Ashland area Vietnam veterans reunion features former NASA astronaut Col. Robert Springer
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ASHLAND − Area Vietnam-era veterans met for the fourth annual reunion at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles #2178 on Saturday.
More than 300 veterans and guests attended the event where former astronaut and Marine Col. Robert Springer was the guest speaker.
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Springer is a 1960 graduate of Ashland High School. He flew 300 missions as a pilot of F4 Phantom fighter jets and 250 missions as a pilot of Bird Dog planes and Huey helicopters. Springer went on to become a NASA astronaut flying in the Discovery and Atlantis space shuttles.
Springer describes the Vietnam experience as being similar to seven blind men encountering an elephant. He said that depending on what part and when the encounter took place, the same animal was experienced differently by the people involved.
Veterans and their guests were able to view displays of memorabilia during the social hour before dinner, with music provided by the band, Old Enough To Know Better.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Col. Robert Springer speaks at Ashland Vietnam veterans reunion
