People

U.S. ARMY MAJOR RON CHATELAIN:

LOUISIANA’S MOST DECORATED LIVING SOLDIER

When someone thanks retired U.S. Army Maj. Ron Chatelain for his service to this country, he is grateful for the appreciation. But his mind is elsewhere. “When somebody thanks me, I am thinking about my buddies who can’t be here to be thanked,” Chatelain said. Chatelain served 20 years in the Army, including two tours of duty in Vietnam. During his career, he received five Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars and a Distinguished Service Cross. He is Louisiana’s most decorated living soldier. The recognition was something he never thought about in the moment. “You do your job and someone wants to pin a damn medal on you,” he said. “Your focus was to accomplish the mission and get everyone out alive, if you could. You don’t know (the medals) are coming. They call your name, and it’s kind of a surreal moment. Then you think, ‘I am getting this award, and I am still here. We lost so many soldiers.’” He thinks about those fallen brothers in arms to this day. He says he felt closer to some of them than he does to his own brothers. “Everything you do, you do as a team, especially in a combat unit,” he said. “You trust each other with your life. You cover each other’s back. It’s all for one and one for all. “You talk about home all the time… and family. You tune out family because you don’t want to know. You’re closer than brothers, but you didn’t want to be too close. It hurt so bad when you lost somebody. You didn’t want to remember that.” The story of one fallen brother, in particular, lingers with Chatelain. “I lost a radio operator who had been with me a long period of time,” he said. “They split us up. Moved me to another unit. It seemed to me that whenever I’d leave the field for a day

for admin work back in the rear or something, the unit would get hit. So after a while I hated to go back to the rear. They needed me out in the field. When he left, I told him, ‘Watch your back. You know what happens when I leave a unit.’ He turned and smiled at me. A couple months later… he was hit and killed.” Chatelain was hit and wounded the next day. He wound up back at the rear in the hospital. It was his commanding officer, who had come to check on Chatelain, who broke the news to him about the radio operator’s death. “I wanted to leave the hospital and escort his body home and let his family know what a good soldier he was,” Chatelain said. “But they wouldn’t release me from the hospital.” Chatelain never forgot his friend, nor his desire to connect with the family. “Forty years later, I finally found his gravesite in a little town in Georgia, behind a church,” Chatelain said. “He was 20 (when he died). I was excited. I wanted to meet his family. He was married just before he went over (to Vietnam). Then I saw his wife’s grave next to him. She died when she was 38— never remarried. They really probably only knew each other for months. That was closure for me, to at least find where he was.” The story still brings tears to Chatelain’s eyes and causes him to choke up as he retells it. That is at least part of the reason he is close to only a few of the men he served with, particularly those he went through Officer Candidate School with. “After you came home, you wanted to see your buddies again, but you blotted out that information,” he said. Chatelain remains committed to his fellow soldiers and veterans. He is a member of several organizations, including the Military Order of the Purple Heart, whose mission is to help veterans. He assists veterans in the area with getting into the hen someone thanks retired U.S. Army Veterans Administration system. He visits the Northwest LouMaj. Ron Chatelain for his service to this isiana Veterans Home in Bossier City and helps host monthly country, he is grateful for the appreciation. birthday parties for the residents. He also collects and distribBut his mind is elsewhere. “When some utes clothes, food and other essentials at Woody’s Home for body thanks me, I am thinking about my Veterans in Shreveport. Chatelain said. buddies who can’t be here to be thanked,” He particularly enjoys helping fellow combat veterans. “Less than 10 percent of servicemen serve in actual combat,” he said. Chatelain served 20 years in the Army, including two tours of duty “It’s those guys. You know what they’ve gone through. You know in Vietnam. During his career, he received five Purple Hearts, two how you can help them and relate with them.” The memories beBronze Stars, two Silver Stars and a Distinguished Service Cross. come even more poignant around Veterans Day and Memorial He is Louisiana’s most decorated living soldier. Day, Chatelain said. “It takes you back,” he said. “It affects you The recognition was something he never thought about in the moment. “You do your job and someone wants to pin a damn medal on you,” he said. “Your focus was to accomplish the mis emotionally, knowing what those with you and before you have gone through—the sacrifices they’ve made, especially those who suffered severe wounds.” sion and get everyone out alive, if you could. You don’t know (the Chatelain’s patriotism runs to medals) are coming. They call your name, and it’s kind of a sur his core. He wishes more Amerreal moment. Then you think, ‘I am getting this award, and I am icans today shared that spirit. still here. We lost so many soldiers.’” “It’s a shame that less than He thinks about those fallen brothers in arms to this day. He says he felt closer to some of them than he does to his own brothers. “Everything you do, you do as a team, especially in a combat unit,” he said. “You trust each other with your life. You cover each other’s back. It’s all for one and one for all. “You talk about home all the time… and family. You tune out family because you don’t want to know. You’re closer than broth ers, but you didn’t want to be too close. It hurt so bad when you lost somebody. You didn’t want to remember that.” one percent of the U.S. population serves in the military,” he said. “When they raise their right hand and take the oath, they sign a blank check for their lives and march off to their destinies in honor of the United States of America. It’s a shame that there seems to be more care and The story of one fallen brother, in particular, lingers with Chat respect for actors, actresses and musicians. They beriod of time,” he said. “They split us up. Moved me to another come idols. Where the true idols are the ones unit. It seemed to me that whenever I’d leave the field for a day who make this country great.”

