(By Regina Lorenz, Osmond Republican) OSMOND — The weather for the Memorial Day program on Monday, May 26, started out cloudy and cool, but soon turned wet.
The program began with American Legion Post 326 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7838 and their auxiliaries, along with the Sons of The American Legion (SAL) Squadron 326, presenting the Colors, marching in to the processional played by the Osmond High School band. After the Salute to the Flag and the "National Anthem," ac companied by the Osmond High School band, SAL chaplain Larry Krohn gave the invocation.
American Legion Commander Roger John then introduced the speaker for the day, Logan McLelland.
McLelland, who served as a Vietnamese interpreter for three years, began by giving a greeting in Vietnamese. He explained that, in school, he wanted to take a foreign language but the only one available at that time was Latin.
When he joined the military, he took a language aptitude test and did well so he qualified for language school in Monterey, CA. Then he took another test and was able to pick one language, and Vietnamese became his language.
The course he took was very intense, he said, and was taught by native language instructors, so most of the class was spoken only in Vietnamese. Class members had to mimic the sounds spoken by their instructors, and he joked that at first it sounded like chickens cackling.
In February of 1965, McLelland was sent to Vietnam, where his main job was interpreter of North Vietnamese propaganda. He was in Saigan most of his time there, and said he used to wander around by himself — sometimes in places where he wasn't supposed to go.
He told a number of stories about his time there, and referenced the movie, "Good Morning, Vietnam," and a scene in which Robin Wil- liams taught English to the natives.
McLelland said he taught English as well, and would stay afterward and speak to the people, learning a lot of Vietnam history.
He stressed to the audience that “we did not lose the war — the politicians did, and the hippy pro- testors did."
He then spoke about his years after the war when he was working in a feedlot and found out about Vietnamese refugees and was asked to find sponsors for families. He agreed to do it, and a family of four came. He found places for them, but then they had other family members who needed to come here, and he found places for all of them — 35 in total. He explained all that those people went through, some with "babes in arms," to get out of Vietnam, and what hard workers they were.
He asked, “What did we get after the Vietnam War? We got people who came here and are productive citizens."
After the featured speaker, Piper
Hoffman and Donovan Heiman gave their winning Americanism contest essays based on the theme, “What does America the Beautiful mean to me (regarding veterans and our military)? The band then played "In Flanders Field."
The roll call of departed Legion andAuxiliary members was read by Past Commander Dave Kruse while Bailey Hauger, Peyton Mauro, Henley Schoenauer and Clara Steffen dropped poppies on a platform with a white cross.
To conclude the indoor portion of the program, the audience sang "America, The Beautiful," ac companied by the OHS band, and Krohn gave the benediction. The Osmond High School band then played the recessional as everyone MEMORIAL DAY SPEAKER SHARES VIETNAM STORIES prepared to head outside to the lawn on the east side of the school, where a mock cemetery was set up with the names of all of the departed Legion and Auxiliary members.
In top photo, members of the service units stand on the lawn east of the school despite the rain. Above, Donovan Heiman plays “Taps” beneath an umbrella. Above right is speaker Logan McLelland, while at bottom right, Ava Reikofski places the wreath on the Cross of the Unknown.
Although by then it was raining and the service groups at first had decided to cancel the outside portion of the program, it was then decided to go ahead with their original plans. As the audience stood under the school awning or under umbrellas, a firing salute was followed by Junior Legion Auxiliary member and Girls’ State representative Ava Reikofski placing a wreath on the cross of the Unknown, followed the playing of “Taps” by Donovan Heiman.
From top are the OHS chorus, the OHS band, and the firing squad. At left, dropping poppies in memory of deceased Osmond veterans were Bailey Hauger (left), Clara Steffen, Peyton Mauro and Henley Schoenauer.
