By Dawn Hatfield

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — On Saturday, June 10, 2023, United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Commemorative Partner, Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, and Richard Lovelady, Vietnam War Commemoration Future and Current Operations, presented each sibling of Private First Class Douglas Eugene Dickey with the Vietnam War Commemoration Certificate of Honor and lapel pin. This is a special recognition to honor immediate family members, Vera Moore, Dennis and Norman Dickey, of a veteran who is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The presentation was held at the Garst Museum Dickey display where the Darke County Honor Guard presented colors.

Debbie Nisonger of Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution spoke, “… [we] are privileged to honor and always remember the Vietnam veterans, their families, and those listed on the Bears Mill Vietnam Memorial and the Wall in Washington, D.C. We vow to never again confuse personal disapproval of war with prejudice against those who honorably wear the uniform of our Armed Forces. We recognize those who served and returned home; those who are no longer among us; as well as their families who endured untold sacrifice in supporting their service.”

Nisonger continued, “Today, among those listed on the Vietnam Memorial, we are here to honor the family of Private First Class Douglas Eugene Dickey… Vera, Dennis, and Norman, on behalf of a grateful nation and the Department of Defense, we honor your patriotic service and the significant sacrifices made by you and your family for the cause of freedom and democracy during the Vietnam War.”

Private First Class Douglas Eugene Dickey was born on Dec. 24, 1946, Greenville. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and began his tour on Sept. 11, 1968. On December 13, 1965, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and was discharged to re-enlist in the Regular Marine Corps on April 11, 1966.

In October 1967, he joined Company B, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam. While attached to this unit, he participated in Operation Prairie. He was promoted to private first class on October 1, 1966.

On November 8, 1966, he was transferred to Company C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and participated in combat against the Viet Cong, in Operations Deckhouse, Desoto and Beacon Hill. It was during the Beacon Hill engagement that he was mortally wounded on March 26, 1967.

After pinning each member of the Dickey family with their commemorative lapel pin, Lovelady said, “With over six million living Vietnam veterans in the United States and abroad… this last year President Biden issued a proclamation from the White House, in which he remarked, ‘Every service member of the Vietnam generation should know that their sacrifices matter, that their service made a difference… we pledge to never forget your eternal sacrifices…” Lovelady, a two-time Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, credited the respectful treatment he received upon his returns home to the generation of Vietnam veterans who endured much less than that level of respect. “It’s amazing that I was able to stand on the shoulders of those giants,” he concluded.

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR is a commemorative partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, a 13-year program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war.

Reach Daily Advocate Reporter Dawn Hatfield at [email protected] or 937-563-0066.