Rachel Peterson's grandfather Earl Kothman served in the Vietnam War, and was supposed to receive a Bronze Star for his actions on the battlefield. But it never came. Prairie Public's Danielle Webster has the story.
Last year, Rachel Peterson interviewed her Vietnam veteran grandfather Earl Kothman as she gathered information for her VFW Voice of Democracy speech. She says she always knew he was a veteran, but didn't really have any idea what kind of incredible story he had to share. So she was surprised when he told her he was supposed to have been awarded the Bronze Star, but he never got it.
"With the return from Vietnam - there was such a lack of technology, and his platoon sergeant who had nominated him passed away years later. It was just really a shuffle coming back to the United States and the paperwork was never found, so he never received his award. January will be the 50th anniversary of his deployment to Vietnam, so he's been waiting forty nine and a half years to receive the Bronze Star, and I've found him to be so humble and so patient in waiting for this award - but, now is the time. We're done waiting."
Peterson says finding her grandfather's Bronze Star became her mission. She started public speaking through the VFW essay contest with a goal to raise awareness of lost veteran's rights and recognition. She says that opened doors for her to meet politicians and others who helped her start the process to file for Kothman's records from the National Archives.
"I have gotten to interview personally the man he carried out of the jungle after the man's leg was blown with an 81-mortar, and I've gotten to speak with his company commander who took so long to find! We had to do a lot of research to find this man because they lost all contact after the war."
She has submitted a request for her grandfather to claim his medal which will be reviewed by the Awards and Decorations board in Knoxville, Tennessee this Thursday, November 12. She says if that request is approved, Kothman will receive his Bronze Star at a ceremony in Saint Paul, Minnesota on January 8th. Peterson says the quest for her grandfather's medal has inspired her.
"Right now I'm in the process of enlisting in the North Dakota National Guard, as well as NDSU's ROTC program. So that's been incredible. And at the ceremony it's just going to be an amazing time to recognize what he's done after years of silence and repressed memories and voice - I'm just so excited for him to finally be recognized. So for the ceremony we have many esteemed guests planning on attending which is thrilling. It's just a great opportunity for us to get to meet all these people who have supported us in our mission, and in our story."
Peterson is a freshman at NDSU. She has launched a Facebook page called Abiding Bronze Star - about the quest for her grandfather's medal, and to raise awareness on behalf of other veterans.
The Abiding Bronze Star Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/abidingbronzestar/?fref=ts
