Megan Casta was a student leader when we were working on the Vietnam War book. An interviewee suggested that we interview Gary Wetzel who lives in Milwaukee. Wetzel received the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions during the Vietnam War. Megan contacted Wetzel and traveled to Milwaukee to interview him.

They continued to correspond using mail and telephone and they developed a very special relationship. When the book was published we had a reception at the Holiday Inn at Cedar Creek. Gary Wetzel was invited as the guest of honor along with Melvin Laird who served at Secretary of Defense during the Nixon administration.

When Gary Wetzel arrived he changed and came to the reception. Megan came into the room and when she saw him she ran up and they hugged each other and the conversation began between them as if they were old friends of twenty years.

It was an incredible moment for a man in his fifties to have such a strong relationship with a student that wasn’t alive when the war was fought. This to me is the power of what we do, bringing people together but also making students aware of the past.