Woodman Chapter honors
Purple Heart recipients
by Denise Etheridge
White County News
The Vietnam War was an unpopular conflict that often left seen - and unseen - scars upon the service men and women who were lucky enough to return home.
Purple Heart recipients Terry Mulkey and Richard Thomas, both Marines, remembered the comrades they lost and summarized their personal experiences serving in Vietnam following a May 8 banquet hosted by WoodmanLife Chapter 565 of Cleveland. The chapter held the event to honor seven local Purple Heart recipients. Mulkey and Thomas were the only two able to attend. The other recipients included John Greene, Keith Kimsey, Jack Norris, Cal Riley and David Stowers.
Purple Heart medals are awarded to military service members of all branches and rank who are wounded or killed while fighting an enemy.
Thomas was wounded in 1967, shrapnel lodging in his arm, wrist and stomach during Operation Buffalo, when he and his fellow Marines were among the first U.S. ground forces to enter the DMZ or demilitarized zone, which divided North and South Vietnam. The Vietnam war began on Nov. 1, 1955, and ended on April 30, 1975.
“We lost a lot of good men,” Thomas said.
“Yeah, we did,” Mulkey agreed.
Mulkey was wounded three times during the two years he served in Vietnam, each injury resulting in a Purple Heart medal. He was just 17 in 1967 when he was sent to war. Mulkey was first shot in the leg and side of his face, and six months later got shrapnel in his back. Three months after the second injury he suffered a mortar wound. Mulkey lost a joint when his finger was reattached.
Mulkey said he had planned on returning to military service once he was back home in the states, but love stopped him.
“I met my wife on a Friday and I was going to go back on a Monday,” he said. Mulkey celebrated 55 years of marriage on April 18.
He then went into law enforcement, serving in the Atlanta and Fulton County police departments.
“She wouldn’t marry me until I had a job with insurance,” Mulkey said.
He retired as a deputy police chief in 2004.
Thomas is one of six brothers. His two older brothers, Donald and William Thomas, also served in the military.
After his military service, Thomas went to school on the GI bill and studied engineering. He worked for Habersham EMC for 31 years.
In 1998, Thomas, his older brother William and younger brother Charlie, founded the White County Honor and Color Guard. Thomas estimates that the local guard has rendered honors at about 2,000 funerals over the years. The group also participates in parades and visits schools and churches. The honor guard has also presented the colors in the rotunda of the Georgia capitol.
“We do a 21 gun salute for everyone,” Thomas said, explaining that this type of salute is generally reserved for top brass.
Along with honoring Mulkey and Thomas, the chapter recognized Chris and Leigh Ammons for spurring the City of Cleveland and White County to pursue Purple Heart designations which were conferred last year. Cleveland Mayor Josh Turner and City Council Members Nan Bowen, Annie Sutton and Jeremy McClure attended the event.
Command Sergeant Major Clint Cowser with the Georgia Army National Guard was the guest speaker.
The White County Honor and Color Guard presented a 21 gun salute and performed Taps.