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275 veterans treated to night of thanks

By Angie Hutschreider angieh@newstribune.com

Published: Monday, November 16, 2009 4:46 AM CST

Dress blues, camouflage fatigues, brass and ribbons decorated many in the room. Some struggled to stand, but did so to make sure they too showed their support when one of their own was recognized.

At Operation Bugle Boy on Sunday night, more than 275 local veterans and more than 225 of their guests gathered to be honored at the St. Martins Knights of Columbus.

Each veteran has a story just as unique as they are. Some are willing to tell their tales, other are not. Whether they are veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm or are veterans from the more recent Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, each claimed others deserved more accolades than they did.

“I really did not do anything,” Harold Markway said. “Those who really did something are buried there - they never made it home.”

Markway, who served with the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946, never expected the recognition that events like Operation Bugle Boy shine on veterans, but said it is long overdue.

“When I came home you just came home,” he recalled. “You did not expect anything and it was not a celebration - one day you were just at home.

“That was better than how the Vietnam veterans were treated. They could not even wear their uniforms; they were not supported at all.”

Markway recalled the days he spent aboard the USS Rowan 782, especially arriving in Nagasaki just weeks after the atomic bomb had devastated the area.

“You saw no people - it was total destruction,” he said. “There was nothing that was not affected.”

He spoke of smells and sights that he can recall even more than 50 years later.

“The smell was so bad when I opened the door to that warehouse I shut it again right away,” he said. “They had nothing there.”

He proudly showed a few coins and bills of Japanese currency he has treasured since returning home.

“They would hand you money - it was not worth anything then,” he said. “But they expected something in return - usually they wanted food or soap or cigarettes. But usually food - they really had nothing.”

As he looked around the building that was full of his fellow veterans he spoke of the programs that benefited them.

To view the entire article, please go to our e-edition. http://www.newstribune.com/e-edition


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