Littleton, COLO. (KDVR) – Richard Hug has gained the species of perspective in Vietnam, you can only learn when you lose something important. In his case, he lost half of his left leg.
He already survived an explosion that left him with a piece of shrapnel in his head and an attack that left many in his death family. At the end of January 1970, in a night ambush near Wo Bo Woods in Bình Dương County, northwest of Seijon, he heard and felt an explosion unlike any witnessed in Vietnam.
“We were creating this ambush and one of the players hit another trap in luxury. I was lying on the ground and looked up and looked down as if I were literally in my legs. I thought I was growing to death. I looked up and said, O Lord, I did not allow me to go to this way.”
His parents at home in Iowa got the telegram shortly.
“And the people who read that Telegram knew me, they know my family. So one of the players went and got our minister from our church and handed it over to my mother. Then the telegram said that I was injured and lost my leg and I was still in the hospital. It was in reality a great shock, clearly.”
He was close to his return to the United States to learn how to walk again.
“It was difficult. It was difficult. I fell several times and started with crutches, then went to cane and then finally managed to walk on my own (with artificial),” Huj said.
However, none of this was sufficient to prevent him from continuing to serve his country later in life, first as a government contractor and a member of the old American warriors.
Houe also volunteers with other veteran organizations, including the honor guard of all old warriors, which provides the final military honors of the heroes who were buried in the Fort Lugan National Cemetery.
“It is a way to serve my old warriors,” he said.
Hogue got two purple hearts, a bronze star and a large number of other praise. Now, he can add another honor to the menu: it has been just chosen Fox31 that serves those who serve the hero of the month for the month of September 2025, with the permission of Plumbline Services, American Furniture Warehouse and Leo Hill Trust.
Vietnam forever changed Hog, but he said that some of these changes were actually for the better.
“Was the war worth it? I say it is worth it because I came through my experience as a better man. He made me a better person.”
To nominate a veteran or active service member in the Hero of the Month service, please visit the Fox31 nomination page.