A wonderful tradition for the Malad 4th of July Parade is carried on each year by the Malad Area Chamber of Commerce in naming an Oneida County military veteran as the “Honored Veteran”. Gene Caldwell will ride in the parade this year as Malad’s Honored Veteran. Normally each year, Gene nominates a veteran from the American Legion Ernest W. Jones Post #65 for the honor, but this year he was outvoted!
In February of 1952, the Korean War was underway, and Gene was going to college. He received a letter from his “friends and neighbors” on the Oneida County Draft Board. The letter cordially invited him to report to Fort Douglas, Utah, in two weeks to enter into the Armed Forces.
After being sworn in as a member of the U.S. Army, Gene and many other young men boarded a train, (“My first train ride ever,” he said) for Fort Lewis, Washington, to be inducted into the U.S. Army. After twenty-one days of testing, both physically and mentally, it was determined that Gene was well qualified in the field of Cryptography, coding and de-coding messages – pretty fancy for a young farm boy from Idaho!
Gene and about 30 other young men were then sent to the Southwestern Signal School in Camp San Luis Obispo, California, on his second train ride ever, for training. The cryptography course lasted about six months, and believe it or not, Gene said that he graduated with honors. In order to code and de-code “top secret” messages, it was required that a person had to obtain a “top secret” clearance. Obtaining a “top secret” clearance involved investigation of any activities Gene, his family and friends had been involved in, organizations belonged to, criminal activity and so on.
After graduation, Gene was given a twenty-day leave to visit his family. Following his leave, Gene was assigned to the 24th Signal Co. under the 24th Infantry Division in Japan. He and several hundred other men boarded a ship in San Francisco, California, and headed for Japan. As the ship crossed under the Golden Gate Bridge, he wondered if he would ever see the “good old USA” again.
Reports Gene, “After several days of rocking, rolling, getting seasick and getting rid of the good old Army chow, I finally arrived in Japan. I enjoyed Japan mainly because most of the people were about my height or shorter!”
About a month later, the 24th Infantry Division was transferred to Korea to replace the 1st Cavalry Division on the front line. Gene spent about fifteen months in Korea. The war ended the last of July. Following the war, Gene got on another ship and arrived in San Francisco in late February 1954. He was honorably discharged upon his arrival in San Francisco and caught a Greyhound Bus for “good old Malad City”.
Thinking back on his time spent in Japan and Korea, being a farm boy Gene didn’t enjoy drinking powdered milk for eighteen months. On the way home the first restaurant he stopped at he ordered a gallon of fresh milk and drank it all in one sitting. “Boy, was that good,” he said!
After arriving in Malad, Gene worked a few months for the WASHO Test Road project. In the fall of 1954, he enrolled at Utah State University to continue his education. Gene married his sweetheart between his junior and senior years at USU and graduated in 1958 with a degree in civil engineering. Gene reports that Kay received her PHT degree, “Putting Hubby Through”, at the same time! Gene and Kay have two daughters and several grandchildren.
After receiving his degree, Gene worked for the Corps of Engineers in California and Washington for 32 years and retired in 1987.
After moving back to Malad, in an attempt to give back to the community all that they gave him while growing up, he served for five years as a member of the Malad City Council and ten years as a County Commissioner. Presently, Gene enjoys his association with the American Legion Ernest W. Jones Post 65. He has held most of the many offices within the post, including commander, adjutant, service officer and 1st vice commander.
Gene is very patriotic, loves the USA, and was proud to serve in the Armed Forces to defend the many freedoms we enjoy today. He has been very disappointed over the years in those citizens who move to other countries to avoid being drafted into the service.
Gene’s message to all – “God bless America, land of the free and the home of the brave.”