Buyer honors local veterans

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Some local veterans who served in Vietnam and World War II received national honors today, that were decades overdue. The recognition was District 4 Congressman Steve Buyer's last act in office.

The memories of the Vietnam War are still fresh for these veterans, even decades later.

"You just don't watch anything that has to do with wars, anything like that. You don't watch war movies, because it'll bring backflashes on you," said SPC Ralph Brettnacher, a Vietnam veteran who grew up in Frankfort and now lives in Lafayette.

"Some of the things that happened, they seemed like they happened a week ago, even if it was 40 years. But I think we need to thank all the people in uniform anytime," said SPC Thomas Rhine, another Vietnam veteran who grew up in Cass County and now lives in Burlington.

Rhine and Brettnacher were each awarded a Purple Heart medal for their service during Vietnam, in addition to several other medals and awards. CPL Paul Arnold Tharp, SGT Richard Shaw and SP5 Donald Voorhies were also honored in a ceremony put on by Congressmen Steve Buyer.

It's been about four decades since their service, but Buyer said it was important to recognize the veterans, even if it was difficult for them to recognize themselves.

"Medals didn't mean anything to them," Buyer said. "They had a job to do, it was to end the war and to get home. And when they got home, they wanted to get on with their lives."

"He never said anything bad about the war. He said it was yesterday's ball game, no one wanted to hear it and he wasn't going to talk about it," said Candy Oliverio.

For Oliverio, the ceremony was a long-overdue testament to her late husband Frank. Frank Oliverio served the country more than half a century ago, during World War II. He has since died.

Congressman Buyer said his own military background helped prepare him for the transition to a different type of public service, in Congress. And he said he also used that position to fight for current service members and U.S. veterans.

"The soldier doesn't ask much," Buyer said. "And the government must then step forward and do everything possible to make it right."

These soldiers certainly didn't ask for much either, but accepted their awards with humility-and perhaps a quiet pride.

"I'm the same person I was yesterday, but I appreciate it and they did a nice job," Rhine said.

"It feels pretty good. Yeah. It feels alright," Brettnacher said.

Congressman Buyer presented more than forty medals and awards to the veterans today, including several Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars.