Our annual Veterans Day Breakfast includes thank-you notes handmade by local students for veterans, an uplifting service song medley, keynote remarks, and a gourmet breakfast. The War Memorial is pleased to offer a space for local service-members to experience camaraderie over a meal together.
We are delighted to welcome Medal of Honor Recipient Terry Richardson, who will serve as keynote speaker at this year’s Veterans Day Breakfast. This marks the second time in as many years that a Medal of Honor recipient will be at this event after Jim McCloughan spoke in 2025.
Richardson is a Vietnam War veteran and one of only 65 living recipients of the Medal of Honor- our nations highest award for military valor in action. Veterans and the public are warmly invited to attend this event and hear firsthand from one of our nation’s most decorated military heroes.
The event is free for Veterans, and 20 for guests. In order for us to serve as many Veterans as possible, we ask that there be no more than one guest per Veteran ticket requested.
Join us for a coffee hour in the Community Room from 8-9am. This event is presented through the generosity of the Louisa St. Clair Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. This year’s breakfast is also presented in conjunction with The Helm at the Boll Life Center.
Reservations are required.
Your Morning at the War Memorial
8:00am Doors Open for Coffee Hour in Alger Center Community Room
8:45am Seating Opens for Veterans Day Breakfast in Alger Center Ballroom
9:00am Welcome from War Memorial President & CEO Maria Miller
9:15am Breakfast is served
9:30am Program continues, including keynote address from Terry Richardson
About Terry Richardson
Terry P. Richardson was born in Cass City, Michigan, on Jan. 7, 1948. Richardson, the oldest of 13 children, worked at his father’s gas station and on his family’s 80-acre farm growing up. From eighth grade to graduation, he played basketball, football, baseball and track and was steadily involved in class activities like student council.
Richardson graduated from Akron-Fairgrove School in 1966 and worked with his father and grandfather on the farm until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in May 1967 at 19 years old.
Richardson completed basic combat training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was sent to Fort McClellan, Alabama, to undergo Infantry Advanced Individual Training. Shortly after, he was selected to attend Non-Commissioned Officer School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He graduated with honors and was promoted to staff sergeant on Jan. 22, 1968. Richardson was then assigned as a tactical non-commissioned officer at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Then, he received orders to deploy to Vietnam with Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division in May 1968.
Richardson was assigned as the squad leader for 1st Platoon, until his radio telephone operator was killed in action during a clearing operation on Highway 13. Richardson moved into the position of platoon leader.
During a reconnaissance mission between Loc Ninh and the Cambodian border on Sept. 14, 1968, his unit was engaged by intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire from a well-entrenched North Vietnamese Army battalion. Richardson maneuvered through a hail of hostile rounds and deployed his men into defensive positions while directing their suppressive fire. During the attack, he dragged three wounded soldiers back to safety.
With his platoon surrounded, he realized the only way they would avoid being overrun was with accurate tactical air strikes. Richardson made his way up Hill 222 undetected to call in tactical air strikes from a shallow irrigation ditch with only rubber trees for cover.
Once up the hill, he realized that the enemy force was a large regimental base complex of the 7th North Vietnamese Army Division. Speaking directly to the pilots, Richardson began calling in the airstrikes. An hour in, he was shot in the right leg by a North Vietnamese Army sniper. Richardson continued guiding the pilots for seven more hours, calling in approximately 32 airstrikes until the enemy retreated. His actions saved 85 lives.
Thank you to our Patriotic Programming sponsors
