Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Phil Longo, who served in the Army Security Agency in Phu Bai during the Vietnam War.
Phil Longo enlisted in the Army because his high school friend told him one day that he was enlisting in the Army. Longo did not want his friend to go alone. They both went to Miami, Florida, to take their physicals where Longo passed and his friend did not.
Longo went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where he completed his basic training. His test scores were high enough for Officer Candidate School, but he didn’t have the minimum of two years of college. Longo instead joined the Army Security Agency.
After basic training, Longo traveled to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, for training. While at Fort Devens, he was on casual status, where he would take other GI’s Kitchen Police duties. One day, he noticed the kitchen pantry was in complete disarray. Longo took pegboards, hooks and paint, redoing and repairing the pantry back to normality. The commanding officer was so impressed, he ordered Longo to complete special projects for the remainder of his casual status.
Longo served with the 8th Radio Research Field Station in Phu Bai, which was 40 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone. That area received numerous rocket attacks daily. It was during one of these barrages that Longo fled from the shower and cut his foot on something he stepped on. While getting the wound treated, Longo overheard the doctors discussing the city of Hue and going into the hospitals, orphanages and leper colonies to help those in need. Longo asked if he could join the doctors in helping this community. They informed him to be back at this location at 7 a.m. Longo met with these doctors for several months. During this time, Longo wrote a letter to his high school, getting a shipment of necessities and toys for the children.
Longo received an Outstanding Basic Trainee Award and two commendations, leaving as an E-5. He said he loved the Army and cherished the moments during his four years.
Thank you for your service!
Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Veterans History Project
This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.
Contributors
Writer: Alex Boucher
Editor: Cassidy Reid and Katie Wang
Fact checker: Ormina Naveed and R.D. Hamilton
Graphic artist: Faith Kauhn
Topics in this story
More Stories
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Army Veteran Scotty Hasting, who served in Afghanistan.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Army Veteran Roy Sheldon, who served in 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Air Force Veteran Robert (Ken) Barmore, who served in Bennettsville Primary Flight School, Italy and Romania.
We are so thankful that the Veterans Administration recognized you in this honorable way. We appreciate you as a great brother in law and for your service to our country. We thank the Lord for bringing you home safely after your four years of service. Thank you for all you do to support the veterans in your community and for your active involvement through the internet contacts you make. You stay busy making sure our government officials know that we desire to keep our “One Nation Under God” a democracy for the people, by the people.
Thank you Phil Longo! You are a great patriot!
The Dula’s
Joe, I’m so proud of the young men like you who served honorably and selflessly. Your example is one for all of us to emulate. Thank you.
Thank you for your service Phil Longo.
Thank you for honoring our brother in law today. Phil continues to blessing not only to our family but to his community and our government. He is proactive in person and his interaction on line.
We are proud of our military, active and retired, and this is a fine way to allow them to know that we appreciate them for their service that has kept our United States of America free. We do not take the democracy, that has been fought for, for hundreds of years, for granted. May God bless each veteran and may God forgive us as we ask for forgiveness and bless this land.