Two veterans added to Korea-Vietnam memorial

Greg Beck, president of the local Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter No. 278, hands a folded American flag to Miriam Cornelius during a Veterans Day ceremony late Wednesday. The event took place to honor two local Army veterans who recently had their names added to downtown Texarkana's Korea-Vietnam Memorial Wall listing area servicemen killed in action.
Greg Beck, president of the local Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter No. 278, hands a folded American flag to Miriam Cornelius during a Veterans Day ceremony late Wednesday. The event took place to honor two local Army veterans who recently had their names added to downtown Texarkana's Korea-Vietnam Memorial Wall listing area servicemen killed in action.

TEXARKANA - For two families, Veterans Day of 2020 held special meeting at the site of the Texarkana's Korea-Vietnam Memorial late Wednesday afternoon.

More then 50 years after two local young men gave their lives for their county, both their names received permanent placement on the memorial which list area servicemen killed in action.

Family members of Hershel Bullock Sr. and James C. Rothwell gathered at the memorial service in recognition of their loved one's sacrifice.

As a U.S. Army warrant officer, Bullock, who was born and raised in Hope, Arkansas, trained as an army helicopter pilot before being dispatched to fly combat in Vietnam, starting June 2, 1968. Less then three months later Bullock's helicopter drew enemy fire and went down, Aug. 21, 1968. Some of his military citations include the Purple Heart, Air Medal and Vietnam Service Medal.

Bullock's son, Hershel Bullock Jr., who drove all the way out from Fort Worth, Texas, for the ceremony, said he was just four months old when his father was reported killed in action.

"At that time, dad was just 20 years old, so I never really got the chance to meet dad, but this is a good recognition of his service the country, Bullock Jr., said. "It took 52 years but it finally happened."

Former U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot Don Ruggles spoke reverently of his friend and fellow helicopter pilot James C. Rothwell.

"When J.C and I were growing up, we would be sitting in church together and we never really knew any Bible verses, but one day someone asked J.C. for a verse and he said 'God is Love' and that sounded like a good Bible verse to me."Ruggles said. "We both went to Henderson State University. He went on learn how to fly a helicopter and took me for a ride."

Rothwell went on to serve in Korea, before serving in Vietnam. Then he was asked to serve again in Korea where he was killed in action during a fire-fight as he flew on a rescue mission to evacuate ground forces in March of 1969. Rothwell was 36 at the time.

Even though the Korean War officially ended by mutual agreement on July 27, 1953, some occasional fare ups of combat would occur as late as 1974.

"It's been 51 years now and but only about 33 years since it was officially admitted," Rothwell's daughter, Miriam Cornelius, said.

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