A
A SOLDIER, A SECRET, AND THE BOND OF FAMILY.
>> I JUST WANT TO TIE A RIBBON
ON YOU, SIR.
>> Reporter: THE BEST OF OUR
ANGELS MAKE RIGHT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
SERVICE, AND WELCOME HOME.
>> THAT, WHICH WE INITIALLY GOT
WRONG.
WRONG.
WRONG. >>
WRONG. >> WELCOME HOME, SIR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH FOR
YOUR SERVICE.
YOUR SERVICE. >> THE VIETNAM VETERANS DAY.
>> Reporter: DIANE FINNEMANN
WAS BEHIND BOTH THE IDEA, AND
THE GOVERNOR, WHEN MINNESOTA'S
VIETNAM VETERANS DAY WAS SIGNED
INTO LAW.
INTO LAW.
INTO LAW. >> MY BROTHER IS RESPONSIBLE.
THIS IS HIS LEGACY.
>> JUST A LITTLE BOY.
>> Reporter: DIANE'S BROTHER,
WALLACE SKIP SCHMIDT.
THAT'S HIM.
THAT'S HIM. PICTURED WITH THE SISTERS.
NOW LOOKING AT HIS PICTURES.
>> HERE WE GO IN BOOT CAMP.
VERY, VERY PROUD.
>> Reporter: PROUD, AND
PATRIOTIC.
PATRIOTIC. SKIP ARRIVED IN VIETNAM IN
1968.
1968.
1968. FOR
1968. FOR AMERICANS, THE WAR'S
DEADLIEST YEAR, AND SOON, THE
LETTERS HOME TOOK A TURN.
>> IT WASTURING THE TET
OFFENSIVE.
OFFENSIVE. THEY CAME TO THE REALIZATION IT
WAS ALL POLITICS THAT WAS
PLAYING THE GAME.
HE SAID EVERYBODY I KNOW IS
DEAD.
DEAD.
DEAD. SEVERAL OF THEM DIED IN HIS
ARMS.
ARMS.
ARMS. THAT'S WHEN SKIP GOT SHOT.
>> Reporter: SKIP CAME HOME,
MISSING PART OF HIS HAND, AND
WORSE.
WORSE.
WORSE. >>
WORSE. >> HE HAD TERRIBLE NIGHTMARES.
HE'D SCREAM ALL NIGHT LONG, AND
IT GOT WORSE, AND WORSE, AND
WORSE.
WORSE.
WORSE. >>
WORSE. >> HE JUST WANTED OUT.
OUT OF HIS PAIN.
EVERY DIRECTION HE WENT, IT
JUST WASN'T WORKING.
>> Reporter: IN 1972, SKIP TOOK
HIS LIFE.
HIS LIFE.
HIS LIFE. >> IT WAS HORRIBLE.
>> Reporter: HE WAS BURIED ON
HIS 24th BIRTHDAY.
45 YEARS PASSED.
AND THEN, THE IMPOSSIBLE.
>> I WENT ON ANCESTRY.COM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AFTER I
DID IT, YOU DID IT, AND SHE
DECIDES TO GIVE IT TO COLLEEN
AS A GIFT AND HER SON AND
DAUGHTER.
DAUGHTER.
DAUGHTER. >> Reporter: ALL THEIR REPORTS,
LISTED AS CLOSE FAMILY.
>> JOE KLICK.
>> Reporter: LEAVING THEM WITH
THE SAME QUESTION.
>> WHO ARE YOU?
>> Reporter: THE ANSWER LIES IN
TEMPLE, GEORGIA.
TEMPLE, GEORGIA. >> SHE DIDN'T GET TO KNOW HIM
FOR VERY LONG.
SHE KNEW HIS NAME WAS SKIP.
>> Reporter: SKIP SCHMIDT LEFT
FOR VIETNAM, UNAWARE HIS 16-
YEAR-OLD GIRLFRIEND WAS
PREGNANT WITH HIS SON.
>> BACK IN THE LATE '60s,
THINGS WERE DIFFERENT THAN THEY
ARE NOW.
ARE NOW.
ARE NOW. >> Reporter: JOE GREW UP
UNAWARE OF THE TRUE IDENTITY OF
HIS FATHER.
HIS FATHER. >> YOU CAN CLICK ON THE MATCH.
>> Reporter: UNTIL HE TOO FOUND
ANCESTRY.COM.
ANCESTRY.COM. >> DIANE WAS ON THERE.
>> Reporter: AND THEN HIS
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. >> SKIP SCHMIDT.
THAT'S WHEN THE LIGHT WENT ON.
>> SHE SAID SIT DOWN, I'VE GOT
SOMETHING TO TELL YOU.
>> I WENT OH, MY GOD!
>> Reporter: TWO MONTHS LATER,
A FOURTH SCHMIDT SISTER HAS
FLOWN IN, BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS
TO MISS THIS.
>> I GET TO TOUCH HIM.
I GET A PIECE OF MY BROTHER.
WE ACTUALLY GET TO PHYSICALLY
HAVE SOMETHING TO HOLD ONTO.
>> YOU CAN JUST SEE FEATURES OF
SKIP.
SKIP.
SKIP. >>
SKIP. >> EVER SINCE I'VE MET HIM,
HE'S ALWAYS WANDERED ABOUT THE
OTHER HALF OF HIM.
>> WELCOME HOME.
>> Reporter: THESE TWO WORDS
REVERBERATED AGAIN WHEN A GOLD
STAR SON LANDED HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> WELCOME HOME, VIETNAM VETS.
>> SO HE COULD WITNESS THIS,
AND SEE WHAT HIS FATHER
STARTED.
STARTED.
STARTED. >> Reporter: THE INSPIRATION
FOR MINNESOTA'S VIETNAM
VETERANS DAY STARTED WITH SKIP,
AND THE LOSS FELT BY HIS
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. >> OUR BROTHER SKIP'S SON.
>> Reporter: THAT FAMILY.
>> IT'S MY NEPHEW'S SON.
>> Reporter: NOW WELCOMING JOE
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. COUSINS, AUNTS, AND GREAT-
UNCLES.
UNCLES.
UNCLES. SCHMIDT FAMILY HISTORY.
>> LOOKS JUST LIKE HIS DAD.
>> Reporter: BOTH RE-WRITTEN,
AND REBORN.
AND REBORN. >> IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
>> Reporter: BOYD HOOPER, KARE
11 NEWS, FOREST LAKE.
>> FOR JOE, THE TRIP TO
MINNESOTA WAS BITTERSWEET.
HE CHERISHED MEETING HIS NEW
EXTENDED FAMILY, BUT THE TRIP
WAS ALSO A STARK