For years, Paul Harvey presented a radio show called “The Rest of the Story.” He would tell about a true incident, but leave out a key fact, which he reserved for the end and presented as a twist. In 1991, my army unit fought in Desert Storm. When the war was over, we stayed in Iraq destroying captured munitions. One evening, I was in my tent listening to Armed Forces Radio when an episode of “The Rest of the Story” came on. I realized with a shock that though Harvey had mispronounced my name, the broadcast was about me. He told of a US soldier who corresponded with a woman and asked her for a dance. The “rest of the story” was that he was married and the woman was in her 90s.

While deployed, I had received a letter addressed to “Any Soldier” from a 97-year-old woman named Helen Roettiger. She seemed to have a sense of humor, so when I wrote back, I joked with her a bit, saying that if I ever happened to be in Winona on a Saturday night, maybe we could go out dancing.

The nursing home where Mrs. Roettiger lived decided I should actually come to Minnesota and dance with her. They wrote to the President of the United States. They wrote to their representatives and senators. One member of the nursing home staff happened to know Edward Ney, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, so they wrote to him. They contacted Larry King, Willard Scott, and other national news figures. They lobbied until they were successful. Shortly after my unit returned from Iraq, the Army was directed to send me to Minnesota.

Western Airlines flew my family – free of charge – from Portland, Maine to St. Paul. There, a stretch limo was on hand to transport us to the town of Winona where we were treated like royalty. Restaurants refused to take our money. Gift shops gave us our pick of souvenirs.

I met Helen. With dozens of cameras flashing, we had our dance. She was dressed elegantly in a powder blue dress, and I looked sharp in my Class A uniform with a combat patch newly sewn on my right shoulder.

Helen handled the whole situation graciously and with good humor. When someone teased her about me, she said, “Oh, I’ve had so many beaus in my life. He is just another rapping at my door.”

It was the feel-good story of the hour. Newspapers across the country reported it. Helen and I were mentioned on national TV programs. President George H. W. Bush wrote us letters. The governor of Minnesota declared me to be an honorary citizen of his state.

I dredge up this bit of ancient history so I can tell you something that befuddles me. I searched for Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” and found a database of more than 3,000 episodes. I searched it top to bottom, but couldn’t find the episode I’d heard in Iraq.

All I can figure is that he had mispronounced my name so badly, the episode was buried rather than archived.