Photo By Scott Sturkol | Maj. Randy Downs with the U.S. Army Funeral Honors Team from U.S. Army Garrison-Fort...... read more read more
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I never personally met Pfc. Charles Dickman, but I’ll definitely remember him, and I’ll never forget that I got to see him come home.
The young private died 73 years ago on July 12, 1950, in an area near Chochiwon, South Korea, as he fought with the U.S. Army’s 21st Infantry Regiment in the Korean War. He died before he even reached his 18th birthday.
For seven-plus decades, Private Dickman was missing in action. But in recent months, he was found, identified, and returned to be buried with honors. And on Oct. 21, he was brought home to his hometown of Cashton, Wis., and laid to rest, with honors.
The day before I planned on going to this event, I had only learned about it from the fact that a team of Soldiers from Fort McCoy were going to be on hand to honor the family at the services. Then I thought for sure I needed to go.
Private Dickman’s funeral mass was set for 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which is right in the heart of Cashton. Now, I have been to Cashton dozens of times before, just not the church. I’ve been through there going other places, stopped at the grocery store a bunch of times, got gas there, been to a bunch of garage sales over the years, and met a few people named Mlsna as well.
Cashton is a great town, really. I’ve also gone to the dentist there, hit up the cheese store plenty of times, and I like its charm because it’s nestled at the top of the hill country in Western Wisconsin. I imagine it was a great place to grow up for Charles Dickman, even back in the 1930s and 1940s.
On the day of funeral, my wife Bobbi and I arrived about 10 minutes early for the mass. I had never been to a funeral mass, so this was going to be something new.
As we went in, we had to wait a bit. I stood next to two TV reporters who were waiting to get in and set up their cameras in the back. Since I was doing similar work, I stayed in the back as well.
The church itself was well lit and what you’d expect to see in a small-town Catholic church. There are the beautiful stained-glass windows, rows of beautifully made wooden pews to the left and right, and high cathedral ceilings for the sound to echo throughout when the music and prayers are played and recited.
Outside the church before we came in, you couldn’t miss what was going on. There were numerous U.S. flags surrounding the church. There of course was the hearse for Private Dickman’s final cruise through his hometown to honor him, and there were also lots of cars and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Back inside, I was standing at the back, my wife was sharing the last pew with some other guests, and to my right I saw a whole pew of veterans wearing jackets with Dickman’s name on it.
Then it dawned on me that the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Cashton, VFW Post 8584, is the Dickman-Spaeth Post. It’s named in part after Private Dickman, and now these veterans for the first time can honor one of the Soldiers for whom they named their post after. That alone is a special day.
For the next hour, I stood there listening to the priest talk about Charles, his family, and the hope his family had that one day he would return home. The priest also spoke of really how glorious it was that even though most of Charles’ immediate family members have passed away, their prayers were answered in that he was found and is now home.
Listening in and being there in person, at least, was Charles’ sister Patricia Filut. There also were many nieces and nephews and extended family members present for the honors that were presented to Charles upon his return to Cashton. Even though the weather was chilly, windy, and cloudy outside, there was nothing but warmth and love for him inside that church.
And for me, normally at events like this I feel a great sadness, but for some reason I think I was like many there who were happy this could finally happen for the family after such a long time. And now that the mass was complete, it was time to proceed to Sacred Heart Cemetery.
The church’s cemetery is just under a mile down the county highway from the church. They had already set up the area for military and funeral honors. As the procession made its way led by Harleys with flags and a trail of dozens of vehicles, then everyone parking and walking, it was a sight to see.
At graveside, that’s where the Fort McCoy Soldiers were waiting in formation at attention, where veterans were in place, also at attention, and all around were family, friends, and spectators there to witness the honors about to take place.
The team of Soldiers from Fort McCoy included Maj. Randy Downs, company commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters and Headquarters Company; Maj. Michael Ball, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for Fort McCoy; 1st Sgt. Jacob Pattison, first sergeant for U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters and Headquarters Company; and Sgt. 1st Class Jason Henderson and Staff Sgt. Nathan Miller, also both with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters and Headquarters Company. Their duty was to fold the flag from the casket and present it to the family, specifically to Charles’ sister Patricia.
They first brought Charles out of the hearse and brought his flag-covered casket to its stand. The priest then said his part to honor Charles once again.
From there I watched. I watched the family members look frozen. It seems when this part comes, it’s where the reality hits of the ultimate sacrifice that was made.
I watched next where the veteran honor guard began the three-volley salute. I watched, with each volley, a few family members move in response. To me, when the “bang” rings out from those guns, you hear the sound of honor. Maybe that’s what they heard too.
Next the honor guard of Soldiers moved in and began the rhythmic folding of the American flag — slowly, methodically, and flawlessly. It was special to see because these are Soldiers who I work with every day, and they did this with the precision of professionals.
Once folded, Major Downs presented the flag to Patricia. That’s the moment I felt a tear roll down my cheek. That’s the hardest part. That’s a moment I’d last seen at Arlington National Cemetery in 2008 when I witnessed a funeral of an Airmen who finally made it back from Vietnam. It’s the moment of honor to a family whose hero gave the ultimate sacrifice.
I think after that, those who were next to me felt the same, and shortly thereafter, we all quietly and respectfully walked back to our vehicles. I think you could have heard a pin drop in the grass even with the wind blowing. It was that moving.
So now, as we look toward Veterans Day and think of the sacrifices veterans make, Pfc. Charles Dickman gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country. I think there’s no greater hero and no greater sacrifice.
It was a great honor to witness his coming home, and every time I visit Cashton, he’ll get a special salute from this veteran. Welcome home Charles. Welcome home.
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2023 14:06 |
| Story ID: | 457061 |
| Location: | CASHTON, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 1,273 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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