A Kissimmee veteran was part of the Memorial Day remembrance Monday in Washington, D.C.
Tammy Fischer, 58, served in the U.S. Army in Desert Storm and Desert Shield during the Gulf War in 1990-91. She was one of about 375 honorees from that conflict who participated in the National Memorial Day Parade and stirring service along Constitution Avenue in the capital.
“It was breathtaking and well worth the trip. It took me back to my time serving,” said Fischer, a Chicago native who entered into the Army right out of high school. “It’s truly an honor, and you get that pride in your country of putting that uniform back on. Plus, I was told the ambassador to Kuwait attended and was in tears.”
Fischer said she entered the military like it was the family business. Many other family members had enlisted, including an uncle who rose to Sergeant Major and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
“But, I was the first female in the family to go in,” she said.
Her first active duty was from 1986-89 with the 64th Charlie Company as an intermodal transportation engineer.
“That’s a truck driver,” she quipped.
She then joined the list of reservists, and was called back to duty when Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. Iraq had eyes on continuing its march into Saudi Arabia; Fischer was stationed in Riyadh with the 71st Engineering outfit from around Thanksgiving 1990 to April 1991.
“(Air raid) sirens went off all around us.” Fischer said. “Our main objective was to free the people of Kuwait from a terrible dictator. It was great working with the allied forces from all the other countries. What I remember most about being there was receiving letters and packages from home especially at Christmas time in the desert.
Fischer, who now works for Universal Studios in the warehouse division and remains an active VFW member, said she found out about the national memorial event online, and through a bit of communication was able to secure a spot marching in the parade. She said this is the first time she’s been part of a national or large-scale honor since returning home to Chicago from the Middle East, and said she hopes to be back in Washington at some point for another honor.
“We’re hoping to see the completion of the Desert Storm Memorial,” she said.
