Veteran of The Day – Memorial Day
5-25-26
SPOTLIGHT: Capt. Diane Carlson Evans
United States Army Nurse Corps — Vietnam War
November 10, 1946 – May 20, 2026
Hometown: Buffalo, Minnesota
Diane Carlson Evans
A Nurse in the Middle of War
At only 21 years old, Diane Carlson Evans volunteered to serve in Vietnam as an Army nurse.
She served:
- at the 36th Evacuation Hospital in Vung Tau
- and later at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku near the Cambodian border. (simplecremationmt.com)
There, she worked under relentless pressure:
- mass casualty events
- helicopter evacuations
- burn victims
- traumatic battlefield injuries
- incoming rockets and mortars
The wounded arrived day and night.
And the nurses kept working.
“We Were the Young Caring for the Young”
Years later, Evans reflected on Vietnam by saying:
“We were the young caring for the young.”
The average age of the wounded soldier was barely nineteen.
The nurses themselves were often only a few years older.
Fighting for Recognition
After returning home, Evans discovered that the service of military women in Vietnam had largely been overlooked.
She refused to let their stories disappear.
In 1984, she founded the:
Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project
For nearly a decade, she fought to establish a memorial honoring the more than 11,000 American military women who served during the Vietnam War. (Wikipedia)
Against resistance, ridicule, and bureaucracy…She persisted.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial
On Veterans Day in 1993, the:
Vietnam Women’s Memorial
was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The memorial stands today because Diane Carlson Evans refused to quit.
A Life of Service Beyond the Battlefield
Diane Carlson Evans spent the rest of her life advocating for:
- veterans
- military nurses
- women in service
- and the healing of those who carried Vietnam home with them.
In 2025, she received the:
Presidential Citizens Medal
for her lifelong service and advocacy.
Reflection
Some veterans fought with rifles.
Others fought to save the lives of those carrying them.
Diane Carlson Evans did both:
- she served in war
- and she fought afterward to ensure others would never be forgotten.
Final Resting Place
Capt. Diane Carlson Evans will be honored during a Celebration of Life planned in Helena, Montana. (simplecremationmt.com)
The Micky Spano Radio Show proudly honors Captain Diane Carlson Evans, United States Army Nurse Corps, as America 250 Veteran of the Day for Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, remembering her courage, her compassion, and her lifelong mission to honor those who served.
Honor The Fallen | Support The Living | Teach The Next Generation
Veteran of The Day – Memorial Day
5-25-26
SPOTLIGHT: Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey
“The Gunny”
United States Marine Corps — Vietnam War
March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018
Hometown: Emporia, Kansas
R. Lee Ermey
The Marine Corps Changed His Life
Ronald Lee Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at just 17 years old in 1961.
What began as a young man trying to avoid trouble became a lifetime defined by Marine discipline, service, and leadership.
The Corps transformed him.
And he spent the rest of his life carrying it forward.
Drill Instructor
Ermey became a Marine Corps drill instructor at:
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
From 1965 to 1967, he helped shape young recruits into United States Marines through one of the most demanding training systems in the world.
His reputation became legendary.
Hard. Demanding. Authentic.
But respected.
Vietnam Service
Ermey later deployed to Vietnam for 14 months with:
Marine Wing Support Group 17
Like many Vietnam veterans, he carried the physical and emotional effects of war long after returning home.
Service-related injuries eventually led to his medical retirement from the Marine Corps in 1972 as a Staff Sergeant.
But he never stopped being a Marine.
“Full Metal Jacket”
Years later, while working as a technical advisor for Stanley Kubrick’s:
Full Metal Jacket
Ermey delivered an improvised 15-minute drill instructor performance so intense and authentic that Kubrick immediately cast him as:
Gunnery Sergeant Hartman
The performance became one of the most iconic military portrayals in film history.
Because it was not imitation.
It was lived experience.
Carrying the Corps Forward
For decades afterward, Ermey became one of America’s strongest military advocates:
- visiting troops overseas
- supporting veterans
- educating the public about military life
- hosting Mail Call on the History Channel
To millions of Americans, he became the recognizable voice of Marine discipline and warrior culture.
Honorary Gunnery Sergeant
In 2002, Commandant General James L. Jones awarded Ermey an honorary promotion to:
Gunnery Sergeant
The title fit perfectly.
He had earned it twice:
- once in uniform
- once through a lifetime representing Marines with authenticity and pride
Reflection
Some men leave the military.
Others carry it with them for the rest of their lives.
R. Lee Ermey never stopped being a Marine.
He simply took the Corps to a larger audience.
Final Resting Place
Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey rests with honor at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Micky Spano Radio Show proudly honors Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey, United States Marine Corps, as America 250 Veteran of the Day for Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, remembering his service, his leadership, and the Marine spirit he carried throughout his life.
Honor The Fallen | Support The Living | Teach The Next Generation
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