Vietnam Veteran News

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Professor Kenneth R. Olson, leader of the Merry Band of Retirees.

Episode 3054 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Part 1 of a report about the the U.S. Biological warfare used in the Vietnam War. The report is titled: Review and Analysis: Fate of Agent Orange and Agent Purple, Contaminated with Dioxin TCDD, Used to Defoliate the Jungle During the Second Indochina and Vietnam Wars and was created by the Merry Band of Retirees headed up by Professor Kenneth R. Olson.

Professor is with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA, krolson@illinois.edu.

The purpose of sharing this final report by the Merry Band of Retirees is to close the book on this sorry episode of the Vietnam War where decisions were made to use agricultural herbicides as weapons in the War. The hopes engendered by the use of the herbicides went unfilled.

The abstract of the paper begins with this statement: The legacy of the human misery caused by the application of the herbicides including Agent Orange and Agent Purple contaminated with unknown amounts of dioxin TCDD and Agent Blue, the arsenic-based herbicide, sprayed over the jungles, rice fields, and hamlets of Vietnam is still haunting us today. Why did this happen? Could it have been prevented? Was it necessary United States military strategy? Was it an intentional decision to inflict this blight on the enemy soldiers and the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian civilians, to poison their land and cause generations of harm?

Alternatively, was it an unpreventable accident in the march of military history? What patterns in the U.S. government’s thought process could be identified as the cause which led to the decision to use these agricultural herbicides as tactical chemical weapons?

Listen to Episode 3054 and discover more about the U.S. Biological warfare used in the Vietnam War and the questions it still raises…

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Vietnam Veteran Ken Lyons hopes to go on an Honor Flight after serving his country for many years in different branches of the government. [Photo by W. Turrell]

Episode 3053 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the service of Vietnam Vet Ken Lyons of Richfield, Ohio. The featured story appeared on the Script Type Publishing Website and was titled: Local Veteran models a life of service. The story was submitted by Wendy Turrell.

ScripType Publishing has been bringing community news to people in Northeast Ohio since their first issue of the Richfield Times was published in 1980. It serves the communities by writing about and for the people of the communities. Their best compliment is that often readers refer to a ScripType magazine as “Our Magazine.” They feel comfortable with and trust in what they read.

Writer Wendy Turrell reported that at this time of year, when we have just recognized our veterans at Memorial Day and look forward to celebrating the Fourth of July, Richfield veteran Ken Lyons is thrice deserving of our gratitude.

Lyons served in the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high school, from July 1962-66. He then joined the U.S. Air Force as a staff sergeant during the Vietnam War from April 1968 to 1973, specializing in computer technology. Upon his discharge from the Air Force, Lyons joined the Army Reserves and served until retiring in 2004.

Lyons said his duty in Vietnam was to remotely guide Air Force pilots via radar tracking so that they could accurately and safely drop bombs on battlefield targets. He accomplished this from a base across the border in Thailand.

Lyons comes from a tradition of service to his country. His father died during a battle in World War II, when Lyons was a newborn. Although he never knew him, Lyons was able to travel overseas for an emotional visit to his father’s grave on a trip sponsored by the U.S. Battle Monuments Office to celebrate the 55thanniversary of D-Day in 1999. He was accompanied on the trip by many of the men who had served with his father’s unit.

Listen to Episode 3053 and discover more about the service of Vietnam Vet Ken Lyons of Richfield, Ohio.

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Fallen Vietnam Vet Fred D. Larson

Episode 3052 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the bridge dedication in South Dakota honoring fallen Vietnam Veteran Fred D. Larson. The featured story appeared on KXLG of Pollock, South Dakota. It was submitted by Steve Jurrens.

It was reported that The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a State Bridge Dedication Ceremony on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. CT, to honor U.S. Army Private First-Class Fred D. Larson, a local hero who was killed in action during the Vietnam War. The ceremony will take place at the Pollock Community Center, located at 916 F. Avenue.

The SD10 bridge over Lake Pocasse, situated just east of Pollock, will be officially dedicated as the PFC Fred D. Larson Bridge. This dedication is part of the Fallen Heroes Bridge Dedication Program, a statewide initiative launched during the Noem-Rhoden Administration and expanded under Governor Rhoden. The program, a cooperative effort between the South Dakota Departments of Military, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, aims to create lasting tributes that connect communities to their history and remind future generations of the sacrifices made for freedom.

