Ron Kelly Is November Veteran Of The Month

By Doug KapkeRon L. Kelly was named Jefferson County’s Veteran of the Month on Nov. 4, 2025. In addition, he was presented with a hand-made, patriotic wall-hanging created by Rory Rosener.Kelly was born into a California family October 24, 1947, that included one sister. Kelly’s veteran dad, originally from Oklahoma, stayed in California and worked in an orange grove that his family eventually purchased. They later sold the orange grove to a developer and moved to the nearby town of Anaheim, where Kelly attended grade school and high school. In high school, Kelly played football one year and baseball three years, but mostly enjoyed surfing. After graduation in 1966, Kelly attended nearby Fullerton Junior College, majoring in pre-dental studies. Unfortunately, when Kelly became more of a “party animal” than “student,” his grades suffered. When grades suffer, military deferments go away and Kelly became draft eligible.Kelly joined the Army with the understanding that he would be able to use his computer interests while serving his country. Basic Training was mostly infantry training, but allowed enough free time for Private Kelly to marry his wife, Peggi.The entire unit was scheduled to go to South Korea, except Kelly and a few others. Next assignment was Fort Hood, Texas, for six months infantry and computer training. In 1969, when Kelly’s daughter was two weeks old, orders arrived for South Vietnam.Just prior to landing at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam, Kelly’s plane was escorted by two fighter jets. Upon landing the heat, humidity and stench were a real shock.Kelly and several men in his group were loaded into the back of 2 ½ ton trucks and sent to Da Nang, farther north in Vietnam, to the 516th Personnel Company. They used computers to take care of military personnel records and also received combat training. A few weeks later, they flew to outposts to do paperwork consisting of keeping track of soldiers killed in action and wounded. After two months they were sent back to the 516th, where they were once again exposed to frequent rocketing by the enemy. Kelly was next assigned to a Scout Unit consisting of four men. Kelly worked mostly at night, monitoring enemy troop movement, along with locating weapons caches and any other enemy storage areas. Kelly’s nickname was “The Mole.” A typical mission consisted of flying to a reconnaissance area with a chopper pilot, co-pilot and two gunners. The four Scouts always loaded and unloaded two on each side of the chopper. Once in the vicinity of the reconnaissance area, the pilots would make several false landings to confuse the enemy. On any one of these landings the four Scouts could decide to deploy and stay hidden in tall grass until they felt it was safe to move. Missions normally lasted several days. Going days on end without using soap or deodorant, urinating on bushes to reduce noise and burying feces quickly were all methods intended to avoid being detected by the enemy.Kelly befriended a South Vietnamese boy, gave him gifts and the boy reciprocated by gifting him a leather ring, which came with the assurance that Kelly would come to no harm.Not all missions were without incident. Once, when a chopper was called in at the end of a mission, they came under heavy gun fire. While running to the chopper, the Scout behind Kelly called out that he was hit in the leg. Kelly went back and aided his fellow soldier at the expense of receiving a flesh wound in the arm. While approaching the chopper, the gunner on their side of the chopper was hit twice and blood was pumping from his wounds, but he recovered and continued to lay down heavy gunfire. Virtually every soldier received some wound(s) along with damage to the chopper. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Another time, the four Scouts were up for a mission but were replaced at the last minute. The replacement Scouts were killed in action. At the end of his 12-month deployment, Kelly asked for a 30-day extension, knowing that when he arrived in the states he would have less than six months of obligation and would be sent directly home. Because of his outstanding service his request was granted. While in the service, SP5 (E-5) Kelly received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, M-14 Rifle Expert Badge and Good Conduct Medal.After the military, Kelly worked several different jobs to support his wife and two girls. In 1977, they moved to Kelly’s grandparent’s farm in Jefferson County, cared for up to 4,000 grape vines and spent his major civilian career working in Crete at Farmland.In retirement, Kelly enjoys spending time his wife, Peggi, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also likes hot rods and travel.

Richard Dean Schellhorn

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