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James Wilson to speak at Rotary meeting


Thursday, November 5, 2009 9:50 AM PST

Veteran's Day is our national day of recognition and appreciation for the service and sacrifice of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

 

This year, on the day after Veteran's Day, Lodi Rotary will welcome James Wilson  to share some of his experiences in the U.S. Army during duty in Vietnam from September 1966 to August 1967.

 

Following his induction out of Oakland, Wilson learned that volunteers to the 101st Airborne Division would have two wonderful opportunities. First, they would get trained to jump out of airplanes and second, some of the graduates would be assigned to Germany, instead of Vietnam. Naturally, he volunteered figuring his chances for Germany were good.

 

He jumped, graduated, and the Army sent him to Vietnam.

 

He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry. There he became part of a recon team, eventually advancing to team leader as a specialist 4.

 

Wilson's story will give us a field soldier's view of a part of the war in Vietnam.

 

He and his troops endured hardship, daily challenges, and frequent combat. His first day in his unit, the company CP was overrun - CO, XO, and senior NCOs killed. Seven days before his rotation out, his wounds granted him a medivac to the hospital for surgery, months of therapy and recovery from his physical injuries.

 

Wilson's years of service occurred when soldiers endured ridicule, hatred, and disrespect on return home. A sad truth of the day.

 

Still, following his service, Wilson went on to be a hard working, ambitious, productive, tax- paying business man with great innovation and success over the course of his career. Just recently retired, he makes his home today in Lodi.

 

This will be a program you'll want to hear.  Feel free to bring a guest or friend to this special meeting.

 

 

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