On the 35th anniversary of the pullout of the last U.S. troops from Vietnam, veterans from the war, their families and lots of friends came together on Saturday at the new Forest Lake branch library at the county government center for their special day. It was the first celebration in Minnesota to recognize the Minnesota Vietnam Veterans Day. The new holiday was signed into law by Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Thursday.

In Forest Lake, the day drew special meaning for one Vietnam veteran, Ron Lasiuta of Forest Lake. He was wounded in action in Vietnam in 1969, but never recognized for that battlefield wound. That changed, however, when Forest Lake resident Jim Noll, a retired Army colonel and veteran of two tours in Vietnam and the first Gulf War, presented Lasiuta with one of the two Purple Hearts that he received for battlefield wounds in Vietnam. The formal process has been started for Lasiuta to be awarded the medal later this year, but the presentation on Saturday was a big surprise. A humbled Lasiuta, left, looks on as Noll, center, holds the Purple Heart high for the crowd to see. At right is Army CWO Bob Dettmer, also a state representative, who attended his hometown celebration and helped Noll with the presentation.

(Photo By Cliff Buchan)

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