Recalling those who are forever young
Russell Lee Watson was born on Feb. 28, 1942, the oldest son of Harold and Marie Watson of Post Falls. He grew up enjoying the outdoors, and in 1959 at age 17, Russell had his father sign the papers so he could enlist in the US Army. It didn’t take long for him to decide to make the Army his career. He served honorably in Korea and the Berlin Airlift before beginning his tour in Vietnam on Oct. 13, 1966.
By this time, Russell was married and the father of an infant son, his wife Linda pregnant with their second child. With the draft in effect at that time, many of those serving in combat in Vietnam were still in their teens. At 24, Russell was the old man of the unit. He was slight of build and a natural to become one of the Army’s tunnel rats.
In February 1967 a car belonging to the Department of the Army came down the drive of the Watson home in Post Falls, officers bearing the news no family is ever prepared to hear. Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Watson was killed in action in Vietnam on Feb. 6, 1967, three weeks shy of his 25th birthday and on the date of his son Lee’s very first birthday. His widow was six months pregnant with their daughter, Jean.
There was no flag line, no caravan stretching for miles as a native son was laid to rest in the family plot at Pleasant View Cemetery, overlooking the Spokane River. No bugler playing taps, rifle salute or folded flag presented to his widow on behalf of a grateful nation. Just a home town boy with the unwanted distinction of being the first casualty of Vietnam from Kootenai County.
Today he would be 73 years old, taking pride in his son and daughter and grandchildren. On Veterans Day 2015, we remember and honor Staff Sgt. Russell Watson and all who have served this country throughout our nation’s history.
*In October, the Daughters of the American Revolution presented a commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War program at the Coeur d’Alene Library. I had the privilege of interviewing Russell’s brother, Rocky Watson for some of this background for the program. So often we see names on cemetery headstones or etched in black granite on monuments which don’t tell the story of who the fallen were in life and who they left behind in death.
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Jonathan Mueller and his wife, Nancy, spent the past week in Chicago for the annual meeting of the American Society of Landscape Architects and enjoying some Windy City sight-seeing. On Monday night, the final night of the conference, the prestigious President’s Medal is presented to one member of the organization to recognize their contributions. This year the medal was placed around the neck of Coeur d’Alene's Jonathan Mueller. Kudos!
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On Friday our grandson, Jared Gonzalez, will graduate from Navy boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill. His great grandfather, both paternal and maternal grandfathers, his mother and father all have military service. Proud of this young man who represents the fourth generation of our family in service to this country.
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Things to do highlights ... Thursday the North Idaho College Music Department presents a free "USO Salute" concert at 7:30 p.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.
A double dose of young talent on the stage this week when the Post Falls High School Drama Department presents Alice in Wonderland and Lake City High School’s production of Grease continues for a second week. Both are Thursday, Friday and Saturday with 7 p.m. show times.
The 25th Annual CHS Holiday Gift and Food Faire at Coeur d’Alene High School from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Great place to pick up Christmas gifts made by crafty people.
North Idaho Cider and Kootenai Humane Society Benefit Chili Feed, Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 11100 Airport Road (Panhandle Area Council) in Hayden.
The EXCEL Foundation Big Event is Saturday at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn, 5 p.m.
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Happy birthday today to Ruth Pratt, Ellen Jaeger, Graydon Stanley, Eugene Boyle, Aaron Roberts, Amy Colbert, Ruth Morrow, Kim Malar-Currie, Kelli Fahy, Heather Bryant, Ron Lahr and Emilia Ovstedal.
Tomorrow, Faith Mitchell, Marshall Mend, Dana Ryan, Greg Gervais, Robert Lantz, Antigone Twidt, Brenda Murphy and Amanda Behringer (30!) will celebrate.
On Friday the 13th, Cheyenne Tate, Desiree Janke, Timarie Lindquist, Tonya Yost, Margaret Ogram, Jennifer Currie, Matt Backs and Jeannette Laster will be feeling lucky.
Jane Hansen, Jill Satterly, Tim Curry, Ann Jaworski and Robert Chatters have birthdays on Saturday.
Blowing out the candles on their cakes on Sunday are Christopher Banks, Cheryl Siroshton, Mark Fisher, Teresa Peugh, Jan Pollard, Joan Antonich, Charlie Miller, Christina Ethridge and Mary Scalise.
On Monday, Peter Smith, Colleen Allison, Jim Morris, Sue Spinazza-Halliday, Chris Fillios, Cathleen Lenon, Karen Pichotta, Kilie Ellison, Dan Ripley and Stan Purcell will celebrate.
Nov. 17 birthdays belong to Susan Weathers, Al Hassell, Hazel Dennis, Sally Richards, Kareen Link, Maddie Kate Hansen, Neil Oliver and Laura Simon.
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.