NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – Richard Daseke doesn’t consider himself a hero. But on March 21st, 1969 — alone, bleeding, and surrounded by chaos — he did what heroes do.
Daseke, a 21-year-old Army specialist at the time, was stationed at Landing Zone White in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division when a unit of the North Vietnamese Army launched a surprise attack in the middle of the night.
“Before I knew it, everyone around me was either gone or dead,” Daseke recalled. “I couldn’t see anything, so I crawled to the mortar pit and started firing illumination rounds. I did it for 40 minutes straight until artillery from another base started firing over us.”
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He was hit with shrapnel in the back, face, and ear — wounds that earned him a Purple Heart. But it was his bravery under fire, continuing to fight while wounded and alone, that earned him the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for valor.
“You don’t go into the Army thinking you’ll be a hero,” Daseke said. “You just do what seems like the right thing to do in the moment.”
Now 77 years old and living in Neenah, Daseke continues to serve. He’s the Senior Vice Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Wisconsin, regularly speaking at schools and national conventions to share the stories of veterans — especially those who never made it home.
“In order to receive a Purple Heart, you have to be wounded by the enemy in combat,” he explained. “Less than three percent of people who serve ever receive one. It makes me unique… but it also reminds me every day what others gave.”
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Daseke served in the Army from 1968 to 1979, first in the infantry and later as a helicopter crew chief with the 229th Assault Helicopter Company. He flew daily missions over Vietnam — often under heavy fire — and somehow, despite losing three helicopters in five months, never lost a man under his watch.
But coming home wasn’t easy. He remembers arriving at the Oakland terminal to face anti-war protesters — and being spit on.
“It was the worst part,” he said. “That’s why I make it a point now to tell these stories. People need to know what we went through. What we gave.”
Daseke says his work with the Purple Heart organization now focuses on building membership among younger veterans — something he says is more important than ever.
“Today’s generation doesn’t always see the value in joining,” he said. “But these associations are about remembering. About honoring. About healing.”
As for Purple Heart Day itself — observed every year on August 7 — Daseke says it’s not just about recognition.
“It’s about never forgetting. My oath is not over. When you sign up to protect this country, there’s no expiration date.”
