Small Town News

Veteran receives Bronze Star -- 40 years later

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Vernon Koedam of Alvord had his Bronze Star Medal Citation. He had the DD Form 214 Certificate of Release listing all his service medals, including the Bronze Star. What he didn't have was the actual medal.

"Ordinarily," said Koedam, "your commander presents these medals to those under his command before they leave active duty, but for some reason, I didn't get mine."

Koedam was drafted and entered military service on March 3, 1969. He received basic and advanced infantryman training at Ft. Polk, La. "It was an awful place, hot and humid," he said, "but that helped prepare us for Vietnam."

On Aug. 8, 1969, Specialist 4 Koedam's company shipped out and went directly to Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. The infantrymen were on constant alert as they maneuvered through the steamy jungles and waterlogged rice paddies of this tropical country. Night ambushes were a constant reminder that the enemy was never very far away. Seeing friends die or suffer horrible wounds was haunting evidence of one's own mortality.

"I'll never forget the first time I got shot at," said

Koedam. "I was walking in tall grass and we came under sniper fire. Bullets began landing all around my feet, and I realized 'these guys are playing for real -- they're trying to kill me'."

Koedam also recalled one of the many nights his company was ambushed. They were walking through a rice paddy between two groves of trees when they came under fire. He saw fellow soldiers being hit and climbed over and behind a mound for protection. He threw his machine gun back over the top of the mound and began firing over 100 rounds. Of course, as soon as he started firing, the enemy knew where he was and began firing in his direction.

"The bullets hit the mound of dirt and sent pieces of mud flying into my face. Then all of a sudden my gun quit firing. There I was in the dark, trying to fix my gun so it would fire."

He spoke of the long dark night, of watching fellow soldiers die, and hinted at the terror the American soldiers experienced as they waited for the light of day amidst enemies they couldn't see. Koedam said after examining his gun the next morning, he found that the volley of enemy bullets hitting the mound he was behind caused a piece of hard dirt to lodge in the firing mechanism, something he couldn't see in the dark of night. Once he removed it, the gun worked fine again.

One of Koedam's heroic acts, which led to his receiving the Bronze Star, occurred when his company came under fire. Koedam put himself in danger by assisting in getting wounded soldiers onto rescue helicopters.

Several years later, when Koedam was driving truck crosscountry, he stopped at a place to eat late one night in Reno, Nev. He and another man were the only two in the place and the guy kept staring at him, which naturally gave him a weird feeling. Finally, the guy walked over and said, "Were you in Vietnam?" After asking a few more questions, including some about the helicopter rescue, the guy said, "You saved my life that day."

While serving in South Vietnam, Koedam's company also spent time at the location of the My Lai massacre. When the incident came to light about a year after it occurred, investigative teams were sent in and Koedam's company was assigned to provide security.

Koedam's time overseas was toward the end of the U.S. involvement in South Vietnam, so he was also part of the "pacification" efforts to win over the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese, helping their military prepare to fight the North Vietnamese when American soldiers were gone. He said the biggest problem was the language barrier.

When Koedam's stint in South Vietnam was over, he had a choice to re-up or return to the United States to fulfill his military obligation. "I figured I'd made it safely for a year and I'd better not press my luck, so I came back," he said.

Once honorably discharged, Koedam returned to Alvord. When asked what that return was like, Koedam shook his head, saying, "As I walked through the Sioux Falls airport, I was spit on. When we (Vietnam veterans) filled out job applications, we didn't admit to being veterans."

Koedam moved on with his life. He began trucking, married his wife, Laura, and they had three sons, Chad, Mark and Brent.

Still, the images from the war in which he fought, along with the reaction of some of the American citizens for whom he fought, will always haunt him to some extent, said Koedam. He's been told that anniversary years such as this one often bring horrible experiences back to mind in excruciating detail.

Something which has been immensely helpful to him is the contact which was made a few years ago with several of the men from his company, including the man who approached him in Reno. They have a reunion once a year, spending four or five days getting reac-quainted with each other and their spouses, going places together, reminiscing and providing emotional support if needed.

"The best reunion we had was when we went as a group to the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington," said Koedam. "We had special T-shirts which we all wore and we had caps saying Vietnam Veteran on them. People stopped and thanked us. They asked to have their picture taken with us. It brought tears to our eyes."

For years, Koedam didn't give much thought to the missing medal. After all, he had a citation which reads as follows:

"The Bronze Star Medal is presented to Specialist Four Vernon Koedam, United States Army, who distinquished himself by outstandingly meritorious service in connection with military operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. During the period August 1969 to August 1970 he consistently manifested exemplary professionalism and initiative in obtaining outstanding results. His rapid assessment and solution of numerous problems inherent in a combat environment greatly enhanced the allied effectiveness against a determined and aggressive enemy. Despite many adversities, he invariably performed his duties in a resolute and efficient manner. Energetically applying his sound judgement and extensive knowledge, he has contributed materially to the successful accomplishment of the United States mission in the Republic of Vietnam. His loyalty and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army."

Then about a year ago, with urging from his family, Koedam made contact with Wilma Miller with the Lyon County Veterans Affairs office in Rock Rapids to pursue the issue. With her assistance, copies of Koedam's citation and other military records were submitted to the proper authorities.

As time continued to pass with no response, Koedam accepted he probably wouldn't be getting it. And then one day recently, it showed up in the mail. Just the medal -- no explanation, no apology, no congratulations. It doesn't matter, because now, 40 years late, Koedam has his well-deserved Bronze Star.

I'll never forget the first time I got shot at

Koedam



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© 2010 Lyon County Reporter Rock Rapids, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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