Our weekly segment Remembering Our Veterans continues with the story of a Vietnam Veteran, who long after his tour of duty ended continued to serve. 

John Ochs graduated from Strong Vincent High School in 1963, later that year, he was  on active duty.

Ochs served from 1963 until 1965.

"When I graduated from high school, I went to Hospital Corp School and then I had orders to go with the Marine Corp," said Ochs. "I was a Navy corpsmen with the Marine Corp in Okinawa and Vietnam. That day when we landed they put us in an area, it started getting dark and all the sudden the skies started lighting up. I was a scared kid over there, I think most people were." 

As a teenager in Vietnam he saw a lot especially when the enemy went on the offensive when the sun went down.

"Our Major was a Mustanger, he called in for air support, and I don't know if they were Marine Corp pilots or Air Force pilots, but the Phantom 4 came over and it was so close you could feel the heat from the Napalm," said Ochs. "I wasn't a doctor I was a corpsmen, first aid tech, we had first aid training but you did what  you could and got them back to the regimental dispensary where they did the big work." 

Nearly 60 years after he left Vietnam, Ochs wants no recognition for his service.

"Make no mistake I was no hero," said Ochs. "I was a corpsmen, I did my job and that's all I did. I was one of 550,000 that were over there in the Vietnam era." 

He joined the Pa. State Police in 1971 and his career lasted 26 years.

"I always enjoyed my job, enjoyed helping people, enjoyed putting bad guys away when I had a chance," said Ochs. "And then I became the Public Information Officer for the state police." 

John Ochs thank you for your service, and welcome home.