SAGINAW, Mich. —On Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Gary Peters honored the memory of Captain James McClain, a Vietnam War veteran who lost his life in service, by presenting his long-overdue military medals to his daughter, Sheri Sivec.
The emotional ceremony, held at Saginaw Valley State University, served as a moment of recognition and healing for Sivec, whose father’s legacy has shaped her life profoundly.
“I was nine years old when my father was killed,” Sivec recalled. “When he left for Vietnam, we were at Capital City Airport in Lansing. Halfway up the steps, he turned and waved. I turned to my mother and asked, ‘What are we going to do without a daddy?’”
McClain’s sacrifice cast a long shadow over Sivec’s childhood and family life.
“Life was never the same after that. It was an awful time,” she shared.
Following her father’s funeral, his memory was rarely spoken of in her family’s home.
“The day after my father’s funeral, his name was never spoken again in our house. It was like a life before that day never existed.”
When Sivec reached out to U.S. Senator Peters’ office earlier this year to request a Gold Star lapel pin, she did not anticipate the extent of their support.
Senator Peters and his team uncovered a collection of medals Captain McClain had earned, including the prestigious Silver Star, which Senator Peters presented to Sivec during the ceremony.
“This is quite an impressive collection of awards for a man who certainly deserves each and every one of these,” Senator Peters said.
“The Silver Star, which is the third highest military combat decoration that someone can get in combat, is a major award.”
Senator Peters described Captain McClain as “a true American hero,” saying, “He continued to fight with unwavering courage, with strength, with tenacity until his last breath on Earth.”
Senator Peters’ team also uncovered a letter McClain had written before his deployment, explaining why he had chosen to serve in the military despite the challenges it posed for his family.
“He decided the opportunities outweighed the negative. So, 60 years later, I found out he did it all for us. I am at peace, and I owe that all to Senator Peters and his staff," said Sivec.