A welcome home, 43 years after the fact

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on December 2, 2014

A cheering crowd welcomes Ray Coe.

It was a warm homecoming for Ray Coe — 43 years after the fact.

As a young man, Coe served in the U.S. military, spending 13 months in Vietnam. When he returned to the states, he was told not to wear his uniform because returning soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen were often taunted and ridiculed for serving in that unpopular war. It was far from a warm welcome home.

This week, Coe finally received that warm welcome, courtesy of a group he’s been serving for the past 25 years, members of Boy Scout Troop 31. The auditorium at Hillendale Elementary School was packed with supporters, scouts and others, who have been touched and inspired by Coe over the years.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Coe said. “As you know, the reaction when we came home wasn’t very good. This really makes up for it because when you have this kind of reaction from people who are most dear to you, like all these scouts are and the rest of the community, it doesn’t get any better. It really doesn’t. I’m overwhelmed; so happy…It was quite an honor to have this done.”

In addition to cheers and signs welcoming him home, there was an honor guard from Ft. Dix, N.J., and a medal ceremony. Coe earned several medals during his tour of duty in Vietnam. Some — such as a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal with a V for Valor — he had never officially received.

It’s the Commendation Medal for Valor that means the most to Coe.

Scoutmaster Ray Coe holds a display case with the medals he earned while serving with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. The display was presented to him during a medal ceremony on Dec. 1.

“In a year that was supposed to be about killing the enemy, it was a small bright spot when I was able to save my sergeant,” he said. “I was part of a small cog in the wheel of the military, but I was more than happy to serve my part in protecting my comrades in arms.”

He earned the medal several months into his tour when a personnel carrier in which he was riding blew up. Coe came to under a pile of bodies that he thought were all dead.

“It freaked me out totally,” he said.

Coe was able to wriggle himself out of the tangled mass and returned to his machine gun, which he found in pieces.

“I had to put it back together. All my training kicked in and, while we were under fire, I got the machine gun going. It finally all stopped. I went over to see some of the other guys, and we realized the sergeant was missing,” Coe said.

The vehicle was on fire and there was fuel leaking. He said everyone was afraid it would explode, and nobody would go back and get their non-commissioned officer.

“I was hurt, but said somebody has to go [find the sergeant]. Like him or not, I went to get him,” Coe said.

Also during his tour, Coe said, there were several times when he could feel a bullet whizz by his head. He was eventually wounded when he took some fragments from an enemy grenade. For that, he was awarded the Purple Heart.

Coe came home to the Brandywine Valley, eventually marrying and raising a family. For the past 25 years he’s devoted his spare time to Boy Scout Troop 31, spending nine years as an assistant scoutmaster and 16 years as full scoutmaster.

He’s proud of his accomplishments with the troop.

“Under my watch [as scoutmaster] I’ve had 76 Eagle Scouts. I’m really proud about that. What I’m most proud about is that when the kids come here, they learn and they have a good time. They have a good enough time that so many want to succeed and earn the eagle because we develop a sense of pride in them. It’s made for a wonderful troop. I couldn’t ask for a better group of families and a better group of kids,” he said.

During the Dec. 1 event at Hillendale, many scouts spoke to say how much Coe has inspired them to succeed as scouts, and as people.

Also on hand was state Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-160, who was instrumental in getting the medals for Coe’s ceremony. He also presented the scoutmaster with a state flag that had flown over the capital in Harrisburg and read a proclamation from the House of Representatives, praising Coe for his service.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.