We have been learning about Joe Louwagie’s Vietnam service. He grew up on the family farm south of Green Valley and married Jo Schmitz, in 1968 after graduating college. Facing a draft call, Joe enlisted in the Army for Officer Candidate School (OCS) training, but dropped OCS when a back injury precluded his becoming an officer. The Army deployed him to Vietnam in June 1969. He began his year-long tour with the 1st Infantry Division. When that unit redeployed from Vietnam, the Army reassigned Joe to the 1st Cavalry Division.

Joe became a father while in Vietnam when Jo delivered their firstborn, a boy she named Joseph.

Joe’s company suffered heavy casualties while patrolling near the Cambodian border in late March 1970, so they relocated to nearby Fire Base Illingworth.

“They took us out of the field because we only had 50 guys left in the company and there’s supposed to be 110. Leon Peleton and I were the only ones in our squad. The rest were wounded and medevac’d off. When you got to Illingworth, the first thing you noticed was that you had berms out in front, but they had no concertina wire on the berms and no concertina wire in front of the berms.”

A 2022 Army article wrote of Illingworth that day, “Without a perimeter fence and with exposed ammunition dumps, the small firebase was ripe for an enemy attack.”

Joe and Lee did not stay at the fire base long as another company came in to replace their company. A mechanized unit with tanks and armored personnel carriers took Joe’s unit to a nighttime position several kilometers away. There they watched with horror as the night sky over Illingworth lit up when enemy forces attacked. Twenty-five U.S. soldiers were killed there and another 54 wounded.

Combat patrolling was grueling and filled with potential danger, but Joe also had occasional interludes from the field. For instance, Joe was in Vietnam for Christmas 1969.

“Around Christmas Bob Hope was in Lai Khe. We were in the field. They marched us to a fire support base, where they picked us up with Chinooks (helicopters) where 25 or 20 people fit in the back, and flew us to Lai Khe. There must have been 10,000 GIs watching Bob Hope on the stage. We were in the back so they looked like figures half an inch tall. I had binoculars and still couldn’t see what was going on. Connie Stevens was there. Everybody loves Bob Hope, but I can’t say I enjoyed it.”

Since Joe was assigned to a combat unit his entire Vietnam tour, he had two R&R (Rest and Recuperation) opportunities with Jo in Hawaii. But he explained that even these interludes involved anxiety.

“The first time I got R&R to meet my wife in Hawaii, I was told, ‘The plane is full. You will not be able to go on the plane.’ I said, ‘My wife’s already on a plane from Minnesota. She’s going to be arriving in Hawaii and I won’t be there to meet her. She won’t know what happened to me because I have no way to get word back.’ They said, ‘Sorry, there’s nothing we can do about it.'”

Joe was understandably angry, but found an unexpected ally.

“I’m swearing and threw my duffel bag on my bunkbed. Somebody came up to me and asked, ‘What’s wrong with you, soldier?’ I swore and said, ‘Get off my back.’ He said, ‘Joe, can’t you say hi to an old friend?’ I looked up and it’s Dennis Mickelson from Cottonwood, Minnesota. I used to play softball with him.”

Joe explained his dilemma and Dennis took charge, leading Joe to the cadre barracks at the Bien Hoa base. He took Joe’s travel papers and told him to sit tight.

“He went someplace and came back 10 minutes later, ‘You’re on the plane tomorrow morning.’ I got on before the colonels and generals. That’s just coincidence. Twice he helped me out. I owe him a lot.”

Joe made his flight and he and Jo spent precious days in Hawaii within walking distance of Waikiki Beach. Then he returned to Vietnam and back into the field. Eventually he neared the end of his tour of duty, aided by a 33-day early out to continue his education.

“I had 22 days left in country before I was coming home, when we had orders to go into Cambodia. I went to the captain to try and get out and the captain said, ‘No. I make the decision who goes into Cambodia.’ Burt Tackberry was my platoon leader, with whom I went through Basic, AIT, and OCS. Bert said, ‘Let me talk to the captain.’ He came back to me and said, ‘I told him Joe’s married and he’s got a kid. He’s a short-timer. He shouldn’t have to go in the field anymore.’ The captain said, ‘I make the decisions as to who goes to the field.’ Bert replied, ‘I think you should talk to your superior officer and ask his opinion.’ The captain asked, ‘Who’s my superior officer?’ Bert answered, ‘Colonel Tackberry, my father. (Joe chuckled) I didn’t have to go into Cambodia. Now, those are coincidences you can’t make up.”

Joe completed his tour of duty and flew out of Tan Son Nhut Air Base in May 1970. He and Jo reunited and began creating their life after Vietnam with their new son.