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Alan Harnack of Beaver Creek received a special thank you for his military service 50 years after he returned home from Vietnam.
Harnack and his family will spend four days at Holbrook Farms Retreat near Detroit Lakes, a trip sponsored through Hero Haven Adventures.
The trip was presented to Harnack as a surprise in early December during the first “Hero Ball” at the Gettysburg, South Dakota, High School.
Harnack and his wife, Zoe, attended the Hero Ball with their sons, Chris, Eric and Scott and their spouses.
“It was a really cool experience,” Harnack said. “We’ve never really been together without the grandkids present. It was just the eight of us.”
The ball was a fundraiser for Hero Haven as well as a special celebration for the first group of heroes, military or law enforcement, who received a pheasant hunting outing near Gettysburg, South Dakota.
Hero Haven President and H-BC High School graduate Wade Blomgren was the night’s master of ceremonies. He made the announcement of the second trip Hero Haven Adventures would sponsor.
Blomgren, with fellow military service members Dean Hall and Justin Gallagher, created Hero Haven and Hero Haven Adventures in 2021 to thank those who have served and protected the country.
Their gift: connecting honored veterans with various outfitters tailored for personal enjoyment.
“You don’t know this, Al, but you shaped this organization,” Blomgren said from the podium. “We had three things in mind: pheasant hunting, fly fishing and ATVing. He (Harnack) doesn’t do any of these.”
“Create Your Own Adventure” is now one of the Hero Haven selections that allows honorees to feel rewarded for serving their country.
“We can’t wait for you to feel a little bit of respect you deserved in the late ’60s and early ’70s,” Blomgren said.
Hero Haven was formed in early 2021 with the first adventure this fall.
While meant as a thank you, the adventures also bring together groups of public service people — military, law enforcement, firefighting — in ways that have additional benefits.
“By their professions, they enjoy the outdoors,” said Blomgren. “When we put them in the outdoors, they blossomed.”
The first adventure was filled with participants reconnecting as a group, enjoying the adrenaline of the hunt and laughing outside the realm of their professions.
Harnack’s adventure is the first Hero Haven organized for an individual.
Blomgren read a poem written by Harnack titled “The Experience,” which brought tears to the eyes of those in attendance.
The poem detailed Harnack’s military experience in the Vietnam War as a 19-year-old in 1968.
Harnack said he turned to poetry writing more than 50 years ago due to his admiration of lyrics created by songwriters like Bob Dillon and Paul McCartney.
Poetry for Harnack is a cathartic release, as he found it difficult to talk about his military experiences.
“It was hard to talk with people, and poetry was a way to get things off my mind,” he said.
The announcement as the first individual Hero Haven Adventure recipient surprised Harnack.
“I never expected me, a Vietnam infantryman, to ever be recognized for my service,” he said. “It was a night I’ll never forget.”
I was born in the midwest,
of four children, I was one.
And I was always proud to claim,
I was my parents’ son.
But as I grew, world hatred grew,
soon I heard from Uncle Sam.
So, in '68, at age 19,
I was off to Vietnam.
My family took me to the plane, on that chilly winter’s day.
I told them not to worry,
that I thought I'd be okay.
But needing some assurance,
I asked, “don't forget to pray.”
I climbed upon the airplane,
and quickly flew away.
The plane touched down in Bein Hoa,
beneath the blistery, shiny sun.
My knees began to tremble,
and my heart was on the run.
They assigned me to my unit,
and handed me a gun.
A "chopper" dropped me in the field,
and "the experience" had begun.
They sent us on an "ambush,"
on that Holy Christmas Night.
But, the peace of the season
ended in a “fire fight.”
A thought occurred to me,
that at any other time,
the boy we just shot
could have been a friend of mine.
We met a yellow child,
on a jungle trail, alone.
We couldn't help but wonder,
why he was not at home.
Soon, we realized, by the satchel on his lap,
he was sent there by the Viet Cong,
he was a human booby trap.
Fear set in, and we jumped back,
and shot that yellow kid.
Then I fell down, upon the ground,
and cried for what we did.
Bombs kept falling, boys kept dying,
as the waters turned to red.
Confusion of the situation,
began to cloud my head.
Couldn't understand why
he would not respond to what I said;
then I realized,
that my closest friend was dead.
Fourteen months had come and gone,
and it was time for me to leave.
Said "hi" to my replacement,
saw the heart upon his sleeve...
I turned around and walked away,
not to see him anymore.
He was too young, oh much too young,
to face what was in store.
The next day on the West Coast,
we landed on the ground.
There were protest signs, and
demonstrators,
standing all around.
Guilt filled our heads, and
Numbed our minds,
we must have did the crime.
So, near to tears, the next twelve
years,
we humbly did the time.
We don't want any sympathy,
and there's nothing you can do.
But, maybe now you understand,
why we're not quite like you.
Alan Harnack, Vietnam '68-69