Wanda English Burnett, Editor

Preserving history is done through the art of story telling, whether it is verbal, written, or recorded on some electronic device. It is much more than an art to P.G. Gentrup of Rising Sun, who is passionate about the legacy Vietnam War veterans leave behind, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. “They are the true American heroes,” he told The Versailles Republican this week. He puts all veterans who have given their all in the same hero category, no matter what war they served in.

Gentrup knows about war first hand, he served in Vietnam. He also knows the grief of losing someone to the cause, he lost two school buddies in that war. “You always wonder why you came home and they didn’t,” he noted. Knowing he’ll never find the answer to that question, the veteran has set out to do something to honor and remember the deceased.

“I came home from the war and tried to put it all behind me,” he noted. He went on to have a successful career, great family, and overall good life. But, in 2002, he said a buddy called me and they discussed the Vietnam Memorial. Suddenly it clicked for Gentrup and he got involved in helping to make sure every veteran from that time is remembered. He began a project called "Pass It On." He’s been researching ever since.

So far, he’s found seven veterans from Ripley County who were killed during the Vietnam War. The first casualty of the war from the county is believed to be Fred Steuer, who was 32 at the time of his death on January 13, 1962.

Patty (Steuer) Lohrum of Versailles, (formerly of Milan) remembers it like it was yesterday. She said her mother had a dream the night before the call came that her brother had lost his life in a hand grenade explosion, while serving with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. At the time, her brother had served about 14 years in the military and had just left from a camp in Massachusetts in December for a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was killed just a couple of weeks later. He is buried in the Washington Baptist Church Cemetery at Elrod.

Lohrum’s father, Alvier Steuer, served in World War I and her husband, Albert, most people called him Red, served in Korea. She also had another brother, John, who served in the Army. She knows what war is about and how much it hurts after all these years. Stopping to wipe the tears, she said, “It doesn’t get any better.” Her brother has been gone for 46 years.

Gentrup’s project dubbed “Pass it on” is designed to do just that. Pass on the memories and legacy of these fallen war heroes so that a new generation will never forget their sacrifice. “I speak at schools and various events and I always tell about these heroes,” he noted. He can tell the stories first hand because he remembers the days in Vietnam, hot and dry or hot and wet. That’s the two seasons. To this day, Gentrup says he doesn’t wear a coat, he just enjoys the cold weather.

There are 58,260 heroes to date on the Vietnam War Memorial wall, according to Gentrup. The other six from Ripley County include: John Jacobs (Napoleon), David Lee Meyers (Versailles), Murvin Richter (Sunman), Gene Winters (Versailles), Nicholas Tunny and Ronda Raglin, (Sunman). Gentrup has interviewed all the families except Raglin's, and is seeking anyone with information about him. What he knows is this. He served in the US Marine Corp, was killed in Vietnam July 24, 1966, was born March 22, 1945 to the parents of Ted and Ruth Raglin and he is buried in a Sunman cemetery. Anyone with information can contact Gentrup at 812-438-3711. He is working on getting a special publication together before the Vietnam Memorial Wall comes to Rising Sun, which will be July 10-13.

The moving wall is 80% of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington DC. The exhibit will be open 24 hours each day it is set up at the soccer field located at the intersection of Industrial Access Road and Grand Victoria Drive in Rising Sun. There is no admission charge. On July 9 the wall will be escorted with a parade from Lawrenceburg I275 exit to Rising Sun where there will be a welcome ceremony. Gentrup noted that the Patriot Guard Riders will be part of that escort. Then each day, July 10 through July 13, there will be opening ceremonies at noon, entertainment from 1:30 to 6:00 p.m. each day with closing ceremonies from 7-8 p.m. each evening.

Ripley County residents are invited to take advantage of this memorial wall coming so close and take part in the four day event.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO P.G. Gentrup retrieves information from Patty Lohrum, about her brother, Fred Steuer, who was killed in Vietnam in 1962. Lohrum shows the rubbing of her brother's name that a family member had framed after going to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC.