Administration as an Aviation Safety Inspector.
Beatty, who is chaplain of the Greenfield VFW, was boots on ground in Vietnam from 1970-71. He spent his time in the 101st Airborne Division, an area of operation in the A Shau Valley.
Counter, the Quartermaster of the Greenfield VFW, deployed to Vietnam on Dec. 8, 1968. He served with the 3rd of the 5th Air Cavalry attached to the 9th Infantry Division in Dong Tam, Vietnam and transferred to the 1st Aviation Brigade in the summer of 1969, serving in Vung Tau, Viet Nam. Counter earned the rank of Spec 5, serving as a Helicopter Door Gunner, and came home in January of 1970. He is a former mayor of Greenfield and current business owner.
Thompson, a valued member of Greenfield VFW Post 4736, went to Vietnam in 1967 and served in D Company 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. He served in an area south of Da Nang called Hoi An. Thompson was section leader for the 60MM mortars. He received the Purple Heart for injuries received from a land mine.
The ceremony at the Eagles will be followed by a program at noon at the Highland County Veterans Memorial, led by Highland County Veterans Honor Guard member Rudy Diskete.
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