More than 100 people, many of them veterans were on hand Wednesday afternoon for the Ox Cart Days Veterans Recognition Ceremony on the UMC Campus Mall. The veterans recognized at this years event were Richard Brouillard, James Cameron, Peter Heydt, and Richard Jensen.
Richard Brouillard enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from August 1954 to July 1958 and was discharged as a Gunner Mate 3. He served with the 7th Fleet, on the USS Wedderburn and USS Hanna. “I really enjoyed this,” said Brouillard. “I want to thank the people of Crookston all this because when some of these vets came back from overseas, they didn’t get any recognition or anything. And this is really just unbelievable. It just chokes me up. I want to thank everybody for that.”
James Cameron was drafted into the Army in 1968. On December 22, 1968, in Vietnam, Cameron was critically wounded and received the Purple Heart. He’d spend four months in hospitals including a MASH Unit and a hospital in Japan before being sent to Denver’s Fitzsimon’s Hospital. He was then stationed at Fort Carson (Colorado) until his discharge in May 1970. “I feel very honored that they picked me for being here,” said Cameron. “And thank the women who gave me the quilt. I’m quite honored to be one of many people to be picked.”
Peter Heydt joined the U.S. Navy in 1966 and served in the U.S. Navy Seabees until 1975. He served in Vietnam from 1971 to 1972. Heydt then worked for U.S. Postal Service in Crookston from 1984-2004 and has driven a school bus for seven years. “It’s such a great honor being recognized for something you did,” said Heydt. “Somebody had to do it.”
Richard Jensen enlisted in the U.S. Navy in April 1967 and served until January 1971. Jensen’s biography says he served an extra six months in Vietnam thinking if he stayed maybe someone with a family wouldn’t have to go. Jensen, whose duties consisted of Commissary for Food Service, told those gathered about stealing “spoiled” steaks from the Army and adding beer to the mess lines for special Sunday meals for the troops on patrol. “It was an honor to be chosen for this,” said Jensen. “I really appreciate it. I had a hard time in Vietnam and a hard time after I came back out of the service. But those are all in the past. People have accepted it and everything. I do enjoy people, and I think this Veterans group is wonderful. There should be more of these kinds of things, and people should attend them as it’s interesting.”
Jensen is also a master woodcarver and has a friend who makes walking sticks. In addition to their plaques and the quilts from the Minnesota Quilts of Valor, Jensen presented each Veteran with a personalized walking stick commemorating their service. “They are made by a good friend of mine in Tennessee, Steve Newman,” said Jensen. “He’s made over 2,000 and given them away to Veterans. I do some stick cutting for him, and I go down and teach every year in Tennessee. I usually bring him sticks and then he sends some to me for whomever I want to give them too. Their names are on them, their branch of service and Vietnam, Korea or whatever. That’s fun for me to give what I have gotten in life.”
