The 10th annual Saugatuck-Douglas Community Armed Forces Day Luncheon Saturday at Community Church of Douglas broke fundraising and attendance records. Keynote speaker Jim “Doc” McCloughan moved many to tears recounting his Vietnam War experience.
Raised in rural Bangor, McCloughlin and was drafted in 1968 to the Army, where he served as a combat medic, rising to the rank of Specialist Five.
On May 13, 1969, he and 88 other men were ordered to assault an enemy position and seize Nui Yon Hill, not knowing they were facing some 2,000 enemy.
McCloughan was credited with moving into the “kill zone” 10 times, saving lives of 10 Americans lives and one Vietnamese interpreter even though twice wounded himself.
In 2017 he was belatedly awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military commendation, as a result of petitions resurfaced by his commanding officer, with supporting affidavits from members of his unit.
Once home, McCloughan returned to his contract with South Haven High School and for 38 years taught psychology and sociology while coaching football, wrestling, baseball, and American Legion baseball.
He spoke here both to a large crowd of veterans and youths attending from Saugatuck High School and the local Boy Scout Troop 29, reliving with Vietnam veterans their time in service, brotherhood of combat and warrior brothers who never made it home.
The men and women whose names appear on the Wall in Washington gave up two lives, he said, the lives they were living when they died and ones they would never live, the life partners they would never marry, the children they would never hold in their arms, the soccer games they would never attend with grandchildren to cheer.
To the young people McCloughan pointed out the many freedoms Americans enjoy really “are not free.” They have been paid for by men and women such as those present in the audience.
A record 160 attendees came to the luncheon, which raised more than $2,000 for the West Michigan Veterans Assistance Program.
Donors thanked during the program included the Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club, Paul Hix/Edward Jones South Haven; Cow Hill Yacht Club; Spectators Restaurant; Saugatuck VFW; George Stoutin/Edward Jones Douglas; Roy McIlwaine; Mill Pond Realty Inc.- Laura Durham; Mr. and Mrs. James Searing; AJ’s Heating & Cooling; Pat Paquette; Dick Waskin/ REMAX; Mr. and Mrs. Dave Clements; David Wade and John Lawson.
WMVAP helps veterans and families by operating a food pantry, providing limited housing and giving emergency support. Since Jan. 1 the program has helped 53 veterans with such things as electric and gas bills, rent, car insurance or repair, propane, gas cards, work boots and bus passes. Its food pantry has served more than 500 families in that time.
Three weeks ago it helped a spouse of a veteran whose husband is on 100-percent oxygen 24/7 and the electric company had turned off their electricity until a $5,600 bill was paid. They group has also paid for a cremation and bought a plane ticket for a vet to go to his Mom’s funeral.
To learn more about or support WMVAP, go to http://wmvap.org/