Mike and Marge Detmer were the guest speakers for the Memorial Day service at Whispering Pines of Clinton County. Photos by Matt Wilson Community members gathered at the new lodge on the Whispering Pines of Clinton County (WPofCC) grounds for the fourth annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25.
Greg Riechman was the master of ceremonies. He was the commander of the Aviston Sons of the American Legion for four years and currently is a Clinton County Board member and a precinct committee member. Riechman is on the Clinton County CEO board of directors. He is an active volunteer at Whispering Pines and a lead liaison on the board for capital improvements; a member of the Jim Beasley Tribute committee at Kaskaskia College; on the Honor Flight sendoff committee; and on the Wreaths Across America committee. He is an active honorary member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 269.
Riechman said sacrifice, courage and duty are the words that need to be remembered on Memorial Day, not barbecue or unofficial start to summer. Memorial Day is set aside to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives to service and sacrifice for the country. It is a solemn reminder of sacrifice, courage and duty. Those who have been lost did not seek recognition or reward; they answered the call to protect the freedom that we too often take for granted. Their sacrifice reminds us that liberty and freedom come at a high cost.
“We should challenge ourselves every single day to live in a way that honors their legacy,” Riechman said. “With gratitude, unity, and a commitment to the values they protected. We have to promise that they will never, ever be forgotten.”
Mike and Marge Detmer were the guest speakers for the event. Mike is a Vietnam War veteran and a member of Vietnam Veterans America Chapter 269, Breese American Legion Post 252 and Highland VFW Post 5694. He serves as the president of the Bravo Regulars, a nationwide organization of Vietnam veterans who served in the B company, 3rd of the 22nd Infantry Division. Mike and Marge live in St. Rose and have four children, 15 grandchildren, and are expecting their fifth great-grandchild this summer.
The Venturing Crew carries in the American flag during Memorial Day services at Whispering Pines of Clinton County.
Mike Detmer was drafted Dec. 27, 1965, along with 30 other men from Clinton County. They boarded the train in Carlyle and went to the induction center in St. Louis. From there, they were dispatched to different locations. Eleven people from Clinton County ended up in Port Lewis, Washington, attached to B Company, 3rd of the 22nd Infantry Division. While the company was deployed to Vietnam in December 1966, two of the Clinton County comrades paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Vietnam — Norman Toennies of Damiansville and Marvin Eversgerd of Germantown. While they left as a unit, they came back home a year later one by one. No one knew when others were coming home and there was no time for good-byes.
One of Detmer’s Army buddies from Wisconsin pledged to hold a reunion of the group in 20 years, and in the summer of 1987, they met for a reunion in Michigan. They decided to have another reunion in five years. Eventually, they were having a reunion every two years. The reunions were important in receiving information about other Bravo members, including whether or not they made it home.
There is a memorial service at the reunions to honor the men who have been lost. Detmer recited an essay, “The Perimeter,” that was read at one of the memorial services. Detmer said on Memorial Day we need to remember those men and women who gave their lives for our country. He asked everyone to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.
Marge and Mike dated for six months, during which Mike got his draft notice saying he would be leaving on Dec. 27, 1965. They kept in contact for all two years of deployment. They wrote letters to each other daily. With no internet, cell phones or texting, Mike and Marge were lucky to speak on the phone one time a month. Mike would wait outside in a line to use the pay phone. Marge stayed home on Sunday afternoons so she wouldn’t miss the call. When the call came, they had to hurry up and talk because many were waiting in line for their turn to use the phone.
Mike and Marge were engaged before he was deployed to Vietnam. They were married April 16, 1968, and celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this past April. In July 2000, there was a Bravo reunion at St. Rose Park. Most believe that was the largest Bravo reunion held. There will be another Bravo reunion in October in St. Rose.
The wives also get together at the reunions, and they found out there are many similarities living with the veterans.
Marge recognized everybody from the Detmer family in attendance at the Memorial Day ceremony.
Helen Renschen and Dana Timmermann read the names on the honorary veteran and non-veteran bricks and benches at WPofCC.
Venturing Crew 8269 presented the flag, and Angie Kloeckner sang the “National Anthem.”
Deacon Dan Laquet gave the opening and closing prayer. Laquet was an active member of Boys Scouts of America and spent many times at the former Camp Joy that is now Whispering Pines of Clinton County. He is serving at St. Mary’s in Centralia and St. Lawrence Parish in Sandoval.
Mike Wilton plays Taps during the Memorial Day ceremony at Whispering Pines of Clinton County.
Laquet has been a part of all four Memorial Day ceremonies at Whispering Pines.
He said on Memorial Day as a nation we pause to remember those in the military who have given their lives for the freedoms we enjoy.
Mike Wilton and grandson Ian Diamond played “Taps.” Wilton has honored veterans for nearly 60 years with his dad Bob Sr. and brother Bob Jr. The family tradition continued with grandson Ian, who is a student at Southeast Missouri State University and is very involved with choral and band.
