The American Legion Auxiliary Greer Unit #11 is honoring Dennis Clemens as this month’s Veteran of the Month.

Clemens is a Veteran of the Vietnam War. Dennis was drafted and started his service on July of 1967. Clemens was granted a draft deferment in 1964 because he was needed on the family farm after his father suffered a stroke. When Dennis was drafted the second time, he was informed and then had to leave the next day to start his military service. The group that he was drafted with had six soldiers from South Dakota and six soldiers from Minnesota. Clemens did his basic training at Fort Lewis in WA for eight weeks and was lucky enough to also do his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Lewis. Dennis’s AIT was as an 11c mortarman.

After finishing his training, Dennis was chosen to stay on the Fort Lewis base and worked as a drill corporal training troops during their basic training. He spent the first year of his service at the Fort Lewis base. He then received his papers for deployment to Vietnam and was given two weeks leave before having to report to California where he would deploy to the Bien Hoa Air Force base in Vietnam.

After landing at the Bien Hoa Air Force Base, Dennis and his fellow soldiers were sent to the 90th infantry detachment/ replacement center for a day where they were issued weapons and their military field gear as they were deployed in their Class A uniforms. The following day, Clemens was sent on a helicopter to Dong Tam which was the base camp of the 9th infantry division. This base was located along the Mekong River and allowed for the tango boats to move easily to transport soldiers on scouting combat zone operations. Tango boats were very large boats that held over 600 soldiers and naval crew. The tango boats would travel through the different river canals and drop off soldiers in different combat zones to try to engage with the Vietcong. These different field operations in hot zones lasted anywhere from three days to two weeks before returning to the Dong Tam base. Clemens traveled on the tango vessel the USS Bien Hoa.

The tango boats would drop the soldiers off on land where the soldiers would have to make their way inland walking through rice patties and the jungle to look for contact with the Vietcong. The entire year that Dennis was in Vietnam, he went out on these front operations constantly looking to make contact. Not only would Clemens go out on the tango boats, but he also did operations using what the soldiers called “Eagle flights”, where a helicopter would take soldiers over terrain where the Vietcong were suspected to be and engage and make contact. After several of these operations, the Vietcong became aware of what the US soldiers were doing and started shooting down helicopters. There were several choppers carrying soldiers that were unfortunately shot down that were a part of Dennis’s company.

While stationed overseas at Dong Tam, there was only one other soldier from South Dakota in his company. In the most unexpected of circumstances, that soldier was Donnie Fechner. Later in their lives, they would come to each other for support, being able to talk to each other about their experiences which was important to both of the soldiers because unless one has seen or experienced what these men did, one cannot even begin to imagine what they went through. During Clemens’ time in Vietnam, 26 of his fellow soldiers lost their lives, and countless more were injured during combat operations, but mostly from landmines. Dennis himself sustained injuries to his face and chest from landmine shrapnel when another soldier accidentally triggered a landmine. Most of the combat exchanges that Dennis experienced lasted around twenty minutes before the Vietcong would suddenly retreat and disappear, but there was a particular instance where the combat lasted almost 13 hours. The Vietcong had shot down three of the company’s helicopters and Dennis and his fellow soldiers were pinned down in the area. For over thirteen hours, the soldiers were unable to move their injured and wounded fellow soldiers because they were under constant fire.

Dennis’ company was sent home from Vietnam two weeks before he was set to leave because the government had decided to pull his division out. They all loaded up on planes in Dong Tam. Clemens’ plane had to land more than expected as the plane caught on fire and had to make an emergency landing in Hawaii before taking another plane to Fort Lewis. When Dennis returned state-side, he and his fellow soldiers marched the streets of Seattle where they were unfortunately not met with the most welcoming of comments for their service and sacrifice. After being discharged, Dennis decided to spend a week with one of his fellow soldiers in Michigan. This would be where he met his future wife, Barbara.

When Dennis landed in Michigan, he was supposed to call a random phone number to be picked up from the airport and taken to his friend Rick’s house. The number he called belonged to the friend’s next-door neighbor, Barb. Barb was best friends with Rick’s sister and neighbors to the family. Barb and Rick’s sister picked Dennis up from the airport. Barb was headed to California the next day so there was a big going away celebration held. Barb and Dennis hit it off that night and before she left for California, she gave him her address. Dennis took the opportunity and wrote her, beginning a relationship through letters. After only meeting once, he asked Barb to marry him the second time they met when she was leaving California to come back to Michigan. She said yes and the fourth time they were together in person was their wedding day on April 19th of 1970. 54 years later, they are still happily married. The Clemens’ have two children Dennis and Renee and three grandchildren.

During Dennis’ military service, he received several awards, medals, and ribbons. He received a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat, two Bronze Stars with an Oakleaf Cluster (one for leading his platoon as an E5 and the second for taking the platoon out on night missions on an Alpha boat to ambush the Vietcong), the Army Accommodation with V-device with an Oakleaf Cluster, Air Medal with 3 Oakleaf Clusters, Vietnam medal with 4 stars (one star for every 3 months of service), National Defense Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert for Mortars and Sharp Shooter for Rifle.

Dennis was born and raised in the Ravinia/Wagner area. After returning home, he farmed for about three years, before working construction for a year. Dennis then returned to farming before taking a job managing the Wagner Coop for three years. He once again returned to farming before taking a job as a trainer with the Corp of Engineers in Pickstown. Clemens worked there for 24.5 years before retiring. He had hoped that once he retired, that he would travel, but it never happened.

Dennis has had several hobbies that he has enjoyed in his free time over the years including fishing off the boat, ice fishing, gardening and his passion which is mowing. Clemens has also been involved with several organizations including the VFW of which he has been a member for 35 years total, the Wagner American Legion of which he has been a member going on 51 years, and is a member of the Disabled American Veterans out of Mitchell. As a member of the American Legion, he has served as post commander, post vice commander, and was a part of the Wagner Honor Guard.

Thank you, Dennis, for your service and sacrifice and for being this month’s Veteran of the Month. On a personal note, I would like to thank Dennis for sharing his experiences with me even though I know it will come at a great cost to him opening some wounds that will never completely heal. I thank you for allowing me to share your story with our community.