Darwin Hardel was drafted in 1969.

Darwin Hardel served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971.

“I was just an ordinary farm boy who was drafted,” he said.

Back in 1969, the United States had a law that said all men needed to register with the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. After that they were drafted into the military unless they had a reason that they couldn’t be such as a medical condition, family hardship, etc. The Selective Service used the “draft the oldest man first method,” which had been the determining method for deciding order of call.

Hardel graduated from Gaylord High School in 1967. He then attended Mankato Vo-Tech Institute in North Mankato and graduated with a degree in auto mechanics in May 1969. Shortly after graduating, he received his orders for the military.

On May 27, 1969, Hardel reported to the Courthouse in Gaylord to take a bus ride to the Twin Cities. There he was given his orders that his basic training would be at Fort Lewis, Washington. He was put on a train to head west to begin his career in the Army, Infantry Division.

Submitted photos Darwin Hardel is pictured in South Korea.

One experience that Hardel will probably never forget was early in his basic training. He said, “In basic training you were forced to march to wear you out. One day, I was carrying a M-14 rifle. I set it aside for a minute, which was wrong, so after that I had to march with the captain. We came to a hill, and I was determined to make it to the top. I did make it, but then I passed out and rolled down the hill. I remember waking up seeing my platoon looking down at me from the top of the hill.”

After finishing basic training, his next big move was a bus ride across Fort Lewis to start his AIT training. After he completed the Advanced Individual Training, he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, (now known as Fort Moore) for non-commissioned school (NCO). He graduated from the Infantry Noncommissioned Officer Candidate Course on January 29, 1970.

Now it was time to return to Fort Lewis in Washington. He returned with a rank of E-5 to be a sergeant over a platoon of about 30-40 soldiers along with three other sergeants. The sergeants were responsible to get their platoon to their training and just to keep them in order.

They trained for booby traps, how to throw grenades, how to survive in a gas chamber, crawled under wires with machine guns firing over you, and other things to prepare them to go to Vietnam. Hardel said, “They would have someone brace you on your back when you were in the standing position to shoot a machine gun. If you weren’t braced, the recoil from firing would make you spin around which was dangerous for others near you.”

“I was scheduled to go to the airport to go home right after completing training on April 11, 1970. However, I was on CQ duty, which is in-charge of quarters for the weekend and a detained person had to leave his belongings with our quarters. I put his belongings in a safe room which was locked, but when the detained person came back he discovered his radio was missing. This could have kept me from going home. But an agreement was made, if I would replace the radio, then I was able to go home.”

Submitted photo Darwin Hardel is pictured with an M-16 at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) in Georgia.

It was important for Hardel to fly home as he had wedding rehearsal that evening and was married the next day. He came home with orders that he had two weeks off, and when he returned, he would be sent to Vietnam to fight in the war.

Hardel returned to Fort Lewis, and for about a week, prepared to go to Vietnam. He was already dressed in his jungle fatigues and ready to head out when they changed his orders to report to South Korea. Hardel said, “No reason for the change was given. The Army tells ‘on a need to know basis’ so not sure why and will never know why.”

His orders were to be a guard in an instillation near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea. The job was basically to protect missile spaces. If they were invaded, the platoon would get on a helicopter and did fighting around the missile site.

“I also served as a security guard at the gates going into the camp. At times I was assigned to the observation post which was near the missile sites. The toughest part of that was staying awake and alert for 12 hours at a time because it did get boring just sitting there,” he said.

“At times we had droplets of paper land on us. North Korea would fly over us and drop propaganda,” he added.”

Put Our HandsTogether for Our VeteransFor their service and their sacrifice, we salute America’s brave veterans.Thank you for your dedications to this great country and our values as a nation. Your courage and conviction make us proud to be Americans.Searles Well Drilling, Inc.13035 Co. Rd. 25, New Ulm, mN 56073507-354-8633 • wellsaNdseptiCs.Com Hardel From page 7 Submitted photo Darwin Hardel served as the Nicollet American Legion Commander from 2001 to 2004.

Hardel was discharged in 1971 and thought he was finished with his service; however, he was called to go to Fort McCoy in Wisconsin for about 2-3 weeks to complete his Army obligations. Hardel said, “We were warned that could happen.”

Hardel then began working at Mankato Ford for about two years before starting at Midwest Electric in Mankato. He continued to work there for 40 years and retired in 2016.

Hardel is very active in the Nicollet American Legion Post 510. He was Commander from 2001-2004. He is involved in many of the Legion’s activities including the annual Fish Fry, Friendship Days that includes marching in the parade and helping at the food stands, the Color Guard at funerals, Bingo games, and anything else that the Legion sponsors or is involved in.

Hardel and his wife, Jean, live near Nicollet. They raised a son and a daughter and have seven grandchildren. They stay busy with hunting, fishing, camping, and most of all enjoy time with their family and friends.