Vietnam veterans remember those who gave their lives at the Wall

Central Illinois veterans honor squad members who saved their lives during Vietnam War

Central Illinois Proud
By: Matt Sheehan
Posted: Jun 04, 2019

WASHINGTON D.C.--The Greater Peoria Honor Flight can be seen as the trip of a lifetime.

A time where veterans are able to see the memorials in Washington D.C. and reminisce on their times serving in the military.

For Kenneth Klein and Donald Lewis, the Vietnam Memorial Wall reminded them how blessed they are, to be alive today.

"Just the memory of those lost in my platoon. Like I said, Corporal Maxim won the Medal of Honor. If it weren't for Corporal Maxim, Don Lewis wouldn't be here," said Donald Lewis who served in the Vietnam War in the Marine Corps.

"I know too many names on that wall. Some from high school, but four of them that I indicated was from a squad that I was in. They had a big part of my life when I was in country," said Kenneth Klein who served in the Navy as a builder during the Vietnam War.

Klein fought in the Vietnam War a little less than two years.

"I shipped out and joined them in Vietnam in May of 1967, and they were killed in August," Klein said.

And while he only knew his squad members for a short period of time, they changed his life forever.

"Richard Wager shared Christ with me, told me I need to be saved and know The Lord. It gave me a lot of hope, because when there was incoming, I'd pray. I mean, what do you do? You'd call out to God," said Klein.
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