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One by one, they took the arm of an ROTC cadet and walked up the stairs and onto the stage.
Some walked slower than others. Two carried a cane. Two were in full dress uniform. All were stoic.
When they were all together on stage, the University of Utah had one more honor for them — a minute-long cannon volley from artillery placed in front of the Student Union building. Thunder and white smoke filled the Union Patio.
The U honored 11 veterans Tuesday in its annual Veterans Day ceremony. Among the honorees was retired Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Tom Davis.
U records list Davis as the first Coast Guard recipient of the university's veterans medal. After the ceremony, Davis said people are surprised when he tells them he saw combat during the Vietnam War.
Over two tours from 1968 through 1970, Davis was assigned to patrol boats southeast of Saigon. During a patrol on Aug. 29, 1969, Davis noticed a cable across the river. He watched the boat in front of his get ambushed. The two boats were able to return fire and move up river, but they were attacked again on the way back. Davis was injured when a bullet struck and blew up his gun.
Davis left active duty and joined the reserves. In all, he served in the Coast Guard about 40 years, leaving in 2008. He is 66 and lives in West Haven.
"I hope I represent the Coast Guard well," Davis said after Tuesday's ceremony.
By far, the youngest veteran on the stage was Air Force Tech. Sgt. Zachary Jacobs. He joined the Air Force in 2005 and deployed to Afghanistan three times. He was assigned to a support unit that fought the war on the ground.
His units got into firefights with the Taliban while supporting special operations and while retrieving supplies that had been air dropped. He received a Bronze Star for helping evacuate wounded soldiers while under fire. He continues to serve in the Washington Air National Guard.
But on Tuesday, Jacobs didn't feel his valor was equal to that of the other honorees.
"Look who's on the stage with me," Jacobs said. "It's just crazy."
The ceremony took time to remember all veterans. The names of 15 previous U veteran honorees who died in the last year, most of them from World War II, were read aloud.
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Veterans honored
The University of Utah held a full dress military ceremony and rifle salute Tuesday morning in the Union Ballroom in the Student Union.
Here is a look at the 11 veterans honored Tuesday at the University of Utah. For more about each veteran, go to http://veteransday.utah.edu.
• William Baucom, Marine Corps. During the Korean War, Baucom served as a mortarman, machine gunner and a sniper. The Chinese once captured Baucom and his spotter, but they escaped. Baucom is the recipient of the Purple Heart among other citations.
• Ray H. Bryant, Air Force. Bryant served for 30 years and flew bombing missions in Vietnam. He retired as a colonel. He resides in Kaysville. Bryant's medals include two Silver Stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
• Thomas E. Davis, Coast Guard. Records show Davis as the first Coast Guardsman to be honored at the university's annual Veterans Day ceremony. Davis served on watercraft conducting patrols in Vietnam. He later transferred to the Coast Guard Reserves. In all, he served about 40 years. His medals include the Purple Heart and Combat Action Ribbon.
• Eugene K. England, Army. England was drafted in 1944 and fought in the battle for Okinawa. When his unit's medics were killed, England dashed through enemy fire to care for the wounded. After World War II, he settled in St. George. England received the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantry Badge.
• Roy Lee Grover, Army Air Corp and Air Force. After completing a civilian pilot training course at the U in 1940, Grover joined the Army Air Corp. In one memorable bombing run against Japanese shipping in Wewak, New Guinea, Grover flew his B-25 between masts of ships. Grover retired in 1964 as a lieutenant colonel. His medals include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
• Kenneth B. Hancock, Army Air Corp. In 1944, Hancock thought he'd be flying transport planes. Instead he was assigned to fly B-25 bombers against Axis targets throughout Europe. Hancock flew 66 combat missions. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal.
• Zachary Jacobs, Air Force. The only one of Tuesday's honorees to have served in Afghanistan, Jacobs was deployed with ground units three times, coordinating air strikes and fighting enemies who would attempt to steal Air Force supply drops. His medals include the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart.
• Ronald C. Jones, Army. Jones first flew observation planes then helicopters in Vietnam. During the Tet Offensive, Jones flew 72 hours under fire evacuating wounded troops. Jones medals include the Silver Star, Bronze Star and the Legion of Merit.
• Paul V. Sersland, Army Air Corp. A gunner on a B-17 during World War II, Sersland, of Layton, flew 35 bombing missions, including the Christmas Eve 1944 bombing mission, the largest of the war, where almost 3,000 aircraft were sent to bomb targets in Germany. Sersland, who was discharged as a sergeant, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
• Patrick Watkins, Marine Corps and Army. For his service in Vietnam, Watkins may be Utah's most-decorated living veteran. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for helping repel an attack on an operating base near Da Nang in 1968. He also has five Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals and three Air Medals. Watkins joined the Marines in 1957 and the Army seven years later. Watkins retired a master sergeant. He and his wife Carol, who also is a Marine veteran, live in Taylorsville.
• Raymond L. Yoss, Army. Yoss and fellow soldiers were captured by the North Koreans in 1950. Yoss spent 37 months as a prisoner of war. Yoss, of Manti, is the recipient of the Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge and the Prisoner of War Medal.