Recognizing Westfall
SUBMITTED BY TRACI WESTFALL
Friends and family gather around Robert Westfall, front row, third from right, on Friday, Aug. 12 at the Missouri State Fair. Westfall was recognized during a flag retreat ceremony held by the fair in honor of his service to his country in the U.S. Army.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Local veteran Robert “Bob” Westfall was honored during a Military Flag Retreat ceremony held last week at the Missouri State Fair.
Westfall told The Forum on Tuesday that the event was “real nice.” He described a solemn, but relaxed event.
“They told a little bit about me and I got to say a few words,” Westfall said.
Just crowned the day before, 2022 Missouri State Fair Queen Elsie Kigar of Schuyler County was also on hand for the ceremony. Harper Jo Hansen of Lebanon, Missouri, led the group gathered in the Pledge of Allegiance. Anna Eitel from Novinger, Missouri performed the national anthem.
Missouri National Guard members folded and presented the American flag to him. He said it was done at 5:30 p.m., while playing the retreat, which is the “normal time” for the Army. He wasn’t sure that was done especially for him being a veteran of the Army branch, but it was the correct time.
“I don’t remember when I was in Vietnam ever hearing retreat because it wasn’t quittin’ time,” Westfall said.
Bob’s daughter Traci Westfall told The Forum on Tuesday that though she didn’t nominate her dad, she couldn’t think of a better person to nominate.
“Our family’s very proud that they recognized dad,” she said. “He’s raised us to love Nodaway County and love what we do in work every day and love the country we live in — and he’s a pretty good guy too.”
Working with the nominator, she said it was difficult to get some of the information needed for the nominator. At one point Bob asked if she was working on his obituary and she had to deny and tell him he would find out later.
And he did, Brian Sowers, announcer at KMMO Radio and emcee of the event, read from the nomination: “friends and family describe him as a patriotic honorable servant who loves the country he served.”
Bob served in the U.S. Army from Oct. 18, 1966, to Aug. 28, 1968. During his time he completed basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and advanced training in Fort Huston, Virginia, assignment at Fort Knox, Kentucky, sent to Camranh Bay, Vietnam, and was there until he was honorably discharged on Aug. 28, 1968, at Fort Lewis, Washington.
While serving he earned the Vietnam Service Medal, Specialist M-16, the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with two bars.
Bob spoke briefly at the event saying he was honored to be there and thanked those who came to see them.
“Thank you so much, it’s been a great day and we really enjoyed it,” he said.
Sowers told Westfall that when he returned from his service in Vietnam, he and other Vietnam veterans weren’t treated as they should have been and that this in no way makes up for that, but hopes it’s a first step.
Bob took back the microphone and experienced some emotion while telling the crowd that veterans from Vietnam and Korean wars are the forgotten ones.
“It means a lot to them and to me, just to say welcome home,” he said.
Bob told The Forum later that he ran into numerous people he has known throughout his life at the event, including some former coworkers with Amoco, Standard Oil and BP Pipeline and even a few more who were on hand for the event.
“It was very nice,” he said. “They did it very well.”
Traci said hearing the history read about her father brought back a lot of memories for her, noting that while he was serving she and her twin brother were born.
“It’s pretty emotional for me just because he missed a big part of that, but at the same time he was serving our country. … My mom’s (Carolyn Westfall) a trooper and she deserves as much credit as him.”
Traci continued saying the event was first class and very well organized.
“I was totally blown out of the water by the way it was performed,” she said, noting they treated her father as he should have been treated long ago.
Bob said this is only the third year the fair has honored veterans during this ceremony. He thinks it is something they plan to continue.
“I have somebody I’m going to nominate next year,” he said.
Nomination forms were due to the Flag Retreat Committee in early July this year so the honorees could be selected. It is unknown when they will be accepting nominations for next year.
For more information, visit bit.ly/StateFairFlagRetreat.
SUBMITTED BY TRACI WESTFALL
Local veteran Robert Westfall was honored last week during a flag retirement ceremony at the Missouri State Fair. Shown with him from left in the front row are his sister Christi Wiley, Westfall and his wife Carolyn Westfall. In the back row are Wiley’s daughter Lindsey Thompson and Westfall’s daughter Traci Westfall.
