Wheaton graduate honored for Vietnam service at alma mater
Pictured above, Wheaton Class of 1964 graduate Keith Harrison (right) receives a flag from his friend, Dale Forgey, Wheaton High School staff member, during the schools’ Veterans Day assembly.
November 14, 2018
Charlea Estes-Jones
Each Veterans Day, area schools put on assemblies, luncheons and ceremonies to honor area veterans, but also serve as a sober reminder of the sacrifices made by people students know who ensure freedom. Guest speakers, poems, slideshows and more show students what service looks like and what it means.
This year, a 1964 Wheaton School graduate was presented with the American flag, thanking him for his service in one of the hardest conflicts in American history.
Keith Harrison, a Vietnam veteran and current Exeter residence, was presented the American flag at Wheaton’s Veterans Day assembly by his friend, Dale Forgey. Forgey is the high school’s administrative assistant.
Harrison said it was an honor to receive the flag, especially from a friend. He said, “When he presented the flag to me, I was going to say something, but it’s hard sometimes to keep it all in.” So Harrison accepted the flag from a teary eyed Forgey and the men embraced before the assembly continued.
Later, Forgey explained that he and Harrison met through church and formed a friendship, so the ceremony was particularly special and emotional for him. He said, “I go to church with him and I’ve gotten to know him really well, and he’s explained some things about his service.
“I didn’t serve because I was too young and by the time I got older, the draft had quit, but a lot of the guys I knew who were a little bit older than I am had to go to Vietnam. I told him how much I appreciate it.”
After getting to know Harrison, Forgey nominated him to receive the flag at the assembly. He said, “We got to know each other well through church. I know his story and what he went through and it tugged at my heart. I wanted to make sure he was recognized and every one here agreed.”
Harrison served in Vietnam in the Third Battalion, 12th Infantry of the Fourth Infantry Division. He enlisted in December 1965 and went to Vietnam in 1966 and served through 1967. He said, “We were just like brothers. We were all farm boys and all of us could shoot good, and we could do everything good, and we had good company commanders, too.”
Harrison’s unit is the subject of a book published about the Vietnam conflict published in 2017 called Nine Days in May: The Battles of the 4th Infantry Division on the Cambodian Border, 1967. A documentary is coming out next year about the unit, as well.
While the book provides a lot of information about his unit, Harrison said he wasn’t ready to talk for it. He said, “I’m not in the book very much. I refused to participate in it.”
Harrison said he suffered PTSD and multiple other issues from his service. He said, “I hate to admit it. I lost it all. I didn’t know where I was at or anything. It was ‘78 or so I guess, I didn’t know my parents, brothers, sisters, anybody.”
However, over time, Harrison improved, and he said he has started to open up about his service and encourages others to get help. “I got my 100 percent disability in 2000.”
Harrison was seriously injured twice while serving in Vietnam. Fifty-two years ago today, November 14, he was hit with shrapnel from a grenade. He said, “I got grenade shrapnel all in my body. Mostly it hit the artery in the back of my neck and hit my spinal column. I was paralyzed and out of it for two or three days, then everything started coming around again.”
Harrison was only out of commission for a month before rejoining his unit and returning to combat. He said, “I went back about a month after I came around from the first one. I’m a quick healer, you know. I got used to pain. It didn’t bother me.”
The second injury came after that. He said, “I split my knee in two and spent six months in the hospital after that. I was scared to leave the guys because, you know, we were all country guys in the first platoon. We were all together over there. We only lost seven guys , and only one from our platoon.”
Harrison said the service was hard, and coming back to such turmoil from protests surrounding the conflict didn’t help. He said, “I just thought my life was over then, but I found out it wasn’t
“It takes its toll. I’ve been fighting cancer for five years, caused from over there.”
When asked if he would change things, Harrison said he wouldn’t. He said, “I was proud to serve my country. If I had to do it again, I’d probably go back and do it again.”
Forgey said after the assembly, he had students really moved by what they experienced on Friday. He said, “Students were amazed that there was a book written about his unit and that there will be a documentary about them and his unit.
“We’ve had others that served and didn’t say much, but when you find out a little bit more about the men and women and what they went through, it means a lot more.”
Harrison’s father was also a veteran who served during World War II.
He also still gets together with his fellow unit members. He said, “We get together every other year. There’s still, out of our platoon, 36 are still alive today and all 72 years or older. We were all just farm boys.”
