NEWS

Great Falls veterans reflect on Memorial Day

Jenn Rowell
jrowell@greatfallstribune.com

In honor of Memorial Day, we asked local veterans what the day means to them and who they think about on the day designed to honor those killed in service to their country.

Robert Bishop

13 years on active duty and a year and a half with the Montana Air National Guard

“On Memorial Day, I like to think about those that came before me and their sacrifices, but more importantly I like to pass the knowledge of that on to my children and spend some quality time with them and think about that because honestly I’ve thought about that several times on missions or day to day, some of the friends that I’ve lost along the way or the sacrifices that other people have made and it’s really more important to me to pass that on to my children and other generations.”

Adrian Goodvoice

Service in Navy and Army, deployed twice with Navy

“Memorial Day for me is honoring our fallen heroes, they’re the ones who sacrificed the most for our country, they have sacrificed more than us who are still living. We honor them in a moment of silence, so they’re not forgotten. Warriors who come before us are to be honored at all time whether on field or off field, they’re still our warriors at home even though they’re not serving with us to this day. That’s what Memorial Day means for me.”

He thinks of a few friends on Memorial Day, but doesn’t mention them by name. Of those lives lost in service to their country, he said, “They hold near and dear to my heart and I hold them in the highest, utmost respect.”

Tara Trammel

Spent almost seven years in the Navy

“Memorial Day means to me, not necessarily who served and if they’re still serving, it’s more like people who died while you were in service. When I think about Memorial Day, I think about one person in particular. ... People don’t realize that we still lose people at sea in the Navy, and it’s still something that’s very near and dear to me, because life is precious. When you’re out there and you’re operating in the fleet, it’s intense, and I think about the lost lives of the sailors who lost their lives through the battles and through a lot of the fighting that we have to do with all of the wars that we have going on. That’s what Memorial Day means to me.”

“The one person that I think about most on Memorial Day, is back when I was serving on the USS George Washington, from Air Department, ABH1 Calvin, that was the person I think about most. That was hard on everybody, we never saw it coming. I still want to send my condolences to his family and I know it’s been years since it happened, but we all still feel the loss of ABH1 Calvin and we still miss him to this day, I know I do.”

Zach Smithson

Seven years with the Navy

“I personally believe Memorial Day is a day that instead of honoring those who have served, which is Veterans Day, we honor those who have fallen in their service to our country. I encourage a person to read a biography, snippet of history, some kind of something about someone who has fallen somewhere and just get a little bit of insight into that person’s life.”

On Memorial Day, he thinks of Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul, U.S. Navy SEAL, killed in action in Panama in 1989, who left his position of safety to rescue wounded team members.

Jeff Roth

Four years as Marine infantryman from 2008-2012

“Memorial Day means that we need to remember all the veterans and service members who have died overseas protecting our country and we need to give them the ultimate respect and remember them this weekend.”

He thinks of Petty Officer 3rd Class Clayton Beuchamp, who was the first member of Roth’s unit killed in Afghanistan. He also thinks of Lance Cpl. Jorge Salazar, who was wounded in Afghanistan and had both of his legs amputated.

Kerry Hardman

Four years in Army, 1982-1986

“It’s a chance to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

Joe Parsetich

Vietnam veteran

“Memorial Day is a time of reflection, I reflect back as far as to Vietnam to the losses that occurred over there. I think about how special those sacrifices that the men and women made overseas are, not just to me, but to our entire country. It’s also a reminder to citizens who have not served in the armed forces, or especially in combat, it’s a reminder to them that the freedoms that enjoy so much are really not free at all, but as a courtesy from their fellow citizens.”

I’ve lost too many buddies to think about just one in particular, probably think more of the close calls that many of us have that made it back stateside.”

Rodger McConnell

Vietnam veteran

“When I think of Memorial Day, or during Memorial Day, I’m aware of faces and places. Memorial Day is a very emotional day for me. We ring the bell at the Veterans Memorial. One ding for each of the people lost in (Iraq and Afghanistan). One of those dings is for a kid that I knew when he was 2 years old. Tough, tough ding.”

Tech. Sgt. Rhoda Bargas

219th RED HORSE Squadron, recently returned from deployment

“Memorial Day is not only a day honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our values and our lives, but also for past and present veterans and the things they did for our country.”

She thinks of Master Sgt. Dorrie Hagan, who passed away just before she was going to retire from the 219th.

She was a mentor to Bargas, and like a mother to the unit. Hagan inspired Bargas to get involved with the Montana Air National Guard Honor Guard, which provides honors during military funerals and special events. Bargas is still a member of the Honor Guard.

Chief Master Sgt. Martin Leonard

120th Services superintendent

“A time to reflect.”

One of his duties is to manage the MANG Honor Guard, which has 28 members from the 120th, 219th and Joint Forces Headquarters in Helena. He participates in a number of military funerals through the Honor Guard, and he said many of those receiving military honors were his superiors when he was a young airman.

“I know a lot of them. It’s kind of sad.”

Chief Master Sgt. Steve Lynch

120th Command Chief

“I think it’s a time to tune out the diatribe, there’s so much conflict .. .a time to truly reflect on those that we’ve lost. ... I hold them in the highest esteem.”

He said after more than 200 years of American history, “We didn’t get there in spite of the people who have died for this country, we got there because of them.”

“I hope that we can continue to produce the kind of people that would serve their country.”

Whenever he hears news of a service member killed in service, he said he shares that with airmen and points out that “whatever is happening in the world and your bubble pales in comparison,” to someone giving their life for their country.

Fatalities from U.S. wars and conflicts

American Revolution, 1775-1783: 4,435

War of 1812, 1812-1815: 2,260

Mexican War, 1846-1848: 13,283

Civil War, 1861-1865: 620,000

Spanish-American War, 1898-1902: 385

World War I, 1917-1918: 116,516

World War II, 1941-1945: 405,399

Korean War, 1950-1953: 36,574

Vietnam War, 1964-1975: 58,220

Gulf War, 1990-1991: 383

Afghanistan War, 2001-present: 2,381

Iraq War, 2003-2012: 4,500

Source: PBS Memorial Day Concert