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On Wednesday, a Vietnam veteran received an unexpected and heartwarming welcome upon returning home from an Honor Flight journey to Washington, DC.
Ken Easterly, now 80, dedicated his life to serving his country during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he pursued a career in law enforcement before retiring, according to a report from First Alert 4 on Friday.
As a member of the St. Clair County board, Easterly recently had the opportunity to visit the nation’s capital. There, he explored the war memorials that pay tribute to the countless men and women who have made significant sacrifices for the United States.
Among these memorials is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is inscribed with the names of over 58,000 servicemen and women who lost their lives during the war, as noted by the National Park Service (NPS) website.
This memorial serves as a sacred space for visitors, offering a chance for “healing and remembrance,” as described by the NPS.
The memorial offers a place for “healing and remembrance” to visitors, per the NPS.
“The memorial offers veterans, family members of the deceased, and the general visitor, a place to meet, remember, and honor those who gave so much. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial reminds us of the cost of war. War will always produce sacrifice and always create loss, and here along this wall we remember the over 58,200 Americans who answered the call of their country and gave that ultimate sacrifice,” a park ranger said in 2013:
Easterly is a beloved figure in his community; therefore, they wanted to make his return special by throwing him a welcome home party.
“When we came back from Vietnam, we didn’t get a reception like this, and this has been just great, just great, it’s been wonderful,” the veteran said.
In a social media post on Friday, St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern shared photos of Easterly enjoying his time in D.C. and at the party.
“So very awesome! Ken is a County Board Member and is retired law enforcement. When he returned from Vietnam after two tours, Ken joined the Illinois Secretary of State Police. He retired as a Captain and Commander of the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force,” he wrote:
“Ken is one of the good guys!” Kern added.