[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 71 (Monday, May 11, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2745-S2746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS AND NORTH DAKOTA'S SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR 
                            LIVES IN VIETNAM

  Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I rise today to continue our efforts to 
honor the 198 North Dakotans who gave their lives while serving in the 
Vietnam war.
  Together with Bismarck High School's 11th graders and their teachers, 
my office is reaching out to the families and friends of these fallen 
heroes to learn about their lives. I am humbled to learn the tidbits 
shared with us about each young man, and I wish I could dedicate a 
whole speech to each unique life.
  Today, I also want to highlight the service and contributions to 
North Dakota and our country by my good friend Rick Maixner of 
Bismarck. Rick served as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam war, earning 
many distinguished medals for his aerial service. He then served the 
State of North Dakota as a State senator and member of the State house 
of representatives. In his forties, Rick earned his law degree. 
Throughout his career, he has always been a true public servant. I wish 
Rick a very happy 70th birthday.
  Now I will share about the lives of some of the North Dakotans who 
did not come home from the Vietnam war.


                              James Freidt

  James Freidt was from Grand Forks and was born May 5, 1947. He served 
in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. James was 20 years old when he died 
on October 11, 1967.
  James's father served our country during World War II and received a 
Purple Heart for his service.
  James was one of 10 children and was one of three children in his 
family to die tragically.
  His family and friends called him Jimmy and remember him as a very 
protective brother who was always smiling. The siblings have fond 
memories of playing games like kick the can together.
  Shortly before beginning his tour of duty, James was able to attend 
one of his sisters' weddings. The family is grateful for that good 
memory of James. He was killed just over 1 month after arriving in 
Vietnam.


                        Robert ``Bobby'' Schmitz

  Robert ``Bobby'' Schmitz was from Martin and was born February 25, 
1944. He served in the Army's 4th Infantry Division. Bobby was 25 years 
old when he died on September 16, 1969.
  He was the oldest of six children. His father, Eugene, and a brother, 
Denny, also served our country in the Army. Growing up, Bobby helped 
his family with farming and their dairy cows. He and his brother, 
Denny, were both on the wrestling team. Bobby graduated from NDSU with 
a degree in business administration before serving in Vietnam. He was 
engaged to be married and was looking forward to starting his life with 
his fiancee after he completed his service.


                          Loren ``Doug'' Hagen

  Loren ``Doug'' Hagen was born in Fargo on February 25, 1946. He 
served as a Green Beret in the Army Special Forces. On August 7, 1971, 
Doug died. He was 25 years old.
  Doug was the eldest of three sons. He was an Eagle Scout and an honor 
student. After graduating from NDSU with a degree in engineering, Doug 
enlisted in the Army. His goal was to find his best friend from high 
school, who had gone missing in action 2 years prior.
  Doug was killed 2 weeks into his second tour of duty, which was 1 
week prior to his being promoted to captain.
  Doug was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism for his 
actions trying to rescue his fellow soldiers on the day he died. His 
Medal of Honor was presented to his father by President Gerald Ford at 
the White House in 1974.
  Last month, the American Legion Post 308 was created in West Fargo 
and was named the Loren ``Doug'' Hagen Post in his honor.
  I am grateful to Jordan Haluzak, Jasmine Nice, Brady Bieber, and Alex 
Love of Bismarck High School for sharing with us about Doug and his 
family. Jordan is related to Doug and is learning more about his family 
tree through this project.


                           Michael Himmerick

  Michael Himmerick was from Valley City and was born November 28, 
1947. He served as a Navy medic for a group of 100 marines. Michael 
died on April 6, 1967. He was 19 years old.
  Michael was one of four boys, and two of his brothers also served in 
the Navy. His family called him Mickey, and the marines he served with 
called him Doc. His bother Jim says Michael was one heck of a 
ballplayer. He was scouted by four Major League Baseball teams when he 
was a sophomore in high school, but he threw his arm out the summer 
after his junior year.
  Jim remembers Michael's plans to put his intelligence and military 
experience to good use to become a doctor after completing his service.


                             Larry Sikorski

  Larry Sikorski was from Fairmount and was born April 1, 1947. He 
served in the Marine Corps' Hotel Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines. 
Larry died on February 25, 1969. He was 21 years old.
  He had two sisters, Yvonne and Arlene. He had four brothers, Chet, 
Richard, Daniel, and Orrin--all of whom served our country in the U.S. 
military.
  Larry's nephew Dale was just 1 year younger than Larry. He cherishes 
his memories of building a raft together, just like Huck Finn and Tom 
Sawyer. They spent 3 days together building it, but, unfortunately, 
once sent into the river, the raft did not float.
  Dale remembers Larry as being outgoing and very intelligent. Larry 
earned straight A's while studying predentistry at the University of 
North Dakota before enlisting in the Marines.
  Before going to Vietnam, when Dale dropped Larry off at the airport, 
Larry told Dale he would never see him again.


                     Richard ``Jimmy'' Gaffney, Jr.

  Richard ``Jimmy'' Gaffney, Jr., was from Fargo. He was born October 
23, 1948. He served in the Marine Corps' Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 
7th Marines. Jimmy died on July 13, 1968. He was 19 years old.
  Jimmy enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after he graduated from 
Fargo Central High School in 1966. During his first 13-month tour of 
duty in Vietnam, he was promoted to the rank of corporal.
  In letters he mailed to his family, Jimmy wrote that he had made a 
lot of good friends in his fellow soldiers. When his first tour came to 
an end, Jimmy signed up for a second tour. Shortly after starting his 
second tour of duty, he was killed by a land mine.


                              Richard Volk

  Richard Volk was from Minot. He was born March 20, 1949. He served in 
the Marine Corps' Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines. Richard 
died on March 19, 1969, the day before his 20th birthday.
  Richard was one of 11 children. Three of the four sons in his family 
served our country in the military. At one point, Richard and his older 
brother, Stephen, were both serving in Vietnam at the same time.
  Richard was a hard worker, working on the Soo Line Railroad and at 
his brother-in-law's restaurant, the Pantry Cafe. His brother Virgil 
remembers that Richard loved hunting and fishing. Virgil said Richard 
was the best looking in the family, and he knew it.


                               Roger Svir

  Roger Svir was from Park River and was born December 1, 1950. He 
served in the Army's 1099th Transportation Company, called the River 
Rats. Roger died on September 26, 1971. He was 20 years old.
  He was the oldest of four children. His father and seven uncles 
served our country in World War II and Korea.
  During high school, Roger worked for a potato farmer and shared his 
earnings with his mother Virginia. His mother cherishes her memories of 
Roger and his cousin playing together along the river and of Roger 
fixing his car.
  He had plans to buy a piece of land with his father and start their 
own farm. After Roger died, his father thought he was too old to start 
farming alone, and he gave up on the dream.
  Roger was proud to hold the same position as an Army River Rat ship 
fitter that his father held during World War II.


                              Willis Weber

  Willis Weber was from Valley City and was born July 1, 1937. He 
served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. His regiment was called the 
Blue Spaders of the Big Red One. Willis was 28 years old when he died 
on November 11, 1965.

[[Page S2746]]

  At College High School in Valley City, his friends called him Willie. 
He participated in journalism, printing, basketball, football, and 
intramural sports.
  Prior to his Army service, Willis served in the Air Force and in the 
Valley City Police Department.
  Three weeks after arriving in Vietnam, Willis was shot, and he died a 
few days after because of that injury. He was awarded six medals in 
recognition for his actions while serving in Vietnam.
  The Valley City AMVETS Post 3 and the Auxiliary are named after 
Willis in honor of his service and sacrifice to his country.
  I want to thank Woody Wendt, a charter member of the Willis Weber 
AMVETS Post, Sarah Lerud, and Wes Anderson--all of Valley City--for 
sharing these details of Willis' life.


                           Edward Alec Werman

  Edward Alec Werman was from Hansel and was born April 11, 1938. He 
served with the Green Berets in the Army's Special Forces. Edward was 
33 years old when he died on June 1, 1971.
  In addition to his parents and five siblings, he left behind his wife 
Nancy, his daughter Robin, and his son Alec.
  His sister Linda remembers Edward as a hard worker who loved his 
children. His daughter Robin loved traveling as a child with her family 
to places such as Myrtle Beach and Washington, DC.
  Edward became a captain in the Army after attending West Point. He 
served two tours of duty in Vietnam and died when the helicopter he was 
in crashed and burned.


                            Steve Escallier

  Steve Escallier enlisted while living in Portal and was born February 
13, 1950. He served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. Steve died on 
October 31, 1969. He was 19 years old.
  Steve's siblings remember him as an exceptional brother with good 
looks and long eyelashes. He held closely the Native American values of 
truth, life, family, and God. Steve was a firm believer in the United 
States and the obligation to help those who asked, so he chose to 
enlist. He had plans to become a teacher after completing his service.
  Steve's sister Elyse believes the whole town where they lived in 
California mourned Steve's death. It took the family years after his 
death to be able to say ``Vietnam'' and even longer to be able to say 
Steve's name.


                             Steven Hanson

  Steven Hanson spent his early childhood in Aneta and was born October 
27, 1949. He served in the Army's 101st Airborne Division. Steve died 
on September 24, 1971. He was 21 years old.
  His family and friends called him Steve. While growing up, Steven's 
father Gordon served as a Lutheran pastor in the small town of Dazey, 
and the family traveled all over the world with his father's work as an 
Army chaplain.
  Steven's younger brother by 10 years, David, tells of a letter the 
family received from a fellow soldier whose life Steven saved the day 
he died.
  The letter described Steven as the pilot of his helicopter crew of 
four soldiers. Steven's helicopter was shot down, but he was able to 
guide it to a semicontrolled crash landing. A fellow pilot of Steven's 
also had survived a recent crash, and Steven was heard joking on the 
radio to tell so-and-so that he now has safely landed one, too.
  One of his crew members was pinned under the helicopter and injured, 
so Steven helped to free him and called the evacuation helicopter. 
Later, a second chopper came and dropped down the cable to take Steven 
and his crewman to safety, but they were drawing fire, and the cable 
gave way. Steven fell 100 feet to his death.

  In addition to his parents and siblings, Steven left behind a wife 
and son.


                                Leon Cox

  Leon Cox was from Jamestown and was born May 4, 1934. He enlisted in 
the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Leon was 35 years old when he died on 
May 17, 1969.
  Leon, or ``Fuzzy,'' as he was affectionately called by his family, 
was the seventh of 12 children. Leon grew up in a family dedicated to 
serving our country. His father served in World War I; two brothers, 
John and Alex, served in World War II; and two other brothers, Donnie 
and Jim, served in Korea.
  Leon made a career out of his military service. During his senior 
year of high school, he joined the National Guard and was deployed to 
Korea. After returning from his deployment, he joined the Army and was 
stationed in Germany, where he and his wife adopted a young girl named 
Nicolette.
  Leon's family remembers him as a proud man who believed in his 
country.


                            Gunder Gunderson

  Gunder Gunderson was from Walhalla and was born on July 25, 1941. He 
served in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. Gunder was 24 years old when 
he died on November 23, 1965.
  His fellow platoon soldier, Paul Guglietta, says that it was an honor 
to serve in the same platoon as Sergeant Gunderson. Paul remembers 
Gunder as being dedicated, hard-working, and very intelligent. He 
always drove himself to improve on everything he did. Paul was injured 
at the same time Gunder was killed and says that Gunder was a brave and 
courageous soldier.


                               Roy Wagner

  Roy Wagner was from Bismarck and was born February 23, 1947. He 
served in the Army's 1st Infantry Division. Roy died October 2, 1967, 
at the age of 20.
  When Roy's brother Toby was drafted, Roy decided to enlist. When the 
draft board met the brothers together, they decided that Toby should go 
home because he had a wife and kids. Roy was more than happy to take 
Toby's place.
  While in Vietnam, Roy met a young Vietnamese boy whose parents had 
been killed in the conflict. It was Roy's intention to adopt the boy 
once he married his fiancee while on leave, but Roy was killed before 
he could marry his sweetheart or adopt the boy.
  The day he died, Roy was in the field with five other soldiers. The 
group was led into a tunnel and ambushed. Three of the men were shot, 
and Roy knew that he needed to buy them some time. He stood at the 
front of the group shooting at the enemy until all of the other men got 
out. He took seven bullets, saved all five men, and lost his life that 
day. All five men later contacted the family to tell them of Roy's 
self-sacrifice.
  The AMVETS post in Bismarck is named after Roy to honor his service 
and his sacrifice.
  I wish to thank Bismarck High School students Kyra Wetzel and Hunter 
Lauer for sharing their research about Roy Wagner with us.
  These are just a few of the brave men who served our country in 
Vietnam. As we are now experiencing the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam 
war, commemorated by an official proclamation by the President, I think 
it is important that we honor those who were killed in action and that 
we share their stories with the next generation of North Dakotans, the 
next generation of Americans, so they can truly appreciate the 
sacrifice of those who served us in the U.S. military and certainly the 
sacrifice which gave the last great measure of their lives.
  I thank the Presiding Officer and yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. NELSON. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Ernst). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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