The Plainview America Legion Post #148 hosted the 2025 Memorial Day ceremonies in the Plainview Auditorium this past Monday, with a special guest speaker that drew the audience back to his time in Vietnam.
Following prelude music by Bastion and Barrett Curtiss, and the posting of colors by the Post #148 and Auxiliary color guard, Plainview’s Girls State representative, Addie Hodson, led the Pledge of Allegiance and Pastor Janelle Siffring of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church opened with an invocation.
Wanda Retzlaff served as pianist for the audience, singing “Star Spangled Banner” and Post #148 Adjutant Corrine Janovec gave a POW/MIA ceremony and introduced the keynote speaker, Logan McClelland from Randolph a retired U.S. Army veteran and cattleman.
McClelland served during the Vietnam War as an interpreter, teaching students in Vietnam tospeak English, and interpreting messages for his intelligence command, mainly listening to Vietnamese propaganda and letting the U.S. know what was being said about them.
“This is the greatest country in the world, and you made it that way,” McClelland said, pointing to the audience, and all the other veterans that were present, “if it wasn’t thousands wouldn’t try to come here every day.”
McClelland gave detailed accounts of his military service, duties and reminisced about his time overseas and his service in often emotional and humorous retellings.
The Placing of the Wreaths was done by Plainview veteran Brianna Udell, and her daughter, KayeLeigh Shaffer, and Chad Kment provided a version of “Proud to be an American” to much applause.
Gene Thomsen read the roll call of those from Plainview that died while on active service in the United States Armed Forces, as memorialized at Pleasant View Cemetery’s main stone, including:
Joseph M. Acklie,
Forrest Albin,
Donald G. Bivens,
Ellard F. Born,
William R. Carpenter,
Everett M. Casselman,
Robert W. Couchman,
Lloid R. Florer,
Claire Fryer,
Wesley W. Fulton,
Willis C. Hass,
Floyd M. Hansen,
Gene R. Hecht,
Lorenz F. Hoffart,
Dwight Houston,
Lorin C. Joyce,
Elsworth L. Keil,
Andrew J. Lingenfelter,
Philip Luckert,
Gene Manke,
Wendell Miller,
Gary Mullins,
Edward D. Nelson, Leo E. Risse,
Franklin K. Ritter,
And Kenneth Suhr.
In a change on the program, Addie Hodson also provided “Taps” to close the ceremonies after the Post #148 Honor Guard fired a volley to remember those heroic dead mentioned and remembered at the event.