Forgey said he is glad the students see a bit about service to their country through the school’s assembly. He said, “It means a lot to me what these guys and ladies went through for us. I think this generation needs to know about Vietnam and all the men and women did for us. We take freedom for granted so often.”
Charlea Estes-Jones
Each Veterans Day, area schools put on assemblies, luncheons and ceremonies to honor area veterans, but also serve as a sober reminder of the sacrifices made by people students know who ensure freedom. Guest speakers, poems, slideshows and more show students what service looks like and what it means.
This year, a 1964 Wheaton School graduate was presented with the American flag, thanking him for his service in one of the hardest conflicts in American history.
Keith Harrison, a Vietnam veteran and current Exeter residence, was presented the American flag at Wheaton’s Veterans Day assembly by his friend, Dale Forgey. Forgey is the high school’s administrative assistant.
Harrison said it was an honor to receive the flag, especially from a friend. He said, “When he presented the flag to me, I was going to say something, but it’s hard sometimes to keep it all in.” So Harrison accepted the flag from a teary eyed Forgey and the men embraced before the assembly continued.
Later, Forgey explained that he and Harrison met through church and formed a friendship, so the ceremony was particularly special and emotional for him. He said, “I go to church with him and I’ve gotten to know him really well, and he’s explained some things about his service.
“I didn’t serve because I was too young and by the time I got older, the draft had quit, but a lot of the guys I knew who were a little bit older than I am had to go to Vietnam. I told him how much I appreciate it.”
After getting to know Harrison, Forgey nominated him to receive the flag at the assembly. He said, “We got to know each other well through church. I know his story and what he went through and it tugged at my heart. I wanted to make sure he was recognized and every one here agreed.”
Harrison served in Vietnam in the Third Battalion, 12th Infantry of the Fourth Infantry Division. He enlisted in December 1965 and went to Vietnam in 1966 and served through 1967. He said, “We were just like brothers. We were all farm boys and all of us could shoot good, and we could do everything good, and we had good company commanders, too.”
Harrison’s unit is the subject of a book published about the Vietnam conflict published in 2017 called Nine Days in May: The Battles of the 4th Infantry Division on the Cambodian Border, 1967. A documentary is coming out next year about the unit, as well.
While the book provides a lot of information about his unit, Harrison said he wasn’t ready to talk for it. He said, “I’m not in the book very much. I refused to participate in it.”
Harrison said he suffered PTSD and multiple other issues from his service. He said, “I hate to admit it. I lost it all. I didn’t know where I was at or anything. It was ‘78 or so I guess, I didn’t know my parents, brothers, sisters, anybody.”
However, over time, Harrison improved, and he said he has started to open up about his service and encourages others to get help. “I got my 100 percent disability in 2000.”
Harrison was seriously injured twice while serving in Vietnam. Fifty-two years ago today, November 14, he was hit with shrapnel from a grenade. He said, “I got grenade shrapnel all in my body. Mostly it hit the artery in the back of my neck and hit my spinal column. I was paralyzed and out of it for two or three days, then everything started coming around again.”
Harrison was only out of commission for a month before rejoining his unit and returning to combat. He said, “I went back about a month after I came around from the first one. I’m a quick healer, you know. I got used to pain. It didn’t bother me.”
The second injury came after that. He said, “I split my knee in two and spent six months in the hospital after that. I was scared to leave the guys because, you know, we were all country guys in the first platoon. We were all together over there. We only lost seven guys , and only one from our platoon.”
Harrison said the service was hard, and coming back to such turmoil from protests surrounding the conflict didn’t help. He said, “I just thought my life was over then, but I found out it wasn’t
“It takes its toll. I’ve been fighting cancer for five years, caused from over there.”
When asked if he would change things, Harrison said he wouldn’t. He said, “I was proud to serve my country. If I had to do it again, I’d probably go back and do it again.”
Forgey said after the assembly, he had students really moved by what they experienced on Friday. He said, “Students were amazed that there was a book written about his unit and that there will be a documentary about them and his unit.
“We’ve had others that served and didn’t say much, but when you find out a little bit more about the men and women and what they went through, it means a lot more.”
Harrison’s father was also a veteran who served during World War II.
He also still gets together with his fellow unit members. He said, “We get together every other year. There’s still, out of our platoon, 36 are still alive today and all 72 years or older. We were all just farm boys.”
Forgey said he is glad the students see a bit about service to their country through the school’s assembly. He said, “It means a lot to me what these guys and ladies went through for us. I think this generation needs to know about Vietnam and all the men and women did for us. We take freedom for granted so often.”