Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Lyon County Museum
Episode 2658 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Joseph Louwagie and his Army adventures. The featured story appeared in The Independent of Marshall, Minnesota and it was titled: The Vietnam War – Joe Louwagie – a training roadblock and deployment to Vietnam. It was submitted by Bill Palmer.
Joe Louwagie is another tremendous represensive of the Vietnam Veteran Generation – one as great as any that ever heeded the call of duty from our country. He served with A Company, 2nd (Battalion) of the 18th Infantry, Big Red 1 Infantry Division.
In his story, Palmer reported this about Joe Louwagie, Joseph Louwagie was born in 1946, the third of six siblings to Marie (Blomme) Louwagie and Gerard Louwagie, who farmed south of Green Valley. Girard wanted Joe to take over the farm after college, but Joe had his heart set on becoming an attorney like family friend, Bob Runchey, and turned down his dad’s offer.
Joe married his fiancé, Jo Schmitz, in Tracy, on June 7, 1968. He planned to attend the University of North Dakota Law School, but the local Draft Board did not give him an additional educational deferment. When Joe learned he would be drafted that August, he enlisted in the Army for three years with further training in Officer Candidate School.
He had a plan to become an Army officer, but did not realize that a prior incident would get in the way.
As part of his story Palmer invited all in the area to please visit our new exhibit, The Vietnam War and Lyon County, at the Lyon County Museum to learn more about the experiences of our area Vietnam veterans.
Discover more about Vietnam Vet Joe Louwagie and others at the Lyon County Museum.
Listen to episode 2658 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Joseph Louwagie and his Army adventures.
