Hundreds, including local lawmakers, gather in Inver Grove Heights to honor our nation's veterans
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — Folks braving the cold temps to honor all who have served in our military. Hundreds gathered for the state of Minnesota's veterans day ceremony Saturday morning in Inver Grove Heights. We found and spoke to one veteran who had a fan club of his own.
From the Army to the Space force. Minnesotans veterans gathered today to reflect, reconnect...and be honored for their service.
Brad Lindsay - Temporary Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
"Right now, there's about 294,000 veterans in Minnesota. Almost a full third of them are Vietnam-era veterans," said Brad Lindsay, temporary commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
Saturday morning's event held a special focus on Vietnam Veterans. This year marks 50 years since the last American forces left that conflict and returned home.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, who was among those honoring Minnesota's veterans, said "there wasn't scrambled eggs for breakfast, they got hit with tomatoes. And I think one of the things that we've learned from that conflict among many things, is that we can have disagreements on board. But we never take it out on the Warriors on the front line."
But at an event full of politicians and decorated veterans it was100-year old World War II veteran Gordy Kirk may have been the most popular person in the room.
"Once I graduated from high school in 1942, I later realized I did have much to do so I wanted to join the paratroopers," said WW II veteran, Gordy Kirk. "Cause at that time they didn't have any black paratroopers. I landed on Omaha Beach, D plus six. And went across with General Patton from all across France and Germany with Patton."
Even after celebrating 70 of them, Kirk says veterans day never gets old.
" We got so many that didn't get a chance to come back like we did," Kirk says. "We had to get together. The hospitality has always been great."
"One of the greatest thing that's ever happened to veterans. I get to get together to some of the comrades that you hadn't seen for years and see [how] they're doing."