By Brenda Erdahl
“It is important for young people to understand that freedom is not free,” said Paul Francois, a decorated Vietnam war veteran, and he should know.
Francois was “in country” as an army medic from December 1969 until May 1971. He once rescued a soldier trapped in a cave while under enemy fire. That earned him the Bronze Star. The Silver Star he got for charging into a fire fight like John Wayne and carrying a wounded man to safety while under artillery, mortar, and machine gun fire.
He is the recipient of five additional commendation medals, three for heroism and two for good medical service, plus two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry presented by the South Vietnam soldiers for valor. He both saved lives and took them and he’ll tell you that neither was easy.
Francois, who lives in Dassel with his wife Laurie, will share his story at Maple Lake’s annual Veterans Day program Thursday, Nov. 9 at 9 and 10 a.m. at the high school auditorium. He’ll also talk a little about the unpopularity of the Vietnam War and how important it is to support those that served. The event is being held early this year because Veterans Day falls on a Saturday.
Francois was born in Manchester, England. His mother was British, and his father was an American who served in the US Army Air Force during WWII. Francois’ family traveled a great deal when he was a child and for a while, he enjoyed dual citizenship as a Brittin and an American. He dropped the British citizenship when he was 18. His father was an engineer who set up radar tracking systems for the military which kept them on the move.
By 1969, when he received his draft notice, Francois was living in Southern California and attending junior college there. Not very motivated to be in college, he decided to quit school and enlist.