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ALL AMERICAN VETERAN: Col. Roger Donlon, 81, Still Answering Call to Duty
November 11, 2015
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Col. Roger Donlon, Medal of Honor Winner.
The first recepient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in Vietnam, Colonel Roger Donlon, has been to Bay City twice in recent months, demonstrating dedication to duty above and beyond the call of duty and personifying the spirit of Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Today military veterans gathered around the city, notably at the memorial monument in front of the Bay County Building and at the new memorial area at Veterans Memorial Park that was the work of Judy Brunner, City Manager Rick Finn and a committee of volunteers.
We have our local heroes, and those who support them like Judy Brunner, et al, but we must pay special tribute to Col. Donlon who added to our appreciation of the class of citizens who in the past have not received their due for their "full measure of devotion," as Abraham Lincoln aptly said in honor of those who died Gettysburg.
Dr. Tim Eckstein, of Covenant Health, a retired Navy captain, was Col. Donlon's alter ego during his two trips here from his home in Kansas. So we are indebted to Dr. Eckstein for the information we impart to you here in this column.
The agenda for his latest visit here is a pertinent part of this tribute and will serve to explain the level of commitment he made to the Medal of Honor Foundation as well as to the Bay City area:
Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon, Itinerary, Great Lakes Bay Region, November 2-8, 2015
Monday November 2
4:45 pm (1645) Arrive MBS airport.
Eugene Mossner to pick up.
Meet T. Eckstein for dinner at Sullivan's on Gratiot in Saginaw.
Return to T. Eckstein's condo.
Tuesday November 3
7 am Bay City Chamber Breakfast at Bay Valley Resort. Eric Jylha MC.
Colonel Donlon: Keynote Speaker: 15-20 minutes.
11:00 am to 2: 30 pm School Visit to Frankenmuth Middle School. Eric Jylha MC.
5:00 pm American Legion in Bay City for dinner.
6:30 to 8:30 pm Boy Scouts gathering at Westminster Church on Midland Street in Bay City.
Wednesday November 4
9:00 am to 10:00 am Art Lewis Radio Show at radio station.
10:30 to 11:30 am WNEM PTSD segment (5:30 pm to 7 pm WNEM Veteran PTSD phone bank on Friday).
12:00 pm Luncheon for Event Planning and Support team at Dockside Restaurant in Bay City, downtown.
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm School Visit to All Saints.
6:00 Dinner with media at Dow Event Center, Veterans Recognition Night Rehearsal.
Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon presented as Veteran of the Game 8:00 pm.
Thursday November 5
7:00 am to 9 am Saginaw Chamber Breakfast tabletop information station at Horizon Conference Center. Eric Jylha MC.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm School Visit Swan Valley High School. Eric Jylha MC.
1:30 pm to 2:45 pm School Visit Reese Catholic Schools. Eric Jylha MC.
3:00 to 4:00 pm meet with Saginaw Spirit players, coaches and staff.
6:00 pm dinner with CMOH CDP training team at VNOs in Bay City.
Friday November 6
7:00 am to 9:00 am Midland Chamber Breakfast tabletop information station at Midland Resort and Conference Center.
8:30 am to 3:30 pm Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Training Program Training at SISD Transitions Center
4:30 pm meet at Tony Bosco's home in Freeland.
6:00 to 9:00 pm Elks Veterans Night, Alma, MI, guest speaker
Saturday November 7
9:30 11:30 am Breakfast Frankenmuth, MI with Board of Trustees of Michigan Military and Space Museum.
12:00 to 1:00 pm lunch and ice cream social at Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center, Saginaw, MI.
4:00 pm Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Saginaw.
5:00 to 7:00 pm Veterans Recognition Night events in Blue Line Room at Dow Event Center.
Eric Jylha MC, Guest speaker
Swear in 30 Marine Recruits
Autograph/photograph session, Band performance, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm Saginaw Spirit Hockey game.
National Anthems, on-ice introductions, Ceremonial Face Off.
Swear in 30 Air Force Recruits
Bay City Elks Lodge #88 in Morley Suite.
Auction Colonel Donlon Hockey Sweater
Sunday November 8
Departure MBS 7:20 am (0720)
Col. Donlon was born Jan. 30, 1934 in Leavenworth, Kansas, and was raised in Saugerties, NY. His military career began in 1953 with enlisted service in both the Air Force and Army. Commissioned through Officer Candidate School as an Infantry Officer in 1959, he spent the next 29 years serving in assignments based on a triad of his specialties as an Infantry, Special Forces and Foreign Area Officer.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty on 6 July 1964, Colonel Donlon became the first American soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam.
Military and civilian education include: The Special Warfare Course; Infantry Advanced Course; Command and General Staff College; Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Army Institute for Military Assistance, School of International Studies; and the Army War College.
Colonel Donlon received a BGS from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and an MS in Government from Campbell University. He holds an Honorary Master of Military Arts and Sciences from Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Colonel Donlon is the author of BEYOND NAM DONG a self-published autobiography. He is also the co-author of OUTPOST OF FREEDOM, published by McGraw-Hill and condensed for publication in the October 1965 issue of the Saturday Evening Post, which featured his picture on the cover.
Since retiring from the Army in December of 1988 Colonel Donlon has served on the Board of Directors/Trustees of People-to-People International. He has also been a Scholarship Friends Executive Committee member at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth and an Honorary Member of Rotary International.
He is a founding Trustees of the CGSC Foundation. In May of 1995 he was inducted into the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame, the only non-General Officer to hold this distinction in the 20th century.
In May of 1997 Colonel Donlon became the first recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus Award at the U.S. Army War College. Appointed in May of 2004, Colonel Donlon served as the "Honorary Colonel of the First Special Forces Regiment until April of 2010.
The National Special Forces Association recognized him with The St. Philip Neri (Gold) Award. He was awarded the Order of St. Maurice by the National Infantry Association.Colonel Donlon and his wife, Norma, were married on 9 November 1968. They have five children and six grandchildren.
Thank you for your exceptional service to our nation and to the Bay City area, Col. Donlon!
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