Stories of Service, Sacrifice, and the Fight for Equality

The Democratic Women's Club of Marco (DWCMarco) recently held a special Monday evening meeting featuring three local Vietnam veterans who shared powerful stories of their service and reflections on the armed forces.

Voices from Vietnam

The evening provided a deep dive into the complexities of military life during and after the Vietnam War, covering topics from aerial combat to the profound bond between soldiers and their working dogs.

Captain Jim Askins, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, detailed his experience flying 210 combat missions in an F-4 Phantom Fighter Attack Aircraft. Askins, who was awarded the title "Top Gun" for superior aerial achievement, focused his presentation on the evolution of the military in integrating women pilots. He noted that this progress, while often resisted by the military initially, ultimately strengthens the armed services.

Captain Askins recounted the efforts of female aviation pioneers from World War I, like Ruth Law and Marjorie Stinson, up through the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who flew over 60 million miles. He highlighted that necessity and continuous advocacy, including successful lawsuits by women naval officers in the 1970s, were crucial to chipping away at combat restrictions. He acknowledged that early concerns about women’s strength and fitness to fly were unfounded and added "a good stick is a good stick," meaning performance, not gender, is what truly matters in the cockpit.

However, he cautioned that the battle for equality is far from over, citing the recent "evisceration" of senior women military leadership under the current administration. As of spring/summer 2025, all four-star female officers were removed from their positions (seemingly based on gender and not merit), and there are no pending appointments to these roles.

Marco Island City Councilman Réne Champagne, a U.S. Naval officer who served from 1963 to 1967, completed two tours of duty aboard a destroyer, providing shore battery support and protecting aircraft carriers. He presented a historical overview of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, from the earliest advisors sent by President Eisenhower post Geneva Accords to the full-scale escalation under President Johnson. He noted that during the war, 1.3M Americans served; 58,220 were killed; 303,000 wounded; and widespread PTSD persists.

Mr. Champagne addressed the difficult environment veterans faced upon returning home. The war was unpopular among Americans, and he suggested that lack of transparency from the four presidents under whom the war was waged marked the beginning of distrust of the government – a phenomenon which has not improved over time.

Efforts to honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans remain a priority. Recognizing the work of American Legion Post 404, Mr. Champagne reported the largest Vietnam Memorial of its kind in the U.S. will be installed at Veteran’s Community Park on Marco Island. Recently approved by the City Council, the beautiful bronze sculpture will be a site of reflection, education, and remembrance. The memorial will be fully funded by donations, and opportunities to give through purchasing memorial benches, commemorative pavers, or general monetary gifts are available through American Legion Post 404.

Honoring K-9 Heroes

The final speaker, Sergeant Terry Kehoe, who was drafted into the Army in 1969, shared his emotional and little-known experience as a scout dog handler. Kehoe and his German shepherd partner, Prince, were tasked with "walking point" for combat units through jungles, hills, and rice paddies. Walking point meant Kehoe and Prince walked 50 to 100 yards ahead of the infantry patrol, making them the primary targets for the Viet Cong.

Sergeant Kehoe explained that these military working dogs were invaluable, using their superior sense of smell and hearing to detect enemy personnel, trip wires, ambushes, bunkers, secret tunnels, and countless booby traps. The work of the dogs and their handlers is estimated to have saved 10,000 American lives.

Tragically, the fate of these four-legged soldiers was often bleak. After the war, the Department of Defense treated them as equipment, and most were not allowed to return to the U.S. He recounted the heartbreak of learning that many dogs from his unit, including Prince, were euthanized. This injustice helped lead to Robbie’s Law (2000), which now enables adoption (to handlers, law enforcement, or qualified families).

The speaker shared that his own struggle with acute PTSD worsened upon learning Prince was euthanized. He found help through the Naples Veterans’ Center, counseling services, medication, and his PTSD service dog, Harley, and advocates for ALL struggling veterans to seek help and utilize Veterans’ Center resources.