The lives of five former ISU students were honored this Veterans Day.

The memory of five men was cast into ISU history on Monday as the walls of the Gold Star Hall in the Memorial Union received the names of Sgt. Thomas W. Carrington, Jerry P. Clark, Lt. Col. Paul J. Finken, Sgt. Stephen A. Rushing and Private First Class Rickey E. Swaney.

The ceremony was a celebration of what Richard Reynolds, director of the Memorial Union, said was a showcase of amazing bravery, something all five inductees possessed.

After Reynolds’ introduction, Lawrence Braue, professor and chairman of military science and tactics, delivered a message to the peers and family members of the men being celebrated.

“I would argue that freedom is extremely costly,” Braue said. “Every morning I wake up so grateful that I was born in this country and that I have the privilege and the honor to put on this uniform every day. The men we are honoring today, I know that they were proud to wear this uniform as well.”

Braue said even today, the service men and women of the United States make this country what it is.

“We have an awesome country and the sacrifices that our men and women make each and every day is just enormous,” he said.

Of the five men celebrated Monday, four of them – Clark, Carrington, Swaney and Rushing – lost their lives during service in Vietnam. Finken died in 2006 during his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Steve Fredericksen, alumnus and a longtime friend of Carrington, said although the United States may have a tarnished reputation globally, it is still the best country in the world.

“I know there’s a lot wrong with our country,” Fredericksen said. “But, the United States is still the greatest country in the world.”

Those who knew the fallen soldiers talked about each individually.

Swaney’s former squad leader, Greg Steele, said Swaney was “a great asset.”

“He was a man that raised the bar. He was a man that you would want to get stuck in a foxhole with,” Steele said.

Clark, a native of Davenport, served as an Army pilot in Vietnam. One of just a few black students to make it through flight school, Clark was one of 73 that graduated out of a class that started with 175.

Carrington’s story was different. Carrington climbed the ranks from private to sergeant at a blistering pace.

“He was never very athletic, but boy, he could swim like a fish,” Fredericksen said.

Steele said Swaney reminded him of the group’s own Walter Cronkite.

Best known for his quiet demeanor, Swaney carried around a high-class camera on which he captured the scenery of Vietnam.

Rushing, a native of Ames, was a true intellect. During his time at Iowa State, Rushing pursued a degree in philosophy until dropping out during the war.

Rushing was known as a pacifist to his friends and family, but didn’t feel it was fair that a college education limit his duty to the country.

Finken was the one man honored Monday who did not serve in Vietnam. Rather, Finken died in 2006 while in service in Iraq. He took charge as a soldier’s soldier, an image that held steadfast in the mind of college friend and roommate Jeff Van Gundy.

“The things I remember most is that he always had a smile on his face and that he always wanted to go to West Point,” Van Gundy said.