Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Dale Rosenberg and Joe Schmaltz were welcomed home from the Veterans Honor Flight by Dale's twin grandsons Cooper and Finley Boser.
The Veterans Honor Flight left Hector International Airport in Fargo on an early Sunday morning, Oct. 20. This was their 9th Flight to Washington D.C. with 96 Veterans, escorts, staff and volunteers.
This special trip honored these chosen veterans, which consisted of five from WWII; one Post-WWII, 74 Korean; three Berlin and Cuban Crisis; three Cold War; and 10 Vietnam Veterans.
Joseph Schmaltz, a Vietnam Veteran from New Rockford, was one of the veterans honored on this flight. His escort, Dale Rosenberg of New Rockford, is also a Vietnam Veteran. Both veterans were humbled by this memorable trip.
The two day trip started with four charter buses going to Arlington National Cemetery with the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown, which they watched in pouring rain. Due to the rain, the buses drove by Iwo Jima, FDR Memorials and the Air Force Memorial before going to their hotel for a banquet and ceremony before calling it a night.
The next morning turned out to be a beautiful sunny day which started with an early breakfast followed by police escorts to the National Archives, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and WWII Memorial; where a group picture was taken before all buses heading back to the airport for a special "Welcome Home" at Hector International Airport in Fargo with Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band. Many family, friends and the community packed into the airport waving flags and homemade banners. There were many pictures, tears, hugs and handshakes for each veteran who was escorted down the escalator and elevators by the Veterans Honor Flight of ND/MN staff and police.
Joe served in the U.S. Army/Army National Guard for almost 30 years. In 1969 he completed basic training at Fort Lewis, Wash. After basic training he served in Nha Trang, Vietnam and Hanau, Germany. In Vietnam, he was with the 281st Assault Helicopter Company and worked as an avionics flight line mechanic. After his active duty, he joined the National Guard and went to college to be a radio and tv tech. He went to Officer Candidate School and got his Commission, where he was in charge of nuclear biological chemical weapons.
Joe has battled cancer five times so far and has put up a Vietnam Vets Memorial, honoring all veterans, which includes a AUH-1 Helicopter and a tank, located on Hwy 281 in New Rockford. Joe is a member of the VFW/COOTIE, American Legion DAV of New Rockford, Carrington and Sykeston.
