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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2022)
sNok signflz MAY 15, 2022 A lucky man Darling is sole Tribal member being honored on Memorial Day By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Grand Ronde Tribal member Lar- ry Eugene Darling enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1969 at the age of 19. Shortly after completing basic training, he was shipped off to the war in Vietnam like so many other young Americans of the era who either entered the military of their own volition or were drafted. According to his 2017 obituary, he “fought proudly knowing he was fighting for American privi- leges, freedom and everyone’s own beliefs.” Darling worked as a helicopter crew chief at a base in Pleiku, a city in central Vietnam in the highlands. The city had a hospital, commercial airfield and several air bases that were of strategic importance during the later stages of the war. Crew chiefs are in charge of the entire crew and responsible for everything that happens to the helicopter, from assigning seats to where cargo should be loaded. After 18 months in Vietnam, Darling returned to the United States with mental wounds. His helicopter crew was shot down and all its members died on a mission that Darling was not a part of. According to his widow, Jo, he returned to a Veterans Affairs mental hospital in Virginia to deal with a lot of trauma and survivor’s guilt. Compounding the trauma, she says, was the fact that he was stripped of all of his military cloth- ing and insignia upon returning to the United States because the an- ti-war movement was growing and returning soldiers were sometimes accosted verbally and called names. Upon his release from the hos- pital, Larry returned to his home in Wallace, Idaho, and married Jo Mullins, who was his sister’s best friend. They were married for 47 years and Larry passed in February 2017 at the age of 67. Larry worked as a contract miner in Idaho. He liked being by himself, Jo recalls, and his hobbies reflected Larry Eugene Darling his desire for solitude and being outdoors – hunting, fishing, camp- ing and gold panning. His love for aeronautics also sur- vived the traumatic experiences of Vietnam, Jo says. He built 12-foot wing span aircraft and flew them as well. Unlike some returning Vietnam veterans, Larry talked about his experiences with his daughters – Jeana, Janell and Crystal. “He would talk about Vietnam, telling them that he went so they would never have to do it,” Jo says. Jo says she, their three daugh- ters, two sons-in-law and several grandchildren will be in attendance on Monday, May 30, when Larry’s name joins the other 2,377 veterans honored on the West Valley Veter- ans Memorial. “He enjoyed life after he got out of the service,” Jo says, adding that Larry’s Native heritage flows from his maternal grandparents, Edward and Edith Leno. “Larry was given the gift of life, and now he has given it back,” his Walking On notice begins. “This is hard, but he was a lucky man, who led a lucky existence, and we are grateful we got to spend several years with this amazing man.” The annual Memorial Day cere- mony at the West Valley Veterans Memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, May 30. Advertisement The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde LANGUAGE EDUCATION BUILDING Proposal due 2 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022 INVITATION TO BIDS THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE, COMMUNITY CENTER EXPANSION – LANGUAGE EDUCATION BUILDING PROJ- ECT. Sealed bids must be received by Ryan Webb, Project Manag- er, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347, by or before 2 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 19, 2022. This project will consist of a new 6,642 square foot, one-story school building to be constructed on an open, largely flat site. The new building, comprised of six classrooms, an administrative office area with break room, restrooms and other support areas, entry and circulation space. The building is accessed through a large, open covered porch on one corner of the building. Construction is conven- tional wood frame over a structural reinforced concrete slab-on-grade with reinforced concrete spread footings. The building is to fully fire sprinkled. Mechanical equipment will be located on the roof. The work also will include excavation, site grading and site utility connections to existing utility lines in the street. Other site improvements include a new 13-space, asphalt paved parking lot with approach drives, as well as associated concrete curbs, sidewalks and storm drainage. Land- scaping of the area around the new building, parking lot and street-side medians and adjoining areas are also included. A pre-bid meeting will be held at 1 p.m. prevailing local time on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at Building L, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347. Questions or requests for clarification shall be directed in writing to the Project Manager, Ryan Webb, via email at Ryan.Webb@grandronde. org by 2 p.m. prevailing local time Monday, May 16, 2022. Electronic copies of the plans and bid booklet are available by e-mail- ing Ryan Webb at Ryan.Webb@grandronde.org or calling 503-879- 2404. Respondents shall provide a written proposal by 2 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022, to Ryan Webb, Project Manager, at 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347. Specific information regarding doc- ument submittal procedures and due dates will be found in the bid booklet. Are you frustrated with your diabetes control? Do you have questions about diabetes? Do you need help managing your diabetes? If so… Call the Medical Clinic today at 503-879-2002 To schedule an individual diabetes education appointment Free Playgroup in Grand Ronde! * When: First Thursday of each month 10:00 am-11:30 am Where: CTGR – Community Service Center 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Who: Parents and caregivers of children under 5 years. Why: Come to play, have a snack and have fun! 11 Save the Date 2022 Grand Ronde E d u c a ti o n S u m m i t Wednesday August 24th 9:00am-4:30pm Location: Spirit Mountain Casino
