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Two eras, four heroes

Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 7 years, 2 months AGO
| November 11, 2017 12:00 AM

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Vietnam-era veteran Ron Ouren waves to Coeur d'Alene Rotary Club members and guests as he's introduced during Rotary's Veteran's Day meeting in The Resort on Friday. From left: Rotarian Les Atchley, World War II veteran Ed Feightner, WWII veteran Ray Johnson, Vietnam-era veteran Jon Hippler and Ouren.

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Coeur d'Alene Rotary member Janet Atchley gives Ed "Whitey" Feightner a squeeze as she honors him by sharing his story with Rotarians and their guests Friday in The Coeur d'Alene Resort. Rotary dedicated its meeting to four local veterans for Veterans Day. (DEVIN WEEKS/Press)

By DEVIN WEEKS

Staff Writer

COEUR d’ALENE — The night before Jon Hippler graduated from boot camp, his drill instructor called the trainees together to talk to them.

"He started off by saying, ‘Girls,' — he always called us girls — 'Tomorrow you’re going to become U.S. Marines officially. Congratulations," Hippler said. "Then he stopped and he said, ‘But I want you to know what I think a real Marine is. I think a real Marine is a Marine rifleman who died in combat.’ That said it all."

Hippler, a Vietnam-era veteran who retired from the Marines as a captain and a company commander, shared this memory while standing at a podium during the Friday meeting of the Coeur d'Alene Rotary Club in The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Next to him were three other veterans — another Vietnam-era veteran, Ron Ouren, and World War II veterans Ed Feightner and Ray Johnson. He motioned to the elder veterans.

"I want to translate that to the service of these two gentlemen who fought in a war a long time ago that still makes us free today," he said, leaning over to shake Johnson and Feightner's hands and thank them as the room filled with applause.

The Rotary meeting was dedicated to honoring all four of these heroes. Rotary couple Les and Janet Atchley had the privilege of interviewing each veteran and sharing their stories with the club and its guests.

"We’re reaching out into the community and bringing in the old guys, plus the ones in our club,” she said. Hippler and Ouren are longstanding Rotarians.

"Hearing their stories, there couldn’t be anything better than that," she said. "It’s just wonderful. It offers the opportunity for our club members to give thanks."

Their stories vary across landscapes and time. Ouren was 23 when he went to the draft board in 1965 only to find out he would be drafted the following week, so he joined the U.S. Army National Guard and served until 1971. One of his jobs entailed removing concrete from Farragut State Park as part of the Guard's summer camp. He was scheduled to deploy to Vietnam in '68, but at the last minute his mission was changed.

"The good Lord was looking after us," Ouren said during his interview.

Hippler grew up on the corner of Idaho Avenue and C Street in Coeur d'Alene, graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School and the University of Idaho.

“Jon Hippler is what I would call one of our true-blue Idaho boys,” Janet said.

Johnson, also from Coeur d'Alene, graduated from CHS in 1942 and entered the Army in 1943. He was a part of the famous 10th Mountain Division.

"He celebrated his 21st birthday by chasing Germans across northern Italy," Les said as he shared Johnson's story.

Johnson was involved in many nameless, bloody battles in the hills. During one 24-hour period, 23 of his buddies were killed in action. He earned several medals for his work on the battlefield, including the Bronze Star.

"Sgt. Johnson, you sir are a patriot," Les said to Johnson. "Thank you for your service."

Rear Adm. Ed "Whitey" Feightner, the flying ace, also shared this table of honor.

"It was a real treat for me to be able to interview and get to know the Admiral," Janet said. "He just celebrated his 98th birthday."

Originally from Ohio, Feightner became a pilot at a young age. He joined the Naval Air at age 22 and became a fighter pilot in the Pacific. He fought in numerous significant WWII battles and is credited with shooting down nine enemy aircraft. His abilities as a pilot led him to be a fighter instructor, commander of a carrier division, a test pilot and the lead solo of the Blue Angels demonstration team.

Each story was received with much applause, standing ovations and a deep love and respect held for America's veterans.

"They did a wonderful job in recognizing their service," said Rotary member Gratia Griffith.

Griffith's dad and brother served in WWII and had a younger brother who was killed in the Korean War. She said "if you haven't been in the military, you can't really begin to appreciate what they've been through.

"Even if you don't serve in battle, it's a totally different life."

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