By Monty Siekerman
Wynn Hauenstein of Ada will deliver remarks during a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, in a ceremony moved to Presser Hall on the ONU campus.
He will discuss what Veterans Day means to him, share his experiences from his service during the Vietnam War, and talk about how the war was viewed back home.
After graduating from ONU, he was drafted in the fall of 1967. After state-side training at Fort Gordon, Ga. (basic training) and Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., (heavy equipment), he was sent to Viet Nam, landing at Tan Son Nhat air base in Saigon. He was assigned to his unit, the 561st Engineering Company, where he operated a bulldozer.
He spent his tour of duty clearing jungle for roads and air strips in both Viet Nam and in Thailand.
He returned home in the summer of 1969 and began to farm. In the mid-1980s, he became involved with the Ada VFW where he has been either junior or senior vice commander for the past 15 years, and has served as quartermaster.
In addition, he is chairman of the annual Post golf outing and annual car show.
A color guard of the Ream-McElroy VFW Post 9381 will post colors.
The Veterans Day event also will include an invocation by the Rev. David MacDonald, ONU chaplain; the University Singers performing the National Anthem; greetings and laying of memorial wreaths by ONU President Daniel DiBiasio and Ada Mayor David Retterer; a moment of silence; and the playing of taps.
The event is free and open to the public. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held next door in the Dicke Building.
Pictured: Wynn and wife Colleen participate in a race at the Ada VFW Post. The race consisted of vehicles that Wynn built using tricycle parts. In addition, Wynn is the man who built the giant football for last year's midnight football drop at the Depot during the first ever Made-in-Ada Wilson Football Festival.
