BEMIDJI -- Military families, friends and supportive community members gathered at the Bemidji Eagles Club on Thursday evening in remembrance of Veterans Day at a program held by the American Legion.
Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince was invited to give remarks at the event, offering words of gratitude for those who have served.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淚 really want to express, on behalf of our entire city, our deepest appreciation to all of our veterans and all of our service people,鈥� Prince said. 鈥淚 have a deep appreciation, not just for our veterans, but also for their families. The families give a lot so that our service personnel can defend our liberties.鈥�
American Legion Ralph Gracie Post No. 14 Commander Joe Vene then led attendees in the reciting of the National Anthem and singing of 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥�
Junior Reserve Officers鈥� Training Corps, or JROTC, members made their way to the front of the room to post the colors and give a POW/MIA empty chair ceremony, a presentation traditionally given at military functions where meals are served.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淭his ceremony is rich with military tradition as we honor those men and women of our armed forces who, in defense of the freedoms of our country and that of the free world, are unaccounted for and are classified as prisoners of war or missing in action,鈥� a JROTC member recited during the event.
JROTC members went on to describe the symbolism of the table settings -- a single candle to symbolize a lone prisoner, a red rose to symbolize loved ones, a black napkin to symbolize the emptiness in the hearts of families and friends.
鈥淩emember those who we depended on in battle,鈥� a JROTC member said. 鈥淭hey depend on us to bring them home.鈥�
The featured speaker at the program was Gary Guggenberger, a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, who took to the podium to share his POW experience with attendees.
Captured in January of 1969, Guggenberger was part of a 40-vehicle convoy when his truck was hit by rocket fire. His life was spared, but he was taken as a prisoner of war for four years before his release in 1973. Guggenberger described to attendees what he did, what he saw and how he felt through these years.
ADVERTISEMENT
鈥淭he food was just two cups of rice a day,鈥� Guggenberger said. 鈥淲e might get a chunk of pork with it, salt water, a tablespoon of peanuts or a tablespoon of salt.鈥�
He also shared a memory of when he befriended a chicken. Though a seemingly small part of his experience, it was something that Guggenberger said helped him learn about life, death and hope.
鈥淭hey let me have this chicken, and it was wonderful to me because I鈥檇 take the chicken when they鈥檇 lock me in,鈥� Guggenberger said. 鈥淚鈥檇 know when there was something dangerous coming, the chicken would start getting excited and making noise.鈥�
He told attendees that he had a special companionship with the chicken, often talking to it when he was alone.
鈥淭hat chicken and I had a lot of conversations,鈥� Guggenberger said. 鈥淚 learned faith and I learned how to accept death through the chicken.鈥�
ADVERTISEMENT
During his speech, Guggenberger reached into his pocket and pulled out a small chain, holding it up for attendees to see.
鈥淭here it is, there鈥檚 a chunk of the chain that chained us. It was probably seven feet long, and then it wrapped around a log and then around the ankle,鈥� Guggenberger said. 鈥淎ll you did was sit out on a stump of wood, all day every day. That鈥檚 the way it was.鈥�
Guggenberger described a time when he was given the opportunity to talk about his experience with students at Bemidji High 歪歪漫画, offering them an interesting perspective on his four years as a prisoner of war.
鈥淚 gave a talk at the high school, and I told the student body that from the day they walk in the front door of Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 to the day they graduate, I was chained to a log in the jungle,鈥� Guggenberger said. 鈥淛ust to let them think a little bit.鈥�
