LINN — Machinery Repairman First Class (Surface Warfare) Stephen W. Otten, who served in the United States Navy from 1992 to 2001, told those gathered for the Wreaths for Heroes program …
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LINN — Machinery Repairman First Class (Surface Warfare) Stephen W. Otten, who served in the United States Navy from 1992 to 2001, told those gathered for the Wreaths for Heroes program on Saturday that he didn’t always appreciate the idea of living with a purpose.
“While I was in the service, I didn’t think about living with purpose; I was just thinking about what I was going to do with my next paycheck,” he said. “Looking back, I see that I was living with a purpose. I never carried a gun or saw combat in a foreign land. My purpose was to keep my ship maintained for operational readiness. In other words, the ship was able to transport troops and equipment efficiently to where they needed to be and a safe space to rest at night for those working on shore in a hostile area.
“When I was stationed on the repair tender, my purpose went from keeping not only my ship running but helping to keep numerous other ships operational and ready for the call to duty,” Otten continued. “I never felt that my purpose — ship repair and maintenance — was as dangerous as those fighting on foreign soil, but what I did was important. I was doing my part to help maintain the freedom that generations of brave men before me fought to keep.”
Otten said he was honored to speak at Wreaths for Heroes and wondered how someone lives with purpose and helps to make the world a better place. “There are a lot of very good answers to this question, but we don’t have all day to answer it,” he said. “One of the greatest ways someone can live with purpose is to serve their country.”
Saturday was a very significant day in United States history as the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the United States naval fleet in Pearl Harbor.
“As the calm and quiet of that Sunday morning was shattered with bombs exploding, creating smoke and chaos everywhere, I imagine that not many were pondering their purpose in life,” said Otten. “I believe their training kicked in, and those brave men went into survival mode, not just for themselves, but for their fellow shipmates. They fought to extinguish the fires raging around them. They fought to free their shipmates from sinking ships. They manned guns and tried to fight back against the planes. The men who were stationed aboard those ships lived and fought with a purpose that day — a purpose to defend the ideas of democracy, liberty, and justice for all.
“A great number of those brave men lost their lives that day, and those that survived went forth with more purpose and determination to defend this country,” Otten continued. “The attack on Pearl Harbor forced the United States into the Second World War. Over the next four years, men and women from all backgrounds would step up with purpose to defend this country. These brave men and women saw a purpose to life — defending freedom. At the end of the Second World War, everyone rejoiced and prayed that there would be no more wars and that the world would find peace. History shows us that those prayers would only be briefly answered. Men, and more recently, women from the United States, would go on to fight in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and they would also be at the ready in times of peace.”
Before joining the Navy, Otten worked as a machinist in a local shop during and after high school.
In 1992, Otten decided he needed to do something purposeful with his life and enlisted in the United States Navy. The Great Lakes Navy Recruit training station was the first of many stops on the grand adventure.
Otten trained to be a machinery repairman at Service School Command in San Diego, Calif.
After completing MR (A School), Otten reported to the Repair Division aboard the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3). Shortly after reporting, the ship sailed for its new home port at Sasebo, Japan. During Otten’s time aboard the USS Belleau Wood, the ship participated in Operation United Shield, the evacuation of UN peacekeeping forces from Somalia.
Otten reenlisted while on the USS Belleau Wood and, from there, returned to San Diego for advanced training in his field.
Following C School, Otten joined the USS Frank Cable in Agana, Guam, and while aboard, he met his wife, Peggy. Two years after arriving in Guam, Otten received orders to return to Sasebo, Japan, aboard the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43). He was the only machinist onboard and was tasked with fixing critical components to keep the ship operational.
“For the majority of my time in service, I was stationed in Japan and Guam, key locations from World War II,” said Otten. “I had the privilege to take part in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United States reclaiming Guam from the Japanese. After the ceremony, I was able to speak with some of the brave men who fought on Guam and thank them for their service. Later in my military career, I would be stationed on a ship home-ported in Guam. During this time, I was able to visit some of the battlegrounds around the island of Guam. When you visit a battle site years later, it’s hard to imagine the conditions that were present during the fight. If you are able to imagine what the soldiers went through, you can see those soldiers had a purpose, and they had to be united for that purpose to succeed. One can also see the sacrifices that were made by those courageous men so that we may live in freedom.”
Otten said that the Wreaths for Heroes program provides an opportunity to honor those who served their country and are no longer with us. “The wreaths we lay on those graves today is a small reminder of the sacrifice that those men and women gave to their country so we could carry on the purpose of protecting freedoms and helping others in need,” he added. “The men and women of the armed forces that serve their country today maintain the freedoms that we enjoy. As I look at the group that has gathered here today, I see a wide range of people, from my two young children and their fellow Scouts to my wife, who served alongside me in the Navy, to those who remember World War II and the Korean War. I see fellow veterans who went to fight and served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. All these men and women served with great purpose, even if, at the time, they didn’t know they were fighting for a purpose. Today, everyone here is living with a purpose, even if just for an hour or so, and the purpose is to honor those who went before us. As you set out wreaths today, take a moment to thank those who served with the purpose of protecting our freedom.”
After being honorably discharged in 2001, Otten and his wife settled in Sparta. In 2018, the Otten family moved to Hope, where they currently reside with their two children, Eugene and Frances.
St. George third-grader Violet Sullentrup sang the “Star Spangled Banner” to the delight of all gathered.
Following Saturday’s ceremony, wreaths were placed on 205 veterans’ graves at St. George Cemetery.
St. George hosted the Wreaths for Heroes program for the eighth year. Dan and Charlotte Schnieders initially brought the program to Linn.
Debbie Backes served as the Master of Ceremonies. VFW Post 4756 of Linn provided an Honor Guard for the event. Scouts BSA Troop 17 and 3017 and Cub Scout Pack 17 members participated in the ceremony.
All military branches and those killed or missing in action were honored with a presentation of wreaths by Scouts.