A Vietnam veteran described his journey from a small Illinois college to West Point and eventually a war in southeast Asia. Larry Crane has lived in Southport for 35 years after retiring from a New York City bank. On Tuesday, Nov.11, he was the guest speaker at Southport Memorial Library's Veterans Day event.

He recounted how he attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, which is 198 miles from Chicago. He worked part-time jobs, summer jobs and received a $500 scholarship to pay the first-year $2,500 tuition. "A year there now costs $68,000," he told the audience.

He only spent one year at Knox, because he earned an appointment to West Point where he graduated in 1963. "My father saw an article in a newspaper about a congressman's notification about taking the Civil Service test for an appointment to a service academy," he said. "I finished second, and thought the No. 1 person won the appointment, but he had a medical issue. So I wound up with the appointment."

During his senior year, Crane served on the Honor Guard during the annual Army-Navy football game. In the first half, President Kennedy sat on the Navy side and switched sides at halftime. "He walked past me, and I'm thinking 'Stand up straight and don't look,' but I couldn't keep my eyes off him, I kept thinking oh my God, it's JFK!'"

When Crane's military obligation expired, he remained in the Army, as did many from his West Point graduating class. "The war was heating up and many of my friends were heading to Vietnam. So I stayed, and waited for my orders."

Captain Crane was assigned to an MACV (U.S. Military assistance command) with a Vietnamese unit. He was assigned to a base in Pleiku, which is in the central highlands near Cambodian border. It was there he met a dear friend, his assistant, Lt. Mark Sheridan. The two were joined by two other Americans in a unit of 300 South Vietnamese soldiers.

Later, Crane was reassigned. When Crane heard Sheridan was wounded, he wanted to check on his condition. "I contacted the military hospital to leave a message, but I'm not sure he received it," he said.

Following the war, the two reconnected in New York City's financial district. Crane worked as a stock broker, "a job I detested," he told the audience. Eventually, Sheridan suggested a job opening at the bank where he worked. "I worked there for 18 years, and slowly Mark and I drifted apart," he said.

After Crane retired in the early 1990s, he moved to Southport. For years, he spent time writing on the long commuter rides into New York City, and now, in retirement, found even more time to write. He recently finished his current book, "At the Mercy of Chance." The book recounts his Vietnam experience.

Once he completed the book, Crane shared it with friends and relatives, but he really wanted Sheridan to read it. He had lost total connection with his friend. He eventually found a Mark Sheridan with his son's assistance. "My son found a newspaper article with a photo of Mark Sheridan, 83, who was a Purple Heart recipient at a Memorial Day parade," he said.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Crane called Sheridan and found out some bad news. "He is asleep most of the day so that's why he didn't answer the phone. He didn't recognize my name so we didn't have that marvelous reunion to talk about our times in Vietnam," he said.

Crane ended his Veterans Day address by telling the audience he enjoyed living in Southport. "It's a great community which appreciates their veterans. I can't tell you how much I enjoy riding around, and seeing my veteran's banner," he said.