MN: VIETNAM VET RECEIVES LOST MEDALS AFTER 52 YRS
<p><b>*SEE MW-005TU FOR SCRIPT INFO*</b></p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Supers/Fonts: </b> John Nordgaard, Received Lost Medals</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Story Location: </b> Ottertail</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>State/Province: </b> Minnesota</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Shot Date: </b> 07/31/2023</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>URL: </b> https://www.inforum.com/news/minnesota/miracle-meeting-local-vietnam-veteran-receives-lost-medals-guarded-by-fellow-vet-for-52-years?fbclid=IwAR0AIfpfC7b1E4NMIuHm-B9SVXp5FD17lPMQ9XJ2dRr0qAQixJjGr2zvB-g</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Notes and Restrictions: </b></p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Newsource Notes: </b></p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>Story Description: </b></p>\n<p>Elements: PKG: photos form John Nordgaard in Vietnam-Source: John Nordgaard; Ross Lewis/Getty Images -Falcons Coach; still photos of Pete Lundborg in Vietnam; Kevin Wallevand/WDAY; Peter and John receiving medals/ </p>\n<p></p>\n<p>Wire/StoryDescription:</p>\n<p>John Nordgaard, and Peter LundBorg didn't know each other during their service in Vietnam, but Nordgaard's cardboard box of medals ended up in LundBorg's house after the war. After 52 years of searching, LundBorg was able to meet with Nordgaard to give him his medals.</p>\n<p>Reporter: Kevin Wallevand </p>\n<p></p>\n<p>Station Notes/Scripts:</p>\n<p>A standout athlete from Wahpeton, who served his country in Vietnam... is celebrating one of the most memorable summers of his life. It's all part of a special reunion... with a fellow veteran he never knew and a cardboard box of medals missing for 52-years. </p>\n<p></p>\n<p> The story tonight from WDAY News Reporter Kevin Wallevand. TAKE PKGPKG TIME 4:42OUTCUE:ID ( slow dissolve out -- keep audio up for nat)CG: VIETNAM MEDALS RETURNED 1:23-1:26 CG: JOHN NORDGAARD / VIETNAM VETERAN - OTTER TAIL LAKE 1:34-1:37 CG: PETER LUNDBORG / VIETNAM VETERAN - MICHIGAN 2:08-2:11 CG: KEVIN WALLEVAND 2:47-2:50 </p>\n<p></p>\n<p> It's hard to beat nights like this on Otter Tail Lake. Light breeze--- sitting with new friends on the beach and finally an answer to a question that has lingered more than 5-decades. </p>\n<p></p>\n<p>"And this is part of my platoon, that's me down there,"77-year old John Nordgaard"That was the first day I was out in the bush, I was 3-months back in the rear, first," telling stories of his time as a medic in Vietnam. Unforgettable moments this Wahpeton boy cannot forget. "That was the first day, I thought I was going to die,"John was close to avoiding time in Vietnam. He was a standout athlete who played at NDSCS and later UofM Morris. And he signed with the Atlanta Falcons ---- briefly. "When Norm Van Brocklin called me into his office, he said, 'Swede, we have to cut you, what are you going to do now,' I said, I guess I off to Vietnam,"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p>it was 1969. John's dad was on the draft board in Richland County. "He said, if you don't make it (with the Atlanta Falcons) and you get cut, you are gone, son," John went from the gridiron to the jungle battlefields at the DMZ in Vietnam. A combat medic, and for his heroism he was awarded some of the military's top honors. But while in Vietnam, those medals sat in a cardboard box."I didn't know for sure what was in the box, I knew I had gotten the medals, what I had done with them, I didn't know for sure,"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p>Peter Lundborg of Michigan:"I was in the infantry,"Was in Vietnam too. "I didn't know John, didn't know he was a medic,""I never knew Peter until he brought "the box,"Peter and John didn't know each other but Peter, also in the infantry, had a short stint as a mail clerk, and as the unit prepared to head home to the US:"And however I came by this, if I found it on the shelf in the mail room or a Sgt. told me to mail this when I got home, I don't know"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p></p>\n<p>John's box of medals got mixed up in the flurry of getting out of Vietnam. The box sat in the home for years at Peter's parent's house, then Peter and Joan's house."The box has been sitting on my work bench, I kept looking at it and looking at it,"Attempts to find John over the years were just unsuccessful. No address. No internet at the time. "That wasn't my forte, searching the web once it was invented,"Now over the years, Peter tried to find John, in fact his son went on the internet and thought he located John's daughter. He sent an email, but that email went to Spam. "And stayed there all the time,"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p> Then, finally, a connection, that spam email was found. Phone calls made... and Peter brought the box of missing medals to John. "It means a great deal, 52-years of trying to figure out what to do with this box,"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p>"I am getting goosebumps, because it was an amazing two and half, three hours talking about experiences in Vietnam and finally Joan (Peter's wife) said 'quit talking and open up the box, it has been 52-years,' " "So for it to come together, finally, very rewarding,"Here on Otter Tail Lake the two looked through that box.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p>"This is the most important one, Bronze Star, with Valor,"</p>\n<p></p>\n<p>Dusty, musty. Full of meaning. Old audio of UofM Morris football games John listened to during the war. John's old teammates sent them. We saw binders full of letters John wrote and received from his soon to be wife, Eleanor. And the medals... "That is the first Bronze Star," Bronze Star with Valor,the Purple Heart."I was not seriously wounded, I was sent back into the bush right after,"All reminders of this historic time in their lives... 52-years ago. </p>\n<p></p>\n<p>Two men, brought together by a box of medals. That beach? A bit of peace, a reunion after the war, 52-years of waiting. From Otter Tail Lake, Kevin Wallevand WDAY News.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p> And those "reel-to-reel" audio tapes of college football games sent to John in Vietnam by his teammates? He's getting them transferred to digital so he can listen to them again. One of the games is against MSUM.</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--SUPERS</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--VIDEO SHOWS</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--VO SCRIPT</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--LEAD IN</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--SOT</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--TAG</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS</b>--</p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>-----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----</b></p>\n<p></p>\n<p><b>--KEYWORD TAGS--</b></p>\n<p></p>