Page 87 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine

nAVy
VietnAm
At a Captain’s Mast (inquiry), Joe’s records were There aren’t enough words to
presented and reviewed. After review, it was express what we owe Joseph
determined he was not guilty of manslaughter. “I “Joe” Dial and other Veterans. Talking to him, hearing him
didn’t salute them, and I may have said some bad laugh, and recalling things that he hadn’t even told his
words. They could have watched that video thirty wife before that moment brought tears to my eyes—tears
minutes after the accident instead of making me wait of pride and absolute respect for the living piece of history
a week.” But at least Joe Dial was back on his way to that is Joe Dial.
completing his four years.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph “Joe” Dial, you do have a
When you serve in a combat war, you get to choose happy heart, and it was my honor to hear and tell your
where you get discharged. Joe remembered the story. Thank you for your service.
unpleasant welcome he’d received in California three
years earlier. “We weren’t welcomed. They spit on
me! There are casualties of war, but we weren’t baby There was just one thing Joe requested for this article.
killers.” So, I asked them to take me to Dallas. It is a message to veterans: “It is vital that every
military person sign up for services at the VA.” The
A Happy Heart more veterans Joe meets, the more he realizes the
importance of connecting them to all the services that
Joseph “Joe” Dial has been married to his sweetheart are available at Lubbock’s new state-of-the-art VA
Rosemary since July 1993 and is father to daughter Superclinic. You can reach them at 806-472-3400.
Tamara, twin boys, Rusty and Dusty, the latter
having just completed four years with the Navy
and twenty with the Air Force, and sons Tony,
Scotty, and David. Joe is active with the Veterans of
Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion and is
an advocate for Veterans' rights.

In 2006, Joe had a heart attack, and it was
discovered that the bottom of his heart is black,
dead. When delivered the news, Joe’s response
was, “No, Doc, I have a happy heart.” Over the
years, doctors found that Joe’s exposure to Agent
Orange was the reason for his heart and breathing
issues. He has since received full disability benefits
from the VA.

A Walking Miracle
It has been said that the life expectancy on the deck
of a Navy vessel is 30 seconds. Despite his health
issues and an injury that earned him a Purple
Heart, Joe has far
surpassed that.

Lubbock Senior Link 87