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We have been learning about Charlie Hettling, the eldest of Agnes and Floyd Hettling’s five children. Charlie spent more time in Minneota as he grew older and smiled as he shared town experiences. Attending movies at the Joy Theater was a big deal for Charlie and his friend, Wayne Tollefson.

“When I was younger Mom would give us a quarter and we’d come to town on Friday or Saturday night. It was 13 cents if you were under 13 and a quarter when you were 13 or older. You’d come in and the ticket booth was on the right. Mrs. Debout would be in there. When I went with my friend, Wayne, he was one of the shortest ones in class and I was one of the tallest. We’d give our money to go in and Mrs. Debout would look at me and say, ‘How old are you?’ I’d tell her I wouldn’t be 13 until August. But she’d always think that I was older. So, I started putting 13 cents down and saying, ‘I’m not going to be 13 until August.’ Then, she’d just look at me and say, ‘OK.'”

Attending a movie at the Joy also meant stopping at the concession stand, where Charlie carefully planned his purchases.

“It was always one of the high school girls on the concession stand. We’d have a quarter with 13 cents to go to the movie, so we’d get a bag of popcorn for a dime. We’d have two cents left. They had Blackjack gum, which was kind of like licorice, at three sticks for a penny, so I’d always get one of them.”

Charlie explained that money was hard to come by for young guys, so they once worked hard to “rescue” a quarter.

“We’d look in the grates in town and one time there was a quarter in there, but we couldn’t figure out how to get it. Finally, one of us brought a stick; we put gum we’d been chewing on the stick; and, by golly, we got that quarter! (Charlie laughed) We split it three ways between Wayne; his older brother; and I.”

The downtown Dairy Store was another favorite hangout.

“It was next to the Joy Theater. If I’d go to a movie and Mom and Dad were in town they’d say, ‘When the movie gets done, wait at the Dairy Store.’ I’d wait there and they’d come get me. But if they were in town on Friday, you could also look for them because they’d often be talking with someone on the street. The Dairy Store was big. During high school after the game, the kids wanted to go there.”

Charlie recalled the Chicago Northwestern rail line through Minneota.

“I remember seeing it come through with passengers when I was little. They quit the passenger service because there was not enough demand. Then they were just hauling freight. But after a time, the tracks were getting so bad that they couldn’t go very fast. I think four miles per hour was all it could do. After I got out of high school, I recall going to Marshall to get parts and the train was between Minneota and Ghent. I got my stuff; headed back; (Charlie chuckled) and the train wasn’t quite to Ghent yet.”

Charlie’s friendship with Wayne continued through high school.

“When we’d go out, he and I would go together. We’d call each other to go to Luther League or church and, once we got our driver’s license, it was ‘I’ll pick you up,’ or ‘You pick me up.'”

Charlie joined the high school basketball team, but explained that his game was slow to develop.

“Dad needed help with the fall harvest and in the spring for planting. So, I did basketball. I was never very good at it because I was too lanky. I grew so fast, I was uncoordinated. I was 6’4″ as a freshman and only 140 pounds. I didn’t really catch up until my senior year when I started to get more coordinated.”

Charlie graduated with the Minneota High School class of 1961. He continued helping his dad on the farm; began raising hogs, and took a job with a chicken farmer. He was subject to the military draft and knew he would be called for service, so he chose to enlist in the Marine Corps in spring 1965.

Charlie served with the Marines in Vietnam, returning in April of 1967, but a part of him never left.

“I sometimes think of it like I left my soul in Vietnam,” he said quietly, “I lost my way.”

Charlie completed the last months of his enlistment at El Toro Marine Air Station in California and returned to the family farm near Minneota.

He described what was most difficult about his service.

“The most difficult part was coming back from Vietnam and getting out of the service. Then it was like I was lost — to come home and everything is isolation; nobody wants to talk about anything; you’re called a baby killer; and everybody hates being in Vietnam. I think it’s a wound that will always be there.”

Charlie spent the years after returning to the area farming and working to recover his footing. He reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1977 and completed a Reserve career, hoping his experience would be useful to other Marines. He retired as a master gunnery sergeant. He returned to Vietnam many times.

Our combat veterans never really get to hang up their uniforms.

Thank you for your Vietnam service, Charlie. Welcome home.

©2026 William D. Palmer.