About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2019)
Tr :-$yfje Page 20 THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7-13, 2019 McKinley Crockett served in the U.S. Army for 30 years and is a Purple Heart recipient. Photos by Gale Horton Gay Samuel Rambo was active duty in the U.S. Navy for four years and a member of the Ready Reserve for two years. VETERANS REFLECT ON MILITARY SERVICE AND IMPORTANCE OF VETERANS DAY BY GALE HORTON GAY Recognizing the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the U.S. military is the reason for Veterans Day. It originated as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. The Champion Newspaper asked some DeKalb County residents and neighbors to share reflections from their military service and what they would like people to think about on Veterans Day. McKinley Crockett’s initiation into the U.S. Army wasn’t voluntary. He was drafted in 1953 when he was 20 years old. The South Carolina native would go on to a 30-year military career. Today the 86-year-old Conyers resident spends some of his leisure time bowling at Comet Pub and Lanes in Decatur. During his time in the Army, Crockett had two tours of duty in Korea and two tours in Vietnam. During one of his tours in Vietnam, he has wounded. He recalls that as he and his platoon were on a search and destroy mission he passed a tunnel, stumbled and when a Viet Cong grenade went off, his wrist was injured. Had he not stumbled, he said, his injury would have been worst—possibly fatal, he said. He received a Purple Heart. Crockett said he rose to the rank of sergeant major served the Army in various capacities including training recruits, cook and advisor to the Vietnamese army. After his military career, Crockett was a transportation manager for a City Schools of Decatur city schools bus provider for 30 years until vision issues led to his retirement. “I thank God I am here to observe Veterans Day,” said Crockett. “God has been so good to me.” Asked if the public has been appreciative of veterans’ service and commitment, Crockett said, “It’s getting better, especially for the Vietnam veterans.” He pointed out that unlike other veterans who returned stateside to parades and other celebratory events, Vietnam veterans were treated like “we were dirty.” He said he always wears his Vietnam veteran baseball cap that designated him as a Purple Heart recipient. He’s often treated to meals by persons who pay his bill unbeknownst to him with a waitress sharing, “someone paid for your meal,” he said. In recent years he’s received words of appreciation and acknowledgement such as “Welcome home” and “Thank you for your service,” which he said he didn’t hear when he first came home. Originally from Clarkston, Valerie Handley served in the United States Air Force for 10 years. She worked in air defense before moving into training and See VETERANS on page 5
