I wanted to share a story of my friend who died in Vietnam and was escorted home to Independence Missouri by a citizen of Springville, Ala.

His name is Roy Spann.

Recently my friend Don Hartman was inducted in our high school hall of fame. The school just started honoring outstanding athletes from the past 45 years since the doors had opened.

Don was one of the first ones inducted for his basketball skills. We graduated in 1966 and his records weren’t broken till a couple of years ago.

Don died in 1969. I couldn’t go to the funeral since I was in the Navy in Vietnam at the same time.

At the football game where they honored the inductees, his sister was representing her brother told me about the funeral, and the Army escort that brought Don home and the help before and after the funeral. Roy Spann had volunteered to do this job since he had briefly got to know Don before leaving Vietnam.

She said her mother not in good health but still has Don”s medals from the service by her chair she sits in, and she never got over it. Roy was a big help during the days leading up to and during the funeral, so much so his mother gave Roy the flag that was on his coffin on his final trip home from Vietnam.

I just wanted to thank Roy Spann for helping a family when in need. They have never forgot the job Roy did in bringing their son and brother home.

— Howard Heck, Blue Springs Mo.