Long-awaited recognition delivered for Vietnam veterans in Woonsocket ceremony

WOONSOCKET, S.D. — When Huron resident Franklin Rau returned from Vietnam in 1970, he was met not with gratitude, but with hostility.

Nearly five and a half decades after his service, Rau's sacrifices were finally acknowledged. He was among 13 veterans honored by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson during a Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Pinning Ceremony Wednesday afternoon in Woonsocket at the Sanborn County Veterans Memorial.

"When I got back to the states in Seattle, the receiving was less than welcoming," Rau said. "They spit on me and called me a baby killer."

Wednesday's ceremony was part of a national initiative between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Department of Defense aimed at honoring Vietnam veterans. Johnson highlighted the need to address the often-hostile reception that many servicemen and women encountered upon returning from the controversial conflict. According to Johnson, there are over 54,000 Veterans in the state of South Dakota, many of whom served in the Vietnam War.

Johnson noted that service members like Rau from the Vietnam era often did not receive the warm homecoming they deserved.

"Too many service members returned from Vietnam to an inappropriate and hostile reception," Johnson stated. "This ceremony is our way of making things right and giving these veterans the homecoming they always deserved."

Johnson emphasized the ongoing commitment to honoring Vietnam veterans in South Dakota. Over the past two years, his office has recognized nearly 1,200 Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans through this initiative.

U.S. veterans who served on active duty in the Armed Forces at any point between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, regardless of where they were stationed, are eligible to receive a commemorative lapel pin. Those who are honored at the pinning ceremony are generally nominated to be recognized.

Wednesday's honorees represented a diverse range of military branches. Seven veterans served in the Army, three in the Navy, one in the Marines, one in the Air Force, and one veteran who served in both the Army and Air Force.

During the brief ceremony surrounded by friends and family, Johnson presented each veteran with a commemorative pin and challenge coin. The pin, featuring an eagle's head and the phrase "A grateful nation thanks and honors you," symbolizes courage, honor, and dedicated service.

"This is a 'do-over' for our nation," Johnson said. "It's our country's chance to make amends for that ugly chapter."

The ceremony allowed veterans to share their experiences, revealing both the camaraderie and loss that defined their service.

"I was in the Army in 1964 and 1965, then I transferred to the Air Force in 1966 to 1970," said Jerry Regynski, of Mitchell. "I worked in headquarters, so I didn't go to Vietnam. I had to stay home which was In Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.They called it Fort Lost in the Woods."

Jim Nielsen, of Huron, who served 3 1/2 years in Vietnam with the Army's K Company 75th Rangers, reflected on his unit's losses.

"Unfortunately, there's only four of us left, but we made it home," Nielsen said.

Lyle Bruinsma, from Plankinton, was part of a group of veterans brought to the event by the Aurora County VFW Post 6554. He served in the Army, focusing on logistics and supply chain management, ensuring that essential resources were available for his unit during their missions.

"I didn't get out in the jungle like a lot of them did," Bruinsma said.

Bruinsma went on to share a poignant memory.

"About three years after I got back, my neighbor across the road wasn't one of the lucky ones. He lost his life. I always felt a little guilty. Why did he have to lose his life when I didn't?" Bruinsma said. "I love America, and I'm happy to have served."

For many veterans, the ceremony provided a sense of closure and appreciation that had been missing for decades.

"This pin means more than just a piece of metal," said John Cyphert, a Navy veteran from Huron. "It's acknowledgment of our service and sacrifices. It was my honor to serve."

As the ceremony concluded, Nielsen shared his experience with the Honor Flight program, which brings veterans to Washington D.C. to visit war memorials.

"It was fantastic. It helped a lot of animosity, anxieties, bad feelings, disappear," Nielsen said.

He urged fellow veterans to participate if possible.

"All our families are waiting for us when we get back from the trip. They give us our final discharge," Nielsen said. "And at that point, it's a silent feeling of relief. We're done. And it's a great feeling."