PFC Fred D. Larson was born in Pollock on June 22, 1949. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on August 19, 1969, and deployed to Vietnam on January 15, 1970, serving with the 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery, C Battery. Tragically, on April 24, 1970, which was also his mother’s 55th birthday, PFC Larson was killed in action near Lang Dong Ban in Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam. He bravely volunteered to search a suspected enemy dwelling and triggered a land mine.

“It is an honor to recognize the brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedom,” stated Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jeremiah Schneider. “The Fallen Hero Bridge Dedication program ensures their sacrifice is remembered every day. These dedications serve as lasting symbols of gratitude and respect, connecting our communities to the legacy of those who served.”

Listen to Episode 3052 and discover more about the bridge dedication in South Dakota honoring fallen Vietnam Veteran Fred D. Larson.

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Vietnam Vets visiting the Traveling Wall at Caro, MI.

Episode 3051 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the appearance of the Traveling Vietnam War memorial that brings healing, memories for Michigan veterans. The featured story comes from Central Michigan University’s WCMU and is titled Traveling Vietnam War memorial brings healing, memories for Michigan veterans.

The story was submitted by Masha Smahliuk. She is a newsroom intern for WCMU. She is going into her senior year at Central Michigan University, majoring in journalism with minors in creative writing, political science and advertising.

She reported in her story that “The Moving Wall” is a copy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that’s in the Washington D.C. with 58,318 names of American soldiers killed in Vietnam.

It was brought to Caro by the local American Legion for the second time. First, it was here 21 years ago. It travelled to Michigan from California, and after its stay here, it will go to Texas.

Hank Kuhne, who led the initiative to bring the memorial to Caro, said it took a year of organization and lots of support from the community. He said several hundred people visited the memorial.

For Kuhne, who served in Vietnam war for two years in the Marine Corps, having this memorial in the community and receiving such support is special.

 Zach Howey who visited the memorial stated that “The Vietnam War may be history for some people, but for these veterans, they live it every day still,” Howey said. “I’m gonna make sure that these guys get the respect and honor they deserve, even though it’s been years ago.

“We live with our freedom today because of these people, so we should be able to respect them … and bring their memories back for them so they can cope with it and heal.”

Listen to Episode 3051 and discover more about the appearance of the Traveling Vietnam War memorial that brings healing, memories for Michigan veterans.

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Worth Mayor Mary Werner places a wreath at the Eternal Flame Monument during the Memorial Day Observance Sunday. She is joined by Worth Trustees (from left) Kevin Ryan, Rich Dziedzic and Brad Urban. (Photo by Joe Boyle)

Michaela Weaver puts her hand on her heart as she performs the National Anthem at the beginning of the Memorial Day Observance Sunday morning at 111th and Harlem in Worth. (Photo by Joe Boyle)

Episode 3050 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about how the good people of Worth, Illinois honored the service of all American veterans with emphasis on Corporal Charles McMahon and Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge, the last two American service members who died in Vietnam. The featured story appeared on SRP Local News and was titled: Worth service honors final victims of Vietnam War and was submitted by Joe Boyle.

Worth Mayor Mary Werner wanted to share some details about two U.S. servicemen who were the last victims of the Vietnam War.

“April 29 of this year marked the 50th anniversary of the death of the last two American soldiers to die on Vietnam soil,” Werner said during the annual Memorial Day Remembrance at the Eternal Flame Memorial at 111th and Harlem on Sunday morning. “In the final stage of the offensive against Saigon, a North Vietnamese rocket attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base resulted in the death of two U.S. Marines, Corporal Charles McMahon and Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge.”

McMahon was just 11 days short of his 22nd birthday, Werner said. He was a resident of Woburn, Mass. Judge, 19, was an Eagle Scout from Marshaltown, Iowa.

Worth Mayor Mary Werner places a wreath at the Eternal Flame Monument during the Memorial Day Observance Sunday. She is joined by Worth Trustees (from left) Kevin Ryan, Rich Dziedzic and Brad Urban. (Photo by Joe Boyle)

The mayor also mentioned that McMahon and Judge were members of the Marine Security Guard Battalion at the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. They were providing security. McMahon had arrived in Saigon on April 18, just 11 days before the attack, Werner said.

Listen to Episode 3050 and discover more about how the good people of Worth, Illinois honored the service of all American veterans with emphasis on Charles McMahon and Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge, the last two American service members who died in Vietnam.

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MCARTHUR HAMBURG, U.S. Marine Corps, killed in Vietnam on March 18, 1968.

MCARTHUR HAMBURG, U.S. Marine Corps dedication.

