Thomas “Butch” Harris served in the United States Marine Corps and was injured while trying to carry a wounded pilot down a mountain in Vietnam after their helicopter was hit by a rocket.
“I went back to ‘Nam and did three tours, afterwards,” Harris said.
Larry Goodwin, of Calhoun City, was wounded in 1970 when the armored personnel carrier he was riding in struck a land mine. He spent months in the hospital afterwards and after just over four months in Vietnam was reassigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky from which he was eventually discharged.
Elbie Wayne Dickerson said his wound wasn’t “as serious” so he got to go back and spend the rest of his time in Vietnam.
“One of the prettiest sites I ever saw was when that airplane crossed the Mississippi River coming back home,” Dickerson said. “I thank the good Lord I came home.”
Purple Heart recipients, from left, Joe Carnaggio, Butch Harris, Dan Parker, Elbie Wayne Dickerson and Larry Goodwin at Calhoun City program.
Joe Carnaggio was shot in Cambodia in 1970.
“There were 96 of us that day and our company was completely wiped out,” Carnaggio said. “All but four were killed or wounded.”
These men along with several others including Dan Parker, Charlie Eugene Carter and Steven Carlson were honored as Purple Heart recipients during Monday’s Veterans’ Day program at Calhoun City.
Carlson, of Big Creek, was the featured speaker of the day. He has nearly two decades of military service, including a Purple Heart when the vehicle he was driving was struck with a mortar round in Iraq.
“It’s a day I will never forget,” he said. “It’s a small price to pay to do our mission and defend our country. The Purple Heart isn’t an award you strive for. You try to do the best you can whatever your job is.”
Carlson joined the 223rd, Company B, Engineering battalion in Calhoun City in 1999 and deployed to Iraq in 2003.
“To be a veteran is more than just a title,” he said. “Less than 1% of the United States population does this to keep the enemies at bay and fight for our country overseas.”
“Nov. 11 isn’t just a single day. We should thank our veterans every day. Even though they are not fighting today, they’ve been through those battles. Many of them were injured and continue to deal with those experiences.”
Carlson recalled his days in eighth grade at Calhoun City and participating in the Veterans’ Day program at Calhoun City High school led by Ada Armstrong and Betty Holland. He suggested it had an impact that led him into his military career.
“This community means so much to us. I remember when we left in 2003 going around the Calhoun City square in buses,” he said. “I was only 20 years old and I saw everyone holding a flag. It meant a lot.”
SFC Tommie Turner, of Water Valley, who now leads the unit based out of the armory at Bruce, spoke at the Bruce program.
“I joined the National Guard in 1995 because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than me,” Turner said.
He has deployed twice to Afghanistan over the past decade.
“My first deployment I was kind of lost. My wife went through a lot and honestly I thought what’s wrong with her, she’s at home. I’m the one in harm’s way,” Turner said. “I didn’t have enough sense to know my wife endured everything without a husband to help her. She was responsible for everything, had the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s important when we see a veteran we not only say thanks to them, but their entire family because they all made a great sacrifice.”
Brannan Armstrong spoke to those gathered at Calhoun City High School last week for their annual Veterans’ Day program stressing the importance of the sacrifice veterans made prior to him.
He enlisted in the National Guard in 2010 and worked his way up to field artillery officer by 2015.
“What some considered a struggle I did not because I knew what I signed up for,” Armstrong said. “It was a job and mission given to me and I had no other option but to complete that mission.”
He was deployed to Syria where he worked with Syrian Democratic Forces who were invaded by Turkey. He had a couple of instances with mortars shot in his direction and Russian helicopters violating the airspace near his base.
“I heard the rotary wing and called in to headquarters to ask what helicopters were coming around and they said we don’t have one,” Armstrong said.
It was flying back and forth from one Russian base to another, he said. The next day another helicopter was back again.
“I didn’t need any binoculars. I could see the facial expressions of the pilot. What we thought was a Russian supply helicopter turned out to be an attack helicopter. That was my most powerful prayer.”
“Don’t take anything for granted,” Armstrong told the students. “Be thankful for what you have. I don’t see myself as a hero. I was given a job and I did it, but there are (veterans) that went before me that did things that are unthinkable. I often ask myself would I have done the same thing. Every time you see individuals that have the Vietnam, World War II hats, go say thank you. Remember the ones that paid the ultimate sacrifice.”