House Concurrent Resolution 68

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE RENDERED TO THIS STATE AND NATION BY VIETNAM WAR VETERAN, DR. EDWIN "ED" J. DEUSCHLE, UPON THE OFFICIAL RECEIPT OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDALS FOR HIS DISPLAY OF HEROISM IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM BATTLE THAT FOREVER ALTERED HIS LIFE ON MAY 5, 1970.

WHEREAS, the Cities of Tupelo and Madison, Mississippi, are proud to be considered the homes of community friend, historical legend, acclaimed minister and Vietnam War veteran, Dr. Edwin "Ed" J. Deuschle, and are delighted to join the gesture of the Mississippi Legislature in extending congratulations upon the official receipt of numerous meritorious service medals for his display of heroism in the face of adversity during the Vietnam War, after more than 40 years, and in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam battle that forever altered his life on May 5, 1970; and

WHEREAS, from his humble beginnings in Lee County, Mississippi, Dr. Deuschle, who was raised on the premier tenets of faith, education and perseverance, evidenced an allegiance to patriotism and graduated from the University of Mississippi's ROTC program as a 2nd Lieutenant, and after completing his officer basic course, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 506 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division as an infantry platoon leader in Vietnam; and

WHEREAS, on May 5, 1970, while leading his platoon in a vicious battle under hostile enemy fire, which prevented the Huey helicopter transporting his company from safely landing, a young Lieutenant Deuschle and his compadres were forced to jump out of the aircraft to engage the enemy in heavy artillery exchange; and

WHEREAS, despite the Huey carrying him being too high to the ground, Lieutenant Deuschle took the chance on making a safe jump, and suffered a knee jam that impeded his ability to walk, but he persevered through the pain and continued to fight and lead his platoon in a valiant display of selflessness, otherwise failing to counter the hostile gun fire would have meant certain death for his company; and

WHEREAS, under heavy machine-gun fire from a hilltop, it was soon discovered that Lieutenant Deuschle and his platoon was accompanied by only one other officer, the company commander, who instructed the injured Deuschle to take a few troops and navigate the hillside to dispel the enemy attack; and

WHEREAS, using a soldier's backpack for walking and crawling leverage, he and his troops inched their way uphill at a worm's crawl, before reaching the summit, where the soldier assisting him suffered a fatal wound, and Deuschle would subsequently toss a hand grenade that dismantled the machine-gun emplacement; and

WHEREAS, for two weeks, Lieutenant Deuschle remained in the dense foliage of the Vietnamese jungle battle for his and his company members' lives in hopes of going undetected in an unfamiliar environment, known only to his native aggressors, before he was provided a medical evacuation; and

WHEREAS, the only officer of the Delta Company to survive, Lieutenant Deuschle was initially hospitalized in Japan, then eventually flown back to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where doctors made every attempt possible to repair his knee, but after proving unsuccessful in their efforts, he was transferred to a holding unit before eventually receiving a medical discharge, which proved a cumbersome impediment to his receipt of deserving recognition for heroism on the battlefield; and

WHEREAS, with only his discharge orders, his military dog tags and permanently injured leg, Lieutenant Deuschle began a fight anew, but this time it was not under hostile enemy fire, it was the bureaucratic red tape of the Department of Defense he was battling, in what would prove to be a nearly five-decade long ordeal for official military acknowledgment; and

WHEREAS, after two years of no progress, Deuschle, who had accepted his ministerial calling, surrendered the fight for the medals for which he had been recommended, and focused on the battle of spiritual warfare, to compel as many souls as possible to join God's legion of baptized believers of faith, after being ordained at Calvary Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, fast forward to 2013, the now late Congressman Alan Nunnelee, Dr. Deuschle's nephew made inquiry about the medals and encouraged the military to open an investigation to ensure the conferring of honors, and upon his passing, his successor Congressman Trent Kelly continued the fight to see the medals properly bestowed upon the deserving recipient, who had evidenced the patience of Job in seeing the moment realized; and

WHEREAS, now a retired Baptist minister, who served congregations in Bay St. Louis and Noxapater before relocating to Madison upon accepting a post on the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Dr. Deuschle, dreamt of knowing the emotionally charged and humbling experience of wearing and feeling a medal became a reality on August 31, 2015, when Congressman Kelly completed the works of Congressman Nunnelee, in good faith, during an awards ceremony in Tupelo to present Dr. Deuschle with eight medals of merit, including the: Silver Star Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60" Device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device and Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation, First Class; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Deuschle willingly assumes the patriarchal role of his family, seizing the reins as the unifying tie that binds his family together, as he seeks to always be their provider, and remains instrumental in their support and encouragement, as he sprinkles their lives with nuggets of infinite wisdom and a fervent agape love; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to commend and honor United States veterans for their courageous service and selfless devotion to the country, state, community and family, especially those veterans of Dr. Deuschle's caliber, whose light continues to be a beam of inspiration illuminating the path of hope for all he encounters along this earthly sojourn:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the life, military service, and legacy of community leadership and model citizenship of Dr. Edwin "Ed" J. Deuschle and express grateful appreciation for the life of service and sacrifice he provided to this nation as a Vietnam War veteran upon the official receipt of meritorious service medals for his display of heroism in the face of adversity in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam battle that forever altered his life on May 5, 1970.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Dr. Edwin "Ed" J. Deuschle and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.