VERSAILLES — Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, a Vietnam Commemorative Partner, will be honoring the family of John Wayne Richard at the Versailles Vets Club located at 106 S. Center St., Versailles. The ceremony will be Wednesday, July 24 at 7 p.m.

The family of John Wayne Richard will be honored with the Vietnam Commemorative “In Memory Of” certificate and lapel pin for the sacrifices they endured when their loved one didn’t return home for Vietnam. The Versailles Veteran Honor Guard will conduct ceremonial honors. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Light refreshments will be provided by the Versailles Vets Club.

Private First Class John Wayne Richard was from Versailles. He served with honor in the United States Army with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, A Company. He died in Long An Province, southwest of Saigon, on the south bank of Vam Co Dong River on May 21, 1969.

Kathy Richard McPherson, sister of John Wayne Richard, would like to share the life story of her beloved brother.

John Wayne Richard was born on Monday, October 17th, 1949. John was born to Leroy and Dorotha Richard and lived his entire life in Versailles. He was the third child of his parents, having an older brother and sister, Jim and Jane and later, sister and brother, Kathy and Fred. John was a kind and loving son and brother who loved to be with his brothers, sisters and his friends. We lived on a farm as young children and moved into Versailles once we were all in school. Living in a neighborhood with so many other kids, John felt he was the luckiest guy ever! We all played football, baseball and basketball, kick the can and every game possible in the neighborhood with so many friends day after day. It was truly a wonderful place to grow up.

As a 1968 Versailles High School graduate, John believed in his heart that his classmates, those before and after him were the greatest individuals in the world and he loved his hometown and his many friends with great passion and conviction. As a teenager, with his kind heart and being shy himself, John understood how it was for his underclass men and was always nice and treated them with the respect and understanding that they needed and deserved. John was a young man who wanted to work hard and have a nice car! He did both, working at Subler Transfer on Main Street washing trucks after school. His favorite car was his ’65 GTO, aka, GOAT, navy blue with shiny chrome reverse wheels. It was beautiful and he was so proud of his car!!!

John joined the U.S. Army in October of 1968 as our country was deeply involved in VietNam and decided to enlist before being drafted. John believed in the “American Dream” and loved his country. John left for boot camp on October 28th, 1968, came home for Christmas, going back for the next level of training, back home for two weeks, as so many of our veterans did. John left for VietNam on April 6th, 1969 and lost his life along with four of his comrades on May 21st, 1969 in Long An Province, southwest of Saigon, on the south bank of Vam Co Dong River, being attacked on three sides with the river on the fourth side while in their night position.

While John was in VietNam, as his company passed through Saigon, John saw another young man on the street there from Versailles, Tom Hole was also passing through with his company. John wrote to each of us about the two of them sharing a beverage or two and it is believed that was the best day John experienced VietNam.

Fifty-five years later, it is still a raw wound that John’s family and friends feel and recognize. Our memories of John Wayne Richard continue to play a significant role in our daily lives.