AUGUSTA – Friday morning, U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, joined Gov. John Baldacci and others in honoring Leeds native Ryan Jennings for risking his life to save others during the Vietnam War.

Baldacci and Michaud took turns pinning medals and ribbons on Jennings, 58, of Bowdoinham as his mother, Florence Jennings of Leeds, his wife, Kathy, and son, Matt Jennings of Topsham. looked on.

Jennings received so many awards it practically took two to do the pinning. He was given two Bronze stars, a Purple Heart, a National Defense Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal, a Republic of Vietnam campaign ribbon, an Expert Badge with a tank award and a Sharpshooter Badge.

Asked later how he came to earn the awards, Jennings didn’t give many details. He joined the Army when he was 19 “because it was the patriotic thing to do,” said Jennings, who came from a military family. One of his brothers was in the Marines, another in the Air Force.

He was in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, and operated a machine gun on a tank. At one point, there were wounded soldiers in a rice paddy being shot at. While bullets flew, Jennings and two others went in to get them out. “The other two I was with were wounded.”

He was not, that time. But he was wounded another time, but Jennings didn’t want to talk about it.

After he returned home from the war, “I put everything in a trunk” and didn’t talk much about his bravery.

It was his son and his brother, Rep. Rodney Jennings, D-Leeds, who saw to it Jennings got the honors he deserved, 37 years later.

During Friday’s speeches, there were tears in his son’s eyes, his mother’s eyes, his wife’s eyes, Rep. Michaud said. “His son spoke about how proud he was of his father. It was real heartwarming.”

As the ranking member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Michaud said it’s a great privilege to give Maine veterans the honors they deserve. Sixteen percent of Mainers are veterans, the highest percentage in the country, he said. They are people like Jennings.

“They risk their lives to protect our citizens, our democracy. These awards are a small symbol of what they’ve done,” Michaud said.

Jennings said it took him a while to believe he deserved the awards. Now, he said, “I took the medals for everybody who deserves the medals.” He said he is pleased to see how Maine is welcoming home Iraqi war veterans. “That makes me feel happy for them. Vietnam wasn’t like that.”

Sticking up for bases

Last week, Maine’s House and Senate passed a joint resolution asking Congress to oppose downsizing the Brunswick Naval Air Station and closing the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery and the accounting office in Limestone.

Closing the shipyard and downsizing the base would jeopardize the security of the North Atlantic coast, “putting the safety and welfare of United States citizens at risk,” the resolution said. Maine lawmakers pointed out that the Kittery yard was cited by the Navy as one of the most efficient submarine-repair facilities in the country. The resolution was given to Base Realignment and Closure Commission members who visited Maine last week.

Hoping to adjourn soon

The targeted adjournment date for the Legislature is June 15, which is little more than one week away. On Friday, House Speaker John Richardson, D-Brunswick, said lawmakers are on track to adjourn on time. “Things are looking good. There are still a lot of bills to go that will require some late nights, but we will get it done,” said speaker spokesman David Connerty-Marin.

Lawmakers can expect to convene this Saturday, as well as be ready for “marathon sessions,” Richardson warned members. This week, they’ll be meeting “morning, afternoon and night. I would encourage everyone to get as much rest as they can.”

Quote of the week

“We’ve heard about the social ills (from gambling). Well, we’ve got the drug abuse. We’ve got the poverty. We just didn’t get the economic development that came with it. We’re asking for that now.” – Sen. Kevin Ray, R-Perry, debating for tribal slot machines in Washington County

Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter.