Robert Terry Hester
Greetings – February, 2024
My name is Terry Hester and I’m a Vietnam Veteran. I was born on flag day, June 14, 1947, to Robert (Bob) and Sylvia Hester and have one brother, Tom, born in 1943. My dad was an Army WWII veteran and was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries in battle.
I was raised in Waterloo, Nebraska and attended school from K-12. Just a normal kid that played all school sports and, in the summer, played Legion baseball. Better than the average basketball player and one of the best baseball catchers in the area. After graduation I met this lovely young lady on a blind date, Carol Ann Martin, she turned out to be my bride. Joined the Navy in 1966, turned 19 years old in boot camp. The last couple days in boot camp you get your shots for the next duty station. I figure it was not going to be good when I got seventeen shots in two days. Orders said to report to the USS Haleakala AE-25. What the heck was that – didn’t take long to learn it was an ammo supply ship off the coast of Vietnam.
The ship returned to Vallejo, California for R&R and repairs in January of 1967. The best week of my life – Carol came to visit, and we got married on the 27th of January 1967. After a week, I went sailing back to Vietnam and turned 20 on board ship. A few months later I received orders to report to a photography school in Pensacola, Florida. Flew back to San Francisco, California’s Air Force base. We had to have a police escort to the civilian airport where we were called names and spit at. Even after that, I’m proud and glad I served this country. Another wonderful day was October 20, 1967, our son was born – Robert Timothy Hester. Being in the military you always receive new orders and off to Norfolk, Virginia we went. I was stationed at the Fleet Atlantic Intelligence Center working in the photo lab. After my enlistment ended in 1970, we moved back to Nebraska, first to Valley, then to Elkhorn in 1971. Happy to say we still live in the same home. Our son, Tim, married Shana Kershaw and now we have four wonderful grandchildren. Robert Tanner Boyd, Skylar Rae, Kalynn Mae and Cooper Ian. Last year Sky married Ben Kotrous.
I’m currently President of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 279 in Omaha, Nebraska. It’s a great honor to help my fellow brothers and sisters. We have a great chapter with over 200 members and the largest in the state. Whoever is reading this please remember, Freedom isn’t Free.
Over the past couple years, I have been diagnosed with Agent Orange. As of today, everyone is good! Enjoy every day with family and friends.
