Veteran of Vietnam and life tells his story
By ALLAN TINKER
This past June, Roger Tessmann went on a special road trip from Goodrich in his Chrysler van. He arrived at his destination, Branson, Missouri on June 15, ahead of the time the 199th Lt. Inf. Brigade would hold its 53rd reunion.
The reunion took Tessmann back to the days of his service, joining the army in 1967 when he was 18 years old. He was still 18 when sent into Vietnam, November of 1968.
He came home in June of 1969. During that time, he earned Specialist 4th Class rank, Spec 4 (they called themselves) and he was in artillery, most of the time preparing the ammo, but the last two months as assistant gunner, pulling the cord to fire the cannon.
He returned in 1969 on the ninth day of November and on Veteran’s Day was the youngest veteran at the Goodrich Legion gathering. Both he and his brother Eugene have 50-year memberships in that Legion post. Another brother Reuben is now deceased and also in the army, enlisting in the National Guard one year after Roger got home. He earned Sergeant E-5 and Eugene was Private First Class.