Episode 3049 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the dedication of a road in Mississippi to honor the memory of Vietnam Vet Marine LCpl Mac Hamburger. The featured story appeared on the Mississippi DOT website and was titled: Lance Corporal Mac Hamburg, USMC, Memorial Highway dedicated in Clarke County

Mac Hamburg was born March 25, 1942, in Quitman, Miss., to Glade and Levy Collins Hamburg. In 1961, he graduated from Enterprise High School, where he was lauded for his athleticism and recognized as a Class Favorite. Hamburg attended Jones County Junior College where he played football and was named an All-State lineman in 1964.

After college, Hamburg enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966. He trained at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina and was sent to Vietnam. On March 18, 1968, Lance Corporal Hamburg was involved in a fierce, 12-hour battle in the Quang Tri Province of South Vietnam. Hamburg was awarded the National Defense Medal, the Infantry Combat Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Square Medal and the Purple Heart for his courageous actions that day.

On Friday, May 16, a segment of State Route 513 South located in Clarke County was designated as the “ Lance Corporal Mac Hamburg, USMC, Memorial Highway” in honor of Lance Corporal Mac Hamburg, a U.S. Marine Corps soldier who died while serving in the Vietnam War.

The ceremony was held at Enterprise Town Hall in Enterprise. Southern Transportation Commissioner Charles Busby; Rep. Troy Smith, R-Enterprise; Henry Cook and Roger Dale Hamburg were among the distinguished guests who spoke at the dedication ceremony.

Listen to Episode 3049 and discover more about the dedication of a road in Mississippi to honor the memory of Vietnam Vet Marine LCpl Mac Hamburger..

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Edward Nachel served on the USS Myles C. Fox, a destroyer, during the Vietnam War. His Navy veteran’s experience at sea continued to impact his health, which led to DAV stepping in to help.

Episode 3048 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about how Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran Edward Nachel was able to get help from the VA with help from the DAV. The featured story appeared on the DAV website and was titled: How a Navy veteran found new hope. It was submitted by an unnamed writer who did a good job.

According to the DAV website: There are nearly 16 million veterans as of 2023 in the U.S. Each one has been affected by their service. DAV helps veterans of every generation address their challenges and achieve personal victories, great and small, to better thrive in civilian life.

With your support, DAV and our nearly million members are keeping the promise to America’s veterans. Here’s our impact in 2024 at a glance. $30.4 billion in earned benefits received – 235,000 rides to medical appointments 561,358 claims filed in 2024.

Edward Nachel had been a rideshare driver for five years before a chance encounter changed his life. Two DAV national service office supervisors were catching a ride from the airport to the DAV national service office in Salt Lake City when one noticed a disabled placard.

It’s never too late for veterans to get the benefits they’ve earned, even decades after. So Nachel began to receive assistance from DAV and justice for his service and sacrifice, and what started as a coincidental meeting on the job became a pivotal moment in his life.

Nachel was thrilled to learn that his claims were approved. The new benefits DAV secured mean Nachel no longer has to drive for a living. The long, arduous journeys he had become accustomed to are a thing of the past. As a result, his back isn’t bothering him as much, and he can fill his days by going to coffee shops and operating his amateur ham radio.

Listen to Episode 3048 and discover more about Blue Water Navy Vietnam Vet Edward Nachel got help from the Va with help from the DAV.

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Americal base at Chu Lai

Episode 3047 – Vietnam Vet Bill Curwick helped close down Chu Lai baseListen to Episode 3047 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Bill Curwick of Marshall, MN. He served with D Company, 26^th Engineer Battalion, the Americal Division at Chu Lai, South Vietnam. A story about Bill is featured in this episode. The story appeared in the Independent of Marshall. It was titled The Vietnam War – Bill Curwick – Shutting down Chu Lai and was submitted by Bill Palmer, a writer for the Independent.

Bill Curwick grew up in Marshall, graduated from Marshall High School in 1968, and attended some college before enlisting in the Army and training as a combat engineer. He deployed to Vietnam in November 1970 where the Army assigned him to Company D, 26th Engineer Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division at Chu Lai.

Bill was working to detonate a suspected mine at his platoon’s road construction side when a sniper’s rifle round detonated the mine and Bill’s plastic explosive charge only ten feet away. His uniform and boots were shredded and his helmet was dented from gravel thrown out from the explosion. Bill listed his limited injuries as painfully-embedded gravel in his arms and legs and hearing loss for a couple weeks.

Other members of the unit were not as fortunate when they encountered sniper fire, mines, or booby-traps.

The Vietnam War was often grim business and lots of hard work in lousy living conditions, but it also offered up the occasional, unexpected moments of amazement.

“One day a Huey came out to our worksite and we were stunned to see two Playboy bunnies as passengers. The first question we asked them revealed our priorities of the day, ‘Did you bring any hot food with you?’ They hadn’t, but I’m sure we were able to hide our disappointment because it was pretty amazing to see them in the field. We enjoyed the music they brought and danced with them. They must have gone through through a tube of lipstick before they left because we all had lipstick on our faces.”

Listen to Episode 3047 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Bill Curwick of Marshall, MN.

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Marine COL Gerry Berry

Episode 3046 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about retired Marine COL Gerry Berry explaining how he ended the Vietnam War. The featured story appeared on WHO Channel 13 in Des Moines and was titled: Iowa veteran credited with ending the Vietnam War 50 years ago shares his story. The story was submitted by Jannay Towne.

Colonel Gerry Berry, a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer, emerged as a pivotal figure in one of the most divisive conflicts in American history — the Vietnam War.

After serving two brutal combat tours in Vietnam, Gerry Berry was no stranger to the realities of guerrilla warfare. He had earned a reputation for bravery, strategy, and unshakable loyalty to his men. But in 1975, as Saigon teetered on the brink of collapse, Berry’s most critical mission wasn’t on the battlefield — it was on a rooftop.

As a retired Marine Corps Colonel, Gerry Berry would often reflect on the day that defined his legacy — April 29, 1975. At the height of Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopter evacuation in history, then Major Gerry Berry piloted the final CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter to land on the rooftop of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. With chaos erupting below and North Vietnamese troops closing in, Berry made the split-second decision to load as many evacuees as possible, cramming desperate civilians, diplomats, and Marines into the aircraft.

The images of Berry’s helicopter lifting off that rooftop became a symbol of the war’s end — a haunting and heroic moment captured in history. But what few knew was that Berry had disobeyed a direct order to leave several civilians behind. His defiance saved dozens of lives and forced policymakers in Washington to acknowledge the urgency of a complete withdrawal.

In the aftermath, Berry’s actions drew both criticism and acclaim. While some viewed his insubordination as reckless, others hailed it as the moral compass that steered the U.S. out of a failing war. His heroism helped shift public perception and spurred Congress to accelerate efforts for a final exit strategy, effectively bringing America’s involvement in Vietnam to a close.

Though he humbly denies it, many historians credit Colonel Gerry Berry with playing a decisive role in ending the Vietnam War — not through firepower, but through courage, compassion, and the conviction to do what was right, even in the face of chaos.

Listen to Episode 3046 and discover more about  Vietnam Vet Colonel Gerry Berry

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Bobby Barrett

Episode 3045 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Bobby Barret, the Vietnam Dustoff pilot who received the Congressional Gold Medal honor.  The featured story appeared in the Monroe Journal of Mississippi and was titled: Former Vietnam War Dustoff pilot shares in Congressional Gold Medal honor and was submitted by Ray Van Dusen.

A local hero and Vietnam War veteran, former Army Dustoff pilot Bobby Barrett, was recently recognized with one of the nation’s highest civilian honors — the Congressional Gold Medal. This prestigious award celebrates the bravery and selflessness of Reynolds and his fellow helicopter medevac pilots who risked their lives daily to rescue wounded soldiers from the front lines of battle during the Vietnam War.

Known as “Dustoff pilots,” these courageous aviators flew unarmed helicopters into active combat zones, often under heavy enemy fire, to evacuate the injured and provide urgent medical aid. Reynolds, a native of Monroe, flew hundreds of these daring missions between 1969 and 1971, earning a reputation for valor, calm under pressure, and dedication to his comrades.

The Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, held in Washington, D.C., honored the Army Medical Evacuation Units who served during the Vietnam era. It marks national recognition of their extraordinary sacrifice and humanitarian service. Reynolds expressed gratitude, saying the award represents “the countless lives saved, not just the pilots, but the whole Dustoff team.”

Local veterans’ groups and the Monroe community have rallied to celebrate Barrett’s achievement. His story has reignited conversations around the critical role of medevac pilots in wartime history and the importance of honoring military service.

Barrett’s legacy as a Vietnam Dustoff pilot stands as a powerful reminder of courage, service, and the enduring impact of those who risk everything to save others.

Listen to Episode 3045 and discover more about Vietnam Dustoff pilot Bobby Barrett.