I have known this month’s Military Rider for many years, but have not been able to write about him until now. Steve Heuton and I have been friends for almost 30 years. Steve is a Veteran of the United States Army, and he served in 1969 and 1970 in the heart of the Vietnam War. He attained a rank of E-4, or SPEC 4 as it was called while serving. Military service was not new to the Heuton family, as his father served with the United States Marine Corp in World War II. Steve attended Basic Training at Fort Lewis in Washington, strangely with Mick Soll that he graduated high school with, as well as some other local guys after being drafted in the Army. After basic training they were split up and Steve ended up at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While on domestic duty, he was stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was trained as an Armorer, and was tasked with repairing small weapons and machine guns. After a short 8 month stint there, he went across the world to Vietnam. Overseas he served with the 6th Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery. He was originally assigned as a Ratio Transmit Operator to the Lieutenant of a reconnaissance company, but as many times in battle, jobs change and Steve ended up working in the transportation end supplying munitions to troops. He was one of the guys in the deuce and a half or five ton trucks hauling ammunition, heavy artillery loads and barrels of gunpowder. Not that there are ever any good jobs in a combat zone, but between radio work, and munitions supply, Steve had his share of minute by minute fears for his and his comrade’s lives. After a long 10 months, 15 days, and 32 minutes, Steve’s service in Vietnam was over, and he left that part of the world for good at 0832 hours on the 8th of February 1970. After returning home, he separated from the Army on the 10th of February and returned home to adapt and make his life.
a 2007 Heritage Softail that was the prettiest Cobalt Blue, and it was dripping in chrome and added cool stuff. They went to go check it out, and although Steve thought it was beautiful, he had not been indoctrinated into the motorcycle world as of yet, and was more concerned with the price tag, so he held off. Dean took it for a spin and said that it was a runner and that although it had the 96 inch motor, it did not feel stock at all, and guessed the engine was not the way it left the Motor Company. Now when you start talking about hot rods, Steve also has a deep blue early Firebird, and now his interest was piqued. The seller and buyer haggled it out and Steve got a price he was comfortable with, so last summer, Steve became the owner of this fine ride. He put as many miles as he could on two wheels, and has been having more and more fun on the bike and meeting more riders everywhere he goes. Get your first bike ever in your sixties? Why the hell not?! Steve loves the bike exactly the way it is, and only has plans to burn fossil fuel and keep it clean and serviced between rides. He wants to ride as much as possible, and has one big trip planned for this year. He and his buddy Dean are going to make the trek to Washington DC for Rolling Thunder. He has known about this ride for years, but not owning a motorcycle, didn’t fit, but now it is a completely different story. They will be gone for more than a week on the trip and then back to Iowa to keep riding as much as possible. If you see Steve out on a ride, give him a wave, or if you see him in person shake his hand and thank him for his service. Thanks to all of the troops past, present, and future for doing what they do so that we can do what we do. Vernon
Steve worked and lived and raised a family, and got into hotrods and classic cars for a majority of his life. He never really had an urge to ride, until the last few years when Dean, Ron, and Vern kept on him about getting a bike and learning to ride so that he go could go with them on their many adventures on two wheels. One day Ron called him and said that he found Steve a great bike for him. It was 28 - TRMI FEBRUARY 2018
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