Hundreds of people attended the program, which served as both a release party of sorts and a public tribute to 55 fallen Vietnam soldiers from the area. Their respective families shared deeply personal stories with Iowa Central students and faculty over the last three-plus years, and in doing so, gave the book its heart and soul.

Iowa Central Academic Dean T.J. Martin and Kurt Schmid, a history and political science instructor, began working on the project in January 2022 with over a dozen students through a special course called “Local Vietnam History.”

“We didn’t really know what we had on our hands at first or what the end product was going to look like,” Martin said. “But we were on the same page about our mission: documenting and preserving these stories in a way to pay our respects to both the 55 individuals we identified from our nine-county region and their families, who were gracious enough to work with us.”

The students conducted interviews and pieced together biographies with both facts and personalized sidebars that made each soldier’s chapter unique.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Members of VFW Post 1856 of Fort Dodge stand in formation during a special ceremony for the book, "Before They Were Soldiers," Tuesday at Iowa Central Community College.

“It became a really neat campus project,” Martin said. “We had students who did a ton of research, then worked on the content, the design and layout of the book. We had instructors who helped with the editing process and got it closer to a finished product.

“This was truly one of those collaborative efforts where many hands made light work.”

Martin had both a personal and general stake in the project. His mother’s first husband, Henry Claussen, is one of the 55 fallen soldiers profiled in the publication.

“He grew up just a mile down from my (childhood) farm in Palmer,” Martin said. “I thought about the fact that had he not made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, I wouldn’t even be here today. I wanted to know more about him and his background before he went to war.

“I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Vietnam veterans. A lot of them were dads of my friends when I was a kid, and it never sat right with me that they weren’t shown more respect for their service to our country. This was our way of letting them know how much deep appreciation so many of us have for them, still to this day.”

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Matthew Helmers, of Manson, signs a copy of the book, “Before They Were Soldiers,” during a meet and greet Tuesday at Iowa Central Community College.

A slideshow of pictures and a soundtrack of oldies music greeted those in attendance, who also enjoyed light refreshments beforehand. Martin had a brief welcome message before VFW Post 1856 of Fort Dodge conducted the posting of the colors. Iowa Central students Bryce Walker and Sophia Beenken sang the National Anthem, followed by a prayer of invocation from CrossWay Church of Fort Dodge Senior Pastor Gabe Casciato.

Dr. Jesse Ulrich, Iowa Central’s president, shared his own personal story of losing close friend and fellow former ICCC student Nathan Field during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. He added that he has “so much admiration for all veterans,” and said, “Vietnam vets haven’t been celebrated like they should have (through the years).”

“I want to thank the families here from the bottom of my heart,” Ulrich said.

Schmid led a moment of silence to recognize the more than 58,000 Americans lost in the Vietnam War, then recognized those who have served or are currently serving in the United States military.

Martin gave background information on the process of piecing the profiles together and the legwork it collectively took. He became emotional when he acknowledged “a debt we will never be able to repay.”

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
Allan Murray, of Fort Dodge, signs a copy of the book, "Before They Were Soldiers," during a meet and greet on Tuesday at Iowa Central Community College.

“For many of you, the pain is still raw,” Martin said. “The profound impact of your loss remains, and we witnessed this as you trusted us through a number of interviews.

“Your stories didn’t end with your loss. It still lives with you. The goal of the book is to capture that permanently and document these 55 heroes from our region. You, too, sacrificed. We are here today to recognize that. Our gathering is a statement of strength.”

One of the now-graduated Iowa Central students who helped spearhead the project, Matthew Helmers, spoke to the “great privilege” of taking on this “extraordinary endeavor.”

“This class was an act of service,” said Helmers, who now works at KHI Solutions in Fort Dodge. “A humbled effort to give back to those who came before us. We weren’t just reading and (compiling) stories, but hearing them and bringing that history to life.

“The one important lesson for all of us throughout the entire project was that of love.”

A.J. Murray, another former Iowa Central student who took the course, read a poem written by Donald Lakey of Fort Dodge in 1962. Lakey was killed in combat four years later.

Murray also recited a letter from Keith Heggen of Renwick to his children, penned in 1972 before his passing. Heggen was a prisoner of war.

Each family in attendance was presented a copy of the 118-page book. The 55 names were read by Schmid and their profile pages were displayed on the large stage screen.

Walker closed the ceremony by singing “God Bless the USA.” After “Taps” was played, VFW Post 1856 retrieved the colors.

“The reward has come from meeting these family members and building relationships with them,” Martin said. “We’re just so appreciative of them taking the time, and we’re proud of being able to bring their stories to life like this.

“It’s truly been an honor.”

“Before They Were Soldiers” is available for $12.76 per copy through Amazon.