Between the city and county building at the center of Provo City stands a memorial to the lives of the soldiers from Utah County who served and died during the Vietnam conflict.

To BYU mathematics and accounting Professor Grant Peterson, it is a bitter reminder of memories of comradeship during time of war.

Among the names at the memorial in Provo, one stands out in Peterson's mind, a soldier named Ernest Falkey. While serving in Vietnam, Falkey stepped on a land mine and died.

"For him, it was a blessing," Peterson said.

He stood at Falkey's bedside in an evacuation hospital as an army chaplain and friend offering comfort during Falkey's last moments.

Peterson and more than 140 members of the BYU faculty and staff served for their country. Like many American's BYU's ROTC will honor these heroes Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, during their annual Patriot's Week.

Although the holiday honors veterans, Peterson said only recently people have begun to acknowledge the service that he and his countrymen gave.

"It's a day you can buy things on sale," Peterson said jokingly. "There is not a great deal of recognition associated with it."

Peterson served as an army engineer in the military beginning in 1963. Three years later he entered active duty serving in Vietnam for a year as an army chaplain. He was one of seven army chaplains appointed under President Lyndon Johnson. After the Korean conflict, only three members of the Church of Latter-day Saints remained as chaplains in the military.

"One percent of the military was LDS at that time," Peterson said. "Since than a substantial core of chaplains - 30 to 40 - have been appointed. They are regarded very highly."

Several years later, Peterson served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm in charge of the primary ground station for the causality reception station located in Germany. The reception center was once a hospital. Ironically, the maternity ward was turned into the burn ward.

"The place where life had begun was now where life would end in excruciating pain," Peterson said.

As an army chaplain, his duties included serving on the personal staff of the commanding officer, he said. His primary goal was to be a friend of all soldiers and to instill confidence in them so that they may perform well.

"You are the religious leader of the troops," Peterson said. "You have to work with soldiers with all faiths."

As an army chaplain Peterson learned hard lessons not just by experience, but by observation as many soldiers leaned on him for religious support and morale.

"You learn by observation, unfortunately not by personal experience, of what happens when covenants made aren't kept," Peterson said.

Peterson said he had many sobering experiences as members of many faiths expressed concern for fidelity in marriage. Soldiers would express concern for unfaithfulness of their wives. Peterson had to rely on his faith to offer support to these soldiers. Many times the soldiers themselves had been unfaithful to their wives and were far more concerned about their wife's unfaithfulness.

"It's not a dual standard," Peterson said. "It is a single standard whether or not you are LDS."

Relying much on his religious beliefs, Peterson learned the value of heeding warnings and going with spiritual strength into war.

"The Church has taught even though war is to be abhorred," Peterson said. "We must respond the call of our country to defend our homes, our nations and our families, and there is no justification for not doing so."

Peterson served with Catholic chaplain named Angelo Liptki. While his platoon was under heavy fire, he repeatedly rescuing soldiers hit under heavy fire. After Vietnam, Liptki received the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery. Later Peterson ran into Liptki, who was struggling with the grim reality of war.

"It bothered him so much that he left the military-he even turned back his Congressional Medal of Honor," Peterson said. "It changes your life forever."

Most veterans do not like to share their 'war stories,' Peterson said.

"War is hell-although that term is used very loosely," Peterson said. "But it is true."

When Peterson's son left for training in the Air Force, Peterson shared some of his experiences with him to prepare him for his future experiences.

"I don't talk much about Vietnam," Peterson said. "It is not something you can't shrug off. It changes your life forever."

Most people are unable to comprehend how permanently war changes people's lives, Peterson said. One machine gunner who fired upon a lot of people convinced himself that he had never hit anybody.

"It was a coping mechanism, but it still happened," Peterson said. "Of course it happened."

Soldiers that served before Desert Storm did not have a choice between college and military service, Peterson said. It was something that expected of them.

"It was a grim necessity," Peterson said. "In those days, it wasn't a choice. Instead it was to choose where."

Veteran Jack Rowe also served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1972, but in the Navy. Rowe ran landing gear on the aircraft carriers. Rowe is a maintenance technician on campus.

Rowe's ship located for more than a year off Vietnam often was called into the Sea of Japan to search for survivors of shot down aircraft. It also was the main recovery ship for Apollos 11 and 12.

Rowe joined the Navy because it was expected of him, but does not regret it.

"I'm proud of it," Rowe said. "At first I was not too proud. My job was safe compared to the army guys who were on the ground."

Other veterans all over campus have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves, said Captain Noel Namauu, BYU assistant professor of military science. These men like Peterson and Rowe are the unsung heroes.



Copyright Brigham Young University 11 Nov 2002