Fulton veteran Dennis Byler never wanted to go to war, but he's proud of his time in service.
He's also proud of the three Purple Hearts he earned - even if two of them arrived 44 years late. This time of year, he, like many other veterans, spends time remembering his brothers-in-arms.
"You can't help but think of all your friends who were in the service with you and didn't make it home," he said. "You'll never find any friends better than those you meet in the service. You're with them 24/7, and you get to know as much about them as their mom and dad."
A lifelong Fulton resident, Byler was drafted by the Army in 1966.
"During that time period, we realized we were all probably going to Vietnam," said Larry Underwood, Byler's friend and fellow veteran. "We were all scared."
Byler chose to join the Marines instead of sticking with the Army, as he had an uncle in the Marine Corps who fought during World War II.
He shipped out to Vietnam as a lance corporal for a 13-month tour of duty. Based in Chu Lai, he took part in a number of operations in the area. He and Underwood agreed that the tensest times were nights spent on guard duty - though even sleeping was hazardous business, as rats and monkeys would sneak into your tent to steal your rations.
Within 9 1/2 months, Byler had already been injured three times. The third time, an enemy fighter tossed a grenade toward him to take out a machine gun.
"A piece of the grenade hit me in the side," Byler said.
The staff sergeant in charge of the squad took the brunt of the grenade's explosion and was killed.
"If he hadn't been over on the other side, that grenade would probably have killed me," he said.
Byler was shipped over to Japan to recover and serve out the rest of his tour. After discharge from the hospital, he joined the military police.
"They made me a corporal after I was hit for the third time," he said.
Byler received his discharge papers June 28, 1968, but was disappointed to find that only one of the Purple Hearts he'd earned was listed; records of his second and third injuries had apparently been mislaid.
Back home
He returned home to hostility from those opposed to the Vietnam War.
"They'd spit on you," he said.
As Underwood pointed out, most who fought in the war weren't there because they wanted to be.
"We (soldiers) were more or less fighting for each other," he said.
Attitudes have changed in the years since, Byler and Underwood agreed. Byler points to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center as a turning point.
"Suddenly there were bumper stickers supporting veterans everywhere," he said.
Decades passed. Byler worked for a brick factory and wondered if he'd ever receive his Purple Hearts. The lack of records of his injuries caused trouble when he visited the Columbia veterans hospital.
He wrote to the Marine Corps several times, fruitlessly. Finally, Sonny Sparks stepped in. Then the post commander of the Fulton VFW and with plenty of experience dealing with the Veterans Association, he knew his way around paperwork.
"He probably helped almost every veteran in Callaway County get their disability," Underwood said, adding he kept helping veterans even after retiring.
In 2012, Sparks sent a letter, and within months the Purple Hearts were on their way. Fulton Mayor LeRoy Benton presented them to Byler on Veterans Day 2012.
Today, Byler often joins fellow veterans to sell Buddy Poppies during Veterans Day weekends. Underwood said the VFW uses the money for things like giving veterans who pass through town a place to spend the night and a hot meal.
Upcoming events
Two area school districts have Veterans Day events planned for Monday.
South Callaway High School will host a breakfast and assembly.
Breakfast will be served, at 7:30 a.m. in the Vocational Agriculture Shop and the assembly will be at 8:30 a.m. in the gym Students from across the district will speak and perform with musical arrangements. The guest speaker is Lt. Col. Lance O'Bryan, brother of SCHS principal Heather Helsel.
New Bloomfield High School will have a Veterans Day assembly at 1:30 p.m.