 | Frank Bergquist graduated from Eddyville, IA, high school in 1958. After graduation, he entered the Army, serving 20 years in Missouri, Maryland, New Mexico, Germany, Iowa, Turkey, Kansas, S.E. Asia, and finally retiring in 1978 in Louisiana. Before retiring, Frank was assigned as an ROTC instructor at WSU and Kemper Military School until 1974. In 1978 he served as the Non-Commissioned officer in charge of operations at Fort Polk, LA. He has served as the Veterans Counselor (DVOP) with the Kansas Job Service Center National Service Office, with the Disabled American Veterans at the VA Regional Office in Wichita; Veterans Employment and Training Coordinator with the US Dept. of Labor at Ft. Riley, KS; Service Coordinator with Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation; Dept Adjutant-Treasurer and the Dept. Executive Director Dept. of Kansas Disabled American Veterans; and past President of the Wichita Civil War Round Table. Currently he is doing graduate work as an instructor in Genealogy and Military History at Wichita State and Kansas State Universities, and is the CEO for the Disabled American Veterans Thrift Stores in Wichita, KS. Bergquist has an AA from Kemper Military School and College from Boonville, MO. and a BGS from Wichita State University. He can be reached by telephone at 316-262-6501. He is located at 926 N. Mosley Wichita 67214. |
Veteran Affairs
2007-03-01 12:02:00
Is there a day to honor the wounded?
I know we honor service members that were kill in action on Memorial Day, but is there a day that honors men & women that were wounded in service?
I was born in 1940, about two years before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The old Soldiers I remember were those World War One Veterans who were still around and a few Civil War and Spanish American War Veterans. I remember the ceremonies for Decoration Day and Veterans Day. I and the other kids would scramble for the ejected rounds from the Springfield rifles and later from the M1 rifles when the honor guard fired the 21 gun salute. Occasionally there would be a funeral for a veteran, but I and the other kids weren’t too sure what that was about. Later the WW2 Vets and the Korean War Vets started coming back home. I stood and watched as the Parade went by. I don’t remember anything being done to honor wounded veterans. But I now hope that it is going to change.
“Thanks to the efforts of Silver Star Families of America, Indiana and New Mexico have proclaimed May 1 as "Silver Star Day" to honor the nation's wounded service members. Silver Star Families of America is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans are supporting the nation's service members.
"What we really want to do is have a nationwide event that day," said Janie Orman, the group's vice president. She added that the proclamation had been sent to every state. The group, which would like to establish May 1 as a national day of observance honoring America's wounded service members, drafted a proclamation in November for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' consideration. His office responded a few weeks later, informing Silver Star Families of America that the governor had signed the proclamation.
New Mexico followed suit, and Wyoming recently contacted the group regarding the initiative, Orman said. "We need someone in (each) state to represent us," she said, adding the American Legion has expressed interest in supporting the group in this effort. "A resolution we wrote has passed the local (American Legion chapter). It has to then pass the district, then the state, then national," she said. "But they're in big support of Silver Star Day also, so that's a great help."
Orman also said that individuals wanting to help represent Silver Star Day in their state should contact her or Steve Newton, Silver Star Families of America's president and co-founder. "Their main goals would be to get the word out about the Silver stars and what we do: ... honor and assist our wounded and their families in any way we can," Orman said. "We do that by presenting the Silver Star banners and care packages."
The group also acts as an advocate for the wounded and works to educate the public about dilemmas wounded troops and veterans face, according to the group's Web site. The Silver Star Banner, which the group is working to make a government-recognized service banner like those of the American Gold Star Mothers, will play a big part in observing Silver Star Day on May 1, Orman said. Silver Star Families of America members are hoping to present their banners to veterans and wounded service members in each state.
They also hope to work with schools to help students understand why the day is important. "I guess what we try to instill in them is that their freedom (to) go to school ... depends on our troops standing up for freedom," Orman said. The day of recognition is open to participation by other groups wishing to honor America's wounded troops, as well. The Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle group that attends military funerals to shield families from protesters, has indicated it would like to hold a rally to commemorate the day, Orman said. "We're just really getting a great response about Silver Star Day," Orman said. Emporia, KS has a claim to being the instigator for recognizing Veterans Day, Maybe the rest of the state can get onboard and support May 1 as Silver Star Day. We already recognize the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.
