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Midland Memorial, dedicated 1999.

Friends of Midland

P. O. Box 7442
Steelton, Pennsylvania 17113-0442

E-mail:  Friends of Midland

SFC Houston D. Wedlock

 

Biography of SFC Houston D. Wedlock

SFC Houston D. Wedlock was our keynote speaker at the Eleventh Annual Memorial Day Service, held by the Friends of Midland at the cemetery on May 29, 2004.  It was a wonderfully bright and sunny day--perfect for memorializing America's fallen heroes--and SFC Wedlock's stirring words so moved our gathered guests that many requested that they be printed on the website.  With SFC Wedlock's kind permission, "Let Us Remember" is available here.  Below is a biographical sketch of SFC Wedlock.

SFC Houston D.Wedlock was born in White Post, Clarke County Virginia. He attended White Post Grade School, Millwood Middle School and the Johnson William High School in Berryville, Virginia.

SFC Wedlock spent more than twenty years in the United States Army. His assignments included the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division and the Army Elite Special Forces with the Green Berets. He served as a Platoon Sergeant in the Airborne Divisions, an instructor at the Army Airborne School training troops for parachute jumps, instructing at the John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance and the Third Army Noncommissioned Officers Academy. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam. The second tour of Vietnam with the Elite 5th Special Forces Green Berets was as a Senior Military Advisor to the Vietnam Special Forces LLDB.

He has been honored with many military awards and commendations doing his tours of duty:

                        The Combat Infantry Badge

                        Master Parachutist Badge            

                        2 Bronze Star for Valor

                        2 Vietnam Cross of Gallantry for Bravery

                        Vietnam Parachutist Badge

                        5 Good Conduct Medals

                        National Defense Medals

                        Special Forces Tabs

                        Expert Infantry Badges

                        Jungle Expert Tabs

                        Campaign and Service Medals

On completion of his military career, SFC Wedlock was an owner operator for the trucking industry for five years, leading to a management position as a Regional Safety Manager with a large trucking firm located in the Midwest. Following his retirement from trucking, SFC Wedlock joined VisionQuest as the Transportation Manager and a Buffalo Soldier Re-enactor.

He holds the title of First Sergeant in his Buffalo Soldiers Research and Re-enactor group and has a special interest in Black Military History.  This hobby has led to a comprehensive research of the Civil War, Buffalo Soldiers in the old West, the Spanish American War, World War I, Black Paratroopers, Tuskegee Airmen, and the Red Ball Express of World War II.

During the last ten years Trooper Houston Wedlock and his Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors have presented this history through presentations and exhibits to many military bases, schools, universities and communities throughout the Eastern United States.  

SFC Wedlock has been the exhibitor for the VisionQuest Mobile Museum since it was first opened in 1998.

 

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This page was updated June 1, 2004.