Reporter, family remembers loved one

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, my father told me to turn on the news, saying you aren’t going to believe what you see.

He was right. We were in disbelief and horrified at the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93.

It was shocking, surreal. Into the evening it only got worse.

My father called again that evening and said they thought my uncle, Ronald James Vauk, was in the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into it.

At first co-workers and officials weren’t sure because the situation was so chaotic that he was in the building. The hope was that he was helping with the wounded and had yet to make contact with anyone. My husband and I sat by phone all night waiting for official word of my uncle’s whereabouts.

At age 37, my uncle died at his post in the Pentagon’s Naval Command Center. He was A lieutenant commander with the U.S. Naval Reserve, was serving a tour of duty.

When the attack occurred, he was using the telephone, trying to scramble more fighter planes to protect the capitol.

Ironically, he wasn’t supposed to have been there at that time.

He was scheduled to serve his tour in November, but because his wife Jennifer was due to have their second child that month, he had had his service date changed to September.

He was serving his second day of duty on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.

Ronald graduated with a degree in political science in 1987 from the U.S. Naval Academy.

He worked at Johns Hopkins University as a researcher in the applied physics laboratory.

He served while in the Navy on the USS Oaklahoma City, a nuclear submarine. Before that, in his hometown  of Nampa, he was a St. Paul’s Catholic School student, a Nampa High School graduate, and a former employee in the newsroom of the Idaho Press-Tribune. 

He was three years older than me and I remember growing up how smart he always was.

When it was confirmed he had died, a memory flash popped into my head about how he loved to play the game Risk. 

In the game players control armies with which they attempt to capture territories from other players. He would try to get my brother and I to play but I couldn’t stand the game. It went on for hours. I always gave up and he always won.

On Sunday, my mother called and asked if I was watching the news.

I was and could only imagine how my grandmother, mom and the rest of the family felt. How my uncle’s wife felt. How his son, Liam felt He is now 13. How did his 9-year-old daughter Meaghan  feel? She was born two months after 9/11.

I know I felt relief for all of us. All the people effected by 9/11. Everyone.      Can you imagine the tally on that?

My family members say they are relieved Osama Bin Laden is dead.

My grandmother, Dorothy Vauk, said Bin Laden’s death provides closure, but not necessarily any sense of healing.

My uncle, Chuck Vauk, said every time he looks at a clock and sees 9:11 he thinks of Ron.

My mom Teresa Masterson, said now her biggest concern is the war’s resolution. She hopes we can get through this war and have our troops come back and not have so many more lives lost.

My son Bryan Golder is serving in Iraq and isn’t due to be back until September. He is serving with my co-worker, Jennifer Van Etten’s husband Jason. 

It is safe to say that Jennifer and I  were relieved when we heard the news Sunday about Bin Laden’s demise.

It does add a bit more anxiety concerning the safety of our loved ones who are serving as well as all the troops.

My grandmother  believes there will be repercussions because of bin Laden’s death.

My family, who live in Nampa, gave this statement to the media on Monday.

 “The family is relieved that the person responsible for the death of our brother and son has been killed. This death won’t bring back lives of so many lost and injured because of hate for the west that started with Bin Laden.

“At the present time, there are 51 Idaho families that have been directly impacted by Sept. 11 and the wars that followed. These soldiers are memorialized at the Idaho Fallen Soldier Memorial located in front of the old Ada County Courthouse, adjacent to the state house in Boise. For a complete list of soldiers honored at this memorial go to Idaho Fallen Soldiers Memorial on Facebook.”

With Memorial Day coming the Herald would like to share stories of heroes.  Anyone who wishes to share a memory of a fallen soldier should contact me at jgolder@bonnersferryherald.com or call 267-5521.