Webster City resident Ron Phelps served in Navy with two tours of duty in Vietnam
Freeman-Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor <br>Ron Phelps shared some of his photos and identification that he had saved from his years in the United States Navy. He said he was lucky to be on a boat during those years.
Freeman-Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor <br>Luann Jackson, left and Jenny Manning of the Women's Auxiliary surprised him with a Freedom Quilt.
Freeman-Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor <br>Ron Phelps shared some of his photos and identification that he had saved from his years in the United States Navy. He said he was lucky to be on a boat during those years.
Freeman-Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor <br>Luann Jackson, left and Jenny Manning of the Women's Auxiliary surprised him with a Freedom Quilt.
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Ron Phelps served in the United States Navy and had two tours of duty in Vietnam. He served on the U.S.S. McKean, and the GLG-22 Benjamin Stoddard, a destroyer leader.
He recalled the experience, citing the exposure when they were on the Mekong River.
"You could see the Agent Orange on the water," he said. This was the same water they were using for drinking water, boiling it down before consumption, thinking the Agent Orange was evaporating. They were wrong.
Phelps said they also took showers and bathed in that same water. But the last reference he made, was when they were exposed directly, when they were sprayed.
"We turned yellow," he said.
Phelps developed cancer at the age of 50.
Phelps lives in Webster City today. He is on 100% agent orange disability.
Members of the Webster City American Legion Auxiliary presented Phelps a Freedom Quilt on Wednesday to honor him for his years of service.