Roscommon Vietnam veteran laid to rest with special military tribute from fellow veterans
The late Tom Kelly, a member of the US 173rd Airborne, one of the first units that served in Vietnam in 1965.
A Roscommon veteran of the Vietnam war was laid to rest in his native Dysart on Saturday with a special graveside commemoration from fellow veterans.
Dysart native Tom Kelly, who passed away on February 27th last, was a member of the US 173rd Airborne, one of the first units that served in Vietnam in 1965.
Speaking to mourners at his graveside on Saturday afternoon after Funeral Mass, Commander Ron Howko, American Veterans Legion in Ireland, said Tom was a proud member of that airborne unit.
Ron told the gathering that Tom was still one of the few soldiers that had performed a night-time jump from an airplane behind enemy lines.
“He was very proud of his maroon beret he wore while he was in the United States army,” said Ron.
During the graveside ceremony, Vietnam veteran Michael Noone read a special citation honouring Tom, who was a 28 year member of the American Legion in Ireland.
The military tribute concluded with the Last Post on bugle from another Vietnam veteran, Michael Slyman.
Speaking to people who knew Tom, the Roscommon Herald discovered that Tom saw a lot of action in Vietnam. He was badly wounded on a number of occasions and spent many months in various military hospitals.
Tom lived in Ballyleague and will be sadly missed by his sons Niall and Alan, daughter Marina, sister Catherine Gallagher (Curraghboy) and Mary Hadler (U.K.), brothers Richard (Ballyforan), Dan (U.K.) and Jimmy (Isle of Man), daughters-in-law Kim, Kate and Anne, grandchildren Ciara, Michael, Samantha, Fiona, Aidan, Scarlett, Maeve and Saoirse, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and many friends.
