Vietnam veterans from the 137th Engineer Company were welcomed home in Junction City on Saturday. They were in Junction City for a reunion.

The group toured the Milford Lake Dam and then received a Sheriff’s Department and combat veterans motorcycle association escort into Junction City to the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel where they were greeted by friends, family, and community leaders.

Mayor Mick McCallister told the veterans we are proud of them. “Lessons learned in Vietnam and more importantly lessons learned throughout the United States for when you came home is the reason why we gather at events like this because you did not get the welcome home that you deserved. ” McCallister said he was proud to be in their prescence.

Junction City Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald and Geary County Commissioner Ben Bennett also welcomed the veterans during the ceremony.

A member of the unit, Gary Farris, said the 137th Engineers were formed early in the summer of 1966 and left for Vietnam in May of 1967. They were stationed at Fort Riley for about 10 months.

This unit helped with the project to build the Milford Lake dam. Farris stated, “Before we left to go to Vietnam we were an engineer unit, and we instrumental in starting the project with the Corps of Engineers. ”

“We did a lot of surveying. We had earth movers, scrapers, dozers. They all worked on the dam hauling in rock, hauling in dirt, landfill, getting the beaches ready for the boats. The unit worked on the dam for about six months until they left for Vietnam. Ferris added members departed for Vietnam and no one in the unit saw the dam until they had a reunion in 2006.

The welcome home Saturday was a surprise event. Upon arriving at the Courtyard by Marriott, Farris noted he cried. “And I know half the guys, or all the guys on the bus cried.”

The welcome home ceremony was the idea of Farris’ granddaughter Kimberly Archer. Farris said he knew something was up but she wouldn’t tell him. Once a sheriff’s department patrol car arrived with lights flashing, he stated he then knew what was occurring. Then the motorcycle group met the unit as they headed toward Junction City. “I was just at awe, it was just beautiful.

Upon their arrival the soldiers were greeted by a Junction City fire truck displaying a huge American flag, and others waving smaller flags.

The flags were provided by Jim Clark Chevrolet Cadillac.