for admin work back in the rear or something, the unit would get hit. So after a while I hated to go back to the rear. They needed me out in the field. When he left, I told him, ‘Watch your back. You know what happens when I leave a unit.’ He turned and smiled at me. A couple months later… he was hit and killed.” Chatelain was hit and wounded the next day. He wound up back at the rear in the hospital. It was his commanding officer, who had come to check on Chatelain, who broke the news to him about the radio operator’s death. “I wanted to leave the hospital and escort his body home and let his family know what a good soldier he was,” Chatelain said. “But they wouldn’t release me from the hospital.” Chatelain never forgot his friend, nor his desire to connect with the family. “Forty years later, I finally found his gravesite in a little town in Georgia, behind a church,” Chatelain said. “He was 20 (when he died). I was excited. I wanted to meet his family. He was married just before he went over (to Vietnam). Then I saw his wife’s grave next to him. She died when she was 38— never remarried. They really probably only knew each other for months. That was closure for me, to at least find where he was.” The story still brings tears to Chatelain’s eyes and causes him to choke up as he retells it. That is at least part of the reason he is close to only a few of the men he served with, particularly those he went through Officer Candidate School with. “After you came home, you wanted to see your buddies again, but you blotted out that information,” he said. Chatelain remains committed to his fellow soldiers and veterans. He is a member of several organizations, including the Military Order of the Purple Heart, whose mission is to help veterans. He assists veterans in the area with getting into the Veterans Administration system. He visits the Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Bossier City and helps host monthly birthday parties for the residents. He also collects and distributes clothes, food and other essentials at Woody’s Home for Veterans in Shreveport. He particularly enjoys helping fellow combat veterans. “Less than 10 percent of servicemen serve in actual combat,” he said. “It’s those guys. You know what they’ve gone through. You know how you can help them and relate with them.” The memories become even more poignant around Veterans Day and Memorial Day, Chatelain said. “It takes you back,” he said. “It affects you emotionally, knowing what those with you and before you have gone through—the sacrifices they’ve made, especially those who suffered severe wounds.” Chatelain’s patriotism runs to his core. He wishes more Americans today shared that spirit. “It’s a shame that less than one percent of the U.S. population serves in the military,” he said. “When they raise their right hand and take the oath, they sign a blank check for their lives and march off to their destinies in honor of the United States of America. It’s a shame that there seems to be more care and respect for actors, actresses and musicians. They become idols. Where the true idols are the ones who make this country great.”