Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
Monday morning, 94 veterans from central and northern Wisconsin will converge on Mosinee’s Central Wisconsin Airport for the 23rd ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ to Washington DC. Of those participating will be five Lincoln County veterans; John Benzinger of Merrill, and John Friske; John Hering Jr. Buddy Gessler and Thomas Swarthout all of Tomahawk.
Friday afternoon, the Merrill Foto News met with those veterans who were available to discuss the event. Listed below is information on those local veterans, including their respective military service and insights on the upcoming flight.
(Photo unavailable)
John Benzinger-69 of Merrill
Conflict period of service: Vietnam conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service: South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Flight Medic
Years of Service: 1966-69
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“After completing basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and medic school at Fort Sam, Houston Texas, I boarded a ship in San Francisco and arrived in South Vietnam 21 hours later.” Benzinger explains.
“I was surprised to find out the port we arrived at in South Vietnam, was a rest and recreation area for both US service personnel and the Viet-Cong! It was a beautiful area but it was hard to believe it was shared by troops from both sides. During my time in Vietnam I was transferred to various medical and medical evacuation hospitals.”
Thoughts on the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight.’
“My sister Cindy learned of the honor flight from Mr. James Campbell (flight organizer) and mentioned my name back in 2014. I had known about it for a while before that and was so excited to find out I was going to be on Monday’s flight back in January. It’s such a wonderful thing this organization is doing, it literally brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. I wouldn’t say I’m ‘giddy’ quite yet but come Sunday night, I think it will really hit me that I’m actually going.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing the Vietnam War Memorial, I have a list of names I plan to etch. It will be an emotional time for me, being a medic I cared about each and every person I met over there. I have a deep love for all veterans so it will be very special for me to see all the memorials. All of our veterans have been through hell. It’s an un-explainable feeling to be shot at…war is hell. I am very thankful I am alive and in good health to experience this amazing event. To be honest…this has been on my bucket list of things to do for a while. I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for everyone involved in putting this whole thing together and to keep it going.”
John Friske-94 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: World War II
Branch of Service: United States Marine Corps
Area of Service: Pacific Theater of Operations
Military Specialty: RADAR unit crewman
Years of Service: 1943-1945
Remarks/Notes of military service: “I was stationed on various islands in the south Pacific during World War II on the islands of New Britain (New Guinea) and Peliliu (small remote island between the Philippine Islands and Guam). My job was part of a two -man team to watch for and track Japanese airplanes. When we picked them up, we radioed ahead of course and let the other units know.” Friske explains.
“The weather was always very wet and humid on both islands. Peliliu was the last island we landed on before we went home and I’ll never forget that landing!”
“When the anchor was dropped, it ended up being dropped in too deep of water for me. When we were about to unload, I suddenly realized the water was over my head. There was a guy next to me who was quite a bit bigger and taller than I was who grabbed me under my arms and kept my head above water. When we got close enough where I could touch ground and keep my head up, he told me I was on my own,” he adds with a chuckle.
“To make matters worse, I ended up catching malaria and was very sick for a while. Also while on Peliliu, I was assigned to help search for Japanese soldiers who had withdrawn to the jungle after the battle was over (Battle of Peliliu/September-November 1944). That didn’t make much sense to me ya know. We had already won and taken the air strip there and once they were in the jungle we hadn’t seen them since. But we were told to do it so we did.”
Thoughts on the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight.’
“My nephew Ralph found out about the honor flight last fall and asked me if I wanted to go and this past January I found out I would be on Monday’s flight. I was pretty excited from the start and am pretty excited for Monday.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing the WWII memorial, but there will be so many things to see and it will be a busy day so it’s hard to pick just one or two.”
Buddy Gessler-66 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: Vietnam Conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service: Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Airborne instructor/Truck Driver/Convoy Gunner
Years of Service: 1968-71
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“I began my service as a truck driver in the US Army and took advantage of an option to go through airborne jump school in Fort Benning, Georgia. I spent time as a jump school instructor before heading to Vietnam in the fall of 1969,” Gessler explains.
“My deployment to Vietnam was a long process so I didn’t end up going over with a particular unit like many other veterans did. I was bounced around a bit and eventually joined a unit in Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. Cam Ranh Bay was the central point for supplies coming into Vietnam and my job was to transport those supplies to various fire bases, camps, artillery and infantry bases in South Vietnam. Sometimes I was a gunner, staffing an M60 or 50-caliber machine gun to defend the convoy and sometimes I was driving. I spent a year in Vietnam and when I was sent home, I had a week off before finishing my military service in Meinz, Germany.”
Thoughts of the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’
“I’m really looking forward to the trip. I’m hoping to make up for a bad experience. Everyone I know went over there together as a unit. I on the other hand, went to Vietnam alone and came home alone. I didn’t have the camaraderie that others had, it is what it is and just the way things ended up. I didn’t have a good experience coming home in ’71. We flew into Seattle and all the things you hear now about people protesting, spitting on us and so on…that’s what was going on. We stripped off our uniforms as quick as we could so we didn’t draw attention to ourselves. People just weren’t very good to us. I’m looking forward to finally having that sense of camaraderie with other vets. I’m looking forward to having a very positive experience, I’m excited for it.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’m looking forward to seeing all the memorials, but I guess the Vietnam memorial sticks out. I was in DC 30 years ago and seen what they had then so I’m curious to see how things have changed.”
John Hering Jr.-67 of Tomahawk
Conflict period of service: Vietnam Conflict
Branch of Service: United States Army
Area of Service: Pleiku, South Vietnam
Military Specialty: Teletype repairman
Years of Service: 1969-1986
Remarks/Notes of military service:
“I was in basic training when my high school class was graduating,” Hering explains.
“I had always wanted to go into the service and I planned on making a career of it. After finishing basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and further training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, I was on my way to Vietnam in January of 1970. I was stationed with the HMS 62nd Maintenance Battalion in Pleiku, South Vietnam.”
Thoughts of the ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’
“My late wife Doreen found about the honor flight back in 2013 and the minute she mentioned it I was excited! It was something I wanted to be a part of from the start. I lost her this past September due to medical issues she had been suffering from for a while. Even though she is gone now, I know she will be watching over me on Monday. She shared my excitement about this trip right up until the end. I wish she could be there with me but I know she will be watching and smiling every step of the way.”
Particular ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’ sightseeing interests:
“I’ve seen the traveling Vietnam memorial so I am really looking forward to seeing the permanent one in DC. I love riding motorcycle and I decided if I didn’t get to go this year, I would take a ride out to DC myself to see everything. I was beyond excited when I learned back in January I was going to be on Monday’s trip. I know it will be an emotional experience.”
Mr. Thomas Swarthout-Vietnam Veteran- was unavailable for interview due to personal obligations, however he will be participating in Monday’s ‘Never Forgotten Honor Flight’*