Vietnam and other veterans honored at Memorial Day service

KANNAPOLIS — On Sept. 2, 1965, Quincy Collins was shot down by flak over North Vietnam, about 80 miles southwest of Hanoi, and was seriously injured. His left leg was broken above the knee in three places. The now retired Air Force colonel was a POW and spent more than seven years in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” POW camp.

During his time as a POW, he learned there had been a memorial service held in his absence.

“I realized that my wife at that time and our three sons had probably concluded that I was dead,” Collins said.

Collins told his story to a crowd of several hundred people at Veterans Park on Monday during a Memorial Day ceremony that honored all veterans, but focused on the Vietnam era veterans, such as Collins.

Collins remembers thinking about his family and knowing they believed him to be dead, until he encountered a reporter while locked away.

“A photograph taken by a Cuban journalist, of me leading the POW choir that I had formed for a Christmas service, finally made its way to America and established the fact that indeed I was alive and kicking,” Collins said.

Collins was finally released in Feb. 12, 1973. But during his time as a POW he experienced several brutal incidents.

In about 1970, Collins and Navy POW Michael Christian were in large cells housing 40 to 50 prisoners. Every morning they would wake up and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to a bare prison wall, because they had no flag. But Christian took it upon himself to fashion a makeshift American flag using a t-shirt.

“It took him weeks and weeks to produce anything that looked close to the flag,” Collins said. “And we pledged to a real flag.”

During a surprise inspection, North Vietnamese soldiers found the flag in Christian’s bunk.

“They brutally dragged Mike from our cell and beat him and tortured him in an adjoining cell that night where we could hear every scream of pain,” Collins said.

The next day, Christian was allowed back in with the rest of the prisoners.

“We did what we could do to help him recover,” Collins said. “He finally opened his eyes and proudly announced as he looked up at us, ‘It’s time for flag number two.’”

The story drew cheers and claps from the crowd, showing the endurance and willpower of the POWs. The audience waved American flags and some wore red, white and blue t-shirts and sat in American flag lawn chairs.

Prior to Collins speaking, there had been a parade on Main Street that included veterans from all eras.

This year’s Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Park was considered a proper “welcome home” celebration for those who served during the Vietnam War and more than 400 Vietnam memorial pins were given out to veterans.

“Vietnam vets, I can’t welcome you enough,” said Jimmy Wilson, with the American Legion Post 115, which organized of the Memorial Day ceremony on Monday. Wilson served during the Vietnam era and had friends who did not return home after the war and talked about how this year’s ceremony was meant to honor those who served during the Vietnam War.

“It just brings tears to me to think of how we were treated and how you were treated when we came back from a war in Vietnam,” Wilson said.

Wilson talked about how returning soldiers would change out of their uniforms, knowing how they would be treated when they returned.

“When you were told to undress, take off your clothes and put something else on and you still got spit at and cussed at, it was a shame,” Wilson said. “And were here today to make sure that is corrected.”

Wilson’s speech drew cheers from the crowd, with several people shouting, “Amen!”

During the ceremony, Wilson noted how more than 40 people from Rowan and Cabarrus counties lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant also spoke of the importance of honoring the Vietnam veterans this Memorial Day.

“We are so proud that you are here and that you are among us,” Hinnant said.

Hinnant added that last year, the City of Kannapolis applied to become a commemorative city for Vietnam veterans.

“And we are one of the very few cities in North Carolina that is here to support and to recognize and to honor Vietnam vets, so we are so proud that you are here and you are among us,” said Hinnant, sending the crowd bursting into cheers.

U.S. Representative Richard Hudson was also a speaker at Monday’s ceremony, honoring the veterans in attendance and those who died in service.

“To all our veterans, I say thank you for your service. Your families, fellow service members — both active duty and retired — you all have sacrificed so much so that we can enjoy our freedom today,” Hudson said. “We are in the land of the free, because we are the home of the brave and I am looking out at you right now — you are the brave.”