Beech Tree News Network

The Green River Chapter NSDAR will host the Veteran’s Reception on Saturday, November 11th right after the Veterans Day Parade. This year we have chosen to honor the Keown Brothers: Bobby, Dean and Royce.  There will also be a memorial tribute to Floyd Keown, their older brother.  Everyone is invited. 
Green River Chapter NSDAR Veterans of the Year -   KEOWN BROTHERS

SGT ROYCE KEOWN
Royce Keown served his country in the US Army.  He entered in February of 1968.  He completed several weeks of basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.   From there he was sent to Oklahoma for more training and after completing all his training, he was sent to Germany where he spent 18 months.  His duties were with the service battery of the Sixth Battalion & Tenth Artillery.   He left the Army in February of 1970.  He was a Sergeant.  Royce lives in Morgantown with his wife Brenda. 

 
DEAN KEOWN 
CPL. Dean Keown – USMC Jan 1968 – Jan 1972
Dean spent his recruit training in San Diego, California.   He left for Vietnam in August 1968.  He spent four months in Da Nang, Vietnam and then nine months on Hill 55 in Vietnam.  He returned home in September 1969.   He was at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina until 1970 then went to Okinawa, Japan until 1971.  In late 1971 he spent six weeks on the USS Guadalcanal doing training missions in the Mediterranean Sea.   He returned to New River Air Station, North Carolina until the end of his service.
Dean lives in Morgantown with his wife Lynn.  

 
Bobby Keown
Bobby Lee Keown entered the U. S. Marine Corps on February 20, 1968.  He received his training in San Diego, California.  After training, he was sent to Vietnam.  He was 11 miles south of Da Nang, where his brother, Dean was stationed.  Bobby went to Da Nang, and while there, he had his picture taken in fatigues.  
Bobby intended to find his brother Dean while he was there, but soon found out that Da Nang was much larger than he had expected, so he decided to find Dean another day.
That same afternoon 31 troops were sent out on patrol.  The guy walking behind Bobby set off a land mine that wounded three of them, including Bobby.  While they were transporting the wounded, another soldier set off another mine.  Six more were wounded.  The two soldiers that set off the mines both lost their legs.  When Bobby was taken to the hospital, they found that he had very serious liver and lung damage.  He was also wounded in the neck and five places in the legs. 
They said that he had a “Million Dollar” wound.   He didn’t know what that meant at the time, however, he found out later, that meant he was going home to Kentucky!   
Bobby was in the hospital in Japan for one month.  Then he was to be sent home.  He spent nine weeks overseas. 
After his return to the states, he met his bride to be, Linda Ashley.  They later married and moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  Bobby finished his last thirteen months of service in North Carolina. His first daughter, Latisha was born there.
Bobby was awarded a Purple Heart on the day he was wounded, October 2, 1968.  He was never presented that Purple Heart.  Eighteen years later, Latisha wrote a letter to Senator Mitch McConnell asking him to get a Purple Heart for her dad.  It finally arrived and was presented by his family.  
Bobby lives in Morgantown with his wife, Linda.