Vietnam veteran from Buffalo presented with military honors

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Photo credit Vietnam Army Sgt. Phillip Yockey is presented with multiple awards by Congressman Brian Higgins. July 22, 2019 (WBEN Photo/Mike Baggerman)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Phillip Yockey, a Buffalo native and Vietnam Army Sergeant who served a decade in the armed forces, was presented on Monday with multiple military honors for his service.

Yockey, 70, served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a member of the 37th Transportation Group. After he enlisted in 1968, he re-enlisted again in 1971 with a new transportation group in Germany. He returned to the U.S. and served in Arizona before his discharge in 1979.

The Black Rock native was a mechanic on Buffalo's West Side for multiple years and later became a corrections officer until his retirement in 2011.

Sgt. Yockey presented with his military awards. He will also have his name added to the @BfloNavalPark pic.twitter.com/UOIQ9mf4WO

— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) July 22, 2019

Yockey lost the use of his legs after a diabetes diagnosis which was caused by his exposure to Agent Orange when he served in Vietnam. He now resides at the Buffalo VA Hospital and receives care from the staff.

Congressman Brian Higgins presented him with the multiple military honors including the Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Class, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars, and other medals related to his work on maintenance of vehicles.

Yockey said he never expected to receive the military honors and that he was surprised to receive them.

"I still haven't figured it all out yet," Yockey told reporters. "It's a lot of the things I didn't expect. But I hope that all the rest of our veterans get to know the same feeling that I'm feeling right now."