Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Watts, Berg, Ring, Klabon, Sparks, Lane, Flemal
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 3/16/2016
Son Reunited with Father’s Military Mementos (March - 2016)
Son Reunited with Father’s Military Mementos
Participants in the touching ceremony Sunday at The Highground include (l-r) Learning Center Coordinator June Berg, Vietnam Veteran William Flemal and Betsy Lane. Watts, who’s father, Schyler Watts, was killed in action in Vietnam, was reunited with his medals, an American flag and other memorabilia during the special event. (Todd Schmidt/ Clark County Press Photo)
By Todd Schmidt
U. S. Army Staff Sergeant Schyler Watts of Vicco, KY, (Population 334) was a Vietnam Veteran killed in action Dec. 2, 1971.
His casket flag, his medals and a photo album were reunited with his son, Floyd Watts, during an emotional ceremony Sunday at The Highground Veterans Memorial Park on USH 10 west of Neillsville.
June Berg, learning center coordinator at The Highground, said the items were found in a storage unit in Appleton. Steve Ring, the owner of the storage unit passed away, and no one came forward to claim the belongings in it.
Ring, along with others, attempted to locate someone in Watts’ family so he could return the items. After over a year of searching, he decided to bring the items to The Highground, where he knew they would be taken care of.
“These items were just so important and personal, I knew I could not just dispose of them,” Ring said. “I felt in my heart there was someone out there looking for them.”
Berg said after receiving the items, she shared the story with Skip Klabon of Colby and Skip Sparks of Abbotsford, along with other Vietnam Veterans who regularly volunteer at The Highground.
“They each seemed to take it as their own personal mission to locate a member of Watts’ family and return these items to their home,” Berg said.
She said it took over 5 months and a lot of research, but finally, late in November, his son, Floyd Watts, was found.
“Floyd was so emotionally moved when we told him we had his father’s things,” Berg said. “He said he knew the items were out there somewhere, but he never expected to get them back.”
Floyd spoke to the gathering Sunday with tears in his eyes, as recalled growing up without his father. He said he was 18 months old when his father was killed.
“I am so thankful to everyone involved,” he said. “It is all I have left of my father. I thought it would all be just a memory.”
Berg said the searching for Watts’ family members started in Vicco.
“It is no wonder it took so long to find Floyd,” Berg said. “We were looking in the wrong state. Floyd was finally located in Appleton.”
Betsy Lane, the daughter of Vietnam Veteran William Flemal, coordinated the research to find Floyd Watts. A contact was made through the website Ancestor.com.
“I received an email from them with his contact information,” Lane said. “I telephoned Floyd Nov. 28, 2015. The feeling was unbelievable, especially when he thanked me for bringing part of his dad home.”
Klabon said Schyler Watts is honored on Panel 2W, Row 83 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
“Today we honor his service and sacrifice by presenting his son, Floyd, with his flag, medals and photo album,” Klabon said. “Schyler was a father, husband, brother and friend that was taken far too soon. We know that his duties of protecting his family, friends and country did not end on that battlefield in Long Khanh; it has continued on and has brought us all here today.
“Floyd, on behalf of a grateful country, community and fellow veterans, we are honored to finally bring Schyler’s belongings home. Please accept them with great pride and honor.”
Members of The Highground Board of Directors also presented Floyd with a recognition plaque. He then addressed the gathering with a quivering voice.
“Thank you all with all my heart,” Floyd said. “This means the world to me. I never thought I would get my dad’s belongings back home. Many soldiers did not come home from Vietnam. You are all my heroes.”
Floyd said his father, at the age of 26, was on his third tour of Vietnam when he was killed.
“He wanted to buy some property for his kids to grow up on,” he said. “Certain coal mining areas of Kentucky are forgotten about. Going into the military is the only way out.”
Floyd credits his mother, who passed away in 2003, for keeping his father’s spirits alive in the family.
“As a young mother, she lost her husband in Vietnam,” Floyd said. “She was a very strong woman who had to be a mom and a dad. She never remarried.
“She always said Dad had a big heart and he wasn’t scared of anything. She said Dad got to hold me for a few hours before he had to leave for the service.”
Sparks said, “I bet your mom is looking down from heaven today and is smiling.”
Floyd, who has three sons, said he was grateful he could now pass on a portion of his dad’s history to them.
“I stand here today as a proud son showing off my proud father,” Floyd said. “I miss Daddy not standing beside me. What he fought for makes me proud.
“Now I can look at these items every day and remember my dad. Once again, I thank you all. I have never had anything like this done for me in my life.”
