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Saturday, April 7, 2001 |
| Proud son helps induct dad into OCS Hall of Fame at Würzburg ceremony By Richelle Turner Collins, Würzburg bureau
WÜRZBURG, Germany — Lawton Rovegno was 19 when gold bars were pinned on his lapel, making the former enlisted soldier an officer. His distinguished military career lasted 26 years. It took him through World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was a platoon leader and engineer and worked in military intelligence. He retired as a colonel with a distinguished career full of medals and awards in 1972. On Friday, the Army recognized his contributions by inducting him into the Officer Candidates Hall of Fame. Rovegno also received the Knowlton Award for achievements in military intelligence. "You are a true warrior — proven by your Combat Infantrymen’s Badge," 1st Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. John Craddock said to Rovegno during the induction ceremony. "You are a hero in every sense of the word, and a patriot." Rovegno, who is in his 70s, was one of 44 people inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame in 2001. The hall is in Fort Benning, Ga., but the ceremony was held in Würzburg, where Rovegno’s son, Lt. Col. John Rovegno, is commander of the 101st Military Intelligence Battalion. The younger Rovegno says his father has been the perfect role model. "I have lived my whole life as part of the Army and dad taught me everything to get me started," he said. "I followed in his footsteps." The elder Rovegno seemed taken aback by all the fuss. "The honors I have been awarded this day have taken my breath away," said Rovegno, who commanded the 83rd Special Operations Unit in Bangkok, Thailand. "This is not an award for me, this is an award for the sergeants and corporals who helped," he said. "I couldn’t have gotten here without them." Rovegno, whose last military tour was with the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md., said he misses military life. But it’s not too far away from him — as his trip to Würzburg demonstrated. Rovegno’s other son, Richard, also attended the event. His father’s induction and award touched him. "This is probably one of the most emotional points of my life," said Richard Rovegno, a Cumberland County commissioner who lives in Carlisle, Pa. The OCS Hall of Fame began 43 years ago to celebrate outstanding graduates. So far, 2,074 officers have been honored for their service. Each must be a graduate of the officer’s candidate school to be nominated. OCS enables enlisted soldiers to become commissioned officers, learning such things as leadership, military skills and professional ethics. On top of his award and induction, Rovegno and his wife, Evelyn, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The family plans to visit the tiny Italian village of Rovegno, Italy — home of their ancestors, relatives and family namesake. |
