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Sgt. at Arms for VFW Honor Guard started serving at funerals in 2010

Since U.S. Army veteran Tim Donahue started with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 447 Honor Guard in 2010, he has had the privilege of being a part of military honors for over 700 funerals for veterans in the area.

Donahue said he started helping at funerals on a few Saturdays at first, but he took a more active role in the Honor Guard after he retired from the Street Department with the city of Albert Lea and was asked by another Honor Guard member if he could step up because the group was short in members. He did so, and in 2014 he took over as the lead for the Honor Guard — sergeant at arms — which he has done ever since.

“The veterans deserve the honors,” said Donahue, now 74, of the importance of the work. “You see what it does for the family, and that is rewarding in itself.”

Members of the VFW and American Legion Honor Guards are called in by the Freeborn County veterans services officer for each funeral, and Donahue keeps track of initial records before they are passed on to the VFW quartermaster quarterly.

In addition to funerals, throughout the year he takes part in parades throughout the county, as well as events such as presentation of the colors at the Freeborn County Fair and demonstrations at local schools.

He said just as it was when he started with the VFW Honor Guard — and as the veterans age — the Honor Guard is again in a place where it is down to only five or six members, and they are in need of more help. He encouraged others to consider joining the effort.

Donahue enlisted in the Army in 1968 before he graduated high school and started his military service in Germany in 1969, training first as a wireman and then cross training as a radio operator. Within a year, he excelled from private first class to sergeant and ran the radio section.

During his time in Germany, he was also part of a wrestling team there, wrestling at least 500 matches and coming out with a winning record.

By December 1970, he was sent to Vietnam, where he spent 9 1/2 years in the Americal Division. During that time he received numerous recognition, including the Army Commendation Medal and two Bronze Stars.

He recalled 40 days spent on the north end of the Khe Sanh air strip under constant fire, and ultimately served until Oct. 11, 1971. He served a total of 21 months and said he got to see 16 different countries.

When he came back to the United States he worked construction at first, and married his wife, Pat, in 1973.

He said the good experiences from his service stick out to him the most.

“Great people and all the countries I got to see,” he said.