Tooele County military veterans were recognized for their dedication and sacrifice during a ceremony attended by Gov. Gary Herbert on Tuesday morning at the Dow James Building in Tooele.
The event, organized by the Benevolent and Protected Order of the Elks, Tooele Lodge No. 1673, began with a free breakfast before Herbert and local veteran Joy Chamberlin addressed the crowd.
Chamberlin is the Commandant of the Utah Marine Corps League, a veterans organization. In that role, she travels around the state meeting with other chapters of the league to meet and interact with veterans.
Chamberlin’s interest in the military started from her first job after high school as a secretary at Tooele Army Depot. She worked at the depot for seven years before deciding to seek out more meaningful employment.
“In talking to the soldiers at Tooele Army Depot at the time, I really thought they had an exciting time,” she said.
So at 25 years old, Chamberlin went to the Salt Lake City recruiting office, where she was approached by a recruiter from the Marines. She signed on and was sent to basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina.
After being assigned as a field radio operator, Chamberlin was first sent to Okinawa, Japan. From there, she was stationed in Camp Pendleton in California, Honduras and Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm.
Following her tour of duty in the Middle East, Chamberlin was honorably discharged as a corporal.
“My time in the Marine Corps was one of the greatest things I’ve done with my life,” she said. “The people I met, the experiences I had and the defense of my country made me a better person.”
After her discharge, Chamberlin joined the Marine Corps League and is in her second term as commandant.
“No matter how broken or old we become, our hearts and minds will always defend our country, our rights, our freedom and our flag until we are no more,” she said.
Herbert cited the long military history in Tooele County and the state of Utah as a reason for the patriotic nature of the state. He also shared a bit of his military history: His father served in the Korean War and his father-in-law was a World War II veteran. Herbert served in the Utah National Guard for more than six years.
“I have an appreciation for those who wear the uniform and for the service that they render to our country and to the world,” he said. “It’s not lost on me that we have many veterans here that we need to say thank you to and make sure we do what we can, particularly those that are coming home from wars today.”
Herbert stressed the importance of education and training for veterans returning home to ease their transition into the workforce, in addition to other assistance they may need.
In his address, Herbert told the story of Vernon native Capt. Mervyn S. Bennion, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
During the Dec. 7, 1941, attack by Japanese forces, Bennion’s ship, the USS West Virginia, was struck multiple times by bombs and torpedoes while moored with other battleships on Ford Island. Shrapnel from an explosion on a nearby ship wounded Bennion in his stomach but he refused to leave and continued to organize the defense of his ship.
Despite his protests, Bennion was eventually removed from the bridge of the ship to a safe location by his crew, where he succumbed to fatal injuries. The destroyer, USS Bennion, was named for him after he received the nation’s highest military honor.
Herbert also shared a story about meeting with injured soldiers from Georgia, a republic created in the fall of the Soviet Union, in a hospital in Germany who said it was an honor to serve with American troops in the Middle East conflicts.
“I hope we understand that it’s just not about the military might, but is in fact what we stand for in trying to bring opportunity of liberty and freedom to others around this world,” Herbert said.