by Steven Wright
More than 60 golfers teed it up last Tuesday at Wapicada Golf Club in Sauk Rapids as part of a fundraiser to help bring “The Wall That Heals,” a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. to the Benton County Fair.
The event, which featured a four-person scramble followed by dinner and a silent auction, was sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America in Central Minnesota.
Ken Schulte, a member of the local chapter of veterans, helped organize and raise awareness for Tuesday’s event. Schulte was a part of the St. Cloud Platoon, a group of 55 service members in Central Minnesota who enlisted in the Vietnam War. Schulte and the other members of his platoon left St. Cloud on Aug. 29, 1968 in preparation to head overseas for battle.
Tuesday’s golf fundraiser coincided with the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s orders to escalate the war effort in Vietnam. America’s military presence in Southeast Asia was increased from 40,000 soldiers to 145,000 on July 28, 1965.
The replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which will be on display at the Benton County Fair through Aug. 9, will list all 58,000-plus names of fallen soldiers, including approximately 40 service members from Central Minnesota who lost their lives in combat.
Schulte, who now lives in Sartell, said it’s still tough for some veterans who survived the war to deal with the reception they experienced upon returning home from Vietnam.
“It’s coming up on 50 years and there’s a lot of guys who still struggle today with the way we were treated when we came home,” Schulte said. “It wasn’t real pretty and a lot of guys took that seriously and have for years.”
The harsh reality that some veterans faced when stepping back on American soil is unavoidable, but Schulte knows veterans have a tendency to look after one another.
“We’re good at stepping up and making sure other veterans are taken care of,” he said. “I have friends who have never been to the Wall or won’t discuss their situation, and I keep working on it everyday to bring them to the Wall.”
Schulte offers one simple and reassuring phrase to his fellow comrades who may still feel uneasy about the war: “Welcome home brother, welcome home.”
With the success of this year’s Armed Forces Classic, Schulte plans to arrange a similar event next year to raise awareness for all veterans of foreign wars and to make veterans feel welcome upon returning home.