STURGIS, SD – South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson was in the Black Hills Wednesday and made a stop at the Veterans Club in Sturgis to honor a group of Vietnam Veterans.
The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 28-thousand South Dakotans served in the military during the Vietnam Era, which began in 1955 and ended in 1975. Congressman Dusty Johnson has made it his mission to recognize as many Vietnam Veterans as possible during lapel pinning ceremonies across the state. Johnson stopped by the Sturgis Veterans Club on Wednesday afternoon and honored 16 Vietnam era vets with lapel pins, commemorative coins and a certificate of appreciation.
“This is just an opportunity to do right by these men and women,” Johnson said. “We’ve pinned more than a thousand Vietnam veterans and Vietnam era veterans in the last few years. I look them in the eye and say ‘A grateful Nation thanks and honors you for your service.”
Johnson had each veteran introduce themselves and talk about their service to a crowd of more than 100 at the Vets Club. U.S. Air Force veteran Donald Stover of Rapid City was honored by Johnson. Stover served on active duty from 1961 to 1965 at assignments within the United States, with temporary duty overseas.
“It’s heartwarming and it makes me feel proud,” Stover said. “I didn’t realize until last year that I really should feel this way because I didn’t serve in combat. I was fortunate enough to be able to go on the Honor Flight out to DC last year and it opened my eyes. So I’m proud to have been a part of that.”
Johnson told the crowd that not everybody had a bad welcome home, this is still South Dakota, but nobody got the welcome home that they deserved and that he is honored to look each Veteran in the eye and give them a proper ‘welcome home